“Uh, Darren?” I asked inquisitively.
He turned back around, raising an eyebrow atme. I held up my still bound wrists so he could see, hoping he’dfinally release me.
“Oh, yeah.” He laughed and pulled out hisphone. Seconds later, my wrists were free. He then winked at me andwalked out the door, leaving me alone in his room.
~*~
I left Jaden alone in my room, knowing fullwell there was nothing in there for her to fuck with, extended herperimeter on my phone, and headed over to the security room. Scottwas sitting at his desk, staring at the monitors as I walked in andsat down next to him. Daniel was on the flip phone again, waitingfor me on speaker.
“He’s here,” Scott said.
“They fucking backed out,” Dan saidangrily.
“Motherfucker,” I seethed.
“I know. Said they didn’t trust us andwanted out. I tried to convince them otherwise, but the gunfire wasgetting ready to go off and I didn’t need the heat.”
“Do those cocksuckers think I do this for shits and giggles?” Isaid, leaning back and pinching the bridge of my nose. I didn’tneed this shit right now. “You don’t back out of a deal with me when I’ve already completed my end ofthe bargain—not without consequence.”
“What do you want to do?” Dan asked.
“Let me make a phone call and I’ll get backto you,” I said turning off the screen.
I took out my phone and dialed Carlos. Heran drugs in and out of Panama, and he and I had a decent workingrelationship since he would supply me with the drugs and I’d supplyhim with weapons. It was perfect. But since he was the motherfuckerresponsible for this deal, he was gonna fix it. After two rings heanswered.
“Hey, amigo! What’s going on?” His fat-assLatino voice sounded too chipper on the other end.
“Well, Carlos, I’ve run into a littleproblem with your friends down in Panama,” I said seriously.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, you want to explain to me why thefuck I send my younger brother down there with a large shipment andthey back out the day of delivery?”
“They did what? Oh, man, amigo, I am sosorry. Why did they back out?”
“Some shit about not being able to trust mybusiness? You know something about that?”
“No, my friend, I don’t. I didn’t expectthis to happen.”
“No shit. I made this deal as a favorto you, but I don’t run mybusiness like this. You know that.”
“Of course. Let me call them and fix this.There must be some kind of misunderstanding,” he spoke quickly.
“Yeah, you do that,” I said and hung up. Iturned to address Scott. “What’s that Panama fucker’s name? Juan?”I asked him harshly.
“Yeah,” he replied with a nod.
“Didn’t Carlos mention something earlierabout the guy’s brother doing business near the city? That was howhe knew of him?”
“Yeah, some deal he’s working on with thelocals.”
“Find him. If those Panama fucks still back out, I want a bullet in hishead along with every member of that shitty little cartel. Youdon’t strike a deal with me and back out, especially after I’vealready incurred the costs of delivery.”
“Got it,” Scott replied and picked up hisphone to carry out my orders. I texted Dan back on my phone tellinghim shit was probably about to go down and to be ready toexecute.
After ten minutes of pacing the room withScott making several phone calls, my phone finally rang withCarlos’s number. I answered on the first ring.
“Well? Do we have a deal or do I need torenegotiate the terms myself?” I asked him angrily.
“I’m sorry, amigo. I tried to convince him,but Juan is very hot-headed andstubborn. He doesn’t trust anyone.”
Done deal, then.
“Well, good thing he won’t have to worryabout it anymore,” I said and hung up the phone.
Carlos knew better than to call back. Heknew what would happen next, and he knew better than tointerfere.
I dialed Dan back, and he answered on thefirst ring. “Yeah?”
“Deal’soff. You know what to do,” I said.
“Got it,” he replied and hung up.
Well, there goes my morning. I knew Dan wasmore than capable of handling this shit. His accuracy with a gunwas beyond precise, almost as good as my own. He never lost hisshit in a situation, remaining calm and cool as I’d taught him.He’d become quite the littlemercenary since his first kill when he was twelve. Over the years,I had become proud of the man he’d become, and now that he wasabout to become a father, it had me rethinking his entire role inthis business.
I ran my hands through my hair and rubbed myface, my stubble scratching against my palms as I realized I hadforgotten to shave this morning. I was beginning to like thefeeling of rubbing my face against Jaden’s smooth skin, but myshadow would hinder that. I’d need to shave before I went to findher later.
I replied to some quick emails on my phonebefore Scott finally addressed me.
“Darren,” I heard him say from across theroom. I turned to look at him. “They got him. They’re bringing himin right now.”
“Good. Let’s go say hi then, shall we?” Isaid with enthusiasm, and we both left the security room and headedout to the driveway to meet ournew temporary guest.
It was barely even 9:00 a.m., and it wasalready turning out to be a very bloody morning.
~*~
I looked around as I sat on the bed, almostlost in a foreign country, but I could still feel him there. Eventhough he was gone, just sitting on his bed was enough to make mefeel like he really did own me. It was total foreign territory to be in his room, especiallywithout him.
It wasn’t until I got out of bed that Irealized how sore my ass was from last night. I walked over to thetall mirror hanging on the wall and examined my ass. There was afucking outline of a handprint onmy left cheek. Son of a bitch! I also noticed an array
