Alex’s face burned and Devyn could tell she was testing her patience. She was pushing just the right buttons to make her crack.
“Well.” Alex let out a long breath. “I guess it’s time for us to discuss the second reason I’m here. Where is my Jamie Ray’s. Where is the shipment?”
Devyn froze, staring up at her boss. She didn’t have it, and there was no way she could get it. What the hell was she going to do?
“Well actually.” Devyn said staring down at the desk as she spoke. “It’s on its way. They said they would send me what they could. I gave them a max number for the units.”
The lie fell from her mouth with ease. She felt disgusting. She looked up to Alex, pulling her shoulders back. She kept her eyes locked on hers. Devyn pressed her lips together in a firm line. Alex was waiting for her to break, but she held out. She wasn’t going to get through today without making her believe her.
“It better be,” Alex said, eyes burning into Devyn. “Or you’ll be out of here.”
15
Chad was pretty sure that Devyn wasn’t going to agree to this. Hell, he didn’t really agree with it. The only thing he knew for certain was if Maxi’s didn’t get Jamie Ray’s line, then Devyn was going to lose her job, and as badly as he wanted that job, he wanted Devyn more.
Chad searched his desk for the crumpled paper that had Jackson’s number on it. He was the only person who could fix this. He dialed the number, each ring on the other end was long. It felt like it would never end.
“What do you want?” Jackson’s rugged voice echoed through the other side. Jackson was a grisly man, who would probably kill Chad in seconds if he truly wanted to, but Chad didn’t have a choice.
“Jackson,” Chad tried to keep his voice even and casual like he did with any other person he talked to. “It’s so nice to finally talk to you.”
Jackson’s ragged breath on the other end and the extended silence meant Chad was safe. For now. Chad could hear the muffled voices of the warehouse. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Can’t I just call to check in on an old pal?” Chad needed to play his cards right. One wrong move and the entire plan could backfire.
“Listen Weeks,” Jackson said through gritted teeth, “I’m ain’t pals with no one.” Chad flinched at double negative and bit his lip to keep from correcting him. He needed him, and even if Jackson had never been the smartest person he knew, he was one of the only people who could throw off the shipment to get the makeup in their store.
“Right.” Chad chewed on his bottom lip. “Well I guess I’ll cut right to the chase then.”
Jackson let out a breath on the other end of the call, waiting for Chad to spill the real reason for his phone call. “I’m ready to call in my favor.”
Silence. He couldn’t even hear the ragged breaths anymore. Chad waited, hoping the line hadn’t gone dead.
“I don’t owe you a favor.”
Chad laughed, the chuckle rising through his throat and out his mouth faster than he could process what was happening. “Jackson, are you forgetting the deal we made?”
“That didn’t mean anything.”
Chad stiffened. “It sure meant something when I saved your ass from getting busted in college.”
Jackson stayed silent on the other end.
“Now, you can either own your end of the deal,” Chad paused building up the courage. It's now or never. He was either getting this shipment or he wasn’t. “Or I can give the cops what I know. Have you ever thought about how I would make sure you repaid your debt? I kept the evidence.”
Jackson let out a sigh on the other end of the phone. “What do you want?”
“Do they happen to ship a cosmetic line at the warehouse you work at?”
“Which one?”
“Jamie Ray. I need one unit. Not more than that. We just need the product to get lost from the original shipment and sent to us as a mistake. We will send an invoice to the company for the unit and stock it before they can take it back.”
“Do you think that will work?” Jackson sounded hesitant.
“It’s the only chance I have.”
There was another long pause from Jackson. Chad held his breath, hoping he would agree to honor his end of the deal. Chad didn’t actually have any evidence. He never saved the photos or video of the drugs Jackson had kept in their tiny dorm room. Chad played his final card.
“Okay,” Jackson agreed. “Give me a couple of days. I’ll get my guys on it.”
“Give me a call when it’s done.”
“Alright. After this we’re even.”
Chad gritted his teeth, pushing the guilt in the pit of his stomach away. “Of course. Thanks Jackson.”
“Don’t thank me,” Jackson said on the other end of the line. His words were sharper than they had been earlier. “I’m not doing this out of the kindness of my heart. I’m repaying a debt. That’s all this is. I’ll let you know when the package is on it’s way to your stores.”
Chad stayed quite letting the words soak in. “Right. Just let me know when it’s done.”
“Alright.”
The line went dead. Chad dropped his hand away from the side of his face, staring at the dark screen. He called in his favor. He used his favor to help Devyn, and somehow the pit he was expecting to feel wasn’t there. He didn’t feel guilty using it for her. Somehow, he felt like it was what he was supposed to do.
Chad locked his phone and tried to get back to work.
DEVYN SULKED WHEN SHE walked into Chad’s office. He sat up straighter in his chair, watching her drag her feet over the cheap carpet. She fell into his spare chair with a thud and sighed. Chad pressed his back into the chair and waited.
“I hate my life,”