Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 74655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
“As I said,” I continue, “I’m your brother, I love you, but I’m goin’ to do this with or without your help, and there ain’t fuck-all you can do about it. Prefer to keep my life, so I’d prefer your help, but as I said, I’ll do it no matter what.”
“You’re fuckin’ insane, Dakoda,” he hisses. “You have no fuckin’ idea!”
“Then fill me in,” I growl. “Tell me what you’re fuckin’ doin’.”
He exhales, running a hand through his hair. “You’re goin’ to get yourself killed.”
“Means you walk away safe, so be it.”
“Fuck,” he growls. “Fuck. Right, I’ll tell you but only because I’m not goin’ to have it on my shoulders if you fuckin’ die. If you choose to go into this, know that risk is fuckin’ massive.”
I nod. “What are the weapons for?”
“I stole them.”
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck. Me.
I wasn’t expecting that.
That changes things.
Fuck.
“Why the fuck—that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of weapons. Fuck me, what the fuck were you thinkin’?”
“I wasn’t,” he barks. “I was scared, and at the time it seemed like a good fuckin’ idea. It wasn’t.”
Of course it fucking wasn’t.
“Start from the beginning and make it quick. We only have twenty minutes left.”
“Started dealin’, way to make cash, get drugs, it seemed fine. New drug hit the scene, bigger dollars, but it meant dealin’ with larger people. I got into it, knew people, thought it would give me the cash I wanted. At first, it was fuckin’ incredible. I did a good job, got in deeper, got up higher, and started dealin’ heavier. But I was addicted and gettin’ into trouble, takin’ drugs when I was meant to be sellin’ them. Shit started spiraling and I owed some big people some big money.”
God damn.
“So, when the man running the show asked me to transport a shipment over the border for him, I agreed. Weapons. Big dollars. He was goin’ to pay me well for it. But I was never goin’ to fuckin’ give it to him. I was high, desperate, fuckin’ stupid. I thought if I stole the shipment I could sell it off. I’d be able to pay for the drugs I desperately wanted, pay everyone off, and walk away forever with a fuck load of cash. More than he was offering. I knew people, I had contacts, it seemed like a good idea at the time ...”
“Not a fuckin’ good idea.”
“I was high as fuck, addicted, and desperate,” he growls. “Understand, my brain wasn’t fuckin’ workin’ like it is now.”
“What happened?”
“I took it, hid it, and now I got people huntin’ my ass. Huntin’ me hard. Not only do they want their shit back, they want my head. I’m as good as dead. Day you found me, tried to overdose. Figured it was easier than enduring the torture they were goin’ to deal. Didn’t matter if I gave it all back and more. I was a dead man for the pure sake of it.”
Fuck.
This is far worse than I could have ever imagined. Far fucking worse. Right now, I don’t have a clear answer on how to get him out of this shit without risking both of our lives. I thought it was drugs, thought I could pay off the right people, fuck up the others, and get him out of it. But he’s dealing with big people. Top dogs. Dangerous men.
“Who were you workin’ for?”
“Don’t know his name. Just know they called him Shanks. Never met him. Never saw him. But he’s runnin’ a big operation. Fuckin’ deadly. Dangerous. He’s fuckin’ over mafia, cartel, motorcycle clubs, you name it, he’s tryin’ to fuckin’ take what’s theirs and he’s succeeding.”
Fuck me.
One man can’t take that kind of shit on.
I don’t know what fucking options I have here except to fucking change his name and run.
Might be the only way.
No way we can take on something that size.
“Leave it with me, let me see what I can work out.”
“Not goin’ to work anything out, Dakoda. You simply cannot compete with somethin’ that size, I promise you that. You’ll die in the process.”
“I said leave it with me. Right now, nobody knows you’re here. I won’t come back, in case I’m followed.”
“They’re goin’ to kill you on sight. Get out of that apartment. If you have a chance, it’s that nobody knows you exist. Go home. Away from where they’re lookin’, and do your work from there. Don’t put your face out there. It’ll get blown off.”
He’s right about that.
“Got you. Loud and clear. I’ll do what I can.”
I stand, looking at my brother and exhaling. “Fix yourself. If you can do anythin’ in here, fix your fuckin’ self, Braxton. I’m not riskin’ my life for you to walk out of here and get straight back into it.”
He nods. “I hear you, and Dakoda?”
I meet his eyes.
“Be fuckin’ careful.”