Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
My cellphone chirps with an incoming video call, cutting into my thoughts. Without thinking, I connect the call and find myself staring at Rico. My eyes narrow, and my jaw instantly clenches as I look at his smug, smiling face.
“You’ve got more balls than I ever gave you credit for,” I say.
“Hey, Tyson. How’s it hangin’?” he says with a grin.
“You know it’s only a matter of time before I find you, right? And when I do—”
“Save it,” Rico interrupts. “Spare me your tough guy bullshit.”
I let out a wry chuckle. “You’re pretty ballsy when you’re on the other end of the phone. Why don’t you and I link up—”
“It’s time for new management,” he cuts me off.
“And I suppose you think you’ve got what it takes to run the show.”
“A hell of a lot better than you do.”
“So? You really do want to go to war, huh?”
“There won’t be any war.”
“No?”
“Nah,” he replies. “Let me tell you why.”
“I’m on pins and needles.”
“Because you’re going to surrender before the first shot is fired,” he says. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to give me ten million dollars and your existing supply of products. And you’re going to do it with a smile on your face.”
I laugh like it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. “And why would I do that?”
“Because if you don’t, I’m going to kill your girl.”
His words send a flood of ice water flowing through my veins. When the camera pans around, and I see Tabitha tied to a chair with a gag in her mouth, eyes wide, face etched with absolute terror, my heart leaps into my throat as a dark rage fills me.
“You lay a finger on her, and I will gut you, motherfucker,” I hiss.
“I’ll be in touch with instructions soon. And all I can say is you’d best follow them to the letter, or your girl here is going to pay the price,” he says and disconnects the call.
14
TABITHA
“All right, it’s set. We’re going to get everything we want tonight, baby,” Rico says.
“I got a bad feeling about this,” Dawson replies.
“Don’t be a pussy. It’s going to be fine.”
“Dude, Tyson doesn’t forget. You know that.”
“Tyson’s going to be dead after he gives us all his shit. I’ll make sure of it,” Rico snaps. “You afraid his ghost is going to come back and haunt you or something?”
Rico laughs and slaps the other man on the shoulder. Dawson nods and then laughs along with him, but he still doesn’t look entirely convinced this plan is going to work. I don’t blame him. He’s wise to be afraid of Tyson.
“All right, I need to go get some shit to get ready for tonight,” Rico says. “You keep an eye on her, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
“It’s going to be fine, D. Trust me. We’re about to get everything we want.”
Rico grabs his keys and heads out of the small apartment, leaving me alone with Dawson. Rico is obviously the brains of their little operation, and Dawson, the dimmer of the two, is the follower. He’s the weak link. If I’m going to get out of this before their exchange, when they plan to kill Tyson, I need to go to work on him. I need to crack him.
“You know this isn’t going to work, right?” I ask.
“Shut up.”
Dawson sits down on the sofa and starts playing a video game, making a point of not looking at me. He’s trying to ignore me, but I know he’s listening.
“If Rico screws up and doesn’t kill Tyson, you’re both going to die,” I say. “I mean, you do know that, right?”
“I said shut up.”
“Why are you doing this? Is it because Tyson roughed you up that night?”
He finally turns to me. “You can either shut up, or I’ll shut you up.”
I glare at him. “I know you can’t hurt me. If you hurt me and Tyson sees it, he’s going to tear you both apart with his bare hands.”
Throwing his controller down, Dawson shoots to his feet and cocks his hand back like he’s going to smack me. His face is red, and he’s huffing, but he doesn’t deliver the blow, and I see the fear and uncertainty in his eyes.
“That’s what I thought,” I say.
“Shut the fuck up, or I’m going to gag you.”
He sits back down, picks his controller up again, and starts playing a first-person shooter war game. I watch him for a little while. All the while, my mind is spinning, trying to figure out how I’m going to get through to him and get out of this. If Tyson shows up to that meeting, they’re going to kill him. The mere thought of it sends a sharp lance of pain straight through my heart. I need to warn him.
“I need to use the restroom,” I say.