Page 13

13

TYSON

“ F uck,” I groan and toss my phone down on my desk.

We’ve come up empty in our search for the two dipshits. Frankly, I’m surprised. Neither of them is particularly bright, and I never anticipated that they’d be this resourceful. Desperation really has brought out the best in them. I’m going to thoroughly enjoy beating the shit out of them. On the bright side, none of my workers has been hit the last couple of nights.

Marco sees that as an ominous sign. As them ramping up to something bigger. I tend to agree. What that might be, I don’t have any idea. I suppose it’s possible they could make a play for my business, but I don’t think they’re quite ready to make that jump to the big leagues just yet. As far as I know, they don’t have the manpower or resources to pose a serious threat.

The other side of that coin is that I seem to be right. Marco has reached out to his people, and so far as we can tell, neither Rodney nor Hector is behind the hits. It’s possible they’re moving covertly, and Marco is still beating the bushes to either confirm or debunk it, but right now, there’s nothing that points to either of them. Which leaves me back at this being Rico and Dawson’s doing, as stupid a move as it seems to be.

“So, what the fuck are they up to?”

I sigh and pick up my phone then lean back in my chair. As much as this situation is pissing me off, the fact that I haven’t heard from Tabitha in a couple of days has me more concerned. With a potential war popping off, I should be focused on that, but I can’t get her out of my head. She’s never gone this long without returning my texts since we started seeing each other. I don’t think I’ve done anything to upset her, and as far as I know, the last time we were together, we had a good time. She seemed fine. So why has she gone radio silent on me?

Stuck in the middle of this shitstorm, I should be focusing on getting my house in order. I should be locked in on dragging Rico and Dawson’s stupid asses in to show them what happens to punks like them. That’s where my head should be. That’s the only goddamn thing I should be worried about right now. But it’s not. Instead of all that, I’m sitting here wondering if I did something to piss her off. Clearly, my priorities are all fucked up.

At the same time, I think it’s kind of telling. The fact that I’m less invested in what’s going on all around me than I am in figuring out what I did to piss off Tabitha has me questioning some things in my life right now. It feels like all the thought I’ve given to getting out of this life has led me to this point. I finally feel like I have the motivation to pull the plug. I know Tabitha has reservations about being with me while I’m running the show, and I’ve started thinking that maybe the time has come. Maybe I finally have a good reason to do it.

Some might say it’s ridiculous to throw away everything I’ve built for a woman. But the truth is, I’ve never really been one hundred percent in on this life. I’ve done it because I had to. It’s what I needed to do to survive. But now, I’ve got more than I could ever possibly need and have options. There are things I could do. Things I want to do. Where I couldn’t have done any of those things before, now I have that ability. Maybe the time is right.

Or at least, maybe it will be once I put down this little rebellion and get my shit in order again. If I’m going to walk away, I’m not going to do it while there are people stirring up shit. I’m not going to leave this little slice of my world in chaos. If I’m going to leave, I’m going to turn everything over to Marco, and I refuse to leave the kingdom in turmoil. If I’m going to leave, I’m going to make sure my house is in order before I do.

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.