Page 33

33

Luca

“You look like shit,” Asher greets me, as I climb out the car.

Looks like shit barely describes my current state. In the last two days I’ve had less than four hours of sleep; I am running on empty.

“Everything set up?”

“Heard I missed quite the party.” He looks down at his phone, reading a message. As always, Asher is immaculately presented, even though he’s been working flat-out trying to get the warehouse ready for the Russian shipment.

“Hmm,” I reply without biting.

“Do we know what’s in these containers?” he asks, falling into step behind me as we cross into the now completely organised warehouse.

It’s still a piece of shit, with a lot more work to do, but the broken windows have been replaced, the space has been deep cleaned, painted and looks like the start of a successful partnership.

“No. I’m assuming with the Sokolov’s ties it will be guns.” I know full well it’s guns. “I’ve agreed that we will unload and transport to warehouses in the city.”

He nods. “Lorries will arrive at 11:30, that gives us enough time to unload and reload onto the transport and be on the road before 1 p.m. It looks great,” I say, taking in the space. Forklifts move around, and shelving has been constructed that runs floor to ceiling, allowing a range of boxes to be stored there. James has pulled off that fucking miracle, I can’t believe how good it looks. “Tunnels?”

“Not needed for today. Where’s Rome?” he asks, and I glance at my watch: 7:05. Roman Rook being late is unheard of. “He’ll be here, I’d murder for a coffee.”

“Let me show you our new office.”

He leads me through the empty warehouse, the smell of chemicals and paint fumes making my stomach queasy. People in Black Logistics coveralls move around in preparation for the delivery.

“Security cameras at every entry point, sensors throughout, there is no part of the warehouse and tunnels that isn’t covered.” He drops the freshly poured coffee and leans over me wiggling the mouse on the computer that I’m sitting in front of. The flat-screen TVs on the wall come to life. “We now have 24-hour security, the feed will be monitored 24/7, and you can view everything from anywhere once we get you connected.”

He selects a camera that shows the road leading up to the warehouse. Where a white sports car trails up the track towards the front. “Roman?” Asher asks.

I raise my eyebrows. “In a Porsche?”

He grins and I lean forward. “Expecting anyone else?”

“Nope.” I stand as Black pulls out a walkie talkie.

“We have unplanned company.” He reaches a hand into his jacket and pulls out a gun, loading it.

I follow suit, walking back out the front door and six other men wearing dark security overalls with the Black Logistics logo fall into step.

The Porsche pulls up to where we all stand, the dirt road a muddy slushy mess from all the rain. Mud spatters the crisp white paintwork, and I step back.

It idles for a second before the window rolls down.

“Hello, Cousin,” Levi says.

I roll my eyes. “Fuck’s sake,” I mutter. The passenger door opens, and Duchess climbs out, her white trouser suit clinging to her body.

“Not exactly dressed for the docks there, Duchess,” Asher says, grinning.

She walks around the car and stops in front of us. Large Ray-Ban glasses hide her eyes.

“What do we owe the pleasure?” I kiss her cheeks as Levi climbs out.

“Heard you were receiving a shipment, the Covenant asked me to check on the status,” Levi lies.

“And Isabella, being the active Covenant member, thought she’d join, did she?” Black asks, smelling the bullshit.

A diesel engine can be heard in the distance and Levi checks his watch. “Perfect timing.” He clucks and grabs Isabella's hand before stepping around us into the warehouse.

“Quite the operation, Cousin. Looks great,” he says. “Interesting that we couldn’t find any paperwork that linked to the sale of this though. Not through Covenant channels anyway.”

“It’s not anything to do with the Covenant, and equally not my warehouse.” My hand is known, no point hiding it. But fuck. It’s annoying.

“Just as well, you know how we all feel about the Russians,” he replies. “I’m here to tell you that the Covenant sees this shipment as an opportunity.”

“Is that so?” Black asks.

“And what opportunity is that?” I ask, wondering how they knew this was going down.

“To remind the Russians who owns London.”

And weakening my relationship with them in the process.

So be it, I could do without the headache of a turf war, but if Black is saying war is looming, may as well let the Covenant play their hand and I’ll pivot.

Like the good boy scout I am.

“What time’s the shipment due?” Duchess asks, walking across the concrete floor to one of the shelves. “I must say, Asher, I’m impressed at the quality.”

“Come on, Duchess, you know I don’t scrimp on quality.”

Levi flashes an annoyed glance to where Asher stands close to Duchess. I can’t work out these two.

Six dark blue transit vans pull up outside, with the Langley signet on the side, another clear indication that this has the Covenant written all over it.

“So, I get why he’s here.” Black nods over to Levi. “But that still doesn’t explain why you’re here,” he says to Duchess.

“Can’t a girl see how dear Daddy’s empire is doing? I’m going to inherit it one day after all.” She runs her hand up and down the metal shelving.

“Does your father know that?” I ask, and she turns her head smirking.

“My father knows nothing. But he will soon enough.”

I pull out a cigarette, light it and take a deep inhale. Fuck me that feels good.

“You look tired,” Levi says. “Trouble in paradise already?”

“Fuck off,” I snap.

He tilts his head back and laughs deep and rich. “You’re so tetchy. Have you ever thought that maybe we could be allies?”

I place the cigarette between my lips and bend down to tie my shoelace, just for something to do other than listen to his drivel.

“We will manage the unloading as—”

“But you fill our vans first.”

Asher shrugs, appearing equally as bored as me. No point fighting something that’s already happening.

Asher’s mobile buzzes and he answers it snapping his fingers to grab my attention. “You’ve unloaded at the docks and its on its way. Understood.” He slides the phone back in his pocket. “We’re a go. Ten minutes.”

Ten minutes, unload, load onto the vans, then it’s done.

“Who’s going to tell the Russians that part of their shipment is missing?” I ask Levi.

“John. And he is going to love every single minute of it.” He grins.

“Boys will be boys,” Duchess muses. “So how many guns are we expecting?”

“A container full.”

“I’m surprised they trusted you with it,” Levi says, as activity starts to pick up in the warehouse. The large double doors open allowing forklift trucks easy access.

I stare at him, ignoring his insult.

Roman’s Range Rover pulls up and I walk to meet him.

“What time do you call this?”

“Don’t fucking ask.” He’s dishevelled and the complete opposite to the usual calm and collected Roman.

“You can’t say shit like that and expect me not to ask.” I smirk and he looks at me, serious. “Good night?”

“Fucking overslept, too,” he grumbles, running a hand through his hair, an action he does when he’s feeling on edge.

I pull out my packet of fags. “Best have one of these for the nerves. The Covenant has decided to take half the shipment.”

“The fuck?” Roman says, his eyes wide.

“Yup, think we may have dropped the ball a little bit with last night’s extracurricular activities. I didn’t see this one coming.”

“That and the fuckers shifted the shipment by a poxy week.”

He rarely smokes, but the fact that he has one makes me smile even more.

“You’re loving this aren’t you,” he mutters, taking a long drag.

I clasp his shoulder. “I really fucking am.”

We stand in silence looking out over the busy Thames, the dirty water broken by ships and boats coming and going leaving a frothy ripple in their wake.

“Duchess?” Roman looks over my shoulder at Asher, Levi and Isabella all standing in the huge open warehouse doors. “I’d love to know what game Levi is playing.”

“Push Terrance out and take over his territory from what she’s hinted at. Hopefully she’ll kill Ricardo in the process, that worm gives me the creeps. Still can’t work out Levi’s play though, he won’t overthrow John.” I rub at my jaw. “I’m wrecked. How was she this morning?”

“Sore.” Roman looks at me. “She do that a lot?”

“When she doesn’t feel in control. I’d say her current predicament puts her far from being in control.”

“Katy’s with her.”

I nod and look down the road where a large lorry has just turned, on the truck bed sits a huge dusty red shipping container. The paint is well worn, with fading letters on the outside.

“Showtime.”

Roman flicks his cigarette away and locks the car, walking over to join the others who are waiting. A man in a high-visibility vest approaches the lorry. Black says something quietly to Rome and then waits out the front of the warehouse for the delivery.

“Come on.” Black beckons us in. “If this is to look like a legitimate operation, it wouldn’t be greeted by well-dressed men and a woman wearing a white suit in a fucking dockyard.”

“Fair point,” Levi says following them in.

“There is nothing wrong with my outfit,” Duchess says, looking down at it, wiping at the trousers that have picked up a smudge.

“You were saying?” Levi grins, raising an eyebrow.

“Fuck me, he cracked a smile.” It’s out of my mouth before I can stop it.

Duchess laughs. “He has a lovely smile.” She squishes his cheeks in her hands. “Don’t you, baby.”

“Fuck off.”

She laughs even more.

We wait for the worker in the high-vis jacket to finish with the driver. They sign a piece of paper attached to his clipboard, keys are exchanged and passed to someone else. He then leads the large-bellied, red-faced driver into the rec room.

“Start unloading,” he shouts as he walks through the main warehouse, which kicks off a wave of activity.

“Wait,” Black says, walking out into the overcast weather, taking the keys from the worker. “I’ll do the honours, thank you.”

Levi is quickly next to him. “I think I will, leadership orders, remember.”

“Have at it.” Black throws him the keys. They walk together to the end of the container, as a worker follows, waiting to coordinate the unloading as soon as the doors are opened.

I walk outside but stand off to the side, leaning against Roman’s car as Duchess and Roman join me.

“It’s safe, right?” Duchess says, watching Levi and Asher approach as if receiving a shipping container of illegal items is the everyday norm.

“As safe as our world can be,” I reply.

She’s studying Levi’s movements intently. And seeing how still she has become and how anxious she is tells me everything I need to know. Well shit. Isabella loves Levi.

“Stop staring at me, you moron.”

“I’m not staring. I’m just—”

“It’s none of your business.”

I like Isabella. I’m not too stuck in my ways to say women can’t make it in our world, because they can, but you have to be something extra to make it as far as Isabella has in such a short time.

“Luca!” Black shouts.

The smell is the first thing to hit me as we reach him. There are certain smells that you can tell in an instant. Sweat, human faeces, and death are three of them.

“Fuck me,” I say holding my hand back to halt Duchess.

“Really?” She says, raising her eyebrow at me before she marches past, her heels and trousers getting dirtier from the muddy, damp road as she gets closer to the back of the lorry.

I pull myself up to join them, looking past their white faces into the truck to what lingers inside.