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I watched Cisco’s cab pull away, knowing it was up to me now. I was the only one who knew what was going on, the only one who could fix this. If I didn’t come up with a plan quickly, everything would fall apart around me.
Chapter 34
Bones
Ipulled up outside The King’s Men, the building that put up a convincing front of being an old, English-style pub. What it really covered up was the majority of Nero’s dirty dealings. This was where he brought you when the casinos were no longer enough. I was ashamed to say it hadn’t taken me long to end up there. After only a few trips to the best casinos in the world, my brain already needed more. The greed inside me already had to have it all. I liked the dark and gritty flavors behind private gambling. Big stakes, powerful players, and I had loved every fucking minute of it.
Behind the doors, Nero had a betting shop. He had a constant poker game on the go, and I’d heard rumors about other seedier betting, too, such as dog- and cockfighting. I felt dirty even being at the bar again. My skin itched with it all, but I pushed past, knowing it was what I had to do, regardless. I might not like it. I might have never planned to, but none of that mattered now. Choices had to be made to save my father.
I pushed open the door, the scent of cheap whiskey quickly traveling up my nose. People turned to stare at me, but I refused to make eye contact with anyone. I wouldn’t be intimidated, and I wouldn’t be mocked. I was there for one thing only.
“I’m here to speak to Rodriguez,” I said to the guy behind the bar, ignoring the smirk that instantly spread across his cheeks. “I need to speak to him now.”
“Well, well, well,” the bartender said as he sneered back at me. “If it isn’t the high-and-mighty Mr. Vega. Nero has been expecting you.”
My heart surged with anger at this. I had told Nero to get the fuck out of my life and that I never wanted to see him again. How dare he expect me to come crawling back… even if that was exactly what I had done.
“Just get him,” I growled, but he didn’t have to because almost as if Nero could sense me, that smarmy fuck was in my face.
“Shocker,” Nero said. “How surprised I am to see you here. After all the shit you said to me.” He was trying to fuck with me, wanting to get a rise out of me. I had to bite down hard on my tongue not to give him exactly what he wanted. “And what can I do for you today, my friend?”
I drew a deep breath, forcing all of my rage to stay under wraps. This wasn’t the time to be hotheaded and do something stupid. Not when I was in the middle of doing the stupidest thing of my whole damn life.
“My dad is sick,” I said. “Again, and I need money for his treatment. The amount that I need is far more than I have.” I would lay it all out on the table, have him understand exactly what was going on.
Nero crossed his arms and smirked. “And I’m supposed to just help you out. Is that it?”
Clenching my jaw and forcing myself not to go and knock the asshole out, I spat, “Either you want to work something out with me, or you don’t. You know there is money on the table, but I don’t have time to fuck around either. Your call.”
“Come with me,” he said as he started heading to the back of the bar. “Let’s go where we can discuss this in private.”
My eyes flickered shut for a moment, and my brain gave me a hundred logical reasons of why I shouldn’t. But there was only one reason to carry on, and that reason was strong enough to have me follow him. One could say I was selling my soul to the Devil.
But my soul was already long gone.
Fighting to not lose my father was an obsession, something that had driven me for a long time, and I didn’t feel as if I could let go of hope for his survival. He was the last bit of glue holding me together, and I’d do anything to achieve keeping him alive.
We quickly headed into Nero’s crappy office, which was plastered with posters of half-naked women all over the walls. I used to think that this was him being bold, being brave and open with who he was, but now I thought it was childish, like the bedroom of a fifteen-year-old boy.
“So, I have been expecting you would eventually come around. I came up with a plan that I think will earn you the amount of money you need… plus my cut as well, of course.”
