Page 70 of Cole

“Good,” I barked at him. “Now park your ass over there and don’t move.”

Finn stalked off to the back of the group. I nodded at Gage and Maddox, who stepped together to block Finn off from the SUVs. I could hear Finn mumbling under his breath, which I chose not to listen to. At least he’d gone where I’d told him.

The lights in one of the SUVs’ cabins blinked to life as one of the doors opened. The designated man in charge, Axel, stepped out of the back, followed by three men who all looked as though they’d been born with a knife in their hands. Axel was sporting a suit that was cut too sharp for this part of town. His smile was acidic, thin and practiced. He wasn’t the money, but he was the front man, and needed to be treated carefully.

“Cole,” he said smoothly, letting his voice carry through the empty space. “It is always a pleasure.”

“Let’s keep it that way,” I said.

He took two steps closer, his wing tip leather shoes crunching over the gravel.

“Everything is set. We’re ready to move. I just have to give the go-ahead.”

“Where is the cargo?” I asked, my eyes flicking to the SUVs. There was no way the amount of product we were moving tonight would be able to fit in just three.

“On its way,” he said way too easily. “The truck is running late.”

My gut twisted. I didn’t like it. Every instinct I had was telling me not to trust this man, and especially not to trust this delay.

“Late?” I questioned.

“Traffic,” he said with a shrug, the smile never leaving his mouth. “You know how it is.”

“Traffic at this hour?” I said with a raised eyebrow. “This isn’t a pizza delivery.”

That earned a low chuckle from him. “You wound me, Cole. Relax. It will be here just as we agreed.”

Behind me, Gage shifted and Maddox muttered under his breath, “Doesn’t smell right.”

I lifted a hand, stopping them. Axel watched me with beady eyes, looking for a crack. I would give him nothing.

“Fine,” I said. “Then we wait.”

The minutes stretched long before us, tension flooding my veins.

Axel’s smile never shifted, not even when I didn’t return it. The man was a creep.

“This is the biggest order you have ever placed with us, Mr. Bailey. Business must be good for you. We like to see you as a returning customer. It means we’re getting comfortable with each other.”

“Comfort is for the bedroom, not matters of business,” I said.

Gage snorted behind me, and I could hear Finn shifting uncomfortably behind them. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck. Damn it, I wished Finn had just stayed at the bar where he belonged.

Axel tilted his head, studying me, the smile finally leaving his face.

“Very well, Cole. That's fair enough. Still, you and your… crew are climbing. There aren’t many men who’d have the balls to take this much product all in one swoop. I hope you have a place for it all to go.”

“The only thing I care about is the steel showing up where it's supposed to when it’s supposed to,” I responded, not willing to go into a dick-measuring contest with him.

“The steel will be here. Don’t you worry,” he said.

“Then you and I won’t have a problem,” I said. “But nothing is more irritating than being told to relax. It’s like telling someone to stop bleeding after being shot. Doesn’t work like that.”

He plastered on his fake smile again. “Always so direct.”

I didn’t respond, using my silence as a weapon.

Gage leaned forward. “Heard a different crew got burned last month. Wrong hands and a wrong shipment. That ain’t gonna happen here, now is it?”