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“We’re professionals, eh?”
He hung up and drove around back. His trunk had everything he’d need if things got ugly, but the whole point of this venture was to blackmail Xavier into a job at Killer of Kings. Even if things went down without a hitch, which was unlikely, he still had to explain himself to Boss. He hadn’t lied, just failed to offer every detail of his life. Lori was his business, no one else’s.
His custom holsters were full, his jacket hiding all the heat. He parked and walked around the area. The place was bustling—trucks backing up, cranes loading containers, and every sort of bell and whistle. With all the dock workers, there would be a bloodbath if Xavier decided he wanted nothing to do with Boss’s offer. He patrolled up and down the aisles between stacks of metal containers. Everything had gone too smoothly. El Diablo was either a genius or a fool for making it to the end of Boss’s trail of breadcrumbs.
He didn’t have a good feeling about any of this. It wasn’t Boss’s style. His instincts were screaming at him to get out.
If Xavier was indeed like him, then he was smarter than this.
Chains walked to the edge of the dock, looking down at the water lapping the sides. He’d left a cell phone with Lori for emergencies, and he called it to ease his mind.
“Took you long enough.”
His blood turned to ice, his muscles tensing. He kept still, the horn from a boat sounding off.
“Nothing personal, Chains. But, if I were you, I’d make sure you play nice.” Of all his men, Boss had to send Bain. He was a sadistic bastard.
“If you touch her—”
“Relax. She doesn’t even know I’m here,” said Bain.
He paced back and forth. “I don’t get it. What point does Boss want to make?”
“Keeping a woman hostage in your basement is kind of fucked up, no?”
“Does she look like a prisoner?”
Bain exhaled. “Look, I couldn’t give a shit, but your extracurricular activities are making you sloppy. Did you put on false plates when you drove Boss to that poker game the other day? You think company vehicles aren’t tracked?”
He paused. Fuck, he’d been so worried about leaving Lori alone in the basement that he’d been making stupid mistakes. He’d used the same car to drive Lori to the damn cottage. So much for his hidden retreat.
“We weren’t tailed.”
Bain scoffed. “You willing to bet her life on it? Having a woman in our line of work complicates everything. Makes you a liability. You have to be on top of your game every second.” The line went silent. “According to Boss, you’ll have unwanted visitors within the hour.”
“I’ll leave now.”
“You leave, Boss gives me the go ahead to torch this Popsicle stand.”
Another test.
Boss wanted him to be one hundred percent loyal to Killer of Kings. The man had a hard-on for control. If Chains sacrificed the mission or Boss’s safety, Lori’s life could be in danger. If he stayed, her life was in jeopardy as those mobsters looked for revenge. He couldn’t win this.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he said. “Do you know who the fuck I am?”
Bain laughed. “You know exactly what I’m capable of, so don’t test me. Boss said to break her legs first. That’s if she survives the fire.”
“You’re a real piece of shit,” he said. “I’ll stay. Don’t go near her.” Then he added. “She’s all I have, Bain. If anything happens to her … I know where you live.” He hung up the phone.
No problem. Get El Diablo to sign on with Boss, then race back to the cottage before anyone could get there. He took a deep breath, knowing this entire mess was due to his inability to separate business and pleasure. All these emotions were new for him. He was used to going in headlong, not caring about consequences or worrying about getting hurt. Boss kept him close because he had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Things were different now.
Thanks to Lori he cared more about survival. She was his salvation. Or would he lose her, destined to always end up with the short stick in life?
At this point, he didn’t care about appearances. He pulled out a Glock, holding it just inside the lapel of his leather jacket. His heart still raced, a powerful sense of betrayal making him see red. How could Boss do this to him after so many years of loyalty? Chains was a fool to think that monster could actually care about anyone but himself.
He found the trailer and didn’t bother hiding until Xavier showed up. He opened the door and barge
d inside. There were two men sitting having coffee.
