AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He shakes his head. “Nope. I mean, maybe it started that way. When my mom died, Lucas and I were left with our dad. He always got on to us about being too rambunctious. Too loud. He’d beat us until we were black and blue. So, one day I decided I’d show him exactly how quiet I could be. At first everything was fine, but after a while it had the opposite effect. He hated how I was too quiet. Man never could make up his fucking mind about what he wanted.” He kicks the gravel beneath his feet.
I sigh quietly at his confession.
“Now”—he drags my attention back to him—“I just stay quiet because when I do speak, it actually makes an impact. Just look at how you reacted.”
I raise my brow. “You’re smarter than you look.”
He shakes his head softly as Desi and the two men come back out of the house.
Desi stops in front of me. He reaches out his hand with a key between his fingers. “This will open the door.” He reaches in his pocket and pulls out another key. “And this will open the shed back there.”
He points behind the house. About fifty yards back sits a metal shop–looking building in pristine condition. It doesn’t look like it belongs in the same vicinity as the run-down house. “Is that where you’ll keep my guns?”
He nods. “Yes. No one knows we own this. It’s completely untraceable back to us, which means it won’t get back to you either. And as a show of good faith, Emil stored some of our important files there. Information on some of our biggest clients.”
Guns are definitely the worse of the two, looking at things one-sided, but if you dig deeper into their sex rings, I’m sure big politicians, doctors, and lawyers use their services. It may be a good show of faith storing files with our things, but a stupid move. I would never incriminate myself for someone else, but I guess that’s where Emil and I are different. He wants so badly to prove to me he cared for Teddy, but he’s doing nothing but making reckless moves.
I chuckle and take both keys and start walking in the tall grass toward the shed while Julius follows.
When we make it to the entrance, Julius steps in front of me. “Let me go first and make sure this isn’t a setup.”
I nod and hand him the key.
Julius rolls open the door, revealing an almost bare shop. Dust coats the concrete floor with a few fresh tracks in it, leading to the four filing cabinets tucked into the corner. I step in behind him and look to the wall. Finding the light switch, I flip it on. Fluorescent lights buzz to life.
“Seems okay, I guess.” I shrug. I’m still not convinced this is a good idea, but what can I do?
“We can set everything up in the back. It’s a little drive, but at least they’ll be safe and keep the ATF agent away. We can just make runs as we need things or clients come into town.”
I nod, then look behind me. The goons and Desi are trekking through the tall grass toward us. Once they finally make it in front of me, I eye the two men. “You can unload here. This will work for now.”
They look at me with a laugh before turning to Desi. Desi nods. “Do as she says. Bring the van back here and put everything where she wants.”
I tip my head as they walk off sulking. “Another show of good faith, letting me boss your men around?”
“Not at all. You have to remember I’ve seen what you can do—I don’t want none of that smoke.”
I brush off the comment and flash Desi a fake smile. The van pulls up and turns, backing toward the door. The two men, Julius, and Desi get to work unloading all of the crates while I stand and watch and continue to scour the place for anything suspicious.
Once the last crate is stacked on the others in the back, I hop into the passenger side of the van. One of the men looks at me, and the confusion shines through. “I’m not walking back through that grass.” He shakes his head and puts the van into drive as the other man, Julius, and Desi pile into the back.
We pull back onto the gravel drive in no time. I step out, thank the two men, then slip back into Desi’s car with Julius following. Desi enters the front and starts the car silently.
As we drive back to our place, Julius stares out his window. I debate on starting a conversation but think better of it. I have a feeling he’s done all the talking he’d like for now.
As we broach the gates of home, I unhook my seat belt and lean forward. “Thank you, Desiderio. We will talk soon.”
He nods as I leave the car and head inside.
