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Mr. Skin and Bones smirks at me again. “Getting down with you is all the man has talked about for weeks.”
“I don’t know what he’s paying you, but I’ll pay you more, double it. Please let me go.”
Mr. Tatts responds harshly, “I already told you that isn’t going to happen. If you make it out of this situation alive it’ll be a miracle.”
Why did this guy have to be so damn theatrical? It almost feels like he’s been a hardened criminal for so long he’s lacking in emotions. Or maybe he ended up in this kind of work because his emotional shortcomings ensure he doesn’t feel bad about the evil shit he does.
“Where are you taking me?” I try to put a little courage in my voice, hoping they’ll answer the question I most want to know the answer to.
The brutish one glances back from the passenger seat and says, “You’ll know when we get there. Now, shut the fuck up, bitch.”
My mouth snaps shut as the van drifts from primary roads to secondary roads to one lane roads that appear to lead to nowhere.
Finally, I can see several dark SUVs parked at the mouth of an old-fashioned, covered bridge. Having paid attention to our route since the toilet stop and vehicle change, I can vouch for the fact that there was nothing for miles in every direction. They pull into the covered bridge and the muscle-bound abductor gets out of the van and steps back to the side and slides the van door open. Stan walks over to peer inside. These thugs look like they haven’t bathed in a few days while Stan is wearing an expensive suit and carrying a briefcase. The guy has been AWOL for weeks, and still he manages to look like he’s ready for court.
“You were sent to do a job,” Stan says angrily. “You managed to do half of it.”
Mr. Tatts responds, “Your exact words were to snatch the girl, and make an example out of the biker. I clearly did that by stealing his woman right out from under his nose. His club brothers are probably making him the butt of every joke about now.”
“Humiliating him is not enough,” Stan grinds out. “I wanted him fucking dead.”
“Then you should have said that explicitly,” the man replies blandly.
A sick feeling churns in the pit of my stomach when it becomes clear that Stan wanted Smoke dead. Pushing down the panic, I force myself to sit quietly in the van seat, rather than howl like a wild beast. I’d never seen Stan acting like this before. He’d never been this unhinged on his wildest day. I could hear everything because they were standing four feet away talking like I wasn’t even there.
“Well, you can hand Serena over now, but I won’t pay until you finish the job that I hired you to do.”
“Why should I give you anything when you’re withholding the payment?” Tatts replies.
“She’s mine. I thought you understood that part,” Stan flings back hotly.
“I ain’t your little errand boy, Mr. Scott. Pay for the job or don’t pay for the job, just as it suits you. But don’t think for a goddamned minute that I’m going hand over the girl or run off and do another job before you even pay me for this one. I work for cold hard cash, not promises, you shifty bastard.”
“This was an important and very specific job I hired you for. There was no room for any misunderstandings.”
“Then you should have put it in writing. I don’t appreciate the deal changing when it comes time to close.”
My horrible ex rages, “This is goddamned unprofessional. Are you really going to rip a mutually beneficial working relationship to shreds over a minor disagreement? I don’t see how that’s in either of our best interests.”
“Since you apparently have no intention of paying, the girl stays with me. Now get the fuck out of my face,” Tatts says, as he makes to shut the van door.
“Wait,” Stan says, sounding annoyed. “I’ll fucking pay, but you have to give me something for collateral…something like your guns and cell phones.”
Rolling his eyes, Tatts pulls out his gun and slams it down on the dashboard of the van with a thud. Next, he takes his smart phone and a backup burner phone out of his pocket, waves them in the air and places them beside his gun. Glaring at my ex, Tatts crosses his arms over his chest. “So, you take all my weapons and electronics. Remind me again what you want in terms of finishing this job, fucking city slicker?”
Stan’s face falls when he realizes his mistake.
“I can’t very well run off and kill a fucker for you with no weapons, can I?”
“I’m not paying you before you do what you said you were going to do, and I’m not allowing you to walk out of here with Serena.”
“You’re getting tedious. I can just call the whole thing off and sell the bitch to someone else.”
“She’s my bitch, so no selling her,” Stan states stubbornly.
“I’ll make you a deal,” Mr. Tatts says as he rubs his jawline. “If you pay twenty-five percent tonight, I’ll lock her up in your wilderness cabin you keep bragging about, where you can visit her all you want, but you don’t get to take her home, and we’re not leaving until we’ve been paid in full. We’ll get her settled, and then I’ll head back to Las Salinas and finish the job.”
Stan’s eyes light up. “I agree to that plan,” he says in a relieved voice. “My security team will show you the way. They’ve been with my family a long time, so leave them the fuck alone. They’re just there to protect my property. I’ll be along shortly.”
