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“Always. We won’t be long,” he says against my lips, then breezes out the door. Several minutes later, Michael knocks, and I let him in. I grab Pogo and take him out, then we all sit on the couch and watch TV. I wish it was Savage I was watching with. For our lazy date.
Chapter Eighteen
Savage
Thisisit.Nomore deals. Even though I’m not out yet, I felt like I was. It was hard to tear myself away from Abel, to come out and talk to Paddy. If it weren’t Paddy, I would have declined the meet and let the customer go to whatever rival they wanted. But I’ve known Paddy for decades. He deserves better. I can tell him to his face that I’m leaving the game and he can either take over on this side of the pond or he can work with one of the other bosses I have a slight truce with. But it won’t be me. Not anymore.
When I heard my phone ringing, I almost ignored it. Had Paddy not called a second time, I would have. It was my time with Abel, to get away from everything in our regular lives. To just be us. To enjoy the silence of the penthouse and watch Pogo run around on his fat, stubby legs. Doing business was not on the agenda.
I look up at Quin and see he’s glancing back at me through the rearview mirror. Sighing, I rub my hand through my hair and ask, “What is it, my friend?”
He shakes his head, then replies, “Doesn’t feel right. I’m getting a feeling.”
When he says that, I get what he means. It really doesn’t feel right. I don’t think Paddy would fuck me over, but you never know when it comes to guns, drugs, and money. Though he’s been a loyal customer since my dad was running shit, taking over for his father and grandfather like I did, you never know when it comes to people like us. While I wouldn’t do it, people in our business have fucked each other over for less, and my empire is worth a great deal.
But when I think about it, I don’t think the not-so-right feeling is because of Paddy. I feel like this meeting won’t end well. I’m not sure why it won’t, but it’s what my gut is telling me. And I started listening to my gut more after the first attempt on my life. “What do you mean?” I ask, even though I feel it too.
“You think we should call it off? I know Paddy will be pissed, but your life is more important than his hurt feelings.”
“As is yours, my friend. If you want to call it off, turn us around and I’ll go back to Abel. If you want to wrap this shit up so we can get out, keep driving. No matter what, I respect your decision.” I don’t think I’ve ever given this much trust to anyone before. I’ve never given anyone the choice to decide what I would do. But Quin is smart, and I trust him to know what to do. This doesn’t feel like a normal situation. While we need to get our business over and done with, I don’t want to risk my life or the life of my best friend in the world. And I want to get back to Abel.
Thinking about Abel telling me he loves me blows my mind. Does he really? Abel isn’t the type that would just say shit without really meaning it, but could he love me? We’ve grown close and I know I love him, but does he truly love me for me? Before his nightclub fiasco all those months ago, I was not very polite to him. His body and his mouth were what I wanted. But now, I want his heart. Do I have it? Is he in love with me enough that he will drop everything he’s worked for to come with me? Enough to stop being Abel and maybe become Noah?
Quin clears his throat and I shake away my inner thoughts. If things go well, I will go back to the penthouse and ask Abel to come with me. I will stop being a coward and tell him my feelings, even though I’m scared shitless. “We can go,” Quin says quietly. “But I’m sticking tight to your ass. You have Abel to get back to and I won’t allow anything to happen to you before you can get your happily ever after. And you’re wearing your vest.” I open my mouth to complain, but he just talks over me. “I knew you would agree.” He laughs while I huff, looking out of the window, thinking about what he just said.
While that’s some mushy shit to say, I can’t help but smile at him. Since I’ve known him, I’ve only been interested in one person. Chase was who I thought I would end up with for the long term. But I wasn’t like this with him. I didn’t feel as deeply for him as I do for Abel. I wasn’t as unguarded with him as I am with Abel. Abel is my happily ever after. And like Quin wants me to, I want to get back to him. “This is the last time, Quin. I can’t do it anymore. I’m done.”
He nods and focuses on the road. Forty-five minutes later, we’re pulling up to the hangar. Before we got there, Quin handed me my bulletproof vest and I remove my suit jacket and dress shirt to slide it on. After I’m buttoned, I check myself, making sure it can’t be easily seen.
I see Paddy and his crew already parked and waiting. When our guys see us, they open the doors to the hangar. We drive in and Paddy’s car follows us. His shipment is at the far end, where it always is. I had to scramble to pull it together, since this is outside of his normal order.
We hop out of the car and walk over to the product. Paddy steps over and sticks his hand out, like he always does. I shake it, feeling a sense of finality. This will be the last time I shake his hand before a deal. This will be the last deal I do with him. And I’m more than ready for it to be over, no offense to Paddy. “Savage,” he intones, voice gruff as usual. “Sorry for the last-minute order. Those Russian fucks are getting harder to shake off. They’re trying to move into our little slice of territory and we need more guns to defend ourselves.”
I nod and motion to his delivery. “We have what you asked for, though it’ll cost you double because of the short notice.” Paddy nods and opens his crates, checking everything over. He didn’t get a shipment of coke this time, as he’s still working his way through his last shipment. “There’s something else I want to talk to you about, Paddy.” This isn’t a part of the plan, but I think it’s the best choice for my guys that will be left behind. Paddy has been good to us, a loyal customer that will treat my guys right.
He looks over at me, pausing in the middle of running an AR-15 through its paces. “What is it, lad?”
Taking a deep breath, I ask, “How would you feel about taking over his corner of the market? Integrating my guys with yours and running this territory?”
Paddy drops the weapon back in the crate and whistles for his men. They come and take the crate he was looking through, as well as the unopened one. He puts his hands on his hips and assesses me, looking me in the eye while he thinks. I don’t break eye contact, so he knows how serious I am. In this business, you can’t trust anyone, but Paddy would be the one I would trust the most. Not the other bosses that only partnered with us out of necessity but would just as soon slit my throat than help me. They wouldn’t allow my guys to stay on, either killing them outright or running them out of town. I know Paddy would honor my request and allow my workers to continue under him unless they want to bow out as well.
“You’re serious?” he asks, his accent coming out more as the shock registers. “You’re done? You’re out?”
“I’m done. I’m out. I’m … tired, Paddy. I’m tired of looking over my shoulder. Tired of wondering if today will be the day I get a bullet in my head. Tired of wondering if my server is really my server or a Russian fuck that’ll stab me in the throat and stand over me while I bleed out. I want peace.” Not what I would have said to anyone else. The other bosses would think I want to get out because of a man, call me weak and try to kill me for said weakness. While I was getting out for Abel, it wasn’tonlybecause of Abel.
I didn’t realize until he came into my life how worn down I was getting. How much of a toll the stress was taking on me. It was in the back of my mind, but I always pushed it away, thinking it was just a phase and I would get over it. Not the case. I was done, my closest friends and bodyguards were done. We were out.
Clapping a hand on my shoulder, Paddy looks me in the eye. “I get what ya mean, lad. If it weren’t for the rush I get from the life, I would be done too. I love it too much to quit, but it’s not a life I would wish on anyone.” Giving my shoulder a squeeze, he steps back and holds his hand out. “You got yourself a deal, Savage. I’ll be in touch to discuss—” Before he could finish his sentence, I hear screeching tires outside of the hangar. Lifting my head, I see two SUVs pull up and men pour out of them.
“Savage, down!” Quin yells just as the first shots ring out. I reach for the gun at the small of my back and pull it out while I do what Quin says and drop to the floor. Paddy isn’t quick enough and I see a flash of red before he drops beside me. Grabbing his jacket, I pull him back around the car we arrived in, getting him some cover.
I raise my head and see the two guys manning the door down and bleeding, dead or dying. Eight men in all black with ski masks are approaching, popping off rounds indiscriminately. Luckily for us, the Irish came prepared and they have a full shipment of new weapons and ammo.
Two of Paddy’s men stand and fire at the men making their way to the back of the hangar. Four of the black clad intruders drop to rise no more, but the others keep coming. Quin stands and fires round after round until he’s out of bullets. He only hit one and while he’s reloading, he gets shot in the arm. “Fuck!” he exclaims and holds the wound, dropping to one knee beside me.
Three men are left and there’s no way they’re making it out of here alive. The Irish and Quin are reloading, but we don’t have time to wait. I quickly push Paddy down and growl, “Under no circumstances will you die on me, you hear?”
He presses his hand to the wound on his stomach and nods. “Be careful, lad,” he painfully grunts out. I nod and shuffle out, firing two shots quickly while I run for cover behind the Irishmen’s car. The shooters follow me, their rounds either missing or hit my vest. The two that hit my vest hurt like a bitch, but I shake that shit off and after a brief rest behind the SUV, I step out again, aim three times, and put two of them down for good.
