Chapter 5
I glance at the man and almost feel pity for him. His breathing is labored, his breaths coming out in shallowed gasps. He sounds like a train whistling and rattling. I'm guessing a punctured lung would cause that. It comes from all the beatings which we've been giving him.
He put himself in this mess. No one steals for me and goes scott free. No one. Precious stones and jewels I harvested with time, effort and hard-earned money. Something tells me things run deeper than that.
A set up, maybe, or he was sent by someone?
His mouth opens, drawing my attention to his face which is all bloodied and unrecognizable. It looks like someone has rearranged his features. It's a fucking bloody mass of pulp. I glance down at my curled fist which is coated slick with blood. His blood. I should finish him once and for all, snuff the life out of him with one more punch. Just one more punch and it would be all over for him.
A face flashes before me, one which has been plaguing me this past week. A comely face with hazel eyes and pouty pink lips. Lips I dreamt would wrap around my-
"Ash?"
I snap out of my fevered imagination and back to the moment.
"Something wrong?" Lobos asks from behind me.
Damn witch has gotten my mind tripping and my cock twitching.
"Is there something-"
"I heard you the first time." I grind out. My shoulders slump and I turn round to face him with a shake of my head. "You finish this and make it clean." I wave my hand around wildly. "Put the man out of his misery already."
I feel his lingering eyes on my back as I stalk out of the warehouse and into blinding sunlight. After cleaning up, I drive myself to Stardust. Walter has a few days off. Yapped my head off about going out of town to be with his family. Good for him. I'm mister solo and loving every minute of it, at least not until. . . hazel eyes.
She's been plaguing my dreams non stop.
I laugh to myself when I remember how odd and out of place she'd looked at Stardust, dressed in a loose long dress. It was strange to see, though, because nothing, absolutely nothing could have covered the hips on her.
It was an odd combination. A woman with a stripper body and innocent eyes. Eyes that had looked at me with such horror when I insinuated her sister was probably doing drugs or whoring herself. Her reaction had amused me to no end. I wasn't able to hold my laughter inside.
It was refreshing to see someone like her at the club, but if her sister looks as well as dresses anything like her. . . I shake my head. She'll never end up in my club, or any club at that long enough to make it. First off, clubs are a place where girls like to dress half-naked. Think of it as a buisness. The business of the flesh. They showcase their goods to intending customers and the haggling begins.
All that and more, takes place at Stardust, which if I dare say so, is on another level. It caters to people with certain tastes. Expensive tastes of the flesh. Drugs, female clientele and alcohol. Lots of all of that. Girls like hazel eyes would get swallowed up there.
Same thing goes for me. Women like her, are not meant for beasts like me.
Quote me on that.
But that's the problem with me. I like to play with fire, except from where I'm standing, hazel eyes doesn't just look like fire, she looks like a blazing inferno. Something tells me she won't be that easy to conquer. My phone rings and I use the hands free to answer. "Spit it out, Moro."
"I'm staring at her right now. She lives in this run down neighborhood but I can tell you this for nothing - this chick - she carries herself like a queen. Damn!"
"What is it you see?" I'm gritting my teeth, wishing I could be in two places at the same time. That kind of super power would come in handy in my line of business.
"It's just. . . she's wearing this. . . oh, mama, this is some view."
"Picture! Now!" I'm on the edge of my seat, almost passing a red light, but stop just in time.
I hear sniggering on the line before he cuts the call. I'm sweating buckets at this point.
How long does he need to take a damn photo?
Aim and click.
That's it.
Just when my patience has worn thin and I reach for my phone, a video pops up on my screen. It's her. Hazel eyes. She's all covered in a silk wispy-looking dressing gown, yet all her curves are sinfully on display.
She walks bare foot outside to the front of her doorstep and bends. She fucking bends to pick up the newspaper that was thrown there, and for a brief instance. A very brief instance, I see the swell of her well - endowed chest peeking out. My cock immediately strains against my pants reminding me it's been too long since it got wet, and not from water.
I pause the video, close my eyes and gather my wits about me. When I continue watching it, she turns and walks back in, giving me a view of her oh-so-round and fuckable bum. Honks and shouts bring me back to life and I realize the red light has turned to green, and I'm holding up a long line of cars.
I put the car back on the road but I'm not concentrating. I drive like a madman to Stardust. Once I get into my office, I lock the door and jerk off while watching the video. I cum like a man who has never experienced an orgasm before. It's a release that does nothing for me except heighten my desire for hazel eyes.
I don't even know her name. . . yet.
I smile deviously as I pick my phone and call Moro. "Find out all about her. Her name, who she is, her relations and friends, where she goes to school, every single thing, down to her favorite colour. I want to know everything. Is that clear?"
I hear his sniggering before I cut the call.
Chapter 6Once I get off the phone, I feel a shade better. I call Leonard next and within seconds, he's in my office, wearing another suit.This guy.. . . it's a Saturday, yet he acts like he's got a business meeting to attend. Suits me just fine, actually."Bring me the accounts book, Leonard." I need to get it over and done with and head over to the mines."Can I get you anything in the meantime? Some drinks? Food? Women?"I shake my head. "Just bring me the accounts book.""Right away, sir." He bows and leaves.That's another thing. The man knows what respect means.Instead of waiting for him, I leave my office and walk through Stardust. I go down memory lane as I remember how it all started five years ago. I was making millions while dealing in drugs, but buisness suddenly took a different turn when I discovered precious gems and stones on the mine I bought.In a bid to funnel the extra funds and go un
Chapter 7"School is such a bitch, I'm telling you." Clarissa pouts as she squints at her books.Ever since she stepped through the doors of Harry's cargo, she's been this way. Tense and bitch-mouthed. I'd offer to help her with her calculations but this girl is pretty much like me. Stubborn."I'd offer to help, but you'd just turn me down, so. . ." I shrug. From the corner of my eyes, I see her head turn towards me, so fast, I think she'll have a crick in it later."Would you really. . . help me?" She whimpers. I take back my words. It must be pretty bad if she needs my help. That means only one thing- something else has her upset, blocking out her lack of concentration."Yeah, sure." I shrug once again, already moving towards her.I pick up the huge binder in front of her and check out what has her so frazzled. My eyes widen as I take in the figures before me. Calculus has never looked so complicated than
Chapter 8When we get to the canteen, it's packed full with other workers. The canteen is a moderate-sized room with tables scattered around. I search for an empty table while Clarissa goes to take our order. There's no unoccupied one except at the back and it has two females I recognize, already sitting at it.One of the cashiers and the HR officer, both females. One of the things I like about Harry's cargo is it's an all-female company, there are no males working here. I make my way over to them and slide into one of the seats, sending hi's their way. They chorus their greeting in between mouthfuls of food. Not long after, Clarissa comes back with our orders. A sandwich and a soda for me, and a lame-looking burger with chips on the side and a soda for her.I lean close to her and whisper. "At least you got a burger."She rolls her eyes at me and sticks out her tongue. I'm going to cut it off one of these da
Chapter 9"Hey, slow down, kitten, what's the rush?" He turns me round to meet his gaze.Kitten? Is this man bipolar?He see's the confusion in my eyes and that damn smirk appears on his lips once again."I didn't want to call you that in the presence of your boss. Respect and all that jazz."I nod, not understanding what he means, and continue to walk, but this man wants to chat while all I want to do is give him the damn price list and stay far away from him."So. . . did you see your sister?" His question sounds innocent enough. There's no mockery to it, unlike the last time we met.I don't stop walking, I only reply. "Yes, she came home that same night.""That's good."Anger wells up inside me and I turn round, almost running smack into him. "That's good?" I stare at him as if he just sprouted a second head. "There's nothing good about my sister getting missing and popping up whenever she likes."His b
Chapter 10Anger surges through me, hot and fast. I'm back to holding the table. If not, I might lunge at him, claw his eyes out. That would probably get me sacked though, and a harassment lawsuit as well. Instead, I try to be dignified about it. "How-""Dare me?" That what you were going to say,?" The smirk has returned on his face as he backs away from me. "I dare because I can."This cannot be happening to me right now. "I'm not for-""Sale?" He lifts a brow as he comes close to me once more. "Come, now, kitten, everyone's got a price, and that includes you. Name yours. Any amount, and it's yours." He shrugs. I'm trying. I'm really trying to keep my anger at bay but it doesn't seem to be working. Curse words dance on the tip of my tongue, waiting to be unleashed, words I've heard Clarissa use many times as well as from passerby's. "You're insane." I finally choke out."He shakes his head, that damn smirk si
Chapter 11"The Asian drug syndicate?"I cock my head as I look up from the list in my hand."The Chinese drug syndicate precisely." Lobos says.He has a list in his hand, one that's similar to the one in mine, as well as the rest of the other six."Ash, I think we've already crossed off the rest. You burnt the bridge with the Mexican drug lord some years ago." Night eyes says with a grimace."Yeah!" Koldis echoes. "And we all know the Canmora - the Italian drug syndicate- is a no-go, especially after leaving Don Cleto's daughter at the alter."I grimace, remembering the past. I was a rebellious kid, well into my twenties. Actually, they were the most rebellious times of my life. I force myself to focus on what Moro is saying."Oh, yeah, and let's not also forget Europe, Argentina, Australia. . . man, Argentina, you painted that town white, and then bathed it in red." Moro shakes his head as a faraway look enters
Chapter 12They all turn wide eyes to me, including Rip, so I shrug, affecting an air of indifference. "What? It wasn't my fault she was easy.""You savage mother fucker!" It happens within the blink of an eye. Rip vaults up and tries to knock me out, but I throw the contents of my glass in his face. As he yelps, I punch him in the gut and he doubles up. I hold onto him and he mumbles in a pain-filled voice only I can hear. "You really are a motherfucker.""And you're playing along." I whisper back as I pat his back. Out aloud, I say. "Now you be a good boy and remember no pussy is worth coming in between two men."I pat his shoulder once more and watch as he hobbles off, mumbling obscenities."Well, damn, I missed out on all that fun." Capo says. He's the only one who I never had history with. I hired him a few years back but he's proved his loyalty to me time and time again.I shrug and pour some more g
Chapter 13It's been two weeks and three days since I made a promise.The promise.That wretched promise.The promise that would see me sell my body to Ash Thunder so he could do business with Harry's cargo. Do business he had. Not one day has passed that hasn't seen him sending goods. Heavy goods that put every other goods that have ever passed through Harry's cargo to shame.So he was true to his word. He has sealed his own part of the bargain. The bargain I created in the first place. Unfortunately, I'm having cold feet. Try as much as I need to, I just can't wrap my head around the fact that I would need to sleep with a man I don't have feelings for. A man who's not my boyfriend. Not just that, I can't stand Ash Thunder specifically. He's so cocky, so annoying, so rude and so. . . hot.Yes, he's definitely hot. Only a fool would say otherwise. It's in that devil may care smile of his. It's also in the way