Page 66 of Disobedient Pawn

Construction made it take longer to reach the agreed upon warehouse. Some of the roads were ripped up, and others you couldn’t pass at all.

“I’ve met with this guy a few times. He’s fucking twitchy, so no sudden moves, and if he asks who you are, you give a straight-up answer, no smart-ass comments. Understood?”

“No argument from me,” Liam said, checking his gun and hiding it under his jacket.

I pointedly looked in the mirror at Devin when he didn’t answer. “Yeah, I get it.”

“Is that the same attitude you’d give if my father were here?”

“You’re not your father.”

All the darkness and evil my father instilled in me filled my chest as I smiled at him.

“Not yet. Careful who you make an enemy of Devin. It’s unwise to assume you’re always on an island and safe from harm.”

“Are you threatening me, Nash?”

“I’m reminding you that there is a pecking order, don’t forget it, or I’ll find a reason to forget about you.” I held Devin’s stare until he finally looked away.

He was always an ass, but there was something extra tonight that I didn’t like. I was tempted to order him to stay in the truck, but he’d run back like a pansy ass to my father and tell him that I’d treated him like a child. It was a coin toss with fifty-fifty odds on how that would end.

Stepping out of the truck, I glanced around. My eyes and ears strained to make out anything unusual past the paved parking lot and the lights that created more shadows than were actually helpful.

Hammer was a member of one of the larger motorcycle clubs in the area. When I asked why he was called Hammer, all I got from him was that there was one in every MC. What the fuck that meant was beyond me. I found out that his real name was Harold Johnston. He was thirty-nine, had a woman he wasn’t serious with, and a teenage daughter who didn’t speak to him. I also knew what double-wide he lived in and how many times he’d been arrested and let out. I could imagine him squealing on us to save his own skin like he’d done many times before, but my father insisted that we deal with him. So here I was, but that didn’t mean my foot wasn’t ready to cut off his air supply.

Pressing the button on my keys, the little pad outside the door lit up before I punched in the thirteen-digit code. The pad wouldn’t turn on without one of the activator keys. With a click, the door released, and I pulled it open, waiting for all the lights to turn on.

I didn’t scare easily, not anymore, but stepping into a black room made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and sent a trickle of fear racing down my spine. Some lessons were harder to forget.

With a loud hum, the rows of lights systematically began to turn on. The massive warehouse was empty except for the four crates waiting for us to make the deal.

“Liam, keep an eye out for Hammer.”

Nodding, Liam pulled out his gun and stayed by the door.

“What time is this guy supposed to arrive,” Devin asked.

“Why? You have a hot date you need to get to that is more important than what we’re doing?” I crossed my arms and leaned against one of the crates. Devin glared, his eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms as well.

“No, just wondering if he’s late.”

“That’s not your concern.”

Devin opened his mouth, probably to say something else stupid, but Liam whistled to let me know that Hammer had just arrived.

“Apparently, he’s right on time.” Smirking at Devin, I hit a different button on the remote that looked like a car starter, and the bay door began its slow ascent.

Pulling my gun from the back of my jeans, I remained relaxed, and the gun pointed down, but you could never be too safe. A short box truck backed in and parked as the bay door rumbled and rattled, lowering back into place. Hammer was in the driver’s seat and hopped out while another guy I’d seen once or twice at these meets jumped out of the passenger side.

“This the goods,” Hammer asked, not one for pleasantries or small talk.

“Maybe. Where’s my money?”

“Already been sent,” Hammer said, and I cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Is that so?” I made sure my tone said just how much I didn’t believe him.

“You calling me a liar?” He puffed out his chest and put his hands on his hips.