Page 49 of Trig

“Perhaps a few shots of whiskey will make you forget,” I throw out there.

“Perhaps the whole bottle,” she shoots back. “I think we have a lot to discuss.”

Chapter 9. Cisco

Fifteen years later

We pull up to the back of the two-story warehouse in my black mustang. I flash the lights twice and wait. The armed men on the roof signal twice with their flashlights for me to go inside.

“I’m not staying in the car again like some child,” Mya argues.

“Fine! When we go inside, stay quiet and don’t start shit.”

“I’ll try is the best I can give you.”

“Mya!” I bark.

“Okay. Damnnnnn.”

In all of my past pickups, I’m usually greeted by a fiery, short-tempered man named Tommy, but this time I spot a different but familiar face. Oscar is someone who brought me into this game. We used to go to high school together, but back then we were just acquaintances. Oscar's family at the time were rumored to be involved with everything from drugs to heists to gun dealing, but I never asked him personal questions. At least not until long after graduation.

I bumped into Oscar outside a club. We ended up spending the whole night inside the place, vibing and talking. Oscar, after several drinks, told me he started up his own operation and was looking for a few good men. In just one night, I saw the way he lived, fast cars, lots of women and lots of cash being thrown around and I wanted in on whatever he was doing. Mya was not supposed to be a part of this, but she wanted in once she found out what I was up to. I originally had doubts, but Mya is a different breed. She lives for danger, cash, and fuckery.

I stand there waiting, arms crossed, all five-foot ten inches of me. My sandy brown hair just freshly cut and styled. My clothes are ironed to a crisp with the usual black-on-black color scheme. You couldn’t find me at night even if you wanted to.

“Nice to see you again, Cisco. You been downing steroids or what?”

We both bump fists.

“Naw. Just working out. Gotta look good for the ladies.” I grin.

His eyes instantly dart to Mya in the corner.

“What’s with Red over there? This isn’t a playground. How old is she?”

“She’s cool. That’s my little sister, Mya. She’s nineteen. She may look sweet but she’s the devil in disguise.”

“I had no idea you had a sister. I’m intrigued,” he says, while he watches Mya inspect the rifles.

We both look at her. She notices us staring and glares back. Oscar turns to me and raises his eyebrow at me.

“Is there a fucking problem?” she asks, as she strides over with her five-foot five-inch self. She’s dressed in tight blue jeans, a red crop top and some red, spiked high heels. Her hair dyed a bright red color my mother absolutely hates. Mya is unpredictable like a chihuahua. You look at her and think she’s cute, but then she rips your face off without a warning. She stands there and mad-dogs Oscar, waiting for his reply.

“Yeah. Pretty little girls shouldn’t play with weapons. They might hurt themselves.”

“The air…It smells of misogyny,” she fires back

Mya walks over and picks up a gun off the table, pulls back the slide, and aims it at the silhouette paper target on the wall. She then turns her head, closes her eyes and unloads almost every bullet straight into the target’s head. She fires one into the crotch for good measure and then when she’s done, she blows Oscar an angry kiss and then places the gun back on the table.

“Woooooah! Shit! Got us a goddamn gun princess.”

I shrug. “Like I said. In disguise.”

“I think I’m in love,” Oscar jokes.

Mya kicks over a chair nearby.

“Are you gonna give us this shit or fiddle with your dick all day?” she inquires with her hands on her hips.

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