“It’s not anything to do with the Covenant, and equally not my warehouse.” My hand is known, no point hiding it. But fuck. It’s annoying.
“Just as well, you know how we all feel about the Russians,” he replies. “I’m here to tell you that the Covenant sees this shipment as an opportunity.”
“Is that so?” Black asks.
“And what opportunity is that?” I ask, wondering how they knew this was going down.
“To remind the Russians who owns London.”
And weakening my relationship with them in the process.
So be it, I could do without the headache of a turf war, but if Black is saying war is looming, may as well let the Covenant play their hand and I’ll pivot.
Like the goodboy scoutI am.
“What time’s the shipment due?” Duchess asks, walking across the concrete floor to one of the shelves. “I must say, Asher, I’m impressed at the quality.”
“Come on, Duchess, you know I don’t scrimp on quality.”
Levi flashes an annoyed glance to where Asher stands close to Duchess. I can’t work out these two.
Six dark blue transit vans pull up outside, with the Langley signet on the side, another clear indication that this has the Covenant written all over it.
“So, I get why he’s here.” Black nods over to Levi. “But that still doesn’t explain why you’re here,” he says to Duchess.
“Can’t a girl see how dear Daddy’s empire is doing? I’m going to inherit it one day after all.” She runs her hand up and down the metal shelving.
“Does your father know that?” I ask, and she turns her head smirking.
“My father knows nothing. But he will soon enough.”
I pull out a cigarette, light it and take a deep inhale. Fuck me that feels good.
“You look tired,” Levi says. “Trouble in paradise already?”
“Fuck off,” I snap.
He tilts his head back and laughs deep and rich. “You’re so tetchy. Have you ever thought that maybe we could be allies?”
I place the cigarette between my lips and bend down to tie my shoelace, just for something to do other than listen to his drivel.
“We will manage the unloading as—”
“But you fill our vans first.”
Asher shrugs, appearing equally as bored as me. No point fighting something that’s already happening.
Asher’s mobile buzzes and he answers it snapping his fingers to grab my attention. “You’ve unloaded at the docks and its on its way. Understood.” He slides the phone back in his pocket. “We’re a go. Ten minutes.”
Ten minutes, unload, load onto the vans, then it’s done.
“Who’s going to tell the Russians that part of their shipment is missing?” I ask Levi.
“John. And he is going to love every single minute of it.” He grins.
“Boys will be boys,” Duchess muses. “So how many guns are we expecting?”
“A container full.”