Page 63 of Knights Game

“Two weeks. Usual merchandise.”

“Cut.”

“You’re helping us in a bind we will give you 80/20.”

“60/40,” I reply. “Your rumour mill is correct, but we aren’t going to be ready in two weeks unless I put more into it. I need to cover my costs.”

“80/20, Luca, and we continue to turn a blind eye to whatever you’re currently doing. I’ll even give you a crate to help you with your future endeavours.”

“I’m not in the business of guns.”

“Come now Luca, that may not be your trade but even you could make use of some guns.”

“I think I can make something work.” Fuck sake. Two weeks is going to take pulling a fucking miracle out my arse.

“Fantastic. Alek will be in touch with the final details. I shall see you at the dinner tonight? It's so nice that your uncle still finds time to support good causes.”

“Now now Vlad, lets not think this business deal stretches to small talk. I’ll wait for Alek’s call.”

His deep laugh comes over the speakers. “Touché Luca, touché.”

The line goes dead.

Brilliant, not only have I got the Colombians first shipment due in five weeks, which was already cutting it tight, I now have the Russians calling in a favour.

Time to pull off a miracle.

23

Layla

“You’re not very talkative,are you?”

Roman has said nothing since I climbed into his car, having been palmed off by Luca for him to do God knows what to God knows who.

Probably kill someone. Collect some more fingers.

“So, is that warehouse your new setup? Where you move your product around?” I whisper the last part of the sentence.

Again nothing.

His eyes are solely on the road. I may as well not exist. I fidget in my seat as Rome drives me back towards my flat where I’ve been instructed topack my shit.I’ve texted Katy to let her know I’m alive, and my phone has done nothing but vibrate as she’s fired question after question at me.

It’s going to be the Spanish inquisition as soon as I walk in.

I can’t sit still, adrenaline and nerves making me antsy. “Can’t you just do an app?” I ask to silence. “You know, like Deliveroo, but instead of a pound of chicken it’s an ounce of cocaine. There’s an app for everything nowadays. I’ve got one that tracks my period and hormones. Do you know you can even get a thingthat you shove up your vagina that links to your phone and you can train your pelvic floor through games and stuff.”

Roman glances at me and raises an eyebrow.

“Oh my God. You moved. There is a soul in there.” It’s only taken 25 minutes.

“An app?”

“Yeah, I’ve not got it,” I say quickly. “I just saw it advertised…Somewhere…”

“No, go back to what you just said.”

“Which bit?”

---