Page 10 of The Ghost of Rage's War

“Why?” Sharp shot back.

Romeo snorted. “Because I asked nicely, and I employ you.”

“Nope, pretty sure I work for the man in there,” Sharp replied, playing dumb.

“And he works for me. Now I’d rather not have a bullet put into your brain, and not here, it would be so messy, so step aside,” Romeo ordered.

Sharp pretended to consider it, and then, with a final wrench on his captive’s arm, Sharp stepped away and let go.

“Thank you, Mr Sharp,” Romeo added.

“It’s just Sharp.”

“A mister makes everything much nicer and politer. Accept it,” Romeo demanded as the bodyguard got to his feet and began to step up to Sharp.

Sharp refused to back down and held his ground, glowering at the guy squaring up to him.

“Jackson, don’t be tedious. I warned you that you were becoming overconfident and cocky. Return to the car and wait for me there. We need to discuss this behaviour,” Romeo chided, and Sharp found himself entertained.

Jackson gave Sharp a dirty look and disappeared. Another man took his place. “I assume you don’t mind if we enter now?” Romeo asked.

“I’ll check,” Sharp said, and Romeo looked a mix between amused and angry.

Sharp knocked and waited. When Toxic called out, Sharp cracked the door. “There’s a guy who says he’s your boss here.”

“Romeo?” Toxic mumbled, sitting up and shoving the woman off that was giving him head. He zipped his pants and told her to leave.

She scrambled away and walked past Sharp as he opened the door.

Romeo entered. “This is where you’ve been skulking, Toxic,” Romeo said, sitting and adjusting his dress pants.

“I ain’t been hiding, Romeo, why would I be?” Toxic blurted, and Sharp swallowed a laugh.

Toxic was. He’d lost a shipment of drugs and had been trying to track it. Sharp knew Anderson had snatched it on his intel because shit wasn’t moving fast enough.

“I think we know why. That was worth one hundred K. How you gonna pay for it?” Romeo asked, flicking away an imaginary speck of lint.

“You can keep my cut from the next few until you’ve recouped the money,” Toxic said. Sharp noticed the sweat beading on his forehead.

“That will take a while. But this isn’t the only shipment vanishing in six months, is it?” Romeo stated.

“You know I’m your main man! The first one those Rage assholes took, and the second I shot the dealer over. I was gonna pimp his sister to earn the five k,and she was gone!”

“One mistake I forgive, two I ask questions, three, there’s no coming back from,” Romeo declared.

“This is me! I’ll get your cash. Fuck, I’m your boy, you know that,” Toxic cried, jumping to his feet.

“You’re someone who’s cost me a lot of money. And we’re not friends, Toxic, did you forget that?” Romeo asked and swiftly pulled a gun, and before anyone could act, shot Toxic.

Sharp didn’t watch the body fall, instead, he whipped his own weapon out and aimed at Romeo.

“Shoot me, and he dies too,” he warned the second bodyguard, who was just beginning to draw.

Romeo laughed. “You’re fast.”

“Ain’t been around as long as I have and not learned shit. This is one witness you ain’t killing,” Sharp stated.

“No tears for Toxic?” Romeo asked.

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