Page 42 of Truth
“Do you think I’m a stupid man?” I ask, walking toward him as my control begins to unravel. “Do you think I would ask a question I didn’t already know the answer to?”
I’m met with fear, true fear, as I grab the back of his hair, pull his head back, and throw him to the ground. Putting one hand on the ground, his other reaches up to me to beg me to spare him.
“Tell me how much!” My voice booms through the room, every muscle in my body aching from the tension.
“A hundred K.”
“Who else?” I growl out, gritting my teeth together.
“Nobody, King…just me…”
Lies again.
His screams silence the rest of his sentence as my foot connects with the hand on the floor, over and over, again and again until I’m sure it’s broken. The devil inside has taken over, and I know exactly what I’m capable of. From the look on his face so does he.
“Give me a fucking name!”
“Victor and Scott…oh god, please, I’m sorry. It was the three of us. We didn’t think you’d notice—you have so much—but they got greedy. I’m sorry, please…please.” His cries fall on deaf ears. Three men took from me. Three men that I fed, housed, and gave employment to.
“A man doesn’t ever take what isn’t his to take. I paid you well, treated you well, and this is how you repay my generosity? You’re lucky to be leaving with your life.” Squatting down, I grab the top of his hair to make sure he looks at me. “Tell your friends that I never forget, so they will need to look over their shoulder for the rest of their lives. Now get out of my club. You may want to see someone about that hand.” I let him go, and he falls forward onto his shoulder as he struggles to get up.
As I walk away, I look down at my hands, the hands that are capable of taking a life. I swore I wouldn’t turn into that monster again. A broken hand is my gift to him.
“Yes, okay…thank you, King, thank you…we will return all the money. I swear,” he cries as he stands, holding his limp hand.
Turning around, I begin to unroll my shirtsleeves. “Keep it. You’ll need to disappear because if I see you again, your payment will be with your life.” I don’t need confirmation that he understands or believes me. Without looking up, I turn back toward the direction of my office. “Fellas, take him to his mother’s house. This way he knows we know where she lives. Find the others and treat them to the same hospitality I’ve shown our friend.”
All I hear are his pleading words as he is dragged back out of my Church.
“Hey, the guys called in. It’s all done.”
“Good.” Leaning back in my chair, I put my hands behind my head and look to Sarah.
“I need to know where they end up.”Never turn a blind eye.The best advice I was ever given by my father and his brother.
“I thought you never wanted to see them again. Like a banishment of sorts.”
“Do what I’m asking, or I’ll find someone who will.” My words are harsh and bear command.
“Whoa, sorry. Of course, King.” Pausing at the door, she turns back, her face filled with hesitation. “Are you okay? I know it isn’t my place, but you just seem off…” Her sincerity quells the need to bark another order. This girl has been loyal, and despite myself, she feels more like family than most others.
“I’m fine, Sarah. Thank you for asking. You really are a pain, you know that?”
She matches my grin and shrugs before leaving me to more of my unwanted thoughts. I stand from my desk and take another sip of my scotch. Tonight, I will fuck and pray that gives me the relief I need.
ANOTHER SLEEPLESS NIGHT IS MAKINGme spiral. It’s three in the morning, and I still can’t sleep. My run-in with Luca is on loop in my mind. I’m a mess. He’s here. He’s in my city, and I know exactly where to find him, but I’m afraid. I’m afraid he won’t want me anymore because he’s all I want. Dammit, I can’t do anything about the past. My breakup with Nick was too fresh, my head was a mess, but I never didn’t want to be with King. If he really cared the way he said, he’d understand. I can’t sit around wishing, hoping, and praying that we will magically find each other. I need to make shit happen. I left, so I need to be the one to make the first move.
I run into my closet and throw on some sweats over my negligee and grab my sneakers. I don’t even take the time to put them on as I grab my keys and cardigan, heading for the door. I can’t overthink this; I just need to get to him. Everything will fall into place if I just get to him. I believe that wholeheartedly. I’d hoped before, but now I know he’s waiting to be found. He’s giving me my time without me asking.
Walking downstairs, I wait for my Uber from inside my building, taking the moment to put my sneakers on. I catch a glimpse of myself and laugh at how ridiculous I look. Hair in a messy bun, old-man cardi, a negligee, and sweats. Jesus, I’m really trying for the hard sell. At 3:00 a.m., what do I think will happen? I’ll show up and say sorry and we’ll live happily ever after? Looking down at my phone, I cancel the Uber and trudge back up to my apartment. I need a better, less crazy plan.
Toeing off my shoes and grabbing a blanket, I curl up on my couch to try out some television, in the hopes it may lull me to sleep so that I can have the ability of rational thought tomorrow.
All fucking night, the women go just as soon as I meet them. I can’t look at anyone. I’m trying, but everyone falls short. I wouldn’t touch one of the women offering me an escape tonight if someone paid me. I’m not sure my dick would even cooperate, so I sit at the bar pounding scotch and saying her name like a curse. That’s what she is…a fucking curse.
I was a fool. I thought I’d ruin her for every man after me. I just didn’t plan on feeling anything, let alone this—whatever “this” is. All I know is I can’t shake her, and I just wish we could go back to the beginning and start again. Start from before that asshole she was with and before I forgot how to be this kind of man, the kind that loves and cherishes.
I hate her.
