Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
I sit still, unsure if I want to hear the rest of it. It’s like I am hearing the story of his life unravelling.
“I took him to his ship the next day and I sat in the chopper for two hours while he did whatever he did and then I flew him home. He paid me fifty grand cash.”
I frown.
He shakes his head. “I was gone from home for a total of six hours and I made fifty thousand dollars.”
“God,” I whisper.
“Anyway, I did the job and that was that. No strings, no questions asked, and I went back to working with the other guy and bought my house.”
I smile. “What an achievement.”
He smiles sadly into his glass and I know there is more of the story to come.
“Three months later he called me again.”
A lead ball starts to bounce in my stomach.
“I was living in my house, but it was shitty and needed renovation, and I was scratching for money.”
“So you did another job?” I ask.
He nods. “It started with one and then a week later another and another. It was never actually discussed how long I would work for him. He just gave me the cash and I didn’t ask questions.”
I watch him as he sips his drink.
“You knew he was bad, didn’t you?”
He shrugs. “I knew he had to be involved in some serious shit by the money he threw around and the guards he had.”
I feel sick.
“Usually I would just sit in the chopper and wait for him, but one day when we were on the ship, some shit went down and one of the crew got killed. His guard that flew in the chopper with us shot this guy dead, right in front of us.”
I frown, this is the guy Angela was telling me about.
He rubs his forehead as he remembers it. “I didn’t know what to do.” He hesitates. “I had knowingly taken them there. I had to fly them back to the mainland and then I realized that I was on his payroll. My bank accounts showed huge cash injections for over eight months. If they went down, so did I. Basically, if I didn’t fly them home and shut my mouth, I was either in jail or a dead man walking.”
“So, in effect, you were already one of them.”
He drops his head in shame.
I grab his hand over the table. “Why don’t you just leave? Make a new start.” I smile. “You could do it. I know you could.”
He fakes a smile. “You don’t just leave.”
I frown.
“The only way out is death. I’ve seen man after man get killed.”
My blood runs cold. “What do you mean?”
“They pay you so much that you get used to a certain lifestyle and you can have holidays and time off when ever you want.” He sips his drink. “It’s a perfect job on paper.”
“But you can’t leave?” I murmur.
He shakes his head. “They always find you.”
I put my head into my hands on the table. “God, Stace, bloody hell. What a mess.”
He smiles. “I’m no angel. I got what I deserved. I knew they were no good, and yet I was seduced by the forbidden fruit.”
His phone dances across the table. He frowns and turns it over, the word Mom lighting up the screen. He turns it back over and ignores it.
“Answer it.” I push it over to him.
“It’s okay. I will call her back tomorrow.”
“I insist, answer it now.” I pick the phone up and pass it to him.
He answers. “Hey, Mom.” His face breaks into a breathtaking smile. I feel myself flutter a little and my face mirrors his.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice is gentle and caring.
“I’m so glad to hear your voice,” she replies. I can hear her through the speaker across the table.
“Me, too, Mom.” He smiles.
“Where are you?”
“I’m in Bogota. Columbia.”
“Oh my God, Stace, are you safe? Are you with your friends from the ship?”
He smiles broadly and his eyes flicker to me. “Actually, Mom, I’m on a date.”
“A date?” she shrieks and he holds the phone out from his ear.
I giggle into my champagne glass.
“Who is she?” She laughs in excitement.
“Just this really cool chick I met.”
I hold my glass up to him in a cheers symbol, he grabs his glass and clinks it with mine as he throws me a sexy wink.
“What’s she like, Stace?”
His eyes hold mine. “The most beautiful woman in the world.”
My stomach does a somersault and I try to wipe the goofy grin from my face.
“Oh, let me speak to her,” his mom pleads.
He laughs out loud and I know it’s because we are drinking this champagne like water. “No way, you will scare her off.” He laughs.
“Oh, Stace.”
I hold my hand out for the phone and he shakes his head. “No,” he mouths.