Kairos - Blood (MxM) | Book 2 | ✅

44.Shit Happens Anyway

'Be near address you sent or I will not make move and your Ginny will pay.' I stared at the message and took in a deep breath hoping to steady the rapid chasing of my heart and to settle the coiling snakes in my stomach.

Good. This message was good, I thought as I rushed out of the penthouse and toward the elevator.

If things didn't go as Sands wished them to go someone would pay the price — that someone had to be me but hopefully the plan would kick in before then.

Briiiing! My special phone lit up with Donnie's caller ID. Henry must have filled him in by now and none of it would sit well with Donnie — or with Jack for that matter.

***

Frozen. City lights glimmered on the wet pavement at my feet. Blood red reflections tainted cars stuck in rows, waiting for the light to change. Horns screeched, engines rumbled. And among those beasts of asphalt on wheels, the Russians surely lurked.

I sat smoking a cigarette on a bench with a view to the main boulevard and to Jack's penthouse. It looked lived in with all those glowing yellow windows lit up.

My phone trembled between red cold fingers and the screen displayed a name: Donnie.

He was calling me for the fourth time in the last half hour.

"Yeah," I sighed into the phone.

Donnie's voice bellowed out, "You stupid jerk. This is your last chance to leave and wait for-"

"Not happening, asshole. You either put Jack on the phone or I hang up again." I tried to sound vehement.

"Jack's not happy with your antics either, you know," he growled the words.

"So he's not happy." None of us is. I blew out the smoke and peered up into the night sky.

Donnie hammered in every word, "You'll get yourself killed."

There were no stars, just a brown-gray stain spreading against a black canvas. "That's for sure, if you guys refuse to play ball."

"Steve, all it takes is one bullet," Donnie's raspy voice melted into a whisper.

"I know. The same goes for Sands and that's the point." I stepped on the cigarette butt. It had been thirty minutes since I'd sent Jack's address to the Russian. "I have to go now. Can't-"

"Wait, you crazy son of a bitch. He's here. Jack's here," Donnie rushed to say.

I waited in silence and held my breath until Jack's voice finally reached me.

"I don't appreciate you twisting my arm like this."

A scoff escaped me as I smirked. "You ready to rumble or not, Mr.Fox?"

"I should be the bait, not you," his voice broke into a grunt of frustration.

Yes. I was a sitting duck and any moment now the Russians could show up. My chest felt hollow and every inch of me covered in cold slithering vines so I left the bench and paced the street aimlessly. The phone had to go but I didn't want to hang up just yet.

"It's better this way. Can you imagine me coming to get you, guns blazing and all?" I said as my gaze scoured the rows of cars stuck in traffic.

"No, dweeb. I can't."

"Then you be the one to do it. I trust you." I love you.

"Your plan sucks," Jack said with bitter amusement but went on to plead, "Leave while you still can. We should be cautious-"