Chapter 49
When I wake up in the morning, it's usually by my alarm clock or Luke if he is up before the clock goes off. This morning, I woke on my own about ten minutes before the clock goes off. Moaning at how tired I felt, and laying there not wanting to get up after seeing the clock, I let my thoughts filter through my soon conscious self. I was not in the mood for school. Even more so, I wasn't in the mood to recall last night as I started to wake even more. And with remembering that, it ended with me sitting up and looking down to where I recall Luke was sleeping on the floor.
I sighed and stared down at him after flicking my lamp on. It was too dim to bother the sleeping man on my floor. But even though he was on the floor, he looked comfortable for the most part. That didn't make me feel any better though about last night. Sighing, I knew I was an ass. I should have at least persisted he stay in the bed with me.
Gazing down to his figure on my floor, I noticed he was sleeping on his back for the most part. Partially on his side too. I looked down to his face as my eyes rolled along him... and his smooth eyelids blanketed with those long lashes. His hair was muffled by the pillow he was resting on, his forehead under his messy hair was flat of any worry lines. Such a nice sight... so gentle and calm. He just looked very peaceful. I knew that's not how I sent him off to bed though.
I felt guilty over it, though I had a valid reason. He still didn't do anything wrong. To be fair, neither of us really had. Staring down at him, the sight made me feel worse about myself. It was the middle of winter and he was sleeping on my cold floor. Even if he looked comfortable and warm, it was still colder down there than in my bed. The few blankets over him, covering up to his chin, showed how unnecessary it was when he could have slept with me. God, why didn't I push for him to come back to bed with me?
I groaned finally, and slid out of my warm bed where Jack was still sleeping (I was sure he was more snug than the poor dude on the floor). My feet resting on the ground as I stood up, I slowly walked around his mass on my floor to his other side where he was just slightly facing. Though I had only ten or 15 minutes before I needed to get ready, I wanted to do something. I needed to with how things ended, no matter how sappy and shit that sounds.
I slowly knelt down on the floor, my knees hitting the thick blanket he laid down as his thin temporary mattress. Biting my lip as I glanced to his sleeping figure, I slowly moved my hand forward and grasped the edge of the cover over him. Moving it off him slightly, I lifted it just enough off him to create an opening for a person to curl up with him under the blankets too. So with that, I laid the rest of the way down next to him and slid under the cover with him, pressing against him until it was over both of us. I felt my body warm from the heat retained in the blankets - and his body since I was pressed against him now. I wrapped an arm around him, resting my head against his chest and just under his chin, my eyes closing shut.
I stayed like that for a moment. Feeling so much better against him... so warm and whole. I just wanted to fall back asleep right here with him. That was until I forced my eyes open, knowing I couldn't fall asleep with him. Neither of us could. It was one of those times I just wanted to say fuck the world and wrap myself around him and fall to sleep like this with him. I knew though... it wasn't a 'fuck you world' kind of day; I was saving those days up.
To say the least, I needed to get him up for work. I stared at his face, lit with shadows from the lamp casting light onto him. Smiling at his smooth and calm expression... so beautiful... I leaned up closer to his face. Propping myself up on my elbow slightly, I bent down over him softly. I cupped his cheek with the hand that was wrapped around him a second ago.
I softly leaned down towards his sleeping and calm expression. Such a beautiful man, so sweet... I hated to wake him up. But I figured if I do it, it would be the best way I could think of doing it. I pressed my lips gently up against his sweet flat ones. Just wanting to say I was sorry, that I wanted to stay here with him... and that he stilled smelled incredible from yesterday.
Pressing my lips down, all I did was welcome this feeling, and realizing how stupid I was last night for denying him to do this to me. To kiss me like I was gingerly kissing him now. It was just his past... I was his present. And everything besides that including Clare just shouldn't matter (of course, this is being said after what she said faded from the night before).
He didn't move as I pressed my lips down; I didn't expect him to. But we both needed to start getting ready. Me for school, him for work. And that meant he needed to wake up soon. I took that as an excuse to start moving my lips slightly against his, parting his numb lips just the slightest as I nudged myself closer to him. Surprisingly, it didn't take much else for him to start to wake up after that.
His lips went with where mine guided them. Until he started to sigh deeper and I heard an audible moan. I leaned up slowly and away from his lips, opening my eyes and looking down at his sleeping self now waking. His closed smooth eyelids flickered just slightly until they finally fully opened and reached mine. With those sleepy eyes, they became framed with his eyebrows dipping. He gave me a soft, but barely there, smile. "Albany?" he said groggily.
"Hi," I said in a small voice, giving him a sorry look. After all, I knew I made him feel bad for last night.
His smile that was there just slightly fell away as he searched my eyes, waking up more. Blinking a few times, he sighed a deep breath and licked his lips. His arm wrapped up around my back under the covers but his eyes were cautious. "You kissed me awake," he said in a matter of fact tone.
I nodded and smiled sheepishly. "It's time to get up."
"Was it as disgusting as you imagined?" he asked flatly, making me groan and give a half eye roll.
"Look, I'm really sorry about that. You know where I was coming from. I am not disgusted by you," I said in a soft and sorry voice for him. And it wasn't often I was open to apologizing - or in this form anyway.
He pursed his lips and rolled over slightly, moving me where I was resting on his chest slightly on my side too. My propped arm ended up sliding around his neck as my other was still cupping his cheek. He still looked not happy, even with his arm around me. At least he didn't look angry.
"You were disgusted last night with the thought of me touching you. What are we going to do when we decide to take that next step with intimacy?"
"Sex?" I asked, verifying. Not beating around the bush you could say, which surprisingly made Luke chuckle slightly.
"Yes, Albany. I was trying to be subtle," he smiled and his eyes turned caressing in mine, just slightly more with it mixed in with the emerald caution there too.
I smirked softly and let my thumb brush back and forth along his cheek, wanting him to feel better. Because I didn't have issues with sex. I knew I wanted to do it with him. My issues lied in expressing that I loved him, which would be harder admitting the reality to than going physical with him. I loved him to death guys; I am not ready to face what that could eventually lead to and the concept frightened me to be honest. Sex did not, even when it involved emotions I would end up facing.
"I'm going to drown in your body. You're going to end up consuming me and I'm going to welcome every bit of it," I said, leaning closer and whispering against his lips. "I'm not afraid of that. And I will absolutely not be repulsed in any way. You have no idea how sexy and attractive I find you. I want you in every way I can have you. I was just... taken aback last night. I mean, I feel dirty hearing about you and Clare together when I am with you, her daughter, and while you are still married," I said in a pleading voice, one I wouldn't usually use. But he needed to see how much he meant to me and how much I wanted him to understand.
He nodded, searching my eyes as his other hand moved up and cupped my cheek. "I understand," he nodded, whispering and he gave me a sweet and soft smile, biting his lip. "I don't blame you. I just don't like it and wish you didn't have to be reminded of that. I know you accept my past but I'm with you about it bothering me. I don't like thinking about the fact that she is your mother. But I will face it, even when it makes me sick like you."
I sighed in relief. "Good," I said, still very close to his lips and rested my head against his pillow with him. I felt his warm breath swarm across mine and I smiled.
A moment of silence between us though brought out a new topic from him. I shouldn't have been surprised in the least with his words. He smirked and I noticed his eyes close slowly with him so close to my lips. "So Albany... how sexy do you find me?" he asked, bringing my words back and I rolled my eyes.
I chuckled. "Almost as sexy as I am, copper."
"Well damn," he said, impressed. "That's pretty good for me.
"Yeah, I'm being generous today," I said, making him offer a throaty chuckle as he leaned in closer to me, until our lips connected. And as crazy as it after kissing him enough, it still sent shock waves of electricity over my body, making my body crave his more. His mouth over mine closed in, and started to wrap my lips up in his. Moving them together, I felt a small smile spread over his lips to mine. His hand around my back crawled down and moved to my side... down until his hand rested on my upper thigh. He guided it to wrap up around his torso, and it made me want him more.
My hands eventually led themselves up to wrap in his already snarly pillow hair. Moaning against his lips, I eventually became just plain lost in his lips, against his warm body. My lips traveled down towards his neck, where his skin was hotter and burned my lips. His hands started to move over me.
His lips gasping as I kissed his neck, he spoke. "Define the extent of this 'generous' thing you were speaking of," he sighed, making me move back and stare into his eyes, amused.
"It doesn't reach the point you want it to," I gave him a sad smile, glancing to the clock. "We need to get ready."
"You're too sexy to go to school," he said, and if that was an excuse, it was a terrible one. "And in general, just to beautiful to be out in public. We might as well just both stay home."
I laughed, raising an eyebrow. "I understand if I'm too beautiful to risk going anywhere. Why you?"
His eyes widened and his voice went high, making me laugh. "You just said I was nearly as sexy as you!"
Grinning after my laughter stopped, I shook my head. "That's true... but you know we both need to pass," I said, grasping his hand in mine under the covers. "Now get up. We need to get ready," I said as I got to my feet, gesturing him to follow suit which he did and we got ready. Little did I know what was in store for us today. I found out soon enough after Ramper picked me up and we went to school as Luke reported to work. I just can never catch a break can I?
***
"You're such a fuck-bucket!" I growled at him and rolled my eyes.
"What?" Ramper pleaded defenseless.
"You don't check out the teacher whore who is tormenting me in class!" I say, jabbing a finger into his chest when I came to face him in the hall before we continued walking towards my third hour. In other words, having just left Chemistry and Mrs. Dugan, that bitch. I noticed Ramper though was checking her out a little in class. Which led to this ladies and genitals....
He rose his shoulders and put his hands up in defense as we entered my history class. "And that makes me a... fuck-bucket?"
"Yeah," I scowled. "Fuck-bucket. I give you permission to screw around with anybody but not the lady who I hate most in this school." We came to sit down in our seats, he pulling one up beside my table. He should be standing in the back, like I think Luke even advised him too. But I didn't mind as much anymore. He was an ass, yes. Plain and simple. I didn't like him and he wasn't growing on me much either. But he did follow Luke's orders to back off of harassing me over shit that was unneeded. At least as much as he could manage to. He was starting to keep his mouth shut during my classes so I didn't mind him by me - though I would never admit it. I usually told him to go stand in the corner in shame because nobody wanted to see his ugly face. Usually that started a fight between us Luke's orders couldn't stop. "She's not even attractive," I murmured.
I looked up at him and he rolled his eyes in exaggeration. "Even if I was checking her out, I wouldn't ever go for a bitch like her. She's annoying. And I think your right. She seemed like she would be a nun whore."
I smirked. "I swear she is." Just after I spoke, Mr. Harris came in and began class. With his usual judgmental eyes moving over us, I learned to ignore it when he taught. So it didn't take long for me to start zoning out on his lecture. He wasn't giving us much work lately, so why bother? I just began doodling randomly on my folder, my head propped up on my arm resting on the table. However, about half way through the hour, something interrupted my doodle of a chicken in progress and Harris's lecture. Ramper's radio or talkie. Going off and muffled right in the middle of Mr. Harris talking. God, it's great why it's not me....
I looked up to Mr. Harris when I heard it go off, who didn't look happy at being interrupted. The kids began to chuckle around us and I glanced up to Ramper myself, smirking at seeing his face go red. "Shit," he muttered under his breath as he reached down to where the staitic voice was coming from, which was muffled and I couldn't hear. That was until he pulled it up from his belt and where it was pressed in the seat. The funny part was that Ramper couldn't leave my side and he had to do this here in front of everyone or do this out in the hall and take me with him in the hall. However, once he was grasping the radio in his hand before him, it was too late. The voice over the static come through clear now and wasn't stopping.
"... for me Ramper," I heard Luke's voice come through and my eyebrows scrunched through at his deep voice over the talkie. It was rather strange, especially with everyone who was chuckling before silent and in need to hear. Cops and danger worked with them, I don't know what else to say. Before we could get up and go in the hall, Luke's voice came over again. "Repeating Ramper... He's in, he's wired. I would like you to come down here with Albany. I know she wanted to be here for this and she needs to be as requested." I heard him say and I could tell this wasn't the professional officer giving orders; it wasn't formal enough. He just calmly stated to us what he wanted and it made my heart jump, having an idea of what he meant. My eyes widened as I was now sitting up at attention. He was in... He was in! Francis? It had to be, right? I narrowed my eyes and looked squarely at the talkie.
Glancing up to Ramper, he raised an eyebrow and pressed the side of the big black talkie, speaking into it and the static went away as he spoke into it. "Now?"
"Yes," Luke's static and low voice repeated through the talkie. "He's on his way and needs to be ready."
Holy shit... Holy shit. I glanced from where his voice was coming from up to Ramper, my eyes wide. I swallowed slightly, seeing his grimace and that it was in fact time to leave. I looked over to where Harris was standing still up front, watching intently, looking annoyed. But curious at the same time - as was every student in the room who was looking at us from their seats.
"Come on crazy," Ramper said, addressing me as crazy. He was now standing and actually looking annoyed himself. Because this was just such an inconvenience to him! Asshole.... He frowned and gestured me to stand up myself. "We need to go."
I blinked a few times before I stood up, realizing... that this was it. This was it. Francis would either be successful or he wouldn't. A lot depended on that alone and it was scary. Especially when we didn't want Francis doing this in the first place. Once I stood up, shocked, I turned towards my teacher, who I was sure heard everything. For the first time, he actually looked a little sorry for me. He didn't like me I knew but he knew all the shit I was going through was constant. "Sir, do I need a pass?" I asked.
He only shook his head and the silence grew as Ramper nodded, grabbing my arm tightly and pulling me along towards the door. The reason for it was beyond me though. I was moving just as swiftly as he was as we walked to the door and out in the hall. Within five more minutes, I was sighed out and Ramper was pulling out of the parking lot with me in the passenger seat. Luke didn't sound panicked, just anxious and rushed. But Ramper still saw the need to put on the siren and go fast. After all, my school was far off from our actual small town and the station.
I was anxious the whole ride there, even though we got there in like half the time it usually takes to get there. My hands held tight to the edge of the seat as Ramper drove fast, looking ready to fight somebody. It was a humorous sight really when we were just going to the station. That was his mission, driving, and his face was tight in a fierce scowl that made me smirk slightly. That was short lived.... I kept thinking about Francis and was so tempted to call him from my phone. But I was scared to, in case he was already talking to this Pauly guy.
By the time I rushed inside, following Ramper, I was tense and anxious as Luke had sounded. Ramper escorted me into a room, where I finally saw Luke sitting at a table tense. It was a smaller room but there was enough going on to not notice the size. Just Luke, him sitting at a long wooden table, next to a couple empty chairs. And on the table, sat all these machines. These radios, speakers, and a ton of cords that lined the floor and the walls on the other side of the table. There were also these carts that supported these big black boxes of machinery that I just didn't understand. Luke just seemed focused on this one black rectangular box in front of him. There were wires hooked up to it and leading to several machines.... What looked to be Luke's usual walkie-talkie was being held in his hand as well. Except it was plugged into the box with the speakers and another plug reached another, much bigger, box off to the side that was lined with buttons and speakers too. He gripped the talkie tight in his hand and I noticed how tense his body was. Then his focus was on me.
"Albany," he said in a fast voice. He stood up and gestured me to come closer, pulling out the chair beside him for me. "Here, sit down and I'll explain," he said, only half paying attention to me as he kept eyeing the flat black box on the table with speakers.
I did as he said, my mind spinning. I was more than excited to hear what the hell was going on, besides the obvious. Luke sat down next to me and he started to explain everything to me quickly. He gazed down into my eyes, brows raised and lips tight in worry as he spoke softly. "I got a call about an hour ago from Francis. He said Pauly decided they could meet after about a week of trying for contact. This Pauly... wanted this meeting to happen abruptly, at his time, and that meant today. It gave us no time to prepare. Francis came by, picked up the wiring device, and he's on his way right now. I tried stopping him, saying this was rushed and we didn't need to do this now. He wouldn't listen...." Luke sighed, and looked down to the table.
"Will they search him?" I asked, my mind finding the first concern I could think of.
"If they do, he will be okay. Besides, I only think it's going to be just Pauly there. We have Francis connected through an ear piece though that is nearly invisible. He can speak, we will hear him. And he can hear us. It's still so dangerous," he said, eyes fluttering along the floor in thought and his voice was... full of fear.
I shook my head, taking in his words.... I knew this would happen. But like he said, this was rushed. This was too fast. Francis just got the word to meet him, right out of nowhere and at the very moment. It gave him no time to prepare for what to say, what to negotiate, how much money to offer him.... He wasn't ready. And that made this look like such an impossible task.
Just as I was about to question Luke on that, on what else he knew, I heard a voice from the thin box on the table the talkie was hooked up to as well as numerous other machines. It was smooth and electric sounded, coming from the speakers. But I knew it was Francis the moment it came through. "Is Albany there yet?" I heard his voice say, rather calmly through the static device.
My eyebrows rose as I looked at the speaker box before me before I glanced back to Luke... understanding finally the hook up here. Everytime Francis spoke, we would be able to hear it. However, to hear us, we needed to talk to him through this talkie. "Can I talk to him?" I asked. Luke looked reluctant for a moment but nodded, sighing as he handed me the talkie.
"Francis? I'm here...." I said into it before staring down at the speakers, waiting for his response from where I was sitting beside Luke.
"Awesome, I didn't want you to miss out on the action. Not to mention I needed to know something from you," his voice answered.
I glanced up to Luke, confused at what that was suppose to mean. With it, Luke gave me a sympathetic but confused smile. He looked at me intently, those green eyes appealing in mine. "What does he mean he needs to know something...?" I asked Luke.
"He told me that he needed you here to ask you something. To verify a couple things. Otherwise, I wouldn't have got you from school."
What was that suppose to mean? He needed to know something from me before he did this? What could I possible have in my head that would be worth telling him that had anything to do with this? All that's up there is random facts, fluff, and maybe an olive I accidently snorted years ago on a dare from Francis. What could he possibly need from me right now?
I sighed. I squeezed the button that would allow my voice through. "What was it you needed to know from me?" I asked Francis.
"How much money exactly did Mark want from you when he first threatened you? I need to know from you and I need you to be sure."
What did this have to do with anything? Despite the fact that I had no idea why it mattered, it took me a few seconds until I recalled exactly what he told me. The first time Mark saw me after I returned home, he demanded money for what I stole from him and the others. 15,000. Ridiculous amount.
"15 grand," I told him. "Why does that matter?" I asked through the talkie.
"I want to bring it up to Pauly. As an example of why this all started. We will give him the amount he 'deserves' plus the 15 grand. It's just to sway him more to agree."
I nodded to myself, swallowing as I looked up to Luke's worried eyes... his defeated expression. He rested his head in his palm, looking down and his eyes shut. Pained. Sighing, I raised the talkie back up towards my mouth to speak. "Do you have a plan?"
"I'm coming up with one now as I drive. I have a long ways to go until I get to this meeting place," he said a little impatiently. Then though, he said back, "Don't worry about me though. I'm feeling confident. I'll tell you what I come up with before I get there. Plus, if something does go wrong in the worst way, you guys know where I am going."
Biting my lip again, I set the talkie down, giving Francis time to think. After all, this was unexpected and he didn't have much time before. Glancing over to Luke, who almost looked defeated, I sighed and rested my hand on his slack one on his lap. He spoke before I could even ask. "I tried giving him a plan earlier. He will follow what I told him but he needs to come up with ways of negotiating. He knows I'm going to coach him through some of it since he can hear us but he still knows he needs to prepare," Luke said, voice cracking, eyes on the table and I felt his hand squeeze back. He finally looked up to me. "It wasn't suppose to go like this."
But it was. And there was nothing we could do. We could try to put it off but that would look very suspicious. Especially when it was rare for the big boss to agree to meet with someone like this. There was a reason he chose to be abrupt about meeting and going somewhere not familiar. He has people after him, all the bosses do. He needs things to never be planned. Otherwise, things get predictable. And when that happens, traitors make their move. It was a reason I knew the cops weren't sending a force, even when Francis and Luke knew where he was going. That wouldn't solve anything. They would keep coming at us. We needed to make this agreement first then they could go after him and shut the gang down. Nothing would work if it was the other way around.
By the time Francis was ready, and he got there, he told his plan. And it was quite simple: the truth if he wasn't a traitor. He will offer up sympathy of a sort, and on behalf of the group, ask if they could go back to regular business. If he would call off everyone from coming at us. He would make the argument that nobody is on board with it and they will eventually leave the business is he doesn't stop ordering them to come at us. That his business will go down in flames. It was a good argument, not to mention he will offer him money - a lot of it. He was going to start with the example of Mark, of it being a foolish mistake on his part, and that his son's death is because that man started it. Revenge wont do much, and it's a huge risk for his fortune and his pride. I knew that was a big part. Pride. This Pauly needed to keep his pride and still back down. I was ready to pray for Francis.
***
He met with the man about a half hour ago. I was still as anxious, if not more so as we listened to everything happening. Apparently, from what Luke and I could tell of their conversation that started, they had met behind a bar and it was just between the two of them. Which was what we needed more than anything. That didn't calm our nerves though; Luke was sweating beside me even with a draft in the room. I was just breathing hard and felt sick.
They started simple. Didn't even bring up business. About how their lives were, kind of just got to know each other. I noticed Pauly wasn't as in favor of hearing about Francis. More like just talking about himself. Bragging really, which wasn't the best sign. He had a hard tone, we could here from the ear piece Francis had that was also unique enough to send us audio back. However, it got serious and quick the moment Pauly brought up his son.
"Yeah, life's been pretty good," Pauly said in that raspy voice. "Things started to go down hill not too long ago. You know, with my son passing and all. I'm sure you've heard about the attack," the man scoffed.
Francis spoke up. "Actually sir, that's part of the reason I wanted to meet with you."
"And this is on behalf of the rest of the group?" he checked since Francis briefly explained earlier how he needed to discuss with him 'operational issues.' He was doing good so far. But this was also where Luke needed to help him out a bit too.
"Yes. You see, I've come with a proposal to offer you," he said through the speakers and I glanced up to see Luke. His hand clasping over his mouth and supporting his face, his eyes were narrowed down and onto the little talking box with Francis's voice intensely reaching us.
"How so?" Pauly had asked him.
"Start with Mark," Luke whispered just slightly into the talkie, which would reach Francis. He heard us right then too after Luke communicated with him through the ear piece. He started simply as Luke said to.
"Well," Francis was answering Pauly. "As you probably know, this issue didn't start with your son's death--"
"For me it did, sonny." Pauly interrupted in a hard voice. And I cringed when Francis spoke again, in a shakier voice. I couldn't see him... and with his static voice, it was hard to read much from that.
"I understand. But uh... the whole reason this happened was that a girl among us owed us 15 grand and didn't pay it off. Mark, who was the most closely tied in trying to retrieve the money that bitch couldn't pay us, ended up killed."
"Hmm," Pauly responded, and it started to become frustrated not long after that. Because I couldn't read this guys expressions. Who knew if he was buying this or not. He should. Nothing was coming across as suspicious to him I was sure. Francis was doing great. Luke and I both knew that. It still didn't ease our overwhelming nerves on the matter. Luke grasped my hand tighter under the table as we listened to the conversation.
Francis continued on explaining. "After Mark died, we all felt that revenge needed to happen. We started going after this chick. And every time we did, our guys ended up dying. She's got all these cops protecting her. So every time we go in to kill her, we are the ones that are getting slaughtered. That included your son," Francis said in a smaller and fearful voice.
"That's why I'm involved now," Pauly said in a sure voice. "We will up the numbers now that you have me. I have these... connections. I can send a whole god damn army!" Pauly said, cracking up rather hard at something I didn't find funny. Neither did Luke. I heard him groan under his breath and lower his head to the table, his hand tightening even more. His other hand tightened on our link to Francis and Luke raised it towards his mouth. Watching Luke even more now, he was so worried... he was sweating worse. Beads of sweat started to form along his forehead and it dampened the ends of his hair just slightly.
"Francis," Luke whispered. "Tell him your proposal. On behalf of all his workers and buyers in his district."
There was nothing but silence on the other end. Our ears were almost straining for something after Luke gave his bother that little message. Francis responded finally, to Pauly's scary words about an army. It made me stutter.
"That's what I'm hear to discuss with you. See... in the past months as our friends went out to bring Mark justice and kept getting killed... it lost you sales. Money. A lot of money and a lot of workers to spread your business elsewhere. So, on behalf of everyone that buys and deals in our group, I came here to ask you if you would consider... the best possible option for you and the company and for us. That means we want you to give in and call off your force and allow us to go on with strictly smuggling, dealing, and buy if we choose. And not pursue this useless bitch any longer."
My eyes went wide... because this was it. I gripped Luke's hand back and when I looked up into his eyes, they met mine in anticipation. This was it. He would say yes or no. And if he said no, Francis would have to try his hardest to convince him otherwise. That was going to be the balk, the hardest part of tonight. Convincing Pauly he needed to do this. For his sake and the groups sake, for his businesses sake.
Francis could do it... I know he could. But would it work? This was it, this was it. I bit my lip and waited for his answer. And knew he would say no. Francis didn't negotiate anything yet. But when he did... it would either end good or badly. Either with us... finally free of them. Or with Francis failing and probably being found out. Because if he pushed too hard and he said no, I knew Pauly would be able to see through Francis. It was a lot to offer this guy in return of leaving us alone. So much so it was suspicious.
This was it. And here we go....
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How do you think Francis will do swaying Pauly? Hope you enjoyed it!