“Well, look who made it back,” Beast, the leader of the mercenary motorcycle group The Satan’s Ravens, and technically Carson’s boss said when he walked in the door.
Carson had gotten home last night but had waited for the next day to come in and talk to Beast. He didn’t know what kind of reception he’d receive, but the happy go lucky one didn’t even make it on the top 10 lists of how this was going to play out.
“I wanted to talk to you about what happened on the last job,” Carson said as he looked around at the few men around them.
“Come with me,” The large Hispanic man lead them to his office and directed him to sit in the seat across from the large presidential chair. He leaned back in the chair and looked at Carson so long he wondered if the man was going to gather the information just by looking at him. “I heard it was a cluster fuck down there, but the job got completed, and there is a fat reward for you.”
“A reward?” Carson didn’t think he deserved any type of reward for what he’d done.
“Yeah. I guess no one told you, but the man who wanted Argo dead was getting impatient since it seemed like the person we sent down there was having a change of heart when it came to completing the mission. So you get your regular pay for completing the mission and an extra $50,000 bonus.”
Carson couldn’t even believe what he was hearing. It seemed wrong to even think about taking money for something that had ruined his life with an angel.
“I didn’t kill either of them. I don’t deserve that bonus or the pay.” Carson argued and found it hard to keep seated, but in the end, he did just that. He was known for his patience and calm, so this damn fidgeting was going to have to go.
“I heard they both shot each other.” Beast watched Carson like a bird of prey and with all that had happened, Carson had nothing to hide.
“Right.” Carson hoped the man was getting the gist of what was going on because he really didn’t want to talk about this right now, but that is why he had come in today instead of getting into his bed and sleeping for a good long while. “I was down there so long trying to get them to resolve their issues. Crowbar came out of nowhere, and they shot each other.”
“Look, dude. I’ve known you for a long while, and I really wanted this to be your thing, but it’s not. There are plenty of jobs to do with the club, and you need to look into one of them. It’s not saying you’re not tough or able, but you are a lover. You think it’s your problem, but I think that’s just you. Stop fighting it.”
“So you’re saying I should just fuck for a living?” Carson thought this was the strangest conversation he’d ever had.
“No. I’m saying maybe you could do surveillance or fact checking or hell… watch over the money, but the killing part isn’t for you.”
Carson was somewhat happy that he wasn’t being asked to leave. He’d been with the group so long it was like he didn’t know where else he’d go, but there was something relieved that he wasn’t going to be going back to the streets in the same capacity. He wanted to share that news with someone but he knew the someone he wanted to share with didn’t want anything to do with him.
“Why am I getting the money when I didn’t do the job?” Carson was confused about that part.
“Well, someone did the job and since you were the only one standing that makes the money yours… did you not want it?” The man leaned up in his chair like he was getting ready to call the little men to take him to the mental health unit.
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t take it… I just wondered why I was receiving it.”
“This has been a tough assignment, but it was lucrative to the company. Take a few days off and rest, but we’ll see you after that, and I’ll figure out where to start you.”
Beast had a way of dismissing you even though he didn’t say the words.
“Alright, then.” Carson was already mentally in his bed as he left the office, so the reality of that job being over seemed to wipe him out.
The ride home was quicker than normal, and he almost dreaded going inside. He didn’t want to have to deal with this shit. He was a few chick a night fucker, but he couldn’t even think about going out to score. Fuck… he was losing his damn self over a woman who was over him. He’d think about that shit tomorrow.
He put his hands in his pockets to find the key to his apartment and in that pocket he found the sparkly diamond bracelet that he was trying to give Argo when it all went south. He held it up to the light and was again amazed at the clarity of the stones. He wasn’t a jeweler, but even a blind man could tell this wasn’t just your regular mass market jewelry.
Holding the treasure in his hand, he wondered what he was supposed to do with this. One thing he knew for sure was that these little quirks of fate were signs and even if he didn’t normally believe in them, he was going to believe in it now.
Here he was with a big ticket item in his hands, and he had to get it back to her. Maybe she’d not noticed it was missing yet. He’d followed along in the paper and knew that the funeral was a closed event with only close family and friends, but that was going on tomorrow. He wouldn’t break into the funeral. Carson wasn’t a religious man, but he respected what other people chose for their religion.
Setting the piece on his side table, he went to sleep and hoped that all would be figured out when he awoke.
He was bone tired and miserable, but he couldn’t get a wink of sleep. It was like the bracelet was calling to him and wanting to return to its owner. That’s what he would do; he’d wait a few days and then get back so he could give her a chance to receive the offering in the spirit in which it was given… like a man who was going to have to live without oxygen and was trying with all he had for a few more sucks to fill his lungs.
With a plan in his head and Kelli’s jewels in his hand, he could feel himself drifting off. He hoped his girl was going to get a bit of rest because he was coming back with a vengeance. Would it be a fight? Maybe… but would it be worth it? Hell yeah.