Chapter Twelve

Landon

“That motherfucker,” I shout. “Who the fuck does that prick think he is?”

“You know who he is,” Max says. “That's why you pussed out without a fight.”

I glare at the pudgy, older porn director and roll my eyes. I hate this guy more than anything in the world right now and it's all I can do to keep from punching him square in his fat, greasy face.

“Yeah, I didn't see you doin' much to stand up to him,” I snap.

“What the fuck could I do?” he says. “His gorilla was all over me.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

We're sitting in what has to be the seediest bar in LA and I'm trying to calm the fuck down. I hadn't expected to run into Roberto Rossi in LA, of all places. Obviously. But, I made a deal in good faith with Marco. I thought we were square. Yeah, what I was doing was fucked up – Rossi was right about that. But, it's not like I had much of a choice in the matter. It's not like they were going to just wipe out my debt to be nice.

I made a deal with the devil and I knew that bill would eventually come due. And it did. It was a price I didn't want to pay, but I paid it.

Except now, I have nothing. No deal. No golden ticket in Harper. No nothing. All because of that arrogant son of a bitch.

“The thing that gets me,” I say and power down a shot, “is that he talks like he's all Mr. Straight and Narrow. He talks as if he's above us all because he's trying to go legit.”

“Tell me about it,” Max says. “His father used to be a pimp and he looks down his nose at me because I make porn? Give me a fuckin' break.”

I'd rather be anywhere but sitting in that bar with a scumbag like Max. But, I needed to vent and he was better than ranting at the walls in my hotel room. It's not like I know anybody else in this goddamn city. Besides, I have one card to play and I'm hoping I can pull a miracle out of this flaming pile of shit.

“Listen,” I say. “I held up my part of the deal. I brought Harper here to you.”

Max smirks at me. “Yeah, don't even think about pullin' that bullshit with me, kid.”

“What?” I say. “The deal was that I get Harper here, you give me a hundred grand.”

“Yeah, except Harper isn't here, is she?”

I take a long pull of my beer and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “Not my problem,” I say. “Your issue is with high and mighty Rossi. My part of the deal is done. So, I want my cash.”

Max scoffs and shakes his head. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

“Come on, Max,” I growl. “I held up my end of the bargain. Your issue is with Rossi. I'm out of the picture and I want my money.”

“Take it up with Rossi yourself,” he says. “Harper ain't workin' for me, therefore, I ain't givin' you shit. Besides, you heard Rossi – the deal's off.”

“That's bullshit, man,” I shout.

I slam my bottle down on the bar, drawing the attention of some of the other patrons. But, they turn back to their own drinks and their own problems a moment later. Max just shrugs and sips his beer.

“Not my problem, chief,” he says. “You gotta take it up with the man. From where I sit, no girl for me, no money for you.”

“Motherfucker,” I say again. “It'd be easier if I just kill Rossi.”

Max looks at me and a predatory grin crosses his face. “Now, there's an idea,” he says. “That might actually solve both of our problems.”

“You're not serious, are you?”

He shrugs. “How bad do you want Rossi off your back and your debt wiped out?”

That is a good question. Do I want it bad enough to actually kill somebody for it? I mean, that's taking shit to a whole different level. I'm a hustler. Not a thug. And definitely not a killer. Still – I have to admit, Max's idea makes a whole lot of sense on a whole lot of levels. If Rossi's gone, Marco becomes the head of the family and business goes back to normal. Marco ain't gonna be taking the Rossi family legit, that's for sure.

And if Marco is running the show, my deal is back on, and I get a fresh start.

“Here's the deal – the new deal,” Max says. “You take out Rossi and get his morally upright ass off my back, give me the girl, and I'll give you a hundred grand. And cover your debt to the Rossi family. That'll set you up pretty sweet, don't you think?”

I nod, trying to imagine what having a hundred g's in my pocket would feel like. “Yeah, it sure would,” I say. “She's that valuable to you, huh?”

“Please,” he scoffs. “Do you even know how hot watchin' a virgin get her cherry popped is? And she's a sweet little thing. Hot as hell. Once I get her on film gettin' her cherry busted, I'll sell her to a guy I know – a kid that gorgeous is gonna be worth a fuckin' mint, I'm tellin' you.”

“Sell her? What do you mean?” I ask

As Max smiles, a chasm opens in the pit of my stomach. I like Harper and don't want anything bad to happen to her. I really don't. But Max just shrugs as if it's not a big deal.

“She'll bring in a fortune from one of those rich foreign dudes,” he says. “Dudes that like to bang hot young American girls.

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. It really is as bad as it sounds. But then, do I have any choice? No, not really. The better question though, is whether or not I can actually go through with it. Whether or not I could actually kill Roberto Rossi.

“So?” Max asks. “Do we have a deal?”

A million thoughts are running through my head so fast that I can't decipher a single one of them. The only one I can catch and hold on to is the one that tells me this is a way out. This is a chance to get out from this pile of shit I'm under. And I made my bones taking chances. If I want to stay in the game, I can't change that about myself.

“Yeah,” I say. “We got a deal.”