Chapter Twenty-Five
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the gritty docks where the salty breeze mingled with the scent of oil and rust. I leaned against the weathered wooden post, my hands stuffed deep into the pockets of my worn leather jacket, scanning the horizon for any sign of movement.
I knew the shipment was due to arrive any minute, and with it, the tension in my gut twisted tighter.
The betrayal stung, but what choice did I have? This plan needed to work – too much was on the line. As the rumble of an approaching truck broke the silence, my pulse quickened and my eyes narrowed as I spotted the boat docking.
I stood at the edge of the pier, my heart pounding as I watched the boat slowly glide into the dock, the muffled sounds of the engine sputtering against the backdrop of distant seagulls.
The morning sun glinted off the water, casting shimmering patterns that danced across the hull, but my gaze was fixed on the figures aboard.
Feeling the weight of the moment, knowing that the fate of everyone involved hinged on the next few seconds— the boat finally nestled against the dock.
The crew began unloading boxes, the sound of crates clattering against concrete rising in the air.
A siren wailed in the distance, piercing through the air.
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The officers spilled onto the dock, shouting commands as they rushed toward the cargo.
I watched large wooden boxes taken off the boat and onto a truck that was heading toward the police station.
Pulling out the burner phone I called the only number saved in there.
“Done already?” Birdy’s voice answered.
“Shipment is en route. You’ll have everything you need and then some.”
“Good. Goldilocks will intercept.”
“Now, where’s Bethany?”
“A deal is a deal but you have yet to return the favor.”
My stomach twisted in knots. I was hoping they wouldn’t use saving my life as a favor I’d have to pay back. If they didn’t have Bethany, I’d tell them to fuck off. This wasn’t proper, Bethany should be released and then I could return the favor, but these men didn’t seem to have a code of honor.
“What now?” I replied with obvious irritation.
“I’m going to need you to get rid of Alfie.”
“What did the kid do to you?”
“This isn’t 21 questions. Just do it.”
This MC was really becoming a nuisance.
“You need a handle on what a deal is and what a favor is. Deal was getting you explosives, I did that, now you return Bethany to me. You saved my life, I’ll owe you the favor and toss the kid out of your way.”
“You have a bad track record of returning favors. I’ll hold onto the girl until you follow through.”