Chapter 12
“Domino”
“Babygirl don’t know how to shoot a gun,” I muttered under my breath, watching the screen.
Marcos was still talking to her in the warehouse office, showing her the weapon like it was a damn training seminar.
I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my jaw. “Guess I’m gonna have to teach her that myself.”
My eyes stayed glued to the monitor.
Truth was, I should’ve been doing a whole lot of other shit. I should’ve been reviewing the new routes coming in from Texas, checking the shipment schedules from the coast, going over the numbers from last week’s drop, or even meeting with the drivers about security changes.
Hell, I should’ve been getting some damn sleep.
Instead, I was sitting there watching her… and I had been doing exactly that for the last two days since she walked into that warehouse.
Every time I replayed the footage from the initial meet, I noticed something different about Ajori.
The way she carried herself.
How she didn’t scare easily.
How her eyes moved around a room like she was always thinking.
I exhaled slowly.
Ajori had me curious, and curiosity was dangerous in my line of work. Because if just watching her had me like that, I didn’t even know what the hell would happen if I actually touched her.
Right as Marcos finished talking and she stood up to leave, there was a knock on my office door.
I straightened immediately and hurriedly clicked that screen off.
The door opened, and Alejandro stepped inside.
The man had a way of appearing out of nowhere that would make a ghost jealous.
His eyes moved around the room before landing on me. “You good?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Everything straight?”
He studied me for another second, then a slow smirk crept across his face. “If I didn’t know any better,” he said, slowly approaching the desk, on the desk, “I’d say you were in here watching porn.”
I scoffed, amused, yet a bit offended.
“Son, if it’s that bad, I can have a few women brought over for you. Save you from stressing your computer out,” he joked.
I leaned back in my chair with a grin. “Alejandro, I appreciate the offer, but I get plenty of pussy… you know that. I was just looking over the new routes.”
I turned the monitor slightly so he could see the maps on the other screen.
He nodded slowly. “Mm-hmm.”
Then his expression shifted as he adjusted his posture.
“Well… I actually came to tell you something.”
I waited.
“I’m going out of the country for about a week… if not longer.”
I frowned in confusion. “A week?”
“Some things I need to handle… personal things.”
He emphasized the word personal just enough for me to notice.
I placed my elbows on the desk, in concern. “Everything good?”
Alejandro gave a small nod. “Hopefully.”
That answer didn’t sit right with me.
“But nothing for you to worry about,” he added quickly. “I need you to hold things down while I’m gone. You think you can handle that.”
Of course I could. Still, something felt off.
Alejandro disappearing for a day or two wasn’t unusual. But going out of the country for a full week? Without me? Nah, that part didn’t add up. Not to mention, he had been moving a little differently lately. He had been quieter and always seemed to be deep in his thoughts.
“Of course. I got you.”
“I’m sure of that. While I’m gone, you’ll have access to a few things you normally don’t.”
That got my attention.
He began explaining codes, backup contacts, routes that weren’t written down anywhere, emergency accounts… basically, information he’d never shared before.
I memorized every word.
“And Damari… if for some reason I don’t return, there’s a safe behind the panel in my office. You open it, and inside you’ll find instructions.”
That made my jaw tighten immediately, not in anger, but worry.
“Yes, sir. But look, Alejandro, I know you don’t like repeating yourself, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t ask, so I’m asking anyway. Are you in some kind of danger that I should know about?”
Alejandro chuckled softly. “If I was in danger, you would know about it. But I appreciate your concern; that’s exactly why I made you my right hand… well, one reason. You notice things.”
Then he looked at me for a few seconds longer.
“Business wise, we’re good,” he assured. “I won’t go into too much detail about my leave, but I’ll say this: Sometimes a man just knows when it’s time to start putting his house in order.”
That line stuck with me, but it still didn’t give me an answer.
Before I could press further, he turned toward the door. “I leave in the morning.”
Then he was gone.
I sat there for a second thinking.
I didn’t know what was going on yet, but I damn sure was going to find out… and soon.
I turned the monitor back on, and the warehouse feed popped back up.
Ajori was already gone.
Damn.
I grabbed my phone immediately and made a call.
One ring.
Two.
“We got eyes on her, Boss. She just got in the car… waiting on her to pull off,” Rico said on the other end before I could even ask.
I leaned back in my chair; my eyes still fixed on the monitor.
Yeah… I had someone following Ajori.
Not because I didn’t trust her, but because it was her first night doing work for us, and I wanted to make sure nothing happened to her. The streets were unpredictable, and people noticed new cars and new faces real quick. Marcos didn’t even know I had a tail on her.
Not that I needed his permission.
“Good,” I replied calmly. “Keep your distance but stay close.”
“Copy.”
“And listen carefully,” I added, my tone turning colder. “If she calls saying somebody is following her, and she describes yo’ car…”
I let the silence stretch for a second.
“I’m killing both of you myself.”
There was another man in the car with Rico, so they both knew I meant exactly what I said.
“Understood,” he replied quickly.
“Make sure nobody else is on her either,” I continued. “I want a clear perimeter. Anybody suspicious, you call me first.”
“We got it, boss.”
I ended the call.
My eyes drifted back to the screen one more time. For a reason I couldn’t quite explain yet, I felt better knowing she wasn’t out there alone.