31. Chapter 31
Cameron
I’m still reeling from punishing Justin, but I notice that Sin called me several times and left rather urgent messages to call her back immediately, so I do. She’s the most composed person I know. If she’s freaking out, some serious shit must have gone down.
She picks up almost immediately, which is a miracle on nights the club is open. “Cameron?”
“Yeah, it’s me. What’s going on?”
“Jesus fucking Christ, you fucking idiot! Can’t you pick up your stupid phone? You nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought they already got to you.”
My mind races a thousand miles a minute. Who are “they” and why would they be getting to me? “What’s going on, Sin?”
She pauses, as if to organize her thoughts, then continues in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.
“Ventresca’s shipment was intercepted. He was arrested.
His lawyers got him out, but he overheard an interesting piece of information.
The detective on the case ‘accidentally’ slipped that they had an ‘inside source’ who told them about the shipment.
When Ventresca’s people dug into it, your name came up. ”
“My name? I didn’t say shit!” My stomach drops through the floor as the implications of such an accusation hit me. At best, I’ll lose all my clients. At worst…
“It’s not just this shipment, Cam. Your codename is mentioned as the main source of intel in other cases too. Busted shipments and safehouses, arrested dealers, confiscated property. All of them are tied to Italian families, and all of them are your clients.”
Fuck. How could my name be on some stupid files? “I never talked to the cops.” I pause as a horrifying thought slams into me. “Wait. You believe me, don’t you?”
Sin and I aren’t exactly best buddies, but we’re close, closer than people usually get in our cutthroat world.
Since we’re both neutral, we’re in a similar position when it comes to dealing with the high and mighty of this city.
Sin’s word goes a long way in our circles, and if she’s not on my side in this mess, I’m a dead man.
“Would I call you if I didn’t believe you? Pull your head out of your ass, Cameron.”
“Right. Thanks.” Of course she wouldn’t call me if she believed I’d blabbed.
We’re not that good friends. “So, Ventresca’s spreading rumors about me?
” Which is why most of the clients who cancelled on me were Italians.
The others probably haven’t heard yet, but that won’t last forever.
I need to do something before it spirals out of control and some wannabe justice-seeker puts a bullet through me or burns down my house.
“Oh, he’s pissed. They arrested him at some fancy party, walked him out in handcuffs, and held him for a whole day before the judge ordered his release for lack of evidence.
Now the detective on the case is stalking him everywhere he goes, claiming that ‘his source’ has never steered him wrong before. ”
Everything clicks into place. “Small. That fucking asshole.” Fuck. How did I not see this earlier?
Plastic creaks as I squeeze the phone tighter.
“Small set me up after I told him to fuck off.” Jesus.
And here I thought he couldn’t touch me.
“What do I do?” I’ve never been in such deep shit before.
People were suspicious of me back when I started, but I quickly proved I could be trusted.
Now that there’s so-called evidence against me, a lot of people will be quick to jump to conclusions.
“Please tell me not everyone believes Ventresca?” My only saving grace might be that he’s a jerk known for his tall tales.
“Those who know you personally were hesitant, but the evidence is there, Cam. It might be fake, but it’s a good fake, and you know how quickly rumors spread. Your safest bet would be to disappear,” she suggests hesitantly.
I growl. “And let Small win? Fuck that!”
Sin’s chuckle tells me that she didn’t expect me to accept that option.
“Well, then you need to fight the accusations before they spread even more. Call in your favors. Talk to people who are willing to talk to you. If you can get the top brass to stand behind you, this will die out. Ventresca might throw a fit, but if you convince his old man you’re innocent in this, he’ll keep the young idiot in line. ”
Oh, great. I only have to convince the head of the most conservative Catholic family in the city to take a Black gay’s word over his son’s. Piece of cake.
Fuck Small! He needs to be taken care of, but I know better than to talk about that on the phone. Someone might be listening to every word I say even now. If Mikhail were here, he’d take care of Small for me in a heartbeat, but I don’t want to drag him out of hiding unless absolutely necessary.
“I’ll see what I can do. Thanks for letting me know, Sin.”
“Yeah, well, you’re a premium member of the club. I’d hate to lose your membership fees.”
Despite the gravity of the situation, her words make me laugh. “I love you too, darling,” I tease.
“Shut up, idiot. Don’t think I won’t whip your ass bloody the next time you set foot into my club if you don’t stop teasing me.” There’s a small pause, then she adds quietly, “Try not to die, alright?” Without waiting for an answer, she ends the call.
I stare at the phone, not knowing what to do now. I should start calling people, plead my innocence somehow, figure out a way to get rid of Small and his schemes, but it feels like such an impossible task. How could I possibly succeed?
More than anything, I want to seek comfort from Justin, to hold him and forget all about this.
But I can’t do that, because he betrayed me.
I can still fuck him and take whatever else I want from him, but I can’t indulge the illusion of having something more, especially not now.
Like Sin said, I need to pull my head out of my ass and start thinking straight.
Justin can wait. Some alone time will do him good.
It’ll give him a chance to think about what he did.
With one last glare at the basement door, I set out to save my life and, hopefully, my career too.