Chapter 7 Griffin Colson
~ Griffin Colson ~
I SET A brUTAL PACE, the muscles flexing in my legs as I push myself through town.
After taking my jeep back to my motel and changing clothes, I decide to jog to the Miller Hotel.
I hope running can help alleviate some of the burning frustration I feel at not having my hands on the fuckers that left Seriph bleeding and used in that alley last night.
Not to mention the added frustration of not having my hands on her.
As I run, my mind keeps going back to her.
Her quaint little store, the tea smell, the candles.
I keep my eyes trained to the street, a habit picked up from years of watching my own back.
I work alone, live alone, survive... Well, alone.
But now? Now, I can’t stop thinking about big ocean eyes and small trembling hands.
She’s fucking scared in her own goddamn store.
Her own home. The memory of her blood on the tiles, the bruises on her arms and thighs has my fists clenching hard enough to make my knuckles crack.
My pace kicks up a notch like I can somehow outrun the blood boiling under my skin.
The Miller Hotel looms in front of me. The building is as high end as you can get in a small town off the interstate.
Of course, it’s probably not up to the pretentious asshole’s standards but he’s in hiding so he probably thinks he’s making do.
Alexei Sokolov, arms dealer, human trafficker, and gun-for-hire organizer, a paranoid Russian mob piece of shit who fucked with the wrong crystal shop owner.
He has no idea the reign of terror I plan to bring down on him and everyone who kisses his motherfucking toes.
I jog slowly up to the building and I stroll inside like a guest who got back from their morning run.
Two guards lounge by the side entrance. Their posture is slack and their eyes glazed while playing on their phones.
I guess even Sokolov has trouble finding good help these days.
I take the stairs two at a time to the top floor. Before I open the door, I hear voices.
“That bitch better not be lying about letting us use her shop.”
“She’ll cooperate or we make her regret it again.”
The sound of dark laughter almost drowns out the next comment.
“Fuck, now I hope she doesn't.”
A white-hot rage ignites beneath my ribs.
I have to stop myself from bursting through the stairwell door and beating them until the light leaves their eyes.
I inhale through my nose, slow and controlled, until I can unclench my fingers.
It would be bad to blow my cover before I’ve confirmed Sokolov is actually here.
As much as I want to paint the walls with whoever threatened her again, I have to hold back.
Not yet. I will make them pay but recon first.
They move away from the door and disappear into a room down the hall.
I creep out of the stairwell and slip a card key from the housekeeper's cart. I dip inside the room across the hallway. Luckily for me, it’s unoccupied like I suspected.
Sokolov wouldn’t want regular guests coming and going on the same floor as his suite. He rented the entire thing.
Through the peephole I watch men come and go, nondescript packages delivered, quiet exchanges of cash, girls ushered in and out.
It only takes about an hour before I get what I came for.
Sokolov steps into the hallway to bark orders down the hall in Russian.
I try to get a read on which of these pricks were involved in what happened to Seriph yesterday.
But it’s impossible to tell. They all look capable of that kind of violence.
I’m going to have to come up with a different way to get names.
I wait for the hallway to clear and then I slip from the room, leaving the key card on the bed, exiting the building the same way I came in.
Taking off at a jog, I head back downtown.
Every instinct in me is screaming to go back and make them pay for putting her store on their list. I need more than a quick revenge kill though.
I have to dismantle the entire operation.
It’s the only way she will ever be safe.
Which means I have to find the money. To cut the head off the snake, you first have to find out what feeds it.
But in order for this to work, I have to make sure Sokolov and his guys never find out I exist.
I head to the diner I’ve been eating at a lot. Before I go in, I make a call. The other end picks up after one ring.
“Griffin, didn’t expect to hear from you for a while yet.” Jax’s voice is alert and teasing.
“Things turned up quicker than anticipated,” I grunt in reply. My gaze sweeps the sidewalk to make sure no one is close enough to overhear my conversation. “But there are some... complications.”
He perks up, pleasantries forgotten. “Define complications.”
My jaw works before I finally force out the words. “Sokolov’s crew put hands on someone, a civilian.” My voice drops. “A witchy store owner. She runs a place downtown. They’re pressurin’ her into launderin’ cash through her store.”
He’s silent for a minute. “Shit. You involved now?”
“Yeah.” I pause briefly before continuing. “I need Sokolov’s financials, safe houses, shipments, anything you can get. This isn’t about bringin’ him in anymore. I have to cut him out by the roots.”
Jax exhales. “Alright, I’ll get you his financials and anything else I come across. See if I can track where his money is coming from before it makes it to her.”
“There's more.” My tone drops lower and I shift further from the front of the building. “I need the identities of the pricks that went into her store last night. There were three of them. And dig up what you can on a Seriphina Joseph.”
“The woman?” he says with disbelief. “That’s a new one, Griff. You getting soft on me?”
“Shut up,” I growl back. “Just do the job I pay you for, yeah?”
“Yeah, yeah.” He holds back a laugh. “Stay frosty and keep that woman breathing.” He disconnects.
I slip my phone back into my pocket and walk inside the diner.
The waitress sits me at a booth and I order coffee with a sandwich and some fries to go.
My fingers twitch toward my phone. It’s early, she might not have that many customers yet.
She hasn’t texted so I’m sure she’s fine.
Stick to the plan, I tell myself. But I remember pale skin and shaking hands, and my phone is out of my pocket and shooting off a text before I can stop myself.
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Me: You alive over there Wildflower?
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Wildflower: You’ve been gone less than three hours Gryffindor
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I look incredulously down at my phone. Gryffindor? Really? Of course, she responds that way. I type back.
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Me: Not the point smartass
Me: How many customers so far?
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Wildflower: Growing an interest in my business?
Wildflower: Or trying to keep the conversation going?
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I snort. My brow furrows. Is that what I’m doing? No, I’m checking in to make sure she’s okay. Nothing more.
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Me: Don’t flatter yourself
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Wildflower: Aw shucks and here I was hoping you’d be the one flattering me Gryffindor but to answer your question only the usual morning gossip club there’s five of them that meet for tea every morning while spilling the tea
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A warm feeling spreads across my chest at her words. But I’ll be damned if I admit that I like the way it feels. I thank the waitress as she sets my coffee down in front of me, nodding once. My fingers move across the screen of my phone again.
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Me: Oh? And what are they gossiping about this time? Neighborhood cat got into the recycling again?
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Wildflower: This morning is actually pretty good Sharon is sleeping with Katherine’s husband and they found out David from church wears a toupee and then after they joked about that for a while one of them mentioned wanting to get their nipples pierced?
They’ve been debating the pros and cons for the last ten minutes they are in their sixties and they come here for my butterfly pea flower tea
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I nearly spit out my coffee. I’m starting to question if this is reality at this point. There’s no way she’s serious.
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Me: You’re telling me a bunch of church going senior citizens are talking about nipple piercings? I think you might be corrupting them
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Wildflower: Me corrupting them? I’m hurt! These ladies have done way more shit than I have and are quite proud of it Helen is having sex with her grandson’s best friend and he’s in his twenties if anything they are corrupting me!
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I can’t believe I'm having this conversation. A slow smile spreads across my face as I sip my coffee.
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Me: Your little gossip club sounds like a menace to society should I be concerned?
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Wildflower: Oh no they’re harmless really I can’t promise they won’t try to hit on you though. Darla is the one you have to look out for She’ll grab your ass and pretend she was looking for her glasses while they are on her face
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I shake my head while grinning down at my phone. I’ve had to dodge my fair share of advances over the years but what she’s describing is hard to picture. I’m not sure how I’d react to a handsy sixty-year-old cougar grabbing my ass. I can’t remember the last time I smiled this much.
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Me: Well, good to know I need to watch out for geriatric predators. Thanks for the heads up
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Wildflower: Don’t worry Gryffindor. I’ll protect you
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The image of her trying to fight off a group of grandmas, has me biting back a laugh. I finish my coffee and toss the tip down on the table. I grab my to-go box and stand up while shooting off another text.
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Me: Such a valiant defender Wildflower
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Wildflower: About time you noticed my gallantry, Gryffindor
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Me: I noticed I chose to ignore it
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I take a beat to think about it and then send another one.
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Me: And stop calling me Gryffindor
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Wildflower: Sure thing Gryffindor
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