Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“You’re very welcome.” He extended the third gift next, and yeah, he admitted that Yaya had helped him wrap the presents.
Totally knew it.
The next gift was a hand-sized box, and I lifted the lid. And cocked my head. What was… Ohhh! How did he know—
“So, Chris told me this is something new you’re collecting,” Daddy said, maybe a little unsure. “You spruce up your old Chucks by replacing the shoelaces…?”
I nodded furiously and sifted through the ones he’d given me. There had to be over ten pairs here. All cool colors too.
“It’s much cheaper than buying new shoes all the time,” I said. “This is awesome, Daddy.”
“I’m glad you like them, but I hope you’ll let me take you shoe shopping if you need new shoes.” He extended the last gift.
I didn’t respond, because it was going to take a while before I didn’t feel weird accepting such things from him. I was already gonna need to borrow money from Dad to buy some gear before I started my training at Hillcroft.
This gift was heavier, and once I’d removed the wrapping paper, it looked suspiciously like a watch box. Wasn’t Hamilton a watch brand?
“Uh-oh…Daddy, what did you do?” I lifted the lid carefully, and sure enough… Sweet Jesus, it was an incredibly cool watch. Sleek and dressy, yet casual and subtly sporty. All black with silver details. Leather strap.
He smiled and took the watch to attach it around my wrist. “Everyone needs a good watch. Especially now that you’re going to work at Hillcroft. You won’t always have access to your phone.”
I had no words. The watch looked ridiculously good on my wrist, and it felt so extravagant.
“I love it, but it looks expensive.” I crawled up in his lap and hugged him tightly.
“Nonsense. I got it from a gumball machine.”
I laughed and shook my head.
He grinned and kissed the side of my head. “Let’s finish our food so we can—” He was interrupted by the phone ringing. “Unless Yaya’s security is calling to wish you a happy birthday, I’m going to guess it’s Quin.” He got off the couch and retrieved the phone from the kitchen counter. “Huh. Or it’s Chris.” He answered the call. “Everything all right, Coach?”
Oh, right. Chris was known as Coach at Hillcroft. And Daddy was Doc. I had to keep that in mind.
“That’s a relief,” he replied, returning to the couch. “Have a safe flight. Here he is.” He handed me the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”
“Yes, Sir.” I accepted the phone and placed it to my ear. “Hey, Coach!”
Chris chuckled. “Hey, baby brother. Happy birthday.”
“Thank you. Is everything okay?”
“Hell yeah,” he responded. “You think you can go someplace private? I’m about to piss off your bodyguard.”
I lifted my eyebrows. As in Wade?
“Sure thing.” I scrambled off the couch and gestured to Daddy that I was going into the bedroom.
It seemed to confuse him, but he nodded, nonetheless.
“I’m glad Doc filled you in, by the way,” Chris added. “Makes this a whole lot less complicated.”
“Okay. Um, I’m in the bedroom.” I closed the door behind me.
“Fantastic. So I hear you’re our next logistics officer at work.”
Dad must’ve told him. Or Daddy had filled him in too.
“Yessir, if I pass the training,” I said.
“I’m sure you will. I’ve seen you drive and organize projects. You’ll fit right in.”
I snickered. Maybe I was an aggressive driver. Not as in…I was violent or reckless or anything; I was just confident and comfortable behind the wheel.
“On that note, do you trust me?” Chris asked next. “Do you trust me to never put you in harm’s way?”
I knitted my brows together. “Of course I do.”
“That’s what I was hoping to hear.” He turned more serious. “We have one last threat to eliminate—stateside—so I’m wondering what your thoughts are on acting as bait.”
Holy shit. “Um.”
“You’d be out in broad daylight, among people, in DC,” he went on. “The hell we raised in Colombia caught the attention of some of their associates back home, and we discovered one faction that has more intel than we’re comfortable with. In short, they wanna kidnap you and deliver you to the new management that will take over in the coming months.”
Oh my God.
I swallowed nervously, my stomach knotting up. “So people still know who I am.” I kept my voice down so Wade couldn’t overhear.
“This last little outfit does,” Chris confirmed. “But nobody else. We took care of them. In cases like these, a higher-up might get desperate when he realizes it’s game over, so he sends out information to associates elsewhere to finish the job. The problem in this instance is that the recipient of said information is a second cousin in Miami and his two buddies. They’re small-scale hustlers. They sell cheap yaba pills and steal copper wire and car parts. They’re not killers. We have access to all their communications on the matter, and they’re hoping a kidnapping will impress the new management and lead to better jobs and connections.”