“You good?” Eloise turned to the man driving next to her. Her frame draped awkwardly on the sweaty faux leather seat, one leg folded against the big tool box beneath her.
“Yes…well, no, but,” Brick sighed in defeat, both hands sliding lower on the steering wheel. It was the wrong day for a trench coat, to say the least.
“Didn’t I warn you about not wearing that in the heat of summer?”
“We’re making illegal deals in an alley and you’re telling me not to wear my signature coat?” He shook his head slowly in fake disappointment.
The corners of her lips lifted ever so slightly as she smoothed out her wavy short hair. “And here I thought you were my mentor.”
“Trust me, I can be professional when I need to. But I would never pass up the chance to look good on your first mission, kiddo.”
“Shut up and drive,” she said, rolling her eyes.
Brick grinned. “Alright.”
If Eloise had a choice, she wouldn’t be here at this very moment. At least she was responsible enough to pay back what she technically owed this family of gangsters. Still technically speaking, they also indirectly caused her dad’s death, held her at gunpoint at his funeral, and forced her to become a member, but that already happened. The best thing she could do was hold onto her values and survive while figuring out what exactly happened to him.
On the other hand, Brick Fields, the youngest son of the Don, chose to help the poor girl. It was roughly a year ago when Eloise first came to the headquarters, still dressed black. The extent that his own family was willing to go to for profit was baffling, sure, though he didn’t help her out of pity. If it weren’t for his father’s decision, he’d love to have her as his daughter, but he’ll have to settle for an adopted niece.
“I take it back,” Eloise mumbled, “it feels way hotter without your rambling to distract me.”
Brick laughed without taking his eyes off the road, forming crinkles beside them. “Wanna hear some jokes?”
“Not if they’re dad jokes,” she quickly interjected.
“Why not? I promise it won’t be…apparent.”
Eloise groaned. “Let’s just talk about the mission.”
“Well, the gang we’re meeting up with is pretty chill. Small gang, no intimidation at all. They’re practically associates.”
“What are we picking up?”
Brick shrugged. “Just some payments.”
“Money, huh,” she muttered thoughtfully.
Brick nodded and pursed his lips. The silence stretched as they approached the designated spot. Empty buildings surrounded the area, made worse by the glaring sun. When people say it’s the bad part of the city, they aren’t lying.
“Damn, my classmates used to talk about this place all the time,” Eloise commented.
Their ride slowed to a stop. “Well, what do you think?”
“It’s as depressing as they say.”
Brick chuckled. “That’s partly our fault.” He opened the glovebox to retrieve a small, shiny item.
“The war with the Dayholt family?”
“That’s the one. Now come on, and don’t forget your stuff.” Brick swung his door open and stepped out into the dry air.
Eloise took a deep breath, following his lead. Her sneakers rapped a slow beat on the dusty ground. ‘Something’s off,’ she heard her guts say. The beat picked up.
YOU ARE READING
Kyan's Illegal World
Mystery / Thriller[TW: violence, mentions of suicide, abuse, a whole lot of crimes, any triggers you'd expect from a gangster novel] Eloise Fields, a regular nobody whose life got ruined in the span of a day. She is the newest addition to the Fields family, one of th...
