Blood In The Water

23

"Who is it?" James called out distractedly to the knock on his office door, checking his time as he put together the final piece of the weapon he'd stripped

"It's me, ya half wit, I'm the only one here" Kevin scoffed, opening the door and letting himself in

"What do you want, Kev, I'm busy.."

"..What's your time?"

"Fourteen seconds." He looked up from his pistol, quickly noticing and stashing away his repurposed tobacco tin with a recognizable sniff

"..thought you said you were layin' off the coke"

"I am! I ain't touched it in weeks, till now."

It was true, he hadn't. But with the stress of trying to keep watch on Connor's safety, Arnold's moves, and keeping all of it from Kevin, he was sinking back into some old vices, just a bit.

"...how long you been takin' apart that gun?"

"An hour- that ain't the coke, that's just-"

"Yeah, I know, that's just you.. got some orders for ya, if ya ain't too hopped up"

"I ain't, you know I ain't" James answered, pupils wide and dark from the stimulant

The fact of the matter was, James would never do more than he could handle. Not anymore, at least. He'd never risk his job like that, this job is the only thing that comes between him and living on the streets.

The first time James did cocaine was with Kevin, when they were both nothing but soldiers. He stayed up for two days straight, then slept for two more when he finally came down. He learned his lesson then and there, not to overdo it. Unless of course, he wanted another forty-eight-hour binge of no sleep, no food, no lights in the house, and constant tremors.

"Good. Dinner. Tonight. Upstairs, wear somethin' nice."

"Who're we dealin' with?"

"Nobody. Connor and a buddy'a his."

"...what do you need me for?"

"I dunno, he wanted to have dinner with you.. guess ya made an impression."

"Wait, that's it?"

"Yeah.. and send a fella out for groceries."

"..this some sorta intervention?"

"No, Jesus, trust me a little.. it's fuckin' dinner, not Cokeheads Anonymous"

"...Fine, gimme your list"

Kevin pulled the paper out of his pocket and handed it over

"You're the best, Buddy"

"Yeah, I know"

-

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"What am I even supposed to wear? Or bring? What do you bring to a mafia boss's house?"

"Whatever you take anywhere! He's not all that scary, once you get to know him, I promise.. just wear something nice. But dinner party nice, not red carpet nice."

"..is there anything I should know? Or not do?"

"No.. don't steal anything and you're pretty much set... I'm telling you, he's practically just a regular guy.."

"A regular guy', he's a mobster."

"I survived him, didn't I?"

"That's fair.. you are the mouthiest son of a bitch I know."