Half A Heartbeat Away

27

•Beckham Blackford•

I was in my office unable to concentrate on the fucking papers that lay in front of me on the desk. I read the report five fucking times but instead of calculating shipment's arrival dates and profits, my mind kept circling back to the same thought that resided in my head relentlessly. Her.

It was every last fucking detail about her that kept me infatuated like I haven't before. Especially with the way she stood earlier this morning in my arms. She fit there like I was born on this earth for the sole purpose to hold her. She smelled heavenly, of coconut and bittersweet memories.

I couldn't forget the way her brown caramel eyes just kept looking at me intently, making me drown further and further with no lifeline in sight but her. She was the only thing I can hold onto in the rough of the days to come. The thought terrified me and exhilarated me both at the same time.

After coming to the conclusion that there was no way in bloody hell I was going through the sheet of paper in my hand, I set it down in defeat as I leaned back in my chair for a moment.

I notice that I have extra work today, every draft of the last month needed reviewing immediately to make sure everything was perfect, and there I was, daydreaming about my sweet wife like a teenage boy hypnotized by the mere sight of his crush.

Then my office door bursts open revealing a heavily panting Dano "What has you breaking in sweat at.." I look at my wristwatch "Seven thirty in the evening?" I ask jokingly. I thought he might be mad that I hadn't finished the pile of papers on my desk.

The frantic look on his face tells me this is serious and I open my drawer to take out a gun, besides the one strapped into the back of my pants in all times. "What?" I ask as I cock it.

"Well...you're not going to like this"

"What?"

"The warehouse on Richmond road up north has exploded"

"The one where we received and stocked the latest shipment from Cianna?" It was 2 million worth of weapons. If they blew them out it was bad. Direly so.

"Yes." He says tentatively, like afraid I might shoot him by accident on an anger tantrum. I wasn't far from it.. If this shipment was stolen or blown up, it was a severe problem. More so, it meant someone was working on the inside.

"Whom was it?" I tried to keep my voice leveled, the vein on my forehead was probably sticking out by the look Dano was giving me.

"We..we don't know. They haven't left a trace" He announces defeatedly and I scrunch my eyebrows.

"Well obviously they weren't going to leave a note to say who did it!" I yell impatiently.

"The cameras were knocked out good, we couldn't get anything. Anyways I turned them over to IT in order to inspect the damaged films..maybe they can find something, who knows".

"Besides..." he hesitantly adds that makes ms clench my fists tightly.

"What?" I snap, my short temper coming in full hand.

"They did leave a note...that was why I originally came to talk to you about" He confesses and I usher him to take a seat.

"You could've started with that" I reply unamused.

He scratches the back of his head "Yeah, but you just kept asking question after question and wel-".

"Where's the fucking note?" I ask. He hands me the piece of paper. Upon seeing what was written I freeze over in my seat.

Watch out.
We wouldn't want to involve Mrs. Blackford and the kids in this.

"What did IT say?" I look up into Dano with the utmost dark expression.

I felt rage seething through my veins at the threat. How dare they threaten my family? My wife and kids stay out of this. I'll burn the earth to the ground if it meant keeping them safe and unharmed.

"No fingerprints, no nothing" I sigh harshly through my nose. Someone was ballsy enough to deliver such threats, but they weren't bold enough to announce themselves.

No matter what, I had to find them and destroy them before they could do anything.

"Where's Milena and the kids? I need to get to them, I nee-" I start panicking, shuffling between the documents to find my phone.

"I've already talked to Hans, they were at your in laws this morning, but have returned since then. Currently they're in the house"

"Have you told her anything?" I ask him. Milena didn't need to know there was a target on her back. At least not for now. I'll tell her myself, or even better if I took care of it and wouldn't need to tell her.

"No. I only spoke to Hans via phone and text while making sure he is alone. I told him to not notify her and just keep acting normal and be extra vigilant. Also not to get out of the house if it isn't an emergency". He says and I nod in understanding. It's better this way for now. I know she'll have many many questions that she wants answered, but I can't provide them without letting her know of what happened and who is accountable for it and tarnishing their existence.

"Get everyone on this! I want people checking security footages of the street cameras near by. I want to know who did this and when. We have to find them!" I order solemnly and he nods muttering "Already on it, boss".

"There is one extra thing" He says in an afterthought and I look up from the note into him. This was already taking a toll on me. I ignored the constant pounding of my head and waited for him to spit it out.

"The invitations arrived" He announces with fake enthusiasm, understandable given the situation we're in. "What now for hell's sake?" I was over and done with. I wanted to go home and sleep it all off. Sadly, that wasn't an option.

"The annual ball. It's in a week and a half". Perfect. Just I was plastered with a red target on my back, they decided to throw that fucking ball. I hated it. It demanded socializing, and I hated it to the T.

Every year I'd attend with Celia and it would consist of this never ending night with fake laughs and constantly looking out for any danger..because it was a party for people in the underworld. As much as the guest list was nit picked, you still can't trust any of them, they were all wicked and had all the incentives in the world to kill you. Although, looking back at the last few years it has been relatively quiet. Then again, it could be the calm just before the storm. I guess I'll have to talk to Lena about it. We much preferred to stay home and be with the kids. I imagine she too. As much as I don't want to go, I can't deny the benefit it brings upon me. Firstly, the potential new business partners I can make. Also, it was a show of power. By attending I'd show the whole underworld that I wasn't afraid of empty threats. That I wouldn't succumb that easily. This is all an advantage and disadvantage at the same time. I just needed to plan it out perfectly.

"Lead the way to IT" I say as I pocket both the note and the invite in the pocket of my black slacks, heading out of my office to start a series of investigation to find out what the hell happened today.