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The Threat

"I want the money you owe me."

An angry woman demands on the other end of Chris's phone.

"You failed to do what I hired you to do, so technically I don't owe you shit." Chris protests.

"He wasn't interested, what was I supposed to do? Force myself on him? Honestly, I would've fucked him for free, but that wasn't the deal, and he wasn't biting. That is not my fault or my problem. Pay me what you owe me or I'm blowing your shit to hell."

"I don't have it, damn! That's what this whole thing is about." He sighs. "Can you give me a little more time, please?"

"You shouldn't promise what you don't have. Three days, that's it!

"Three da - "

The phone goes silent.

"FUUUCK!" Chris growls in frustration.

He lays his head back on the couch thinking about his next move when his phone rings. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, before swiping to answer it.

"Hey ma."

"Hey son! I hope you're back in Bloomfield Hills, or at the very least on your way."

"No, I'm still in LA..."

"Okay Chris, it's time for you to stop playing this childish game and get back to your family. Simone said she hasn't talked to you in weeks and the last time she did, you hung up on her. And all over that damn whatever you're calling him of yours..."

He interrupts. "Ma stop!"

But she keeps talking. "He's more trouble than he's worth, just like that mother of his was and it's going to cause you to lose your family."

"You don't know what you're talking about. You only know what Simone has told you. I bet she didn't tell you the reason why I had to come out here looking for my son... who by the way is doing a whole helluva lot better than I am right now."

"Spare me. I don't want to hear anything about that deviant..."

"Your grandson."

"Aht! I have two grandsons and he's not one of them."

"Don't you think it's time to let that go? It's been damn near 29 years..."

Agitated, Chris's mother yells into the phone. "IT HASN'T BEEN LONG ENOUGH! GET YOUR ASS BACK TO YOUR FAMILY!"

Chris chuckles. "Or what ma? You're gonna oust me from my position as CEO of Watson Financial Group? The judge did that already. Remember? I'm terminated from that position indefinitely. Are you gonna have my assets and accounts frozen? The judge beat you to that too. All of my assets and accounts are frozen for the duration of my prison time. So in 6 years, if I'm not dead you can take whatever you want."

"Nobody said anything about dying. Why are you talking like this?

"Because you don't know anything. And that "deviant" may be the only one who can save my sorry ass life."

"Then talk to me."

"No! I'm done talking to you and your daughter-in-law. If it ain't about the boys, I don't want to hear it. I love you ma, but I'm hanging up."

Chris ends the call with another roar of frustration. "Goddammit!"

He walks into the kitchen sighing as he gets a beer from the fridge, opens it and takes a long drink. Back in the living room he reaches for the TV remote as he plops down on the couch. Before he can grab it, his phone rings again. Without looking at who's calling, he answers with belligerence.