KADE
My fist collided against the heavy black bag, then again, and again. Drops of sweat glistened on my forehead, unseen in the dimly lit gym. My heart pounded against my ribcage. The sound of the punches echoed inside the empty gym; no other soul was around to question what was wrong.
My feet shuffled into my fighting stance as I prepared another blow to the bag. My hands were covered with dirty white hand wraps, which had certainly seen better days. Throwing another jab, I threw an uppercut next, then again and again.
A man came in, interrupting my workout. I recognized him immediately. Roman. My boss. This wasn't good.
Roman was a 43-year-old man, his dark brown hair slicked back neatly. He exuded confidence, his presence commanding the room effortlessly. His black suit clung to his muscular frame, tailored to perfection. His eyes were sharp, calculating, as they locked onto mine.
I straightened up at the sight of him, my breath heavy from the exertion. "Roman," I spoke, eyeing him warily. "What do I owe the pleasure of you interrupting my workout?" I questioned, a hint of annoyance in my voice. His eyes narrowed.
"I have a job for you." He replied. My eyebrow raised, intrigued. "I need you to come along with me to collect some debt?" He added. I scoffed out a chuckle, glancing away for a moment. I shook my head before fixing my eyes back on him.
"Seriously? Don't you have men to do that for you?" I questioned, then whipped sweat off my face with my forearm.
His eyes narrowed. "Don't forget who you're speaking to, Mathis." A warning tone. "We have a deal, remember?" He paused, slipping his hands into his front pockets, shifting all his weight onto one foot. "Which means you do what I say, no questions asked." A heavy sigh escaped my lips. Moving my hand up the bag, my fist punched it softly as I remembered how I ended up here. How I ended up working for a man I despise.
"I remember," I replied, grinding through my teeth. Roman wasn't a man you wanted as an enemy, but you didn't want him as a friend either. He was a shadow broker, a crime boss, or whatever the fuck someone who owes businesses underground. Someone who only cared about money, or in this case- getting his money back from a person who was so desperate for a loan and didn't care how they got it.
A smile flashed across his diamond-shaped face, a flicker of darkness behind his cold hazel eyes. "If you're so eager to know, this one is personal." I flickered my eyes up, my brows narrowed. "It's Peter Declan."
My eyes widened, hearing the man's name. I knew this name well. He was a "regular client" as Roman called him. Every three months or so, he would show up and beg Roman to loan him money to feed his gambling addiction. Each time, Roman would, and each time Peter would pay his debts on time. I wasn't sure where Peter was getting the money to pay him back, and honestly, I didn't care. As long as he kept paying Roman the money he owed, he wouldn't get a visit from Roman's men. Until now.
I straighten, slipping my hand off the bag. "He always pays back his debts to you," I stated the obvious. Roman nodded in agreement and my eyes narrowed. "What changed?"
His smile turned sinister. "That's what we're gonna find out." He replied, then pulled back his suit sleeve, revealing a gold watch on his right wrist. "It's nightfall in about three hours." He spoke, his voice deep and raspy. His eyes flickered up to me as I whipped sweat off my nose, threatening to drop. "Let's meet in my office then." I nodded at his request.
"Anything else?" I questioned, eager to finish my workout before I had to follow Roman around the West Coast like a little puppet. He shook his head no, and I let out a deep sigh before going back into my fighting stance. My eyes lingered on Roman as he stood there for another moment, a sinister smirk across his face.
He knew something more about Peter's debt issue than he was willing to tell.
"See you in a few hours." He said, before turning on his black dress shoes and walking away. The clink of his shoes echoed through the space as I watched him disappear through the double doors. My brows narrowed as questions surfaced in my mind.
He knew something. I knew something I didn't know about James's situation. Not that it would change the night's outcome. I've seen Roman's sinister smirk before.
I knew we weren't going there just to talk to Peter.
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