Vindictive #4

13. desperation

Desperation didn't look good on anyone—least of all me. It's a sad feeling, desperation. It seeps in slowly, evenly until it consumes you and you're willing to do anything for what you want. I'd been desperate few times in my life, but when I was desperate...it wasn't a good look.

That's how Gary looks right now. Desperate.

I sit next to him in the passenger seat and stare at his hands as they tighten around the steering wheel. The turn white, and then red when his grip loosens. He repeats that motion, gripping the steering wheel as tight as he can and then relaxing. I want to tell him to relax, but I kept my mouth shut. He wouldn't like that. After a while, my eyes drift ahead to the opening of the parking deck. We're on the third level, waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

Gary normally wouldn't be so patient. But when I look towards him again, I realized just how much his patience was thinning. His ears are turning a shade of red and his teeth clench together, making his jaw appear more prominently. I swallow and turn away. I'm growing impatient too, but I don't dare speak.

He's clearly not in the mood for discussion. I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket but ignore it. Just when Gary's mouth opens to explode, a sleek black SUV turned into the deck and parks betweens two cars across from us. We sit and wait. The headlights flash twice and immediately I move.

I push open the door and walk around to the back. Gary pops the trunk and I grab the three suitcases. I'm not nervous. Gary said my life was dependent on how skillful I was, but if there was one thing I didn't lack was confidence. I know I did a good job. I'd bet my life on it. And, I guess, that's what I'm here to do. I glance up to see Gary walking towards the car. I close the trunk and start walking towards them but stop short when Gary's hand extends out, palm facing me. Wait.

He goes to the driver's side window and exchanges a few words with the driver. Then he leans back, his eyes meeting mine. I wait. He nods once and I slowly move forward again. The passenger side door opens and a guy steps out. I eye him. He looks young. Like really young. Seventeen, maybe. His eyes meet mine and then slowly lower, taking in the rest of me. His lips twitch a little and I fight off the urge to roll my eyes.

He walks up to me, and I stare at him in mild disinterest. His hand goes to a suitcase, but I don't loosen my grip when he tries to take it. He pauses and looks up at me, eyebrows raised in question. I glance at Gary to see him watching our exchange. His lips lift a little in amusement, and I resist smiling back. My eyes shift back to the eighteen year old and after another second, I let him take the case from me.

He places the suitcase on the hood and unlocks it using the pin Gary calmly rattles off. The case opens revealing hundreds of bills stacked and placed neatly inside. Gary's eyes cut to mine in warning, but I keep my shoulders relaxed.

Gary takes a deep breath and addresses the man in the car. "There is another matter we need to discuss."

The man pauses for a moment before emerging from the car and gesturing for Gary to wall. They step away from us and begin to walk, talking amongst themselves. My eyes go back to the boy. I eye him up and down. He even dresses like a teenager in those ripped jeans and vans sneakers.

"So what's your name?" He breaks the silence between us. He doesn't look up, his focus solely on the money. He picks up a stack and flips through it, his fingers rubbing each paper carefully. I cross my arms over my chest, my eyes on the money. Noticing my lack of response, he throws me a look over his shoulder. "You have one, right?"