It's Above Me Now.

18: Spill Your Guts

"You've been awfully quiet today. With the recreational center being nearly complete, I thought you'd have more than a lot to say. What's on your mind?"

I closed the folder of the documents I was reading, and gave Hanschell a small smile. We were having a late night meeting in her office, reviewing the finishing touches of parts of the recreational center. Although Hanschell and her team were doing the majority, it was still exhausting making sure everything was absolutely perfect. However, I pushed through. I've always wanted to be in a stellar position, and I couldn't let my tiredness or worrying thoughts of Dylan phase me.

"It's just been a long day." I answered. "With everything coming together, it seems like there's still more work to be done. I need this recreational center to be absolutely perfect. This is my first business introducing myself as the Mosses' son, and I need everything to go off without a hitch. You know how prominent my parents are. Whatever I do must be phenomenal."

Hanschell nodded and walked over to a small cabinet. She pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels and two glasses, making her way back over to me. As she poured the liquor in the glasses, our eyes linked and we stared at each other for a couple seconds.

"I don't normally drink on the job, but you need to take your mind off things." Hanschell explained as she handed me over a glass of brown liquor. "I know it's gotta be hard coming from where you have, and then being thrusted into the spotlight. But we'll get through this. I got your back."

'I got your back.' That was nice to hear. It was the furthest thing from the truth, but it damn sure sounded good. I still couldn't shake the shady feeling I got from Hanschell, even though she wasn't giving any real evidence of conspiring with my pops. I was gonna hold onto my instincts though, because anything was possible at this point.

"I got your back." I repeated. "You sound a lot like this old friend I used to know. Her name's Karin, and she used to say that a lot to me. She was a really good friend of mine. Took care of me like I was her own son. It's a shame what our relationship came to."

Hanschell huffed in response, and cleared her throat. "Even after all the shit she put you and your family through, you still have the nerve to talk about her like she's some saint. What's really wrong with you?"

I smiled. "Set you a trap and you walked right into it. So now that we're on topic, why don't you tell me about all the shit you and my father been hiding. How do you know what she put my family and I through? And why do you know that? Tell me everything and spare no fucking details."

Hanschell froze, and she leaned back slowly to sit on her desk. She was definitely caught by surprise and it was showing. Nevertheless, she quickly returned to her usual persona. Lapping her legs, Hanschell took a sip of her beverage, staring at me with great irritation.

Hanschell smiled softly. "My father's name is Pavlob Hershell. You might not have heard of him because he's been locked up for so long, but he's Karin's number one enemy. She's probably the one who got my father caught up in the first place so she could run the block and be the only kingpin in this stupid ass drug game. Your father and mine were tight, they were truly inseparable at one point. When my father got arrested and jailed for the one thousandth time, your father moved my mother and I across the country. My mom and I started a new life. Your father paid for my education, made sure my mother was protected and financially sufficient, and I went on with life. But I owed your father for that life, and I knew it. Your father basically allowed me to be raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. I knew one day he'd come back to collect. So when he called me about you, I was more than happy to help. It was the least I could do. Your father didn't know which company you'd pick for the refurbishing, but he was planning to have my company work alongside whichever one. He needed someone to protect you constantly when you were back in your hood. And that person was me. Bud and Lou couldn't always be around, and your father didn't want to smother you with their presence anyways. Ruben knew your suspicions were up about a lot of things, and I was meant to be a distraction. You deserve to not always have to look over your shoulder so I was doing it for you. I know those streets and how the people worked like the back of my hand. I've been dealing with the likes of Karin far before you were born. I knew how she operated and when she'd try to strike. I was just an extra layer of protection for you."