Empire (Muke Fic)

Chapter Three

Luke got up from his couch, where he was going through his bills, walking to the kitchen as the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Luke.”

Luke huffed, almost hanging up.

“You haven’t talked to me in two months.”

“I know.”

Luke ran his hand through his hair, hating how apathetic Michael’s voice sounded.

“You haven’t even called me in two fucking months, how the hell is it now that I’ve brought you money you suddenly want me again after our little date?”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

Michael sighed, and Luke could hear the frustration in his voice.

“I don’t date. That’s how people die. I cannot be someone’s boyfriend without someone putting a bullet in their brain and breaking my heart. Sometimes it’s me, cos they’re an undercover cop, or they get hurt or tortured so badly that death is more merciful than their life. So, I give into their begging and shoot them myself. I refuse to let you die like that, you don’t deserve that.”

Luke was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say before anger bubbled up in him again.

“Either way, how are you going to pretend I don’t exist for so long and then conveniently call me up again after I do a job for you? How is that fair to me?”

Michael spoke softly, his voice hard.

“Watch who you’re talking to and what you’re saying in that tone, Hemmings. I am allowed to call you to check up on you after a job to make sure you’re alright, those are work matters, so you had best separate your job and duty to me from your emotions before you open your mouth and speak to me like that while bringing up your job.”

Luke swallowed, nodding to himself.

“Sorry.”

Michael took a breath, speaking in a calmer tone.

“Anyway, how are you? I heard you had to shoot someone?”

“It’s alright, it was a cop who was following me too far. No civilians, I know how you feel about that. Don’t worry.”

“But how are you, I don’t care about the cop.”

Luke sighed, sitting in a chair, stretching out.

“I’m fine. It wasn’t the first time I’ve killed someone, won’t be the last.”

“Fucking hell, attitude like that, and you’ll end up like me. And that’s not a good thing, Luke, trust me.”

Luke looked up at his ceiling, speaking softly.

“The Red Don.”

“Yeah. When you get a nickname based off of being covered in blood, it isn’t good.”

Luke smiled slightly, crossing his legs as he sat up more.

“I think you’re a good person.”

“Don’t, I’m far from a good person. Thinking like that’ll get you killed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Luke blinked at the sudden dismissal of a farewell.

“Right. Goodbye, Michael.”

Michael hung up, and Luke slowly put his phone back on its hook before sliding his chair back to where it had been beside his small kitchen table.