Page 4 of Condemned to You

“I’ll add it to my new year’s resolution.”

“I’ve been keeping an eye on your Emilio. You have a set of balls on you.”

“Yeah well, even with my shriveled-up dick in between my legs, there’s no doubt I have the biggest pair in the car.”

All three men laughed. I was still butt naked and the cold leather against my skin was uncomfortable. Being watched didn’t concern me as much as the fact that no one, not even myself, picked up on it.

“What the hell do you want?” I asked.

“I think you’d make a great addition to the team.”

“Team?” I had to hold back from a laugh. “What are you going to have me do trust falls with Birdy over here?”

“If you’re interested, which you will be, then you’ll take my offer.”

“What makes you so sure I’ll be interested in your offer?”

“If I don’t kill you, surely, Luca will. At least under me, you’d have my protection.”

“I rather retire.”

“The protection would extend to your sister, Cassie. It’d be a shame if you had to bury another sibling.”

The reference to my deceased sister Marie got under my skin. I couldn’t care less what happened to me, but Cassie didn’t deserve any more agony in her life.

“Leave Cassie outta this,” I said, speaking through my teeth.

“I can, if you agree to work for me.”

If you asked anyone, they would tell you I had no weaknesses. Whoever these men were seemed to know more than anyone should. That I’d risk my own life to save my sister wouldn’t be surprising but to know where I was at that exact time and how defenseless I would be in that very moment wasn’t some lucky guess. I was being watched. For how long, who knew but if I didn’t even realize they were keeping tabs on me then without doubt they had the upper hand. That hasn’t happened to me in years. I didn’t know who they were or what they were capable of. My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to rip right out of my chest. I had no other choice but to give in.

“Doesn’t look like I have much of a choice.”

The man laughs, “There’s always a choice. You just have to pick the right one.”

I saw Birdy take his free hand and reach down in front of him. Pulling up a duffle bag, he tossed it to me and let it fall onto my lap.

“I’ll reach out when it’s time,” the man said.

“And in the meantime?” I questioned.

“Get out of town.”

We were at the entrance of the airport. Inside a duffle bag were black sweatpants with a hoodie, sneakers, a burner phone, a passport, and a wad of cash. After throwing on the clothes, I opened the passport to find a picture of my face with a different name.

“Jim Albertsson?” I mocked.

“Could have been Dicky Smalls,” Birdy said as he pushed the barrel of the gun further into my head. His voice was raspy.

“Clever,” I commented as I quickly got dressed.

We pulled up to the flight departures drop off.

“This is your cue to get out,” Birdy stated.

No one outside would be able to see what was happening in the backseat. This was just another vehicle dropping off a person at the airport. When I opened my door, I quickly looked back in to see if I could see any one of their faces but the blaring sun in my face made it difficult.

I quickly ran into the airport. My heart was somehow pounding even harder at the thought someone would see me – that I would get caught before I even had a chance to leave.