Page 41 of Condemned to You

“If you don’t change your attitude, I’ll slit that bombshell wife of yours slender neck wide open and frame you for it.” His reply was so casual yet I could tell he wasn’t bluffing.

“Why am I here?”

“I need explosives. Enough to crumble a building into the ground. You have good connections with the cartel.”

“Who’s the target?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“When do you need them?”

“2 days.”

I let out a scoff, “That’s not enough time.”

“Make it happen. I need them delivered to 1400 S Lake Shore Dr.”

“You want to blow up the museum?”

“Just the people in it,” he replied nonchalantly.

“What about Bethany?”

The man shrugged his shoulder, “Get me the explosives and you get the girl.”

“I want to know Bethany is alive and unharmed.”

He waved to Birdy to come forward and when he did, he passed the man a phone which he gave to me. Putting it up to my ear, I heard light crying.

“Bethany.”

Her gasp pulled her out of her crying and she shouted, “Emilio!”

“You okay?”

“I’m scared,” her voice trembled.

“It will be over soon.”

“Please—"

The line cut out from the other end. Handing the phone back to Birdy, I took a deep breath. As I heard the fear in her voice, a wave of anxiety washed over me, igniting a fierce protectiveness that made my heart race and my palms sweaty.

Looking to the man, “I’ll have them by tomorrow.”

A grin of satisfaction crossed his face, “Thatta boy.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

I was given chloroform to pass out so that I would be taken back to the docks which was better than being hit over the head. Walking along the boardwalk, my mind raced with how I was going to pull off getting these explosives. Finding a bar that was a hole in the wall where no one would know me, I ordered a scotch and brainstormed. The biggest issue I had was my phone had all my contacts. It was in my suit jacket the day I had been caught. There was no other way to reach my exclusive contacts without my phone.

My frustration grew as I had no other choice but to ask a favor from someone I wasn’t fond of; however, Bethany was out there, somewhere, held captive by an unknown enemy. The clock was ticking, and every second felt like a dagger in my gut. As I stepped out of the dimly lit bar, the heavy scent of whiskey and smoke clung to my clothes. The night was an inky black, the city’s lights flickering as people continued to walk the boardwalk. I had always thrived in the shadows of the night; however, tonight I felt vulnerable, stripped of my bravado. Grabbing a taxi, I headed to my destination.

The taxi pulled up to a charming brownstone with a classic brick facade and arched windows giving a timeless elegance. The inviting entrance featured a stately wooden door, flanked by an intricate wrought iron railing that led up to a spacious front porch. Each step up the stoop ate away at my ego. I climbed the ranks through a mix of charm and ruthlessness; however, my approach must be humbling. I gave three knocks on the door and waited half hoping no one would answer; however, once I heard someone unlock the door from the other side I took a deep breath to prepare myself.

The door opened and there stood Hamilton Branton. Controlling myself from rolling my eyes, I stood there waiting for him to let me in. It was as though he saw a ghost but then quickly snapped out of it.

“How?”