Page 43 of Intent to Kill
“Look, I know what you think he took from you,” Paul sighed. He picked up a bottle of water and drained the whole thing, throwing it on the ground once he finished. “But you don’t want attention from Dorian BlakeorRicardo Cortez. Trust me.”
“I think if we keep making as much noise as we have been, Ricardo Cortez and Dorian Blake will certainly hear about it,” Adam said.
Adam had him there. Paul clearly couldn’t argue with that because he said nothing despite looking like he wanted to deliver the verbal bashing of a lifetime.
“Hey, you wanna know a secret?” Adam smiled.
“That wasn’t enough of a secret? Fuck, do I want to know?”
Adam nodded.
“Go on, then.”
Out of his pocket, Adam retrieved a small navy box and handed it to Paul. Grimacing, Paul snapped the lid open. Sitting center on a navy cushioned bed, Paul would find a sparkling diamond engagement ring.
Paul looked at Adam with an incredulous expression, like he was sure he’d misinterpreted the gesture.
But Adam wasn’t joking. About any of it.
“Here’s my plan,” Adam said. “I’m gonna take down that fuckwit Dorian Blake, maybe Ricardo Cortez, too, if I’m feeling up to it, and then...” Adam smiled to himself. He held a palm to his chest to settle the excitement and stop the nervous cracking from showing in his voice. “And then I’m going to marry her.”
Paul snapped the box shut and handed it back. “And you need to take down all the gang leaders to do that?”
Adam laughed and secured the box safely in the pocket of his jeans. “I suppose I don’t, but I want to.”
“Do me a favor,” Paul said seriously, so Adam did him the courtesy of taking what he had to say seriously, for once. “Think about what you’re doing before you do this.”
“Sure,” Adam said.
“Reallythink about it,” Paul warned. “And for fuck’s sake, tell the others first. At least give them the chance to back away if they’re not eager to join a gang war for you.”
* * *
MARCH 1991
Mercedes parked the purple Camaro near the edge of the cliff at the Ridge City overlook. The place was always abandoned because it was such a rough drive up, but it had impeccable views over the city. For those brave enough to drive on the gravel slope to get to it, that is. But his girl was always brave enough. In fact, she dominated those roads. He fucking loved how wild she was behind the wheel.
The engine rattled desperately, like it was coughing. Which couldn’t be good for a car. Adam winced as Mercedes killed the engine, and pieces of the side paneling fell off with a bang, the car grunting to a stop. It definitely was trashed and wouldn’t be starting again. Shame. It was a nice car.
Adam brushed his fingers through his hair and exited the car, heading to the trunk.
Paul’s white van screeched as it pulled up behind them, lifting gravel from the path. Dan jumped out of the van right onto Adam, embracing his friend in a hug.
“What a score!” Dan said. “T.B. never saw that coming.”
Carlos wasn’t far behind him. “I forgot how good it feels to be on top.”
Mercedes patted Carlos on the shoulder knowingly, causing him to let out a rare smile.
“Let’s load it up and move on.” Paul tapped on the side of the van from the driver’s seat.
“We’re celebrating here!” Dan shouted.
“There’ll be time to celebrate when the job is actually over.”
Dan and Carlos rolled their eyes and began loading the shipment out of the wrecked Camaro and into the back of Paul’s van. It was a struggle to pop the trunk with all the bumps and dents the race with T.B. had left behind.
Once the shipment was secure and Dan and Carlos were back inside Paul’s van, Adam nodded to Mercedes and they moved to the back of the Camaro. Placing their hands on the trunk, they leaned all their weight into the sports car, pushing to roll it over the edge.
