trying to lessen the score for you, bro. I know prison’s made you cold, and we weren’t the kind of people we’d look back and be proud of, but…out here we get to choose who we are.”
Thames blinked slowly, staring vacantly at the fake cunt.
Out here we get to choose who we are.
Cute.
So fucking cute.
He almost felt like he was attending a motivational seminar. Holden, the cunt face lunatic, had the power of the gab.
But Thames wasn’t easily swayed.
Experience taught him that you had to watch out for the masters of the gab. They were usually the ones full of shit.
“I can’t go back to prison,” Thames expressed firmly, staring at this fake asshole right in the eyes. “I think after everything I’ve done in max, I get the privilege to speak to Number One.”
“I’m telling you, he isn’t like that,” Holden replied. “He doesn’t do face-to-face, Thames. That’s not his style.”
“Then he’s going to have to change his fucking style, Holden, because I am not budging about this, and I’m not going to make peace with you acting as the middle-man.”
Holden’s smile went lazy. “Ouch.”
“So you tell him that.”
“He won’t like it.”
Thames shook his head, slowly responding, “I don’t give a fuck, Holden. That’s where I stand.”
Holden brushed his nose, heavy in thought now, chewing slowly. He drummed his fingers some more on the island, looking up periodically at Thames.
“You got mad balls,” he commented after a while. “Something tells me this is going to be more complicated than necessary.”
Then let it be. Thames thought. He wasn’t afraid to meet number one, number ten, number seven fucking million. It was all a scare tactic, these stupid fucking numbers.
All he wanted to do was sort this fucking issue out so he could live his life. So he could work and provide like a real man. So he could be a father. So he could fuck his dove staring her in the eyes and not feel like he was hiding from himself.
Fuck Holden.
Fuck Number One.
Fuck the Raven crew.
“Look, let me try again,” Holden said, breaking the silence. “Leaving the crew isn’t impossible, it just means you gotta pay us back.”
“Do I look like I have money?”
“It doesn’t mean money.” Lowering his voice, Holden explained, “I hear you have a crooked cousin.”
“He is crooked,” Thames acknowledged. “But so are half the men in this town.”
“But he’s boosting cars, I hear.”
“Why don’t you go have a word to him about that?”
“I’ve had the guys scope out his place. I see an opportunity there, one you could bring to Number One.”
“He’s cornered the market here, and I’m not interested in chop shopping.”
“Number One might be.” Holden shrugged now, looking interested. “Think about it. If your dirty cousin’s cornered the market, it means he’s got a list of very important contacts.”
“You’d end up waging war with him.”
“Nothing we haven’t handled before.”
Thames glared. “You’re willing to spill blood for a bunch of illegal car parts?”
“When you say it like that, it sounds kind of fucked up.”
“Kind of?”
“I see a lot of money, and your ticket out, Thames.”
“I’m not interested in going to war over cars.”
“You were considering it once upon a time.”
Thames nodded. “Yeah, back when I was a young, dumb shit. Now I’m staying clean.”
“You ever talk to him about it?”
“About what?”
“About taking the business from under you. You spoke about it once back in max. Said he and his dad had tried to corner the market when you were trying to get back into the game. Ever wondered if he was open to doing business. It doesn’t have to get messy if he’s a willing participant.”
“Him and his father would never be willing participants.”
“How sure are you?”
“I’m telling you right now, it’s a waste of time.”
“Think about it –”
“Holden,” Thames retorted, tightly. “I’m not going to talk about this shit to you. If Number One wants something from me, I’ll hear it from him.”
“You’re a stubborn fuck, hey?”
Thames didn’t back down. Not when Holden’s gaze went hard and his chewing ceased. They stared at each other for a tense moment.
Thames would not budge.
The door opened just then, breaking the strained silence between them. He heard Penny yammering away to Charlotte, and his eyes dimmed. It took everything in him not to throw the fucker out right that second.
“Is that your family?” Holden asked, chuckling. “I’m not sure I can handle this, Thames, after seeing what you’re capable of.”
Thames hoped to fucking God Charlotte would whisk Penny upstairs and go with her. The thought of