“It came to me in the heat of the moment,” I said.
He lowered his brow at me. “Really? Not when you were chatting her up at the bar?”
“That was a fortunate accident. I had no idea who she was when I first approached her, but yes, talking to her swayed my decision once the thought came into my brain.” I pointed at him. “You have to admit, if we can rope her in, that’d be huge for us.”
“I won’t lie, that would be helpful, but only if you don’t fuck her and then throw her away. She probably won’t be very open to helping us if you do that.”
I opened my mouth to retort and then stopped. I didn’t really have that great of a response for that. The truth was, Iwashoping to explore Avion sexually as well. Maybe I was hoping to pull a two-birds-one-stone type situation, but the two things didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. “So, I won’t throw her away.”
“Ha!” He slapped his leg. “Yeah. You’re gonna commit to her? That’s more insane than thinking Curtis will come out of his pocket with five hundred k to get her back.”
“Commitment has nothing to do with it. If we enjoy one another in that way, then we can have a friends-with-benefits relationship. She’ll aid me in more ways than one. That’s not crazy to think.”
“Everything you think is crazy,” Milli spat back.
“But how much of what I’ve ever thought has turned out poorly?” I asked. Milli rolled his eyes. He and I both knew my track record. I wasn’t a guy that took no for an answer and once I set my mind to something, I achieved it at all costs. “Exactly. And besides, we’re not just letting Curtis off the hook. Once it’s become clear that he isn’t coming for his daughter, then we squeeze him again. Let him give me his house, cars, and offshore accounts, then I’ll drop him to the bottom of the Hudson. I’m not worried about Curtis or that money, I’m worried about earning us a leg up against the Narzand brothers, and hey, if I happen to end up with a sweet treat on top of all of it, then bonus for me.” I crossed my arms. “I’m also concerned about you tipping off my old man.”
“I won’t tell him. I’m interested to see how this plays out now. You’re right, your hunches are correct more often than not, but please, for the love of god, inform me next time.”
I held up my hands, grateful. “You got it.”
“Speaking of your father,” Milli started, but before he got the sentence all the way out, there was a knock at the door. He looked over his shoulder with a furrowed brow. “That can’t be our new house guest already, can it? That was too fast.”
“I figured the Narzand brothers saw me talking to Avion and would send her home to try and prevent me from pulling anything. I know their preferred car service, so I made sure one of my guys was in the area when he made the call. Must have been successful.” I leaned back in my chair. “I told the guy to make sure to snatch heraftershe informed her brothers she’d made it home safely.”
Milli shook his head as he stood up. “It’s kind of terrifying how you’re always two steps ahead. I don’t like it.”
I snickered. “Why do you think Merrick plucked me off the streets?”
Milli smiled as he walked, no doubt remembering the story.
Merrick wasn’tmy birth father. My parents were two people who had absolutely no business creating a child, and when they realized that they would rather buy drugs and run the streets than take care of a child, they were quick to discard me and leave me to my own devices. I was only six and out on my own, with very little idea of how to even feed myself. It was terrifying and hardening.
It could have easily killed me.
But I’d been born with the will of a god. I didn’t like being defeated by the petty and unmeaningful. I wasn’t going to die simply because the people who were supposed to take care of me, didn’t. What a worthless way to lead a life. Instead, I rose to the occasion of figuring out how to fend for myself. I’d been caught once and brought to a foster home where my fake parents were no better than my real ones, so I left and took to conning on the streets.
Except I didn’t do it like any other New York ruffian.
Most kids would steal, attack, intimidate--anything they could do to get their hands on money and food. It seemed so foolish to me, running the risk of being arrested or killed for a few dollars or the scraps of someone’s sandwich. Besides, most of the people we ever had any chance of encountering didn’t have that much more money than us. It was so much effort and so much risk for so little payoff.
But there was this one scam a bunch of us pulled that had a little more weight to it.
One of the hotels in the city, the one that would eventually become the CosmoCo hotel, was always host to the city’s rich and elite. During parties when lots of people would be flowing in and out of the doors in a large group, it was much easier to take someone’s valuables. Even if they noticed and tried to give chase, there were so many people, the chances for escape were high.
Therein lay my chance.
I wouldn’t run in and try to snatch a wallet or jewelry for a quick come up, I aimed much higher. I would sit in the alleyways, waiting for the other kids to pull their snatch and grab. I’d pick out the wealthiest looking person in the crowd and wait for them to become a victim of the theft. As soon as my chosen target had their items lifted, I would chase down the kid that had stolen from them and get the things back. If it was a wallet, I’d quickly sneak out some cash in the tussle, and then bring the wallet back to the original owner. They were always so grateful to the kid who got back their stolen goods, that they’d fork over any cash on them or offer to buy me a meal. The other kids didn’t like my plan, but I didn’t care. It worked so much better than their plans and got me much more, it was win-win.
Enter Merrick.
I was about eight and he and his wife were arriving for a party at the hotel dressed to the nines. They pulled up in a sleek, black limo and when they stepped out in clothes more expensive than the limo itself, everyone got dollar signs in their eyes. I didn’t even need to wonder if someone would target them, it was obvious. Hell, even I was half tempted to just pull a good, old-fashioned theft. It was worth it to be patient though. One kid zeroed in on them immediately, and I knew with how rich he looked that I’d get good stuff.
The kid fished Merrick’s wallet out of his pocket and took off, and that was my cue. I jumped from the shadows of the alleyway and took off after him, easily overpowering the kid and taking back the wallet. My eyes nearly fell out of my skull when I saw how much money was inside, but I didn’t get greedy and only pocketed about forty dollars amidst the hundreds that were there. I figured he wouldn’t even miss it, but when I brought the wallet back to Merrick, he dove in right away.
“I’m short forty,” he said with a frown, but I was always prepared for people to notice.
“I’m sorry,” I said in my most innocent tone. “He must have taken some money before I got the wallet back.”
