Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Everyone's Man – 4


 

Colin popped three aspirin and hoped they would kill the throbbing pain.

 

The man who cut him didn't know where he lived, but that didn't mean he couldn't find out. Jonas handled the business end of things through his office in a small building in the heart of the city. The house was supposed to be a home for all his men. The one place they knew they were safe if a client took it into his head that he wanted to deal one-on-one with any of them, cutting out the middle-man and the higher prices that Jonas charged.

 

It was also a prison of sorts. Each man's schedule was highly regimented and any deviation from it would bring Jonas or one of his people running to have words with the culprit. Not that the men really minded. The money was good, and if and when one of them decided to leave, all they had to do was tender their resignation.

 

Jonas was smart. He knew there were plenty more where they came from who would appreciate the safety he offered. All he required was complete obedience and, as had happened with Colin tonight, a bit of a payoff at times when he saw the opportunity. Colin knew the script would be repeated several times and the pills sold on the street for a pretty penny, thus lining Jonas's pockets even more.

 

Safe house or prison, either way Colin was going to pack up and get his ass out of there. It had sounded like his attacker had power and knew the right people. If he wanted to find Colin and shut him up he could, as long as Colin stayed put and worked for Jonas.

 

Dragging his backpack out from under the bed, he opened it and then went to the closet. He couldn't take it all. Hell, he didn't really want to. Nice clothes were great and helped keep up appearances when one of the clients wanted arm candy before taking him home to screw, but if he was going on the run, all he needed was the basics.

 

It didn't take him long to fill the backpack with clothes and those few personal belongings he didn't want to leave behind. Zipping it closed, he stood in the middle of the room looking around. This had been his home for the last three years and he could honestly say that until tonight, he hadn't really regretted being one of Jonas's men. He pressed a hand to his side to remind himself, as if he needed to, that he'd been stupid and was paying for it. He should have just called Jonas but he'd thought he could handle things on his own. He'd been wrong.

 

Slinging the backpack over his shoulder, he headed out of the room. Next stop, who knew… but he'd figure it out.

 

 

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