#EXPOSED

CHAPTER - 40

Thrill on the rocks. 

Ranveer

2015

I despised it.

The delivery was stealthy and quick. It surprised me how insanely people craved crack.

I was lying to everyone I loved and it made me sick—ashamed of myself. How was I going to explain myself to my folks? To Vaanya? I had no fucking idea.

I dropped that kid right where he belonged, with his family. That was as far as what kept me sane under the circumstances. I walked into the den in a dark alley up north after I finished my business in the city.

Tossing the roll of cash on the table, I strode through a couple of rooms. It was shrouded with cheap lightning and local hysterical music played in the background. "I suppose our deal ends here." One man approached me out of nowhere and handed me a bundle of cash. "I have seen more money than that." I scoffed and looked away. "Thanks but you can keep that for yourself."

I didn't pay enough effort to remember their names because I was convinced we didn't have to cross paths again.

"Not so fast," he said and exhaled a dense fume of smoke. I clenched my fist as I glanced at the familiar faces circling me with arms again. "We aren't over yet."

I grounded my teeth together. "We are," I told him sternly as he pushed to his feet and walked to me. "The deal is over and I'm out." I stepped away from him but stopped as the weapons pointed in the direction of my head. Fuck!

I shot out and slammed him against the wall behind him. I didn't care if these fuckers shot me through my skull but I wasn't going down without a fight. He struggled and I wrapped my hand around his neck. "We agreed," I snapped and he directed his men to lower their weapons.

"You offered," he argued. "We never agreed."

My lips twisted, having had enough of the shit. I wasn't going to be a part of something I didn't want to. "Those were the terms I had signed up for. Don't push your luck when you know what I'm capable of."

"And how do you think your father will take it when he knows that you are involved with us?"

My grip loosened on his neck and I sneered. "You think my father will trust anyone more than he trusts me?" That was not how my family operated.

"If he has every reason to believe that you were indeed lying to him," he told me and I remained rooted to my stance. "A son of a proud police officer delivering drugs must be a good headline."

I slammed my fist against his jaw and the sound of the blank shot of the gun pierced through the air. "Go ahead," I bit out and veered to my right to face the man who had shot the gun. "Are you going to use that or what?"

I was convinced they needed me alive more than they wanted me dead. I wasn't going to waste my time functioning with fear for the inevitable.

"How about this?" he asked and I turned my gaze on him. "One more round and that's it?"

"You must think I'm a fool to fall for that," I growled as I pulled away from them. I was resolute. "This was indeed the last of it all. I'm not falling for your shit again."

"You don't have a choice," he said and I stilled a look on him as his lips curled to a sinister smile. "We won't back away from violence so you better pick and choose your battles."

"One last round is all we are asking," another man pitched and I sighed heavily before I walked out of the room.

Fuck! Did I have another choice?