𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

III

THE abyss crept up the sidewalk while the streetlight overhead continued to flicker. My arm rested out the window, a blunt burning between my fingers while the wait only caused my patience to grow thin.

My head fell against the headrest, brushing my tongue over my lips to taste the hints of champagne Valentina and I sipped together. I wasn't a champagne drinker but tonight I've done a few things I hadn't ever done before.

"Fuck," I pulled my arm into the car and put out the blunt before placing it in the ashtray. My posture straightened with distant footsteps only grew closer until they stopped right beside my arm.

"Alessandro?" the wavering voice questioned. "I have the money," I looked to my side after adjusting my rearview mirror and checking my surroundings. The male became quiet when I reached over to open the door.

I motioned to the passenger seat, "Place it," he inhaled with the lift of the duffel bag and exhaled when he dropped it onto the seat. "Two hundred thousand as we agreed on, correct?"

He nodded while I opened the bag and checked it full to the brim with stacks of cash. "That's it right... You'll leave me alone?" I leaned back and in the process grabbed the gun that rested on the seat beside me.

"And you're you want to go through with this?" the gun rested on the console with my finger resting over the trigger. Joshua nodded quickly, looking around like he was paranoid that someone had been following him. "I need you to say it to make sure you won't back out."

He cleared his throat, "I want you to kill my wife... and my baby. My entire family actually, I want a clean slate," Joshua spoke with confidence, something he didn't have when first approaching my vehicle.

"Great," my phone went off and I lifted the gun, aiming it at Joshua. His fight or flight instincts were nonexistent and instead, he froze, letting me pull the trigger and shoot three bullets directly into his chest.

His body hit the ground with a thud and I took my time reaching over to close the passenger door before driving off.

It's unfortunate how his wife found out about the hit before he even called out. After that she let it play out, paid me twice the amount he did and now we're up six hundred thousand dollars. Now she's free from her bastard husband.

﹒⪩⪨﹒

The flashing lights from the active strip club shun a path toward the back rooms. I held the duffel bag full of money and opened the first room on my right.

Silas and two strippers were behind the closed door. Their eyes momentarily shifted to me when I entered and dropped the bag of cash next to Silas.

"Is the task done?" I took a seat on the chair positioned a few feet from his. My back relaxed in the seat while my arms rested on the arm rest, nodding quickly.