illicit funds • j cody

ONE

💸 HUNTER THORPE IS NOT A GUY 💸

Joshua Cody had to find someone who could move cash efficiently and effectively. So far he'd only found a way to make with contact one person, Hunter Thorpe. Apparently his father laundered for the Colombian cartels in the 80s and 90s, and still launders today, but poses as a lawyer, and is evidently a pretty good one, He figured going through this Hunter would be a good start. He was told Hunter spent most of his time at his boxing gym in Los Angeles, so that was where J was parked outside the gym where he would meet the son of one of the best money launderers in the world.

He has no idea what Hunter will be like, no one told him what to expect as far as personality goes, all he was told was that Hunter had a wicked punch that you'd never want to be on the receiving end of.

He enters the gym and sees a young woman with long platinum blonde hair in braids coaching a boy no older than ten on a bag. She can be heard calling out encouraging words and correcting the boy's form at the same time. Hunter seems to be nowhere in sight. Maybe the woman will know. Eventually the lesson ends and she high fives the boy with a smile.

Finally her eyes land on J.

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I don't know what to make of the young man standing there, watching me, in my gym. He doesn't look like the fighting type, but then again some of the best fighters don't look like the fighting type.

I wave a goodbye to my student before walking towards the man. "May I help you?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

He nods, by now we stand face to face. "Would you happen to know where a Hunter Thorpe is? I was told he would be here."

I purse my lips, he think's I'm a guy. I hold my hand out for him to shake, "Actually, I'm Hunter Thorpe," all the color drains from his face and he shakes my hand not quite weakly, but definitely without confidence.

"I am so sorry, I had no idea—"

I cut him off, "Hey, it's fine, a lot of people make that mistake. It's just what happens when your father is left to decide your name," I smirk, "Although, you might just have it worse than me with a name like 'So Sorry'."

The corners of him lips upturn briefly, the tension appearing to break for an instant. "I'm Josh Cody," he tells me, "but everyone calls me J."

"That's a good name," I murmur, "so, J, what do you want?"

"I'm interested in doing business with your father," he says softly.

I narrow my eyes, "You know you could just call the law firm, right?"

He shakes his head and whispers, "I'd like to move some money."

I nod slowly and look around the gym just to make sure it's empty. "My father doesn't do that, you're talking to the wrong girl," I can't just tell him, I don't know if he's an undercover agent or something.

He looks confused, "No, I was told your father is Will Thorpe, he's been laundering since the 80s."

I bite my lip, "My dad is a lawyer, and I'm just a girl who boxes and is waiting to get snagged by a rich guy, that's all."

His expression turns dark suddenly, and his jaw clenches. My hands form fists in preparation for trouble. "I know that isn't true," he growls.

"And so fucking what?" I hiss, "Even if my dad did launder money, do you think I'd be stupid enough to just tell some random person who comes in off the street? Why'd you come to me in the first place anyway? Are you too scared to meet with my father first? Think if you can get in my pants I'll out a good word in for you? There's no way you could possibly have not known I'm a woman, I have too much of a reputation," I dig my index finger into his chest, "You want to talk to my father, I'm going to be in a fight next week, he'll be there. You can pick up a flyer on the way out. He's going to tell you the same thing I just did. Now, get the fuck out of my gym before I beat your ass into the ground."

He doesn't back down, "Where are you from? You don't sound like you're from here."

I have to keep myself from punching him, "My father is from Birmingham, England, my mother was from Boston, I was born in Colombia, do you need to know anything else?"

"No," he stares into my eyes, "I'll see you next week," and with that he leaves my gym in the most casual manner possible, making sure to get a flyer on the way out.

I huff and watch him walk back down the street with narrowed eyes. What the hell is his deal?

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"Someone came to the gym wanting to do business with you," I say to my father while we eat dinner.

"Legal business?"

I shake my head, "No, and before you ask, I told him our only business is legal business."

He nods, "Good girl. What's his name?"

"Josh Cody was what he told me, you heard of him? He looked young," I take small bites of my dinner, focusing on my father's expression.

His eyes turn dark, "What do the Codys want with us?" He hisses, mostly to himself.

"You know who he is?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

"I know of his family," he sighs, "they run small scale crime around San Diego."

I set my fork down, "If they're so small scale, then why do you look so troubled?"

He rubs his chin, "Because the mother who runs the family is insane, and she'd never let one of her boys run their money through us. If we get in the middle of their family dispute, there could be serious trouble."

"So he isn't an undercover cop?"

"Not at all."

"I told him that if he wanted to talk to you, he could do it at the fight next week."

"Good, I'll handle it there, but until then, you stay away from him, you don't need trouble from them. If we slip up in this, they could ruin everything we have."

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Hey dudes, hope you liked it!