Drug Lord

Chapter XII

I jump, only slightly - and only for a moment - before continuing to pursue my escape.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I snap.

"It looks like you're acting impulsively and childishly," He states powerfully. 

"Whatever you're attempting to accomplish here, it clearly isn't working. So stop. Now."

I only pull harder at his words, pushing my feet as firmly as possible against the headboard now. I feel tears threaten to build in my eyes, and a whine escapes my mouth.

"Let me out of here!"

I hear steps boom behind me and the second I turn my head to glare at the source, a large hand grips my throat tightly.

Falling to the mattress, I pivot my body towards him and immediately try to pry the hand from my neck with my small fingers. My eyes fill with tears and I look up into the eyes of Mr. Kingsley.

He looks me over for only a moment, but it feels much longer. His eyes leave from mine and trail down my entire frame slowly, making their way back to his grip on my throat, and then to my eyes once more. His disposition seems to alter as he does this. So fast that I'm surprised that I notice, given my position. He looks extremely angry as a whole, but I could almost swear he smirks when his eyes land on my throat and notice the tears built in my glazed eyes. A second after, I think I see a flash of guilt. Anger takes over completely, once more. He bends down to me, inches from my face. I can feel his cool breath on my face as he speaks. 

"I said to fucking stop. Look what you've done to your wrist."

I feel his fingers loosen from my throat and I gasp for air. He grabs my chin and guides my head to turn right, towards the headboard. I can see bright red blood around my wrist, peeking from under the metal cuff. Only when I look at it do I feel that it's burning.

His hand falls from my face completely and he straightens his body back to his full height. I could feel his eyes boring into me.

"Why am I here?" I ask quietly, looking down at my lap.

I hear him sigh from above me, but he doesn't say anything for a few moments. I sit silently, still looking down, until I finally hear words.

"You're here because.... you are payment. Compensation."

My eyes dart to him. He is already staring at me, awaiting my reaction with a face of stone.

"I had nothing to do with this!" I say sternly. "You've taken me, a bystander, over what... ten thousand dollars?"

Kingsley laughs dryly. I look at him in confusion while he places his large frame in the chair across from me.

"Ten thousand dollars? Ori, just how far in the dark are you? What is it that you think Shawn has done? Where do you think he is?"

I fidget with the fingers of my free hand. For some reason, his questioning is making me nervous.

"I.... Shawn was supposed to pay you the rest of what he owed you by yesterday.. he still lacked ten grand. I gave him all that I could to do it. I don't know where he is. I haven't seen him in days, it's not unnatural.

"Miss Hawthorne," he says slowly. "I feel like I can hear just a hint of sympathy.

"Your brother is far more in debt than that. I thought you had known this. Condoned it even. He has been steadily building it for months, through different connections. Shawn didn't know those connections all lead back to me. He had been a top buyer for months. He increased in amount each time he bought. After you and I first met, I started fronting him product, and so did other dealers - who all work for me. He paid his debt back without any issue, every time. So I started allowing the loans to increase, as did my men. Last month was the last time I've seen Shawn. The last time anyone has. Other than you. I've spoken to him only once. Your brother owes me over a million dollars, Ori. Are you honestly telling me that you were completely unaware? Of any of this? That you weren't planning on following your brother out of country?"

My mouth hangs open as I try to process his words.

"What?" I said, failing to do so.

"But.. w-what? Why would he have thrown a party? Why would he have told me that he was paying you ten grand? Why.. why would he do this? None of this makes sense. And what do you mean 'follow him out of country'?"

Ever sat silently, looking away from me now - he seemed to be in deep thought.

"Shawn is in Mexico. We've narrowed that down. That's where he's been planning to go, once he had everything he needed. I'm assuming the party was for a farewell, but he didn't expect to leave so soon. The day he borrowed the money from you, must have been the day he left. It was the day I made him aware that all the money he owed, wasn't to four separate dealers, but to me alone. You see, he may have been able to slide a few more days or even weeks, had owed out two hundred grand to four separate people. That's what he had planned on to make his move. Slimy little bastard."

"But he owed it all to you." I stated slowly.

I wanted to be surprised, externally I guess I was. But deep down - this was something that I could see Shawn doing. Thinking back, I had noticed a lot of phone calls lately in which he had been communicating in Spanish. He had been taking frequent trips without Dylan or myself - never stating his whereabouts, and I never questioned it. I thought nothing of it, as this wasn't unordinary for Shawn.

It dawned on me.

He had been building a life. I knew how his mind worked, to an extent. One million dollars - that must have doubled in Pesos. And buying coke in Mexico would have tripled it. Shawn would be a fucking king. He didn't want to live here, he didn't want to help run our father's business, he didn't want to deal with me. He wanted an easy life, and this was his ticket. All he needed was the money to buy it. Kingsley gave it to him.

After minutes of silence, I looked up again, to Kingsley's dark eyes. He was staring at me intently, understanding my thought process - understanding that I was uncovering what a douchebag my brother was.

"I.. I had no idea. I promise. Is that why you took me? You thought I was in on it, and would follow suite to Mexico?"

He was quiet for a moment, as if he was contemplating his answer.

Finally he replied with an unconvincing, curt "yes."

"But I wasn't.... And now that you know that, will you let me go home?"

"No." He states firmly, not a moment after I ask. He then stands from his chair and begins walking toward the door.

Once again my mouth fell agape.

"W-why not?" I asked in confusion, in disgust. I had done nothing wrong, and he now was aware of this.

He places his hand on the door handle and stands for a moment before turning around to face me again, his face impossibly stern. 

"An eye for an eye, Miss Hawthorne. You belong to me now." He turns around once more to leave.  "Dinner will be up shortly, and I expect you to eat every bite. I'll return soon."

Before I could say a word the door slams behind him.

I scream as loud as I can.