Chapter 64

*BRRRRINNNG!*

Waking up from his nap, Dréy picks up his phone and checks the caller ID before answering it.

"Aye, lil' bro. How's yo' vacation so far?"

"I told you it was far from a vacation, Andréy." Alexei replies, watching as Khristina ran around the backyard with Kazimir. "It's a trip for solely business purposes only."

"So why the hell you hitting my line if you're supposed to be on a business trip?"

"I'd like to ask you for a small favor. At my house, the one in Claiza City, there should be a package. I need you to deliver it to the address I'm going to message you."

Feeling his heart sink a bit, Dréy sighs with a slight ping of disappointment.

"Hol' on, I thought we both agreed that you'd quit that life. For Khristina."

The law student smiles, looking down at his watch.

"Khristina will understand the hustle in due time."

Dréy's eyes slightly widen in disbelief at what his brother had just said.

"There is no hustle, stupid. Now what am I supposed to tell the girl when you get killed and everything unfolds that you were an international guns dealer?"

"Well you're the stupid one for thinking I'd allow myself to get killed."

"And how would you think Pops would feel if he knew this was going on?" Dréy asks. "He'd be ashamed of you."

"Ashamed of me when he was the one who told me that this business was better than my future law career?" Alexei says with a deep chuckle. "Let's get real, Andréy; he probably would have preferred me doing this anyway."

Dréy rolls his eyes and loudly groans.

"He was being sarcastic, dumbass! Why the hell can't you ever do anything legal for once?! Pops and Mama ain't go through all that trouble of bailing you outta jail five times and scrubbing your record clean just so you could keep repeating that shit!"

Alexei shakes his head and swirls the straw around in his cup of lemonade.

"Four of those were for self-defense cases and the other was for a hit-and-run that someone else stole my car to commit it with. I've won all of those. You already know that."

"What I do know is that self-defense doesn't include using someone as target practice just 'cause he ain't have your money on time and paying someone to drive your car to kill another man for a publicity stunt doesn't even equate to stealing." Dréy says, shaking his head. "If you get arrested over there, that's on you. Maybe you need to stay in jail for more than twenty minutes and see what it's like."

Brows furrowing, the young law student slams his fist on the table.

"I thought you were my brother, Dréy. I thought as a younger sibling, I could come to you for anything. I ask you for a favor once and this is how you treat me? As brothers, we have no choice but to ride or die for each other. We're very close knit, but it seems like you're the one who's undoing the strings."

"I'm the one undoin' the strings, but you're the one doing illegal shit? Make it make sense, Zay. Now if I get caught doin' this, I gotta take a charge for you and damage my own reputation. You and me already got a negative picture painted on ourselves; why would I continue to promote that?"

"You're not promoting it if everyone else has the potential to do what I do as well. Besides, if you get caught, we can just wipe your record. It really isn't that big of a deal, Dréy." Alexei replies, sighing. "Anyway, I know that clown Pierre ships out illegal substances internationally. It sure would be sad if your friend was to end up in jail because you failed to complete one task for me. And it'd be even more sad if you went along with him. I have photo proofs, Andréy. The Claiza City Police-Special Forces Department will have them too in about 48 hours if you refuse to complete this simple task."

"I highly doubt them bastards are gonna believe some kid over a highly respected person in the department." Dréy says, chuckling. "Besides, you ain't got no evidence of me doin' anything illegal 'cause for one, I never have!"

"The photos may not be what most people would consider real but it's still here. I also hear Pierre is despised amongst most of the force, so I doubt this'll be too much trouble. Like I said, 48 hours."

Hearing the line go dead, Dréy sighs and takes his kitten from off of his lap, before grabbing his car keys.

"I hope that boy meets his match one day."

--------

*SLAP!*

"Ah, so this is where I finally find you, Brent. At a fucking rest stop with your family! Do you remember me, Haruki Feliano?"

Holding the top of his head in slight pain, the man looks down at Haruki and scowls.

"What the fuck do you want from me?"

"Did you forget about your other family? Merderaé?" Haruki asks, taking a peek at the man's phone.

The older man shoves his phone into his pocket, crossing his arms.

"Did you forget about leaving me the hell alone?"

"Maybe you should leave your son's wife alone, too. I'm sure she hates sleeping with you. Probably didn't even want to give birth to your daughter, either."

"Are you going to actually say what you came here to say to me or do I have to force it out of you?" Brent asks, watching as his son played a game of tag with the little girl.

Haruki nods.

"About the three day meeting in Vegas—what day are you showing up?"

"Whenever I show up."

"You're a tough man to deal with, Domonkos. It'd be real funny if I called the head members of the committee and told them you weren't interested in showing up."

"Go ahead, hotshot." Brent says. "Do that and see how much respect you'll get afterwards once I make my appearance. You may think you're a celebrity, but paying people to watch those damn gaming videos you put out doesn't make you one."

The young gamer chuckles.

"Still bent out of shape over your best man's death, huh? Or do you just miss the mother of your second child? I mean really, Brent; you can't hide the fact you're Dréy La'rine's biological father for long. One of us should tell him and it should be you, but who knows. I may just slip up and accidentally send an unfortunate text."

"Then be my guest and tell him, Feliano. The boy ain't gonna believe you." Brent says, putting his sunglasses on. "Later."

Haruki watches as the older man makes his way back over to his family and grits his teeth.

"That fucking bast-

*BRRRINNNG!*

Snatching his phone from his pocket, Haruki picks up.

"What?!"

"Hi, cousin! It's been a while since I've spoken to you!" Milette says, taking a sip of coffee.

"Didn't I tell you I was busy with work and not to call me?!"

"But it's been so long, Haruki. I just wanted to say hi to my favorite cousin."

"Can we talk later?" the young gamer asks, rolling his eyes. "I'm kinda busy right now."

"Okay, I'll give you a-

Taking the phone from her ear as the young man hangs up, Milette looks down at it and sighs.

"I feel like I'm losing all of my friends, Kenneth. Even my own cousin doesn't want to talk to me. I just don't understand where I've gone wrong."

"You haven't gone wrong anywhere, young lady. It's a tough world right now; maybe they just need a little more time than usual to focus on things."

"You have a point." Milette says, nodding. "I know it's selfish, but I wish Kazimir would call back and tell me how he really feels. I feel like I already know the answer in the end, but I just want to hear it from him."

Kenneth nods.

"Well if you know the answer, 95% of the time, it's true. Milette, I think it's time you start looking for another man who'd like a relationship the same as you. You're a nice young lady and you don't deserve to chase after someone who isn't interested in you; no one deserves that."

Standing up from his seat, Kenneth picks up his and Milette's coffee cup.

"It's going to be a long day with this current case. Would you like some more coffee?"

Looking up at the man, Milette watches as his dark brown eyes seemingly sparkled in the already bright room. She thought they were beautiful.

"Milette?"

"Oh!" the young woman says, snapping out of her trance. "Uh, I'm sorry. What did you ask me?"

"I asked if you wanted more coffee." Kenneth replies, chuckling. "Yes or no?"

"Oh, um, yes please. Actually, I'll come along with you!"

Walking down the long hallway, the two make their way into the coffee room and Milette jumps onto the counter.

"About your dating life; what's your particular age range of women? I think I may know a few people who'd be interested in you."

"I'd say nothing more than a 5 year age gap." Kenneth replies. "I think it's best if I find a lady whose in her 30s like me."

"What about 25? It's only five more years added." Milette says.

"I'm assuming you know someone who is interested in older men?"

"Yes, I do. Would you be interested?"

The older male shakes his head as he inserts a dollar into a vending machine.

"I'm sorry, but I just wouldn't feel comfortable dealing with someone that young. If I had a younger sister, she'd be old enough to be her friend and that's not morally right for me."

"I see." Milette says, sighing.

Smiling, Kenneth pats the young woman's hand and gives her a honey bun.

"I thank you for the offer, though. I'll be right back, I need to use the restroom."

Milette watches as the man walks out of the room, before looking down at the honey bun.

"So he wouldn't like me?"

She giggles and opens the wrapper.

"Then I'll guess I'll just have to keep trying. Hopefully, all else won't fail."