Guns and Cigarettes
Chapter 1
She closed her eyes as she took a long drag from the burning cigarette that hung loosely between her two fingers.
She let the smoke fill her lungs, holding it there for as long as she could before she slowly exhaled, letting the smoke exit from the right side of her mouth. It was so cold outside that it was impossible to tell whether the fog in front of her face was because of the smoke or her warm breath mixing with the cold winter air.
She was looking intensely straight ahead, but it was easy to tell that she wasn't really looking at anything in particular; she was just staring, thinking. I could almost see the hint of smirk tugging the corner of her lips.
After a couple moments, she snapped out of her deep thought, slightly shivering from the sudden gust of cold wind that swept around the corner of the building she was leaning against. With her free hand, she tried to pull her coat tighter to her body while her other hand gently shook the burning embers from the cigarette so she could take another drag.
As she brought the cigarette to her lips for the second time –
Crap.
Stupid semi! Move!
I crawl along the bushes I'm laying in, trying to get a good look around the semi-truck. I can hear a car coming and stop, probably next to the semi-truck. I hear a car door open and close. Both the semi and the car leave as the light turns green and I can't tell which direction the car went.
I look over the bushes to see, if by any chance, she's still there.
And, she's gone. Great! She's fucking gone. Boss is gonna fucking love this one. Second week on the job and I can't even keep my eye on the fucking target.
I get up off the frozen ground and tug my shirt down, trying to make it look as if I have at least an ounce of dignity crawling around in stupid bushes.
I look around to make sure the coast is clear before I walk over to the spot she had occupied just a few minutes ago to try to see if I could tell which way she went. The only evidence there is that someone was even there is a crushed cigarette sticking out of a crack in the concrete, smoke still twirling from the end.
I let out an exasperated sigh and walk through the neighborhood to get to my car that I had parked a few blocks away. I never liked this neighborhood; it was always where the rich kids were from. You could tell by brand new Mercedes in the driveways and the perfect cut, healthy green lawns. Even in the winter their lawns were fucking green.
As I get into my trashed little car, the stupid piece of shit won't even start. I throw my head against the steering wheel, hating today. Not only will Boss be pissed that I lost the target, but I don't even want to think about what he'd do if I were late for our meeting.
I take a few deep breaths before I reach into my jacket pocket for my cell phone. I dial the, unfortunately, familiar number and roll my eyes as the person answers.
"Lexi!" he says in his stupid, drawn out, excited voice. "What can I do for you, babe? Wait, I know, you want another piece of me, huh? Couldn't get enough?"
What a fucking sleaze.
"I need your help," I mumble into the phone rolling my eyes.
"What? What was that? I don't think I heard you, Lex. Say it louder."
I can tell he's got that stupid little smirk on his face.
"I need your help, Jay." I hate asking for help, let alone from Jay Hoggart, stupid fucking creep.
"Ohh, you need help. From moi?" He asks, feigning disbelief.
"Jay, I swear to God, you little assh-"
"Ah, ah, ah, Lex. That's not how you get what you want from someone, now is it?"
I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white, and take a few deep, slow breaths.
"My car won't start. I need a tow, and a ride," I manage to say through gritted teeth.
"Alright, no problem, babe." He says, still in his usual sleazy voice. "It'll cost you, though."
"You know I don't have any money, Jay," I say, irritated. I know he doesn't want money; its always either sex or drugs with him.
"You know what I want, Lex."
"Yeah, and you'll get your payment," I say, as if talking to a child, "if you fucking get me to my meeting with the Boss at Slink's on time."
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Jay got me to the bar on time. Not without trying to pull some moves on me, though. So I thanked him for the ride and kicked him in the balls.
God, this place is a fucking dive. As I walk in, I almost get hit the face with a pool stick that was being swung by one of the drunks at another one of the drunks.
"Watch it, asshole," I say grabbing the pool stick. I jerk the stick towards me pulling the guy with it, kneeing him in the stomach and pushing him to the ground.
I look around and I see one of the Boss's bodyguards watching me. He nods his head towards the back door. I take a deep breath. I really fucking hate my job.
I step over the threshold into the dim lighted, smoke filled room.
"You find the girl?" he asks in his gruff voice, his cigarette hanging between his lips, not even looking at me. His eyes are fixed on the cards in his hands, but the other guys sitting around table with have their eyes fixated on me.
"Yeah." I say, not really lying but not telling the entire truth.
"Well," he says, expectantly, still not looking at me.
"I found her in a neighborhood in Yorkville."
"Where is she, then?" He asks, looking around. "You have her with you, don't you?"
"Well, you see, I-"
He slammed his hands down on the table causing me to jump back. He got up and, before I knew it, he was behind me with his pistol jammed in my neck.
"Nunez," he says, jerking my head to the side. "There's a lot of money riding on this girls head. I want you to go and fucking find her, you understand?" He whispers in my ear. I swallow hard, nodding my head. "Next time I see you, I want to fucking see Paige Michalchuk with you. I don't even care if she dead or alive. Just find her."