*****A/N****

Sorry, no Edward in this chapter but I thought it might be helpful to have a little bit of James Point of View...along with a bonus character

Maybe it will help with some of the questions you've asked...or maybe it will just create new ones!

Hope to have another chapter or two out by the end of the week.

Chapter 22- I Fucked Up

JPOV

I paced in front of the window in the shitty motel room, and took another swig from the bottle of Jack Daniels. I looked around the room and lit up another cigarette.

The decor would best be described as 1970's 'shit hole' chic. There was a musty odor permeating everything from the drapes on the windows, to the sheets on the bed, and the walls had a yellow film from years of tobacco smoke.

The ashtray was overflowing with butts, and fast food containers and heroin paraphernalia littered every surface.

I took another swallow of whiskey, and looked over at Vicky sleeping on the bed. Lying on her back, naked from the waist up, her huge fake tits pointing unnaturally toward the ceiling. I've been here with her for almost a whole fucking week, and I'm ready to start climbing the fucking walls.

I was pretty rough with her last night, but she puts up with just about anything I do to her. Where's the fun in that? She laid there and did nothing while I wrapped my hands around her throat and fucked the shit out of her. It was like fucking a corpse, no reaction. In order to get off, I need her to be scared, but she's too fucking high all the time to give a shit.

Now that Swan bitch, on the other hand...yeah, that's more to my liking. I jerked off this morning just thinking about the terrified look on her face.

I lit up another cigarette, and finished the bottle of Jack, while the events of the last few days played over in my head.

I knew I fucked up. I fucked up bad, and I knew I was most likely going to have to pay the consequences.

There's only one person in this world who makes my blood run cold, and when he called me the day after I jumped that bitch, I knew I was most likely a dead man.

I remember when the phone rang, my stomach dropped. I knew who it was. My head was slamming because I hadn't had a hit yet. I picked up on the first ring, knowing things would be much worse for me if I didn't.

"James" The voice was emotionless.

"Yeah Boss, I'm here."

There was silence for a few seconds. I knew he was letting me sweat it out.

"I've been told you acted impulsively last night, carelessly even, dare I say, irresponsibly."

I swallowed, but knew better than to say anything.

"You know I'm a fair and patient man Jamie, and you've been a valuable asset to the organization. Those are the only reasons I'm going to let you try to explain yourself."

I could feel my palms sweating. I've seen The Boss in action, and I didn't for one second, think he wanted to know my reasons, but I knew I was expected to play along.

I'd probably have a bullet in my head before the weekend was over.

I took a deep breath, and readied myself to tell him what he wanted to hear.

"I fucked up." I said.

Silence again. As if he were waiting to hear if I would say anything else.

"How did you fuck up Jamie? Tell me what you did. I already know you put the Swan girl in the hospital, but I want to hear it from you. You tell me, and we'll see if we can work it out, yeah?"

His voice almost sounded as if he were talking to a child, one who stole a piece of candy and got caught, almost pleasant, as if I could simply apologize, and everything would be forgotten.

I knew better.

Fuck, I'd been high as a kite when I jumped her. I wasn't thinking, and I thought I could get the key.

I had Vicky standing by as a look out. She grabbed the bitch's bag, and scrambled to get everything I dumped in the street, before we took off. We holed up in her rat trap apartment for the night and I went through everything. more than once. No key. I tossed it all in the river before we took off. I just wasn't sure how to say all that to The Boss without winding up in the river myself.

"I thought I could get the key. I thought the girl was our best shot at bringing this to an end. I fucked up."

He was quiet for another moment.

"And who told you to make that decision Jamie? Because I don't recall giving you that order."

I didn't reply, and he threw me off with his next question.

"Jamie, do you think I'm a stupid man?"

I wasn't sure if he expected an answer, but I gave one anyway. "No sir."

"Do you think I've gotten where I am today by making impulsive, careless, and reckless decisions?"

"No sir."

When he responded next, his voice lost the placating tone it had earlier. Now it was stone cold deadly.

"I'm glad to hear that, because that means you know I was going to get what I wanted, with or without that key. That means you know I had more than one option when it came to resolving this. I had plans in motion James. Plans that require timing and patience, and you, my boy, knowing all of that, by your own admission, I might add, still fucked up my plans tenfold."

I wondered if I would even hear them come in the room before the bullet went through my brain.

"Your little stunt has now put a spotlight on the girl. A spotlight we didn't want, or need. There's a Detective who hasn't left her side, and we know they've identified you. We can't touch her now, or use her as leverage, or any of the other things we had planned...Because. Of. You. Can your small, drug soaked, underdeveloped brain, even begin to comprehend that? And you better give me the right answer Jamie, or you won't see the sun come up tomorrow."

I knew my chances of seeing the sun come up were pretty slim, regardless of my answer.

"Yes sir."

When the time was right, that bitch was gonna pay. Pay for putting me in this position. If she just had the key on her, I would have looked like a hero.

"Good. Now this is what you're going to do Jamie, are you listening? I really hope you are. You're going to get out of town. You're going to get out of the entire state in fact, and you're going to lay low until you hear from me. You're not even going to take a shit until I give you permission. If I even think you're anywhere near Chicago, or this operation, it won't turn out well for you my boy. Do I make myself clear?"

Crystal.

"Yes sir, I understand, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry...I was just..."

The line had already gone dead.

~!~

The Boss disconnected the call, and sat back in his chair.

He knew James would need to be dealt with, and soon. This latest stunt just proved how much of a liability he was. The drug use was making him sloppy too. He had been fucking up more and more lately, and The Boss was tired of having to fix it.

However, he decided to keep him around for a little while longer. James possessed a certain skill set which was still valuable to him, but not for long. He would need to be taken out, and soon.

The Boss leaned back further in his chair, with his fingers steepled under his chin. They would need to stay away from the Swan girl for now. He was pretty sure he could get what he needed without the key, but if he had to go after her later, he would.

"All in due time." he thought. "All in due time."

After all, he was a patient man.