Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen: Means and Motive

Don't be tryna double back
I already despise you

Katy Perry - Swish, Swish

The bar that Antonio found Mike Sorenson in was a dive and that was really saying something considering the amount of bars he had frequented over the years on both a personal and professional level. On the outside it advertised itself as a sports bar but from the way his leather boots stuck to the floor Antonio could already tell it didn't service the most upmarket of clientele.

At this time of day the bar was virtually empty save for a couple of ragged drunks hunkered down in a both in the back corner, what they were up to was anybody's guess but from the look at the betting slips that passed between the two of them, he thought at least one of them was a bookie. He chose to overlook that possibility as his dark eyes settled on the man seated at the very end of the bar, a beer clasped in his hand and his head tilted up to the flat screen TV showing a horse race. There was a red and white betting slip tucked under his left hand as his eyes fixated on the galloping mounts.

Sorenson didn't even notice when he slipped onto the frayed, red vinyl bar stool along side of him. The other man's attention was completely focused on the screen ahead of him, his fingertips tapping an almost manic pattern on the piece of paper beneath them. Antonio had worked Vice long enough to know a gambler when he saw one and he wondered just how deep Sorenson was with this bookie of his. Despite the fact it was only noon and the other man was technically on medical leave due to the broken nose he was still here in this shitty little bar and it made Antonio question if there was more to Kayla's case than first met the eye.

Kayla was by no means rich, she worked hard as hell to get where she was and was using any additional income she had to attend business classes at night college when her shifts allowed in order to gain some traction with her photography business. He didn't see what Sorenson would have to gain by exploiting her.

Antonio took a moment to survey the other man whilst he had the opportunity. dull blue eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed as he watched the horse race with a sense of urgency. Black bruises were beginning to form underneath his eyes and along the orbital socket, meeting in the center of his swollen nose. The break was clear even from the profile of his sharp features, Antonio could see how the nose skewed to the left instead of follow it's usual direct path. He felt a surge of pride and satisfaction as he reviewed Kayla's handiwork. Sorenson deserved worse for what he had done to her but for now this seemed like a suitable punishment, he knew from experience that it had to hurt like hell.

He unhooked his badge from his belt as the middle aged bartender approached him and held it up in the palm of his hand for the other man to see. One glance at the shiny star made the bartender gulp before he busied himself at the opposite side of the bar.

"I knew one of you would show up sooner or later." Sorenson said, swigging from his beer, his eyes still fixed on the screen in front of him. "I just hoped it would be the hot one."

"I'm afraid your stuck with me." Antonio informed the other man, clipping his badge back onto his belt. "You wanna tell me how you got the broken nose?"

Sorenson set his bottle of beer back down on the chipped surface of the bar before he turned his entire attention onto Antonio.

"I submitted my statement this morning." he informed Antonio, his expression sour as he spoke. "I suggest you get back in your car and read it if you haven't already."

Antonio shrugged his shoulders, forcing down the flash of indignant rage that was bubbling up inside of him at the other man's display of open hostility. He had expected Sorenson to be defensive and it made the edges of his mouth tip up into an amused expression when he considered how much pain the other man had to be in right now.

"I just wanted to hear what happened with my own ears." he told the patrol officer. "I think there's a few details you may have missed out the first time around."

"Do you know how much it will cost to fix this?" Sorenson said bluntly, before gesturing to his broken nose. "The doc said 5k for the surgery and when you include emotional damages and lose of earnings it ballparks at around 10k."

"Kayla doesn't have that kind of money." Antonio snapped at the other man.

"Roman does, I hear his security business has been doing real well over the past couple of months." Sorenson told Antonio, that ugly sneer of his creeping across his lips.

And there it was, the reason that Sorenson had brought Kayla up on charges to begin with. It hadn't been about extorting Kayla at all, it had been about having leverage over Roman. He was sure from what Kayla had told him that Sorenson had had his fun scaring the living shit out of her and he hadn't expected her response to be as violent as it was. However the other man was an opportunist and he was quick to cash in when the chance arose, especially when it came to the man who had put Sorenson in his place after the rumors had had begun to spread about his partner.

"10k and you drop the charges?" Antonio questioned, his voice alarmingly calm despite the fact he was struggling to stifle the urge to batter the living crap out of the son of the bitch in front of him.

Sorenson turned his attention back to the race on the television screen in front of him before letting out a small huff of disappointment and scrunching up the betting slip in front of him as he spoke.

"Better make it eleven."

Hey guys, it has been an insane weekend for me. I was hanging out with my friend on Friday when she went into labour at the same time my friend from work was also in the hospital being induced so this weekend has been all about babies.

Lauren: Sean is so protective over Kayla esp after everything she has been through. Barba is my fav too and I have so many things planned for him

Nat: I think Sean knows he has to be strong for Kayla and not freaking out over what happened. Trudy is one of my fav chars but she is so hard to write sometimes. I live close to 3 of my siblings so it makes up for the other 2 in a way lol. I visit my parents every Sunday and always catch up with them there.

Amber: lmao I know what you mean, use what's convenient for you. Thank you for such a wonderful review.

Phoenix: I know I miss him so much too, he was one of my fav chars. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Anime: I think Trudy is very protective over her people and esp Kayla, she will do anything she can to fix this. You will have to see what happens in regards to Mike, I am very happy with Antonio for the way he handled him in this chapter.

Halle: Hi and welcome to the story. Thank you for taking the time to read and review x