Seth was shaking on the inside but tried not to show it on the outside. He knew it was wrong coming there and that he would end up in a massive debt. A debt he would have to pay off in ways he didn't dare begin to imagine if he would want to keep his body intact. He might even get killed if he was too big of a problem. He shouldn't be there but he had nowhere else to go. This was his last resort.
"This way," Damian grunted.
Seth nodded and followed Damian into the building. Damian was just one of many people working for Petrina. How she had built up her empire and had so many people working for her on the wrong side of the law, Seth would never know. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that she could help him, and he was willing to pay the price.
"In there," Damian said.
Damian pushed Seth towards a door before stepping up to it and pounding his fist on it.
"Enter!" Petrina yelled.
Seth looked at Damian who smirked in return and crossed his arms. Damian wasn't going to open the door. Seth was on his own. Seth swallowed nervously and opened the door. He stepped inside and watched the woman sitting at the head of a long table. He had no idea what she looked like but he wasn't prepared for her to be this beautiful. Her hair was wavy, shoulder long and reddish brown. Her eyes were bright green like gemstones.
"Close the door, stranger. I don't like feeling the draft," she said.
He closed the door but remained rooted on the spot. She laughed and pointed at the chair to the right of her. He walked up to it and sat down.
"Name?" She asked.
"Seth Rollins, ma'am," he answered.
"Don't ma'am me. I'm not that old. I'm only 37. Do I look old to you?" She asked.
"No, you look beautiful," he blushed. "I mean, you look young. You don't look a day over 30."
She grinned at how nervous he became.
"I like being called beautiful," she laughed. "Don't be so tense, Seth. I'm not gonna hurt you unless you give me a reason to."
"I won't," he said.
"Tell me why you're here," she said.
"I need money for my grandmother's funeral. Not a lot. Just enough for the cheapest coffin and maybe a small tombstone," he said.
"You're willing to put yourself into debt with me for that small amount?" She asked.
"I owe it to her. I have nowhere else to go. I promise I'll pay you back any way you want me to. I won't run or argue with you. Please, help me," he begged.
She tilted her head and smiled at him before getting up from her chair. He watched as she walked over to a desk, pulled out a drawer, and picked up a blue cookie canister. She walked over to him, placed the canister on the table, and handed him a note with an address.
"Deliver this package for me and I'll give you the money. Come back once you're done," she said.
"What's in it?" He asked.
"Nothing of importance to you," she said. "Walk to that address and leave it in front of the front door. Don't knock or look in through the windows, and of course don't look into the canister. Just leave it and come back here. I'll have the money ready for you."
He nodded, blew out his breath, and grabbed the cookie canister. He left her place and walked through town. He was well aware if the cops stopped him, he would most likely have a hard time explaining what was in the canister. He could open it and check for himself but he didn't touch the lid. He was not going to go against what she had asked of him just because he was curious. He made it to the address, placed the canister in front of the door, and hurried back to Petrina's place. When he entered the room again, she pushed an envelope with money across the table to him.
"Thank you," he said.
"You earned it," she said. "Anything else I can help you with?"
"Was that all I had to do? Is my debt already paid to you?" He asked.
"Everyone gets off easy the first time. It's the second time you have to worry about. Most people come back a second time despite being warned by me directly. It's like they don't actually think a woman has it in her to be cruel. I promise you, Seth, you don't wanna dance with me. Take the money and leave," she said.
He grabbed the envelope and hurried out of there. He was not going back a second time. He had the money he needed for his grandmother's funeral. That was all that mattered. His other debt he would have to handle somehow on his own. He wasn't going to ask Petrina to help him with that. It was too much money and he didn't want to be stuck having to owe a criminal that amount of money no matter how kind she had seemed and no matter how beautiful he found her. He knew what she could do. He didn't care if he had to go broke. He wasn't going to ask her for anything else.