THE constant ticking of the large wall clock was the only sound that could be heard at the moment, as Jasira took her time to digest the rubbish Lucario had spewed. She got up.
“What did you just say?”
The two men scoffed.
“I didn’t speak with water in my mouth Jasira,” Lucario replied her, “you heard me loud and clear I suppose,” he added.
Jasira was fuming, she turned to Zach.
“Is this the client you are talking about?”
Lucario leaned forward.
“You would do this Jasira, won’t you?” He asked.
She kept mute for a while, then spoke up.
“And if I refuse?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucario’s expression hardened. “Then you remain here, under my control, indefinitely. Every move you make, every breath you take, will be under my watchful eye. Is that what you want?” He clicked his tongue against his teeth.
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.
“No.”
“Good,” he said, leaning back in his chair.
“You have one month. Use your charm, your wit, whatever it takes. But remember, Jasira, if you fail, there will be consequences. Severe consequences, you can’t just wake up one day and decide to leave the family,” he said the last sentence absentmindedly.
Picking up the glass of wine on the table he looked at her, a wicked grin on his face.
“But why does it look difficult for you to do?” Lucario asked, “you are so good at this job, you have been doing it and this isn’t the first time at all,” he took the glass to his mouth and sipped a great deal.
“Why this task Lucario? Why does it have to be him? Why no one else and why should I be doing this for this rapist uncle of mine?”
“Hey you watch your tongue little bitch!” Zach fired.
“No you watch your steps uncle,” she faced him, “I haven’t seen you since grandmother died and now that you show up, is for me to do this for you? Never!” She spat.
“Then be so much prepared to face the consequences,” Lucario spoke, almost interrupting her. She slowly turned to him.
“Well let’s see how that goes,” she said and turned back to Zach.
“Jasira you do not have a choice,” Zach said, laughing, “you have to do it, for me or no me, you need your freedom, right?”
“You must be insane,” she barked and he sat up, as if tearing up for a fight.
“You and your mother were the most heartless people I have ever come across on planet earth, you are supposed to be behind bars -.”
“And then you at where?” He interrupted rudely, laughing as he did, “freely moving about the street? Come on Jasira, you have soiled your hands as well,” he said, still laughing.
She cussed.
“Why do you even think I would do this for you?”
He chuckled.
“Because you seek your freedom, or don’t you anymore? Huh?” He winked, baring the ugly set of teeth of his.
She abruptly turned to Lucario.
“Give me another task father,” she said.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“I am not doing this father, give me another task,” she repeated.
He burst into cynical laughter.
“The last time I checked little cat, we weren’t bargaining for the price of commodities in the market, do it or forever remain in the mafia,” he stated emphatically.
Fuming and breathing heavily, she looked at the duo disgustingly, her hands clenched together in fist, then she turned and angrily stormed out of the room.
“Where the hell is she going?” Zach asked.
Lucario laughed.
“She would be back, I have given her a month already,” he said and Zach shrugged his shoulders.
“Okay, I hope so.”
“I know so. Now, to you.”
“My Lord,” he turned to him.
“You have made a deal with the devil, Mr. Zach, I admire that. But understand this: my help comes at a price. When the time comes, you will owe me a favor, no questions asked,” he growled, his voice as cold as the marble floor beneath them.
His stomach churned, but he nodded.
“I understand. I will when the time comes.”
Lucario nodded, pleased.
“Very well. You be on the lookout, I will send for you the minute she returns to her senses and accept to do the task.”
Zach nodded satisfactorily.
“Okay My Lord, fine by me.”
“Good!” And he dismissed him.
***
The next destination from Lord Lucario’s mansion was her newly acquired house. She drove straight there in order to think and contemplate the whole issue.
The house had already been put in place and put into use, patiently waiting for her freedom to be fully granted so she can finally move in, but for now, she only seldom visit or when she wants to receive Jeremy.
As soon as she had entered she went straight to the bar section of the house, took out a bottle of Whiskey and a wine glass. She poured herself some wine and immediately began gulping down the liquor.
As she did she reminisced on the occurrence back at Lucario’s study. Her long forgotten uncle, whom she had successfully tried to erase his memory from her head and then the task.
“But why Jeremy?” She soliloquized as she sipped wine, “it can be any other person but not her man, not the only man she had come to love, not Jeremy. And worse of it all, not for that stupid rapist that calls himself my uncle, ahhh!” She exclaimed sipping more wine.
“Ohh jeez!” She shouted, her eyes already tumbling and going dim, “this is definitely the last thing I had ever wanted to hear, the last thing,” she was now walking lackadaisically away from the bar section, heading for the couch, the glass and bottle still in her hands.
“But why Jeremy? Why him?” She continued saying until she got to the couch and flopped down on it, the liquor spilled on her and she belched loudly.
Soon her eyes became heavy, her eyelids were flickering as she fought to keep them open and suddenly, her grip on the glass loosened and it fell, shattering to pieces and spilling all over the 3D flooring.
“Oops,” she mouthed and before one could say ‘Jack Robinson’, the bottle fell off her hands into the couch and rolled over to the floor, spilling some whiskey as it rolled.
“Why Jeremy?” She asked again and then finally, her eyelids closed and she fell asleep.