NALEDI’S POV
I walked out of Draken’s room with a file in hand.
For some reason, he decided he trusted me enough now to go on individual missions outside the estate. I was supposed to retrieve some money from some loan shark who was late in his payment by two days.
I strictly remembered the words he had used in sending me on the darned mission. “You are only permitted to leave with the full amount or with his life.”
What the hell was I supposed to do with that?
As I made my way out of the house, I spotted Ezra standing beside a Prado jeep, dressed and waiting as I approached him.
“Is there a problem?” I asked when I got to him and he opened the door for me.
“Rino Martinez. The Alpha has instructed that I see to it that you are successful on the job.” I couldn’t help my sneer.
“You mean he placed you on watch?”
He entered the car, sat beside me and jammed the door. “I think a better word will be moral support.” The driver started the car and we began our journey. “From my past run-ins with that man, I think you will need it a whole lot.”
“Then you have no idea who I am,” I said with a glint in my eye.
I couldn’t lie that I felt a bit of excitement at the prospect of getting back out there. I’ve been so couped up in the Yakuza estate that it was beginning to be all I was about these days.
Seeing it was only a matter of time before I got out of the hands of Draken, it seemed like I was a bit more anxious for the freedom that was now within arm’s reach. Soon enough, we got to the place,.
For the first time ever, it wasn’t a freaking bar. Instead, it was a sketchy-looking barbing salon. The car parked in front of the place and I got out of the car with Ezra by my side.
We were stopped by some men who looked like they belonged in the streets. The exact kind of men your mama would warn you to stay away from. “What do you want?” One of them said with his arms crossed over his chest.
“A haircut?” I stated with a smile, “This has got to be the first salon I go to that vets their customers.”
“We are not open.” The other thug says, looking over my head. I could feel Ezra towering over me.
“That’s good.” A smile, “Because we don’t want Rino’s customers getting scared now do we?”
If they were hostile to us before, now they wanted our heads.
“Get out of here before I make you eat your tongue.” One said, accent heavy in his tone.
“That has got to be the most creative one I’ve heard in a while,” I remarked. “Now quit playing and go tell your boss that someone’s here to see him.”
That seemed to piss them off. The next thing I knew, one of them whipped out their gun and pointed it right at me. “Get going or I’ll blow your head off.”
They struggled to look intimidating but failed woefully. “If I were to mark this script, I’d definitely give you an F.” A step forward, “Now be a good boy, put down your toy, and go get dada.”
I must have snapped the last bit of restraint they had because the next moment, one of them tried to get a cheap shot at me. Bad move. Very bad move. I caught their arm without breaking a sweat and immediately began a set of punches and kicks that left the two men on their knees in front of the salon and wheezing for their breath.
“Is that all you can offer?” I asked, genuinely surprised. “You should take your lessons more seriously, otherwise, you wouldn’t be of much use to old boy Rino.”
I pushed past the heap of boys who looked like they wanted to shoot fireballs at me with their eyes. I was done with my fun so it’s about time I began a job that actually pays.
At that moment, I was brought to the stark realisation that this job didn’t pay. I let out a gasp. All these while. Have I been working… for free?
My brain chose that moment to remind me that I never bargained on what I was to earn due to my desperation to land a fucking job – which I couldn’t even call a job, seeing the statutory description of a job was working to earn money.
And money was the one thing I wasn’t earning. Well, now I was pissed. This man better have my money or hell will break loose. I didn’t realise I had walked into the darned place until I heard Ezra speaking from behind me.
“Get us Rino Martinez.” He asked and I was dragged out of my annoying thoughts.
I was brought out of my reverie just in time to see the men that surrounded us, dressed in different shades of black. What was this? A school cult?
“Who’s asking?” One of them said, rude, arrogant and glib.
I suddenly wanted to place a bullet between his eyes.
“The last person you’ll ever see if you get any more on my nerves.” They picked on my tone. I had no reason to joke around. “Do I need to perform a repeat of what happened outside before you provide Rino Martinez?”
The room suddenly turned a bit chilly. The men eyes were focused on someone behind me. Someone I presumed to be an impatient witch capable of doing anything imaginable. As far as I knew.
“What’s the fuss about?” I heard someone speak from behind me. A voice that sounded familiar.
The attention of the men who seemed to be begging for a beating suddenly focused on whoever it was that just passed through those doors. I remained in my position, backing the door.
“Boss!” One of them said, and a wave of respect filled the air as they all bowed their heads.
Bingo.
“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my salon?!” Now the voice was angry. Matured an angry. The irony.
I remained unmoved. And for some reason, Ezra didn’t say a word either. Snarls filled the room at my obvious disrespect. Forgive me but I wasn’t in a particular mood for kissing ass. I’ve had a gazillion of that shit within the small period I spent at the Yakuza.
In a nutshell, I wasn’t fucking kissing ass until it was absolutely needed. Which was not the case in this situation. “Rino Martinez. You sure are gutsy.” I muttered in a tone low but loud enough for him, and everyone else to hear.
That gave him a shove in the right direction because the next thing I knew, he was stomping forward, coming towards me with what I assumed would be a displeased look on his face.
“How dare you-” I felt his attack and shifted just in time to catch his hand before he could do any real damage.
Thwack!
In one swift motion, I caught his hand and flipped him to the floor before me.
“!!!!”
“Hello, Rino.” A wicked smile played on my lips as I watched his eyes widen in shock at the sight of me.
“A-A-Attai?” He mumbled, shaking with fear.
“Long time no see, my friend.”