The Love Of Money - S02 E160

Story 3 months ago

The Love Of Money - S02 E160

Read Story: SEASON 2 EPISODE 160

I could feel the tension coming from Erin. Out of the corner of my eye, Helen seemed as cool and collected as usual, a mirror image of Sachiko’s mute friend.

“Wait,” I said. “I won’t bring it up again.”

She stared at me from the corner of her eye, still as a wax figure, and actually stunning, now that I could see her complete profile.

When she didn’t move, I kept going. “I’ve got enough on my plate. I’m sure you know about the kidnapping. I’m already dealing with someone else, and your father breathing down my neck doesn’t help. I want this over, and talking to you is the most progress I’ve made.”

Plus, I was really hoping her help would mean I didn’t have to rely on Carla.

Seconds passed. Then Sachiko sat back down.

Relief hit me first. Then disappointment. Trading Hiro and Ryo Tanaka for Sachiko was the easiest solution to my problem.

As long as I was willing to stoop to Tanaka’s level, anyway. I’d been so focused on getting her help, I hadn’t stopped to ask what it would cost me to want her help.

But it looked like I wouldn’t have to worry about selling my soul after all.

“Thanks,” I said.

Just as I was about to return to my seat, however, I felt fingers dig into my arm.

I glanced at the hand and followed the arm up to see Chloe’s face, looking like it was carved from freckled stone. She wasn’t staring at me… not exactly. It was as if she were looking through me.

I was just about to ask her what the problem was when she said, “Got it.”

Then her gaze focused on me. “Sir, we need to leave.”

That’s when I realized that someone was speaking into her earpiece.

I started to glance back at Sachiko, who was springing up from her chair. The bodyguards behind her were moving forward to block her with their own bodies.

She looked alarmed. “What’s going—”

“Nunez!” Chloe barked at my other guard. “Get Malik and—”

“Yep!” Nunez said before Chloe could even finish giving the order. He shouldered past Helen, who was on Chloe’s heels, and grabbed Erin’s arm, half-dragging her away from the table.

Sachiko peered around one of her bodyguard’s beefy arms. “What’s going—”

A door crashed open ahead of us, and another of my security came around the corner a heartbeat later. Jon had his gun drawn and immediately dropped it so it pointed to the floor as he saw us all approaching. He glanced past us, watching our flank.

“Clear?” Chloe asked.

“Clear!” Jon said.

As Chloe passed Jon, dragging me in her wake, she reached behind his back and drew a pistol. We hit the restaurant lobby. The front doors were already wide open. Two of my security stood at either side, guns raised. At their feet, crumpled and still, was a man in a suit identical to Sachiko’s bodyguards.

“Fuck!” I yelled as we approached the doors. “Is he dead!?”

“Clear?” Chloe barked.

“Clear!” one of my guards called out, never taking his eyes off the surrounding area. “Car’s ready!”

“Move!” Chloe said.

The two guards swiftly moved forward in unison while maintaining high alert.

Jon moved in next, about five feet behind them and in the center.

“Clear!” he called back.

Chloe gave me a little shove toward the door. “Stay close behind Jon. Get in the car. Keep your head down!”

I glanced at the body as I stepped over it, but followed everything else my bodyguard told me as best I could. Keeping just behind Jon, I remained hunched over while glancing around for any sign of danger, peering through arms that I’d reflexively thrown over my head.

“What happened!?” I called out to the void.

“Not sure, sir!” Jon said. “Let’s get you safe, first!”

The car was only a few feet from the door, half up on the sidewalk. It probably would’ve been even closer if not for those obnoxious metal posts lining the curb. As I neared it, I glanced back—Chloe was right behind me, followed by Helen, then Erin and John.

In seconds, the three of us were shoved into the car. The door slammed shut, and we launched into the street, accelerating so fast I thought my stomach might still be back at the restaurant.

“Jesus Christ!” I said, righting myself and sitting back in my seat. A glance at the passenger seat showed that Chloe hadn’t gotten with us.

“Hey!” I spoke up to the driver, “What the fuck? You left Chloe and Jon back there!”

“Need to get you back home, sir!” came his unapologetic reply.

“What happened!?” Erin asked.

“Not completely sure, ma’am,” he said, whipping his wheel around to take a sharp turn. “There was a shooter on a nearby roof. He appeared to be targeting the restaurant.”

“Wait!” I said. “We need to go back and get Chloe!”

“Miss Tanner will be fine, sir. You’re our priority!”

“I’ll fucking fire her if she gets herself killed,” I barked. “Fuck! Did Sachiko set me up!?!”

“Marcus,” Helen said, peering at me from over Erin. “We don’t know—”

“The fuck we don’t!” I spat back. “Spinning that sad fucking song—.”

“Marcus,” Erin said, clinging to my arm. Her dark eyes were massive. “She was so confused!”

I stared back at her. “I…”

My heart was still racing, and the logical part of my brain was competing for space with my amygdala, which felt like it had just grown twice its size. Still… now that Erin had mentioned it… Sachiko had looked confused and even a little scared.

“I…”

Erin just stared back at me, wide-eyed and panicked, but still logical.

Sachiko had come alone, though. Who else would have known? I didn’t tell anyone. Did she?

Had he known somehow? One of the bodyguards, maybe? That mousy secretary?

She’d used his phone, but surely she knew whether he would check something like that.