Let Me Be Your Home
Chapter 8

I sat on a park bench, waiting for Dex. This was the instruction that Sylas had added at the end of his note.

I wasn’t scared.

I felt like I should be considering he was-apparently-a big drug lord, Mafia boss, whatever you want to call him.

But I wasn’t afraid. The lack of fear almost made me feel like I must be psychotic, sociopathic, something.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a man walking in my direction. Subtly, I pressed the button on the side of the watch to start the recording. I didn’t know what this was for but it wasn’t my spot to ask questions. I was just fulfilling the favour I owed.

Surely Sylas wouldn’t send me to walk right into my own coffin.

I’m not sure how much I would care if he did.

A very tall, broad shouldered and muscular man approached me. I could see tattoos around his neck and running past the sleeve of his jacket, onto the back of his hand. He was sleek, an aura of paramountcy around him. His eyes were chartreuse green; bright and glistening as the sunlight hit them. The way he looked down at me, it were as if he were looking into my soul-like he were reaching right into my mind. It made me want to shiver.

“Are you Elle?” His voice was deep. He didn’t speak loud-his voice was calm and levelled but held confidence and an authority to it.

He was intimidating, to say the least. I felt like he could snap his fingers and I would turn into stone.

“If you’re Dex, then yes, I am.”

With a curt nod, he sat down on the bench beside me. There were a few inches of space left between us.

“I was told you can get done what I need.” His voice sent a rush of shivers down my spine. My stomach felt like it were spinning.

“What is it-exactly, that you need?” I turned my body slightly so I was facing him. I pushed the glasses further up my nose- the fake prescription ones that Sylas had sent me.

Dex eyed me, up and down.

I could have passed out at the sight.

I should be intimidated, trembling in gear but instead, I almost felt turned on. The thought made me want to laugh.

“Car,” his tongue darted out, swiping across his bottom l*p. “Hot-wired and sent to a warehouse. They need to get-altered to be suitable for some-” Dex paused for a moment. “Deliveries.”

“Deliveries of what?” I inquired nonchalantly. I really was just curious. Sylas never said anything about prying out information.?

Dex’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Cocaine and the likes.”

I nodded curtly. “Oh.”

Drug trafficking, cool.

“So, cars?” I continued. “How many are we talking?” Didn’t he have his own guys to do this?

“A dozen, at least.” He spoke easily, with such a sureness to himself that I really could wrap myself around his finger and swoon.

Grand theft auto, cool.

I bit the inside of my cheek. That was a lot of cars to get. “That can be done.”

“I need it done fast. I was told you’re the best in the business.”

I smirked lightly. “That is true.”

Dex’s l*p tugged in a smirk of his own. His eyes flashed with chilling amusement. “I need alias’s made, a dozen. Credit cards to go with them.”

Credit card fraud and identity theft, cool.

I eyed Dex catiously. “May I be so bold as to ask a question?”

Dex’s eyebrows raised. He looked surprised. “If you must.”

“Why do I need to do all this? Not that I can’t get it done but-I assumed you’d have people already-to do these jobs.”

Dex licked his lips slowly, cocking his head to the side. He watched me carefully, closely. “We lost a few-associates. There were some disagreements that led to a very-grisly safe house.” He spoke almost in code but it was enough for me to understand clearly.

Whoever worked for him previously who had stepped out of line, had ended up in a pool of their own b***d.

I was confused, to say the least. Why did Sylas need me to record all of this? How was Sylas even expecting me to get this done? Sure, I had some experience but I was out of touch with most of my contacts and the amount that Dex was looking for was more than I’d be able to retrieve easily in a short amount of time.

“Where are the deliveries going?”

“Mexico. And other places.” Dex leaned back on the bench.

Well shit, this is?really?illegal.?

I inhaled sharply. “Anything else?”

“I was told you can hack-quite well.”

Hacking, cool.

I nodded curtly. “Yes.”

Hardly. Even if I could, I didn’t have the the resources I would need.

“I would need you to get into the border patrol system.”

My jaw nearly fell but I restrained myself. I thought I would choke if I tried to speak so I only nodded my head.

Dex paused for a moment, his eyes reading mine carefully. “Can it be done?”

I pursed my lips. “Why?”

Dex’s eyebrows raised. “Do you think I’m obligated to tell you why?” He looked stunned by my audacity.

I rolled my eyes tiredly. “I’m going to figure out what you need me to do once I’m in the system, no? The U.S. Boarder Patrol System is not something easy to swing. I’d like to know what exactly I am doing.”

Dex clicked his tongue, sitting straight. He leaned his face close to mine. I could smell his minty breath. “I could shoot you right now.”

A shiver ran down my spine.

Threatening and extortion, cool.?

“You won’t.” I spoke back with a levelled tone.

In a swift motion, Dex had grabbed my wrist. He twisted it ever so slightly- not enough to hurt me, but enough to show me he could easily snap my wrist if he wished to. “Watch your tone, princess. You don’t want to try me.”

He stared at me for a moment longer before dropping my wrist. Slowly and calmly. I placed my hands in my lap. He didn’t scare me.

What was the worst he could do?

Kill me.

That didn’t scare me.

I had?nothing?to lose.

And thus, we could add assault to the long list of Dex’s crimes.

I licked my lips, staring at him evenly. “Anything else,?master?”

Dex’s l*p twisted in a sinister grin. “There’s a bank account I’ll need you to get into.”

“Why?”

“Money transfer.” This time he answered cooly. I think the lack of fear he could sense in me was almost impressive to him.

Money laundering, cool.

In a curt tone, Dex went over a few more details with me before he got up and left. I took off the glasses and watch, carefully placing them in my purse. What the hell was Sylas getting himself into?

–

“Sylas.” I muttered into the phone, walking down the street.

“Hello to you too, Elettra. It’s been-what-two years?”

I took a deep breath. “What are you doing? Dex? I cannot do half of the shit he has asked of me-I don’t want to take part in any of this to begin with! Who do you think I am? This is next level, Sylas. Even for you.”

Sylas waited for me to finish before he spoke, calm as ever. “I know. Your work is done. I will get others to get Dex the things he has asked for.”

I grunted out something that was between a g***n and a scoff. I sat down on an empty bench in front of the pier. The sun was setting now.

“I’ll text you an address you can send the watch and glasses back to.”

“Would you mind first telling me what it is you’re involved in?”

Sylas laughed faintly. “Oh, Elle. I am doing the government a favour and turning Dex in.”

I blinked. I forgot how to breathe for a moment. “What?”

Sylas sighed. “I got caught for-some things, more things than I can afford. I would have been behind bars for years, Elle. I cut myself a deal. If I give them Dex, they’ll let me go-and immunity.”?

My eyes narrowed as I stared at the water that was lightly swaying from side to side. “I heard he’s pretty high on the feds radar.”

Sylas laughed. “Most wanted, nearly.”

I pursed my lips in thought. “How do you know this isn’t a trap?”

“I’ve been building Dex’s trust in me for months now. He has no reason to doubt me.”

I shook my head frantically. “You don’t know that. He’s smart. He quick. You’re an idiot.”

“I’ll handle myself, Elle. Thank you for your part.”

I rolled my eyes, though he couldn’t see. “Yeah, whatever. How did you know where to replace me?”

“Contacts,” he responded flatly. “Listen, I am sorry for getting you involved in something so-huge. I’ll handle the rest. We’ll talk soon, yes?”

“Don’t die, Sylas.”

Sylas laughed softly. “Don’t die, Elle.”

I smiled faintly as Sylas hung up the phone.