Page 38 of Light

Better than letting the guys get to it.

Oh, well.

Now that I'm full, I can focus on what I was doing before. I quickly grab a napkin and wipe my hands off before I sit down in front of my computer and get back to the recon work I was doing before.

Not more than five minutes after diving back into my research, there's a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" I shout and Semi pokes his head into my room.

His face is lined with a deep frown, but at least he's not going off the deep end and trying to knock anyone's head off.

"What's up, brother?" I turn in my chair and face him.

"I just wanted to give you an update on what I found out." Semi steps into my room and closes the door behind him.

"You're ol' lady okay?" I ask. The last I heard from him, he was trying to find out if the photos he was sent of her being tied up were legit.

"She's not my ol' lady." He gives me a pointed look, "And I still don't know. I haven't been given any information on that but I did look into this Deke character you told me about." Semi sighs and crosses his arms over his chest, "He's bad news brother."

Fuck, this isn't what I wanted to hear. Not that I didn't already know that, but now with Semi telling me it only solidifies how much danger Melissa is in. "What did you find out?"

"Well, he does have ties to my old crew, but not exclusively. He used to be a low level player but made a big splash in the underground gambling world. Got a lot of cash and a lot of players. He's basically a fucking loan shark who thinks he's old school mafia. The problem with him is he's branching out now and is getting into the real estate business. Word is he's been buying up properties left and right. I don't know to what end but..." Semi shrugs before he continues. "I also found out that he's got a few of his people right here in town. I'm not sure what this Deke asshole is up to, but I've heard rumors from some of the people in town that he's been trying to strong-arm some of the business owners into selling. They say the crew of them spend a lot of time down at The Fit Lab."

"That's the gym downtown, right?" I ask, already putting a plan together in my head.

"Yeah." Semi nods.

"Thanks brother. Let me know if you find anything else out." I stand from my seat, grab my cut and get ready to walk out.

"Wait a minute. You're going down there now? You don't want to figure this shit out first?" Semi grabs hold of me and tries to stop me from leaving.

"I know all I need to know. Those pricks are fucking with a single mother that wants nothing to do with them. I can't let that slide."

Semi tilts his head, "You can't, or you don't want to? This woman has really gotten under your skin, hasn't she?"

I open my mouth to deny it. I can't.

I don't know when it happened, but somehow Melissa has become something more to me.

Something I wasn't prepared for or even want.

I don't have time to think about that now. What I have to do is go down to this gym and deliver a message.

Pulling away from Semi, I storm out of my room and through the main area. The look on my face must put everyone on edge because all conversation stops as I make my way through.

"What's going on, Light? You need backup?" Brick calls out, standing from his seat.

"Nah, brother. I'm good on my own." I say over my shoulder, my feet not stopping as I make my way to the door.

"Stay safe." He calls back, but I'm already one foot outside.

I'll stay safe. I know what's at risk if I fuck this up. As an ex-con, getting caught doing anything is just another way for me to get thrown back into the clink.

I'm not trying to go back to jail. I've gone to jail for a woman already. I'm hoping I'm not making the same mistake for Melissa.

***

I push open the glass door to The Fit Lab, keeping my head down. The place is small, cramped even, but it is packed with enough people to make someone like me disappear into the noise.

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