Page 37 of Hidden Desires
The tiny steel blade landed in the chest of the man dangling from the ceiling. His wrists were bound above his head, and blood was dripping from the three other tiny blades sticking out of the man’s arm, stomach, and left thigh.
Blade figured the man had another three or four throws in him before he would bleed out and eventually slip away.
“He owes me money,” Rico muttered, too busy verifying his order to look up.
Marcus and his boss exchanged a glance.
Blade picked up another blade from the table and tossed it over his shoulder without even looking at his mark. Judging by the scream that emerged from the dangling man, he knew he had hit his intended target.
“How much to purchase this guy from you?” Marcus asked.
“The guy’s not for sale. If he can’t give me my money, he’s going to end up in the desert beside the rest who couldn’t pay.”
The bleeding man sobbed as a thick stream of blood dripped from his lips.
“No, not the man being tortured. I’m talking about your man with the blades,” Marcus clarified.
Rico slowly lifted his head and stared at Marcus.
“He’s a very talented young man,” Rico noted, placing the cover back on the crate. Apparently, he was no longer interested in his merchandise. “I wouldn’t let him go for anything less than one fifty Gs.”
Blade looked over at his new boss and wondered what the heck was happening. Was he being sold into slavery? Who were these guys offering to “purchase” him and his services?
Marcus whispered something to his boss, who nodded.
“Deal. We’ll take it out of the cut you owe us for the merchandise.”
Rico looked over at Blade with an evil grin. Apparently, he had done this before.
“Sure.”
The words made Blade feel sick. Had he just been sold like an animal?
Smirking, Marcus walked over and placed a hand on Blade’s shoulder.
“I’m Marcus. Hope you like motorcycles.”
Blade didn’t know what to do.
If he refused to go with the strange man, would Rico have him killed, like this poor sap hanging like a piece of meat?
If he went with the two men, what would he be walking into?
He could always try to fight his way out.
Yeah, that would most likely result in lots of blood and him in a body bag.
Not really having much of a choice, he stuck out his hand and introduced himself.
If things went south, he could always attack his new owners then.
Nodding, Marcus gave him a reassuring smile.
Marcus later told Blade that he decided to purchase him from Rico as a way of getting him away from that deranged psychopath. While they might do business with the man, that environment was no place for a kid who was barely twenty-three.
And Marcus was right. Six months later, Blade heard that Rico and his crew had been massacred in a violent turf war that had been raging in LA for years.
The roaring of their bikes slowed as the leader of their pack pulled into the parking lot of a beaten-down motel.
