Page 14 of Property of Raider
I point for Anvil to go around the back where there will be someone to open the door allowing us to slip into the hotel.We park the van, and a very large man in a suit swings the door open for us.Anvil puts the van into park before killing the engine, watching the man closely with narrowed eyes.
“You solid?”I question him, the hairs on my neck rising by the way Anvil is watching the man.
“I’m as solid as it gets.Something about that man is familiar in the snap-your-neck-when-you’re-not-looking kind of familiar,” he murmurs, never removing his eyes from the man.
“As Sergeant at Arms, you tell me, do we need to have the others on standby?”I ask him.
“I’ve already messaged the psychotic brothers.They’re staying close just in case,” he tells me, eyes scanning everything around us.
Shocked, my head snaps in his direction.“When the fucking hell did you do that?”
Anvil smirks.“When the call came in, my instincts went on high alert, telling me that shit is about to go very fucking sideways.”
“Motherfucker.Let’s get this shit done,” I growl.
Anvil says nothing else, just slides out of the van.We meet at the back of the van, pulling the doors open and gathering the items we need to do the job at hand while Remedy and Satchel do the same.As we make our way towards the building, the giant of a man standing at the door just nods.Until we’re all inside.
“Penthouse,” he rumbles as we load onto the service elevator.
“Should a couple of us just wait for the next one?”Remedy asks, sounding nervous.
“No, we go all at once,” the suit man demands.
“But-but do you see all that?”Remedy cries, waving a hand up and down everyone’s whole person.
I fight the grin trying to break across my face, watching as Anvil and Satchel are doing the same.
“Get on the damn elevator,” our new friend growls, unamused.
“What if we’re overweight?What if we get stuck?”Remedy starts pacing back and forth.“I’m claustrophobic.I can’t be stuck in there with all of you assholes and our stuff.Come on, Prez, you can’t make me do it.”
His pacing continues, and Remedy is getting more and more worked up, talking all kinds of nonsense.The longer it goes on, the more frustrated and annoyed the big man gets and the closer and closer we all get to absolutely losing our shit.
He finally stops pacing and turns to us.“It’s just too much.I can’t fucking do it, and you can’t fucking make me.”And like the overgrown man-child he is, he crosses his legs, plopping down in front of the elevator.
We all fucking lose it, bending at the waist laughing.We’re in the middle of cleaning up and covering the ass of a senator and sitting in the middle of a back hallway in an upscale hotel is a very large biker throwing a tantrum.I finally get my shit together and lean back against the wall.
“You have two options.”I glare down at him.“You either get on this elevator, or you climb—I think I counted fifteen stories.”
“Twenty,” the not amused newcomer corrected.
“Thank you, twenty stories of stairs before the elevator gets to the top.Warning though if you don’t make before we do, you will do all the clean-up with the two prospects after the party tonight.”
Remedy’s eyes narrow before he huffs and stands.“You’re a fucking asshole.”
“I’m aware.Now let’s get this shit done.”I pat him on the back as the doors are closed, and we start our way up.
The longer we’re in the elevator, the quicker Remedy’s breathing gets.The elevator comes to a halt with a jarring clang.
“Ahah … Get me the fuck out of here!We’re all going to die!I told you that this was a bad motherfucking idea, you fucking assholes!”Remedy screams, his pitch so high I swear he could shatter glass.
When the doors open, we all stumble out laughing so hard we’re holding onto the walls to keep from falling onto our knees.Remedy does fall to his knees, bowing and praising every god he knows for being alive.I lay my head back on the wall, catching my breath and realizing that I don’t remember the last time I laughed like this.I look at Satchel and Anvil, who are wiping away their tears of laughter.This job needs to be done ASAP so we can get to the party.
“Let’s get this done.We’ve got a party to get to.”I’m finally able to breathe.
We pull ourselves together, grabbing all our equipment, and follow the very stoic man down the back hallway.He places a key card on the sensor by the door, pushes it open and waves us through.I step into an over-the-top kitchen completely encased in bright white marble.I can see all the way across the room to a solid wall of windows.On the right is a large living room.The place looks as if no one had ever stepped foot into it.
“Prez, I’m confused.What the fuck are we doing here?”Remedy wonders as he slides his finger across the marble Island.
