Page 21 of Possessive Mechanic

“Why is that?” I ask my annoyance at Ronny’s desire to ‘tell on’ Axel beyond belief, but deep down I actually want to know this information.

“What’s it worth to you?”

“Jeez, Ronny! How old are you? You always play games like this? You want me to know then tell me. You don’t, then don’t. I really don’t give a shit.”

A long beat passes and I look out of the corner of my eye, seeing him smirk just before he hits the offramp.

“Instead of me telling you, how about I let him.”

“What do you…?”

It’s only then I realize he’s pulled off where Axel’s shop is. Seconds later Ronny is turning into the parking lot, stepping outside his car, and quickly moving around to my side where he opens the door like a gentleman and offers me his hand to step out.

But I want no part of that and don’t accept it. Not to mention I want no part of being here.

“What? You don’t want to come see your boyfriend and learn all about his past?”

“Who the fuck are you?” a deep voice rumbles, and I know instantly who it belongs to.

Stepping outside the car without Ronny’s help, even shoving his hand aside, I can’t raise my eyes to meet Axel’s.

“Well look what we have here. A reunion for our two lovebirds,” Ronny mocks.

Axel steps toward him, rapidly closing the distance.

“Ut, uh, uh,” Ronny says, waving a finger. “I’m wearing a mic.” He rolls the inside of his shirt by his third button out to reveal the cord and the microphone. “Now, here’s what’s going to happen,” he begins, proud as a peacock at whatever plan he has concocted. “You’re going to tell her why you went to prison,” he says, pointing at Axel who has stopped just short of Ronny when he displayed the mic. “And then you’re going to sign over your company to me, but you’re going to stay onboard to finish the project so I can collect all the rewards.”

“Have you lost your fucking mind, loser?” Axel says, putting one fist in his palm, cracking his knuckles, and then repeating the process with the other hand.

“Oh no. I’ve planned this through to the very end. And the only one who’s going to lose is you, as in lose her and lose everything if you don’t do exactly what you’re told.”

“I already served my time for the crime you’re so fucking excited about having a little information about. It’s over. I’m a free man to do what I want. I’m not signing over shit, especially not to you.”

The only thing that’s throwing me off is Axel’s pause. That wire got him to stop dead in his tracks. I’d expect him to be the kind of guy who’d just plow right into Ronny, to save the day, but apparently, there’s something more at play here. Considering Ronny doesn’t have a gun I don’t see it as my safety.

What is it then?

“You served your time for that crime. Congratu-fucking-lations. But you didn’t serve your time for the one you’re about to commit.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Ronny extends his hands using his fingers and thumbs to box in an imaginary frame, or in this case news headline. “Recently released convict kills billionaire business partner’s daughter in an attempt to steal company away.”

“Are you fucking crazy?” Axel says, taking a step toward him.

“Obviously,” he says, quickly sticking his hand in his pocket and pulling out a gun, pointing it straight at my head, his hand shaking so bad I feel like the trigger could pop at any time.

“I’ve got cameras all over this place. You’re being recorded as we speak. You try anything, you’re fucking dead.”

“Not so fast, hero boy. You had cameras running up until about fifteen minutes ago. But your password was ‘password’. I know. I hacked it my damn self with a smartphone, HashCat software, and a fifty dollar Alfa brand network adapter.”

“Bullshit. You’re not that smart,” Axel spits.

“I don’t have to be. All you need these days is to watch a tutorial from a twelve-year-old on YouTube. It’s that easy. You’ve been owned, Axel. And with her death on your property, a clear motive, and your cameras conveniently going out, this will be a slam dunk case.”

“My employees will hear you. See you.”

Ronny just shakes his head. “You think I haven’t been watching this place? You think I don’t know you’re the only one who works late? You’re here alone Axel. You’re fucked.”

---