"You're pussy whipped."

Thirty minutes. It took thirty minutes for Talon to come in my office and disturb me. A little longer than I expected; I had him set for five. Still, idiocy clearly presented itself through him. I look up from the files I was studying as he makes himself comfortable, his legs resting on my desk. Talon grins at my annoyed expression, enjoying every bit of it.

"It had to have happened the other night," he goes on, "you were glowing."

He does a makeshift rainbow when he says glowing, making my eye twitch the slightest bit. I lean back in my chair, forgetting about the files for now.

"Did you need something, princess?" I ask, gesturing for him to continue.

This time it's his eye that twitches and I don't bother to try and suppress my grin. Talon takes his feet off my desk before taking another position, which left him too close to me. I watch his head tilt in wonder, and his eyes practically sparkle.

"So, you finally got some. How was it?"

I lean further back in my chair, recalling the night that Ziya and I had sex. Every round was good as hell. I felt euphoric the entire night, and it's true that I was in a daze even when it was over. She was in control the entire night. Even when my body hovered hers, she was in control. I listened to her word- guided my hands where she told me, edged myself to the brink of insanity, let her hear how good I was feeling. I did it all.

She talked so dirty that my cock didn't stand a chance. I came once and got hard the next second. It was an endless cycle that she handled perfectly.

"You're doing so good at fucking me, baby."

"This cock is just for me."

"We're not done. Your body still belongs to me."

I rub my hands over my face to hide the lusting smirk that immediately appears. One look at Talon has him grinning all over. Just the look alone gave him the answer he needed, but I'd die before giving him details. He loves that gossiping shit. He doesn't say anything else about it, and instead slides over a folder that I hadn't noticed.

I scan over the contents of it to see a drug bust. It failed, miserably, and the dealer lost fifty grand worth of product. It happened just out of the city with minimal shippers. The shippers that are nowhere to be found. I pull out a photo before flashing it to Talon. He takes notice of it then nods, the picture locked into memory.

"Why are you showing me this?" I ask, closing the folder.

"Boss said that anything and everything goes through you now. He made that clear to everyone."

I look up at that, earning another nod.

"Looks like you got an upgrade," Talon chides.

"I don't want a fucking upgrade," I sneer, sliding the folder back to him.

If he thinks a shitty upgrade in my position will tilt the favor of my answer, he thought wrong. I'm not an assassin, and I don't give a fuck about anybody else's business that doesn't deal with my gang. I'm surprised he's walking and talking after my personal visit. I'll have to dig deeper next time, if given the opportunity. As a thank you.

Talon opens the folder before slowly sliding it in front of me. I set another on top of it, disregarding the matter completely. There are drop offs and product that could sell for a million if I play my cards right. No more than two guys, and minimal weapons. No need to look like the enemy when there's a trade in progress. Mist for cash. Simple as that.

Someone else steps into the office, determination written on their face. Talon spares them a glance, a toying smile making its regular appearance.

"You look like you're about to piss your pants, man," he says, doing a quick look at their crotch.

The guy straightens up, his face falling flat at Talon's mocking. He doesn't say anything, expecting me to read his fucking mind.

"Did you want something?" I ask, getting bored and annoyed with him.

"A job!" he exclaims, jumping at the question.

"A job?"

"Marcel wanted to clear us to handle it. It's two cities away, and we gain ten grand," he informs.

I lazily lean my head against my fist, studying the person before me. I've never seen him before, but he's comfortable here. I don't like comfortability on site. You earn your spot here, and then you get to relax. Talon minds his business, scanning the other files that I've already looked through.

The newcomer stands his ground, fixating his eyes on my every move. Silence envelops the room, and it's when he shifts that I beckon him over. He walks with a sort of confidence that wasn't present before; his head held high. He stops just next to Talon, and I lean up to let him know that I mean everything I say.

"You can work the job, but everything you get comes to me. I want to count ten gran by the end of the day, if not more. Don't let me be disappointed. I shed blood when I am."

The newcomer nods, and I flick my eyes to the door to let him know he can leave. He scurries out of the office, humoring Talon to no end. I pick up the folder that I recently studied before standing from my chair. Talon wipes a lone tear as he watches my movements.

"Where you going, boss 2.0?"

"Out. Come or don't. I don't care."

I leave the room with Talon chasing after me, tripping over his feet as he does. Heads turn when I exit my office. All movements stop, and I mindlessly pull on a hoodie as Talon grabs the keys to my white Bentley.

"Can I drive?" he asks.

I snatch the keys from him in response before going to leave.

"Malik!" someone yells.

I keep walking until I reach the door. I throw the keys back to Talon who leaves out to pull the car around. I tuck my gun farther down the waistband of my pants as I turn. Dozens of eyes watch me, wondering what I'll do. Wondering if I'll put a bullet in their head instead of their stomach.

I don't know who called me, and everyone seems too damn scared to utter a word. The kind of shit I don't have time for.

"Work what you want. All cash gets brought to me. I'll spread it how I see fit, and do everything correctly. You know what happens when you don't."

Hands move to touch their recent wounds, and I leave without another word. Talon brung the car around front before loading newer product into the truck. I grab the duffel bag that traditionally sat behind a bucket. Grab it when you need it, and reload everything on your own time.

Talon shuts the trunks before grabbing the bag and placing it in the back seat. I slide into the driver's side, revving the car to warm up the engine. Talon hops in, and I pull off, driving to the backroads.

"Where we going?"

"To handle business. What you put in the trunk was supposed to go for fifty. I want one-hundred."

"Damn," he whistles, "think they're going to go for it?"

"No choice. They'll give me a stack, or I'll take it. Whichever they prefer."

Talon chuckles while popping a piece of gum into his mouth, "what's wrong with you? Sexually frustrated already?"

"What about you?" I retort, "no dick lately? Is that why you're all on me, Talon?"

His face twists up at my comment, letting a small grin slip onto my lips. We give each other shit on our preferences, so he knows I'm pulling bull. Doesn't mean he won't try to beat my ass when I bring up him secretly wanting to get with me.

Talon pulls the folder that I brought, rereading the content and going back over the pictures. We've done business with these people, and they pay well. I know they'll cough up what I demand. I'm not dealing with the tug and pull shit.

Talon slips a pen from my dashboard before sitting back to write, forming theories that I wouldn't have thought of. He visibly gets lost in his mind, and I check my phone to see that everything's already set up. We're fifteen minutes out from the pier, where we're supposed to meet, and I go fifteen over the speed limit.

"There better not be a fucking mole," Talon sneers, glaring holes into the papers before him.

"You think there is one?" I ask, keeping my eyes ahead.

"Everything was packaged, there were minimal shippers, and only a few knew about it. No weapons were involved, and the money was there from the get go. So, how the fuck did it go wrong?"

"TT," I answer.

A two-faced traitor. One that plays both sides. Ambino doesn't keep his side hustlers in check, and we don't know every member of who we're dealing with. It could've been any one of them, and they drained half a mil from under our noses. Starting with this bust. Whoever it is, is on a hit list. They know better than to try it consistently, but every gang wants them off the street. I give credit where it's due. They managed to pull it off for this long, and I don't give a fuck about money that doesn't go to me. But half a mil is half a mil, and our product won't be going to shit.

I pull into the back of a parking lot with two lone cars in sight. Talon throws the folder onto the dashboard before getting out. I grab the weapons bag from the back, and sling it over my shoulder as I get out. My car pumps heat as I leave the doors open. Talon hands me a scanner, putting on a mask that's used with these kind of trades. He knows when to stop fucking around before it costs him his life, or someone else's.

Talon scours our surroundings while I make note of every detail. Two cars, so three people. Only one person rides with the money, and that's the person who's providing it. Two people with the weapons, and for insurance. In case shit hits the fan. We're at a deserted pier near the backroads. It's better than another area that could have cameras, or peepers. The ones from other gangs that want to get in on something that has nothing to do with them.

Talon falls in line with me, discreetly pointing out the three figures that stood patiently by the wooden surface. We trade bags, so I can quickly make the switch. Our presence is made known as we move closer, and they move in to meet us in the middle.

"I started to think you were going to bail with your tail in between your legs," the provider spits, a supposedly menacing smile covering his nerves.

"Tongue out," I say, disregarding everything he said.

He goes to grab the bag, but stops when Talon pulls his gun. He's starting shit already. He's fiending for these drugs. He can't get off on anything else, making me smirk at the fact. He'll pay what I demand, the stupid fuck. I raise my eyebrows impatiently, and he holds out his tongue to the scanner. He's sober. I hold eye contact with him as I hold it to my displayed tongue. It flashes green, letting everyone know that I'm sober and the trade is valid. Talon steps up, flashing his arms and neck.

The two men who stood rigidly step up beside their provider before doing the same. I quickly scan their bodies before nodding. They're cleared. The provider drags them forward, the bag of weapons open. Talon holds out the duffel, the zipper already undone. They scan each other's weapons before trading what we did and didn't want. Few minutes pass before Talon steps back, giving me a small nod.

"You got what I demanded?" I ask.

"One-hundred. There's fifty more here."

"Really?" I drag, eyeing the white duffel in his hand.

He thrusts the bag into my arms, hard but pleading eyes staring into mine. I back up, handing the bag off to Talon who scans every inch of the bag. I open the bag that packed two of almost every product we made. He barely acknowledged the content before confirming the trade. I look back to Talon who nods and zips up the duffel. I hand the bag over and nod to the two lackeys behind him before turning towards Talon.

A smirk already resides on his face as he hoists the two bags on his shoulders.

"Keep your money coming, and I won't have a problem selling to you. If you have a mole, then you better check it because I'd hate to kill one of my best," I advise before leading myself and Talon back to my car.

"Well, fuck," Talon says, stepping in line, "you got your fucking money."

"Yeah," I say, "want fifty grand?"

"Don't pull my balls," Talon says, throwing the bags into the back.

"Take it or leave it," I say, hopping into the drivers seat.

I turn down the heat, letting the air from outside circle in. Talon gets in, setting his guns on top of the dashboard. He marks the folder as done before stuffing it into a different compartment.

"Fuck yes I'm taking it," he chides, "on top of one of your cars."

"Rolls Royce?" I ask, reversing back onto the road we came from.

"Would you give it to me?"

"For fifty grand."

That earns me a laugh, but I swear he would've pulled out fifty and more if he had it on him.

"Why don't you wanna be in charge, man?"

And now the questions.

"The gang fear you, but they respect you. They'll listen to you, and you already got them in check. Ambino isn't shit compared to you."

"The people aren't shit to me, either," I deadpan.

I joined it because I was a dumbass teenager who couldn't survive on his own, and Talon came with me because his situation was just as worse. It was my responsibility to protect him, and this was the way. Too many fucking years later, and here we are. The gang used to spew bullshit on top of bullshit about loyalty and respect, but Talon and I quickly rose above the ranks. We were better at what grown men spent their life on. And we got paid. That's why we were there. The members did nothing to benefit me, and they didn't welcome me with warm arms.

They came and went, and now we're freshly renewed with other idiots who were like me. They needed to survive. But I can't put my trust in people that are in this business. I don't put my trust in anyone. Too bad so fucking sad. Talon knows that I'm not the bonding type. I won't suddenly become buddy-buddy with every person in the warehouse, and ask them out for drinks while asking about their sex life. Especially not after I shot them all.

"I'm still getting that fifty grand, right?"

I can barely stand the friend that I do have.

"No Rolls Royce?" I ask, taking the keys from my pocket before dangling them, "another job tomorrow. Do good, and it's yours."

"Fucking tease," Talon groans, dramatically smearing his face on my window, "okay, fine."

I grin before pocketing my keys.

"What about the memorizing sex that had you kicking your feet?"

My grin drops, "you're not getting my car."

"What?!"

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
SAY WHAT? I FINALLY FINALLY UPDATED OMG!!

How was the chapter? Was it okay? Thoughts? lol

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*••**••*•*
QOTD: It's December? Do you celebrate Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/etc?
AOTD: I celebrate Christmas :)

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
NEXT CHAPTER IS IN ZIYA's POV! Any ideas on how it'll go?
I'm not sure when it'll be out, I hate that I write this book so slow :(

OH ALSO, I asked this already, but would you guys like a book that's all about Talon? Ofc Malik & Ziya will be in it! & it might be a series ! ❤️

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
OKAY OKAY. FOR TEASERS, SNIPPETS, POSTS & EDITS HERE ARE THE SOCIALS :
Insta~ @ zwritesss
BookTok~ @ zwritessss
Threads~ @ zwritesss

See you later alligators 💚