16. Lars

16

LARS

E xhaling a puff of smoke into the cool night air, I lean against my motorcycle. My mind is still reeling from my last encounter with Alice, how her body felt wrapped around mine, and the sweet sounds of her moans echoing in my ears. I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I can't afford to be distracted, not tonight.

Ty approaches me. "Everything set?" he asks, his voice low.

I nod, flicking my cigarette to the ground and crushing it beneath my boot. "Yeah, we're good to go. Phoenix and the others are in position."

Ty grunts in acknowledgment, his eyes scanning the area. "Never thought I'd see the day when Phoenix would leave that damn trailer of his."

I chuckle. "Desperate times, man. We need all hands on deck for this one."

Ty nods, his jaw clenching. "Let's just hope Remy and Colt can keep their shit together. The last thing we need is a fuck up."

I roll my shoulders, feeling the tension coiled in my muscles. "They'll do their part. They know what's at stake."

We fall silent, the weight of this deal with the Blackwood Brothers hanging heavy in the air. I know I've been slacking because I'm too caught up in my obsession with Alice to give this the attention it deserves. Tonight, however, I can't afford to let my guard down, not when we're so close to pulling this off.

The sound of approaching vehicles catches our attention, and we exchange a loaded glance. It's time.

I push off my bike, squaring my shoulders as I watch the black SUVs pull into the abandoned lot. Xavier and his other brother, Vane, step out, their expressions cold and calculating. At least that jackass Knox isn't here this time.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what's to come. This will be a serious fucking payday if we pull it off. We've got the product. We just have to hope that nothing goes wrong.

Xavier strides forward, a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he sizes me up. "Well, well...if it isn't Lars Taylor himself. Gotta say I'm impressed you managed to get your shit together for this deal."

I clench my jaw, wanting to wipe that smug look off his face. Before I can respond, Vane appears at Xavier's side, his expression equally condescending.

"Hear that you've been getting a little distracted lately," Vane sneers, glancing at Ty. "Something about a pretty little thing in Willow Creek catching your eye?"

Heat flares in my chest, but I force myself to remain impassive. Why the fuck Ty would mention Alice to these jerks, I don't know. Now's not the time to get riled up over their bullshit. I straighten to my full height, holding Xavier's cold gaze.

"We've got your product," I state flatly. "You got the cash?"

Xavier arches a brow, seemingly amused by my blunt approach. With a lazy shrug, he gestures to the black briefcase one of his guys is holding. "It's all there. But I want to see the goods before we hand anything over."

I'm about to respond when the crackle of Ty's walkie-talkie cuts through the tension. "Nash, bring it in," he orders.

A few moments later, the rumble of an engine breaks the silence as a large van pulls into the lot behind the Blackwood's SUVs. The side door slides open, and Nash appears, waving us over with a grim expression.

"All four hundred pounds, packaged and ready," he confirms. "You boys ready to do this?"

I shoot a look at Ty, who gives me a small nod. Steeling myself, I turn back to face the Blackwoods, holding Xavier's stare.

"You know the drill," I state, keeping my voice flat and emotionless. "Cash first, then you get the product..."

Xavier smirks, and with a casual flick of his wrist, he beckons one of his guys forward with the briefcase.

"Count it," he orders, tossing the case at me.

I catch it easily, popping the latches and flipping open the lid. Inside are stacks of crisp bills bundled together neatly. Nodding at Phoenix, he steps forward, his eyes already narrowed in concentration.

"You heard him. Count it," I mutter, passing the case over.

Phoenix takes the briefcase, deft fingers already rapidly flicking through the bundles. The rest of us watch in tense silence as he works, his brow furrowed in focus. Despite the tension, I can't help but smirk. Phoenix may be a little off, but goddamn, is he useful to have around. The guy is basically a genius.

Phoenix looks up after what feels like an eternity but is likely only a couple of minutes. "It's all there," he confirms.

I turn back to Xavier, allowing a hint of a smirk. "Pleasure doing business with you, Blackwood."

Xavier arches one brow cooly, regarding Phoenix with mild disdain before shifting his gaze back to me. "Let's load the product then."

Nodding at Ty, he jerks his head toward the van. Ty clicks his radio, giving Nash, Colt, and Remy the signal. They spring into action; Colt, Nash, and Remy start unloading the plastic-wrapped bricks and passing them off to Xavier's guys.

I fight to keep my expression impassive as the weight of the situation presses down on me. Four hundred pounds. We've pulled some crazy shit in our time, but this is on another level.

The bricks move from our van to the Blackwoods's vehicle individually, and the air feels tense.

My gaze flicks to Xavier, who's eyeing the bricks in the back of his van. He runs a hand along one of the plastic-wrapped packages, giving an approving nod.

"Not bad," he concedes, shooting me a look between mocking and impressed. "Not bad at all. You guys are impressive for carnies."

Xavier is trying to get a rise out of me, but I remain stone-faced. "Well, I think our business is done here, gentlemen."

Ty steps forward and shakes Xavier's hand. "Pleasure doing business with you as always, Blackwood."

Xavier narrows his eyes and nods. "Yeah, I'll be in touch when I need more." With that, he nods at his guys and brother, and they all get back into the SUVs.

I release a slow breath, watching the taillights of the Blackwoods's SUVs disappear into the night. The tension in my shoulders eases because we made it without the cops showing up or any bullshit from the Blackwoods trying to negotiate.

Remy and Colt approach, their expressions a mix of disbelief and anger.

"What the fuck, man?" Remy demands. "You've been keeping us in the dark about this shit for years?"

Colt nods, his arms crossed over his chest. "Yeah, we've been busting our asses for this carnival, and you've been holding out on us, making shit loads of cash."

I glance at Ty, who looks unimpressed by their outburst. He steps forward, his expression hard.

"Look, this operation is need-to-know only," he states. "The fewer people involved, the better."

Remy scoffs, shaking his head. "Bullshit. We deserve a cut of that money, and you know it."

Ty's jaw clenches, and I think he might lose his cool. But then he lets out a heavy sigh, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a wad of cash. We all get a cut for helping him. That's the deal.

"Fine. Here's five grand each," he mutters, tossing the money at them. "But this stays between us, you hear me? No one else at the carnival can know about this."

Remy and Colt look at each other before thumbing through the bills, their expressions slowly morphing from anger to satisfaction.

"Alright, boss," Colt says with a shrug. "Our lips are sealed."

Ty nods, his gaze flicking between them. "Good. Now get the fuck out of here. We've got a carnival to run."

As Remy, Nash, and Colt get back into their van and drive back toward the carnival, I turn to Ty, my brow furrowed. "You sure it was a good idea bringing those two knuckleheads in on this?"

"We didn't have a choice. They were the best options." Ty shrugs, lighting up a cigarette and taking a deep drag. "If they get paid well, it'll keep them happy and stop them running their mouths."

I nod, knowing he's right. Sometimes, you must grease a few palms to keep things running smoothly in this business.

"Come on," Ty says, jerking his head toward his Mustang. "Let's get back to the carnival. We've got a long night ahead of us."

I hop onto my motorcycle, the powerful engine rumbling to life beneath me as I kick the stand back. Ty and Phoenix climb into his Mustang, the engine's throaty growl cutting through the night air.

Revving the throttle, I nod at Ty before peeling out of the abandoned lot, the back tire kicking up a spray of loose gravel. The wind whips against my face as I weave through the deserted streets, the familiar thrill of the open road flooding my veins.

But all I can think of is Alice. The thought of seeing her tonight has anticipation coiling low in my gut. I can't shake the memory of her body pressed against mine, the softness of her curves, and the way she trembled under my touch.

I push the bike faster, letting the speed and adrenaline clear my head

The prospect of having her waiting for me later is enough to make my cock twitch in my jeans. I grit my teeth, fighting against the rush of desire.

I take the next turn too fast, the back tire fishtailing briefly before I regain control. A grin tugs at my lips as I guide the bike through the winding streets. This is what I live for—the rush, the thrill. And after the win we just fucking had, I'm floating on cloud nine.

The bright lights of the carnival come into view up ahead, and a fresh wave of anticipation surges through me. Game time. I take a deep breath, steeling myself as I pull up to the gates and kill the engine.

Ty and Phoenix are behind me, and we exchange a wordless look as we head into the carnival. We pulled off the biggest deal since we started our side hustle, and nothing can bring us down.

The familiar chaos is comforting in a way. Amidst the garish lights and raucous noise, I feel centered. This is my world, the one I know how to navigate. Here, I'm in control.

And Alice will see that side of me tonight, too. The thought makes my blood run hot. She thinks she has me pegged, but she has no idea what I can do. What we're capable of.

I'll just have to show her.

A grin spreads across my face as I scan the crowd, searching for that familiar head of dark hair. Alice agreed to meet me here tonight. And I plan to ensure it's an experience she'll never forget.