Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“Have a seat, boys.”
Each of them got situated, sitting down in the same order that they’d entered the room. He shot a glance at the huge tank behind the old man, which housed a large black and yellow serpent. A rear-fanged Mangrove. Off to the right was a wall of rifles, mostly AR-15s. Lennox shifted his weight in his chair as silence became a close companion. Not a mutter or whisper swept the room. The quiet was broken when one of the double doors opened, followed by the clicking of high heels.
Grandpa had one of the maids he was undoubtedly fucking pass out cigars to him and his cousins. After all, Grandpa was a horny old bastard. In fact, Grandpa fucked anything that was female, pretty, and worked for him in some capacity. That’s all that was required. It simply came with the territory.
Lennox didn’t recognize this maid, though. She must’ve been new on the block. The thirtyish-year-old looking woman with long straight blond hair, dressed in a short, traditional maid’s uniform stood in front of them, bending down as she offered them fancy cigars on a silver tray and certainly showing her bare ass to Grandpa in the process.
Lennox caught sight of his reflection in the shiny surface of the tray and was filled with disgust.
I shouldn’t even be here.
But he had no choice. Grandpa had sent several of his henchmen to retrieve him against his wishes. It was a complete ambush, a well thought out plan to surprise him as he was leaving his home. Supposedly, the visit would be worth their while. He somehow doubted that, but his curiosity was piqued all the same.
After everyone had taken a cigar off the platter, the nameless maid passed by again, this time with a red snake-shaped lighter. A flicker of heat pulsed from the open snake’s mouth with each strike of her thumb. Once that task was complete, she put several ashtrays along Grandpa’s desk for them to utilize, along with small glasses of brandy. With a big fake smile, the maid then nodded at Grandpa and exited the office. Several of his cousins roughly extinguished the cigars in the ashtrays. His cousin Kage tossed his in the glass of brandy. Lennox held onto his—it might be useful to put out on Jasper’s forehead.
An old 1970’s song started to play: Crystal Gayle’s, ‘Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.’ Lennox recalled Grandpa shoving his infamous elephant tusk cane down some bastard’s throat to this tune until the poor guy choked to death on his own vomit. He also recalled the same old man laughing in a jolly way while passing out birthday gifts to one of his great-granddaughters at her party on his estate to the exact same tune, too.
“Boys, thank you for comin’,” he began, clearing his croaky throat. “Glad I didn’t have to retrieve you personally. You’ve made it easier on yourselves.”
“Can you just get to it? I’m going to be late for work.” Lennox glanced at his watch. “I don’t have all day.”
“Lennox, I’m aware of your schedule. I’ll be finished as soon as possible. I don’t waste time.” Grandpa stared at him as if the words had double meaning.
“You don’t waste time? You sure as hell are wasting mine!” Kage barked, jerking Lennox out of his gawking contest with the old man. Kage was the oldest and possibly most dogmatic cousin of them all. They all turned towards the man who sat with his leg extended, chewing on his lower lip. “Fuck you, you ancient piece of shit.” Anger poured off of him, flooding the damn room. Kage’s bushy black and silver beard caught the light just so as he landed arctic blue eyes on Grandpa, daring him. The air seemed to get colder at that moment. Grandpa’s face flushed in deep shades of red, but oddly enough, he didn’t immediately respond to Kage’s words.
“Got damn it!” Kage yelled after Jasper crept up behind him and slapped the back of his head with the butt of a rifle.
“Show some respect!” Jasper yelled.
“Respect is earned, not given, and I’ll shove that up your ass and pull the trigger, you son of a bitch! TRY THAT SHIT AGAIN!” Kage jumped up from his chair, almost toppling it over. The barrel of the gun was a mere few inches from his upper lip, but Kage paid it no mind. As he swayed back and forth, Lennox could see the tiny tip of a razor blade tucked in the man’s belt that Jasper obviously missed. A grin crept across his face at the sight of it.
“Kage, you degenerate bastard, calm down.” Grandpa smirked as he tried to restore order. “Sit back down in your chair, or the deal I’m about to propose to you will be off the table.”
“I don’t want any of your fuckin’ deals, Grandpa.”