delirium (sequel to apathy)

25

    25

Maurice and Martin stared each other down, neither of them budging. Martin was set out on getting his money, and Maurice was set out on not paying him. Avery and I exchanged awkward glances, the tension in the room almost completely suffocating. Martin adjusted his stance in front of Maurice's desk, still glaring him down.

"I suggest you pay me."

"And I suggest you get the fuck out of my club."

Martin broke eye contact with Maurice, looking over his shoulder at Avery and I. He looked surprised, and stepped back from Maurice's desk. "Wow, so that's how you treat an old friend?" He questioned, to no one in particular. "That's just..sad. All of the things I've done for you, and you do me like this?" He shook his head, looking over at Maurice. Avery and I looked at each other one again, and I rubbed the back of my neck.

"You must really have a death wish, huh?"

"What?" Maurice frowned.

Martin grabbed the gun he placed on Maurice's desk, pointing it right between his eyebrows. Maurice visibly flinched, staring up at Martin. I would flinch too if some crazy nigga was pointing a gun between my eyes. I hadn't known Martin for that long, but even I knew that he wouldn't hesitate to shoot Maurice.

"Look here, you either pay me my fucking money, or I leave your brains splattered all over your desk and wall."

"I'm not paying shit to you, Martin," he mumbled, which provoked Martin to ease his finger onto the trigger.

"Oh really? I will kill you Maurice. You can either become an asset or an obstacle. I'm giving you a choice here, friend."

"Fine!" Maurice huffed. Martin lowered his gun, smiling at Maurice. "You can have your fucking money. At the end of whatever you're planning Martin, I want my money back."

Martin laughed, "You aren't getting shit from me, Maurice. I want my fifty - five million by the end of the week. It will not be pretty if I have to come back up here."

"What?!"

"You know how to get my money to me, I'll be waiting, Martin smiled, then turned on his heel and left the room. Avery and I followed out behind him, leaving Maurice alone in his office. He probably had no clue what the fuck he was going to do, but he needed to do something, and fast. I definitely didn't want to be in Maurice's place, and not pay Martin his money. I would most likely, without a doubt, be six feet under.

The three of us walked out of the club, through the thick smoke and out the door. Our ride was waiting outside, and without a word, we all got in. The limo ride was silent, and Martin was once again on his phone. I heard him mumble something about Major, but other than that, no words were spoken.

Once were inside the house, we all went our separate ways.

And then we began waiting for the money.

Which took a while to come in.

It was tiring, waiting for something that you knew that something was going to come in, and anticipating it. I was anxious, but I knew no matter what Maurice was going to pay Martin - with or without brute force.

I watched Martin as he counted through stacks and stacks of money, mumbling to himself as he did so. He split it down the middle - unevenly, then split one portion into two. Avery and I watched him closely, and once Martin had looked like he was finished, he looked at me.

"This is yours," he told me, giving me the biggest portion of them all, pushing it towards the edge of the table. I watched the money fall into a duffle bag at the bottom of the table, and zipped it up when I had picked up some stacks that didn't make it into the bag initially. Maurice had waited until the last minute to pay Martin, which wasn't a good idea. He didn't quite appreciate that, so Martin gave him exactly what he needed. I've never seen a nose bleed and black eye as severe as Maurice's and he certainly did pay up a few extra after that. I mean, who wouldn't? Only a complete idiot wouldn't pay for his protection when someone tells you straight up that you were going to need it.