Hooked with a Romantic Billionaire

CHAPTER FOUR

Grayson opened his eyes and looked around the room. For some time, he wondered where he was. But as the events of the previous evening began to play out in his memory, he realized that he had made a mess of himself.

“But how did I get into my room in a drunken state?” he asked himself. Slowly, he got out of the bed and into the bathroom to freshen up.

Coming downstairs, he could perceive the smell as Callista prepped breakfast. As she served the meal, he kept wondering what happened the night before. Curiosity got the better part of him and he asked, “How did I get into bed last night?”

“I helped you after the chauffeur brought you home.”

“I was drunk?”

“Yes, Sir”

He thanked her and set about eating his food. Thinking about the number of times he’s been intoxicated, he can’t help but wonder if he wouldn’t get into another situation anytime soon.

Callista was done with work for the day and headed home. It was the eleventh day and it doesn’t appear like Jake had figured out things. They had a long talk that evening and he assured her he was “working on something.”

By this time, Jake was already planning with his gang on how to steal the logistics van and dismantle the components to sell off. When they finally did, it was easy-peasy. A gun flashed in front of the driver after double-crossing him and menacing looks had done the job.

With the proceeds, Jake paid The Young Gunners a part of the money owed just to keep them off his back for some weeks.

The press carried the news of the missing van and asked the public to help report it to the local police if they ever saw traces of it.

“Gone with the wind” Jake muttered under his breath.

Together with his team, they stole more vehicles in the coming weeks; both those parked and those robbed at gunpoint on lonely paths. These vehicles made their way to the chop shop where the mechanics dismantled the components and helped put them up for sale.

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Since the robbery, Jake has been lively and Callista was happy to see him looking as refreshed as he was when she had met him. On different occasions, she had enquired about how he’s been able to keep off The Young Gunners as they don’t seem to be ready to make their threats come to life. She wondered if he had paid them off but that was nearly impossible considering his financial dilemma and the amount requested.

On these different occasions, Jake had refused to give further information beyond “I have settled my beef with them.” If not for any other thing, she was happy he’s lively and happy once more. That counts for something. “If he says he’s settled with them, then so be it,” she thought to herself, even though one part of her can’t help but wonder how he has been able to do that. Work continued normally for Callista and she got over the incident of the last few days.

On his part, Jake and the gang were happy to have bought some time to figure out how to raise the rest of the money. The parts of the van they had seized at gunpoint and had dismantled had fetched some fortune amounting to a little above $10,000. With these, he had paid The Young Gunners extracting the promise of flexible repayment.

Soon enough, they were back on the streets, robbing shops, pickpocketing, and committing all sorts of petty crimes just to get some extra cash to get things moving. By the end of the second week, they had raked up some $17,000 to pay back what they owe - while working their asses out to make more.

“I think Jake is hiding something from me” Callista was telling Annabeth the next time they met.

“And what could that be?”

“Somehow, I don’t believe his story of paying off all he and his gang owed The Young Gunners. I smell a fish and I don’t know the direction the rot is coming from.”

“Well, if he says he’s paid them, you best believe it. Besides, what problem of yours is it that he owes or not? You were going to leave him for good anytime soon, not so?”

To this question, Callista brooded on the possible answer to give. She’s had time, in the last couple of days, to think of her future with Jake. While she earnestly wishes to start anew and take control of her life, she also knows that he has come to be a greater part of her existence. In the last fourteen months of dating him, she has felt all kinds of emotions - from love to hate to anger, doubt and now… love all over again.

Now that she knows he stole because he desperately needed money to keep his breath going, she feels he had to do what he needed to do. “I think Jake is going through a rough patch and the recent squabble with The Young Gunners has gotten a hold of a part of him; making him act the way he did.”

“I wish to stay and watch him closely. The fact is, Jake is the kind of man I’d love to spend the rest of my life with. Take away the street part of him and all you’ll have left is a young man embodied with love and affection; even though he only got a little of that all his life.”

“I appreciate your commitment to him and hope he’s everything you hoped he turns out to be. At the same time, it wouldn’t hurt to take a seat back and allow him to do his thing. I think you’re better off getting to know his real intentions that way.”

Callista knew that her friend wanted the best for her, especially after being an insider for these last year; knowing every violent act and emotional trauma Jake had put her through. Yet, one part of her wishes he turns a new leaf and gets back to the lovey-dovey guy she had vibed with at the club on that fateful night they met.