Out of The Way

♤Unknown♤ Turning the knob, I walked into the study where Nox was waiting for me. The thick scent of cigarette smoke hit me, and I wrinkled my nose. "How many times do I have to tell you not to fucking smoke in my house?" I snapped, shutting the door behind me. He just bared his teeth, plucked the cigarette from his lips, and crushed it into the ashtray. I walked over and sat down across from him. He crossed his legs and leaned back in his seat, moving with an ease that didn’t match his bulk. He was a massive man—dangerous because of it—and that's exactly why I kept him close. "It's been a long time, Gary. So why am I here? You don’t just call for nothing," he muttered. I pressed my lips together and leaned forward, grabbing a photo from under one of the files. I pushed it across the table. His eyes stayed on mine for a second before he looked down. His brows pulled together as he stared at the image. "She's still alive," I said. He looked up, his gaze meeting mine. "It’s been five yea