Chapter 88

“You’re sure you’re ready for this?” Sinead asked.

Marc sighed, trying to project serene confidence to the Detective, but didn’t have a chance to say anything.

“He’s already been in there before,” Jules said. “You said Victor looked tired and sounded worried about his internal business, right?”

“I did,” Marc nodded. “He referenced a previous conversation where he was concerned about theft. I presume he’s worried about employees skimming from his operation more than would be expected.”

“Considering he’s funding his lifestyle doing the same thing, that’s a little rich,” Jules murmured and shook her head. Then she focused on Sinead. “He’ll be fine.”

“I will be fine, Detective,” Marc added.

“Jesus Christ, you two,” Sinead scoffed. “I meant, is he ready to put on the act alone instead of with me beside him. Going undercover without a partner is harder than with.”

Marc got the distinct impression that the look Detective Xu gave Detective Connors was communicating mild, sarcastic disbelief.

“Yes, Detective,” Marc assured Sinead again. “I am ready to go. I will not really even be ‘undercover’ - I’m simply being myself. In an odd circumstance, certainly, but still myself.”

“I’d still feel better if you were wearing a wire,” Jules said.

“Except that the wire, besides being dangerous, would require me to testify if anyone found out about it,” Marc reinforced his previous argument over wearing a mic, or even a button camera. “And, for our goals today, it is entirely unnecessary. Where the crates are moving, when they are moving, and how if possible, oui?”

“What and why would also be helpful,” Sinead said.

“All the questions,” Marc smirked a little. “Bon. Then it’s time.”

Sinead looked like she wanted to say something else but she quashed it, simply nodding instead.

“Be careful,” Jules cautioned him. “We’re only going to know you need help if there are gunshots or you let out a bloodcurdling scream in the yard.”

Marc chuckled and shook his head. “If either of those things happens, I assume your help would be too late anyways.” He turned and got into his car, getting himself settled as the Detectives got into their unmarked cruiser. There was a part of Marc that had wanted to reassure Sinead more - it was the role of a Dom to make sure that, unless a little bit of fear was intentionally part of the game and in measured amounts, the submissive should feel safe and trust in their Dom.

No matter what he or Detective Xu said, there was no making this meeting perfectly safe. Something could go wrong. Hell, Victor could be setting him up for an ambush if he had figured out that Marc was playing him, or that Sinead was a police officer. Or it could be even more simple than that and the Italians, despite the assurances of the men in charge that nothing would follow Marc, had decided that he needed to be taught a lesson. Marc had run through the particular scenarios several times and had come to the conclusion that none of them were likely, but many were mildly possible.

But oftentimes, the most likely scenario was the most correct. Victor wanted to use Marc’s particular set of skills, and that was all this was.

They had met about ten blocks away from the warehouse in a Tim Horton’s parking lot, so Marc pulled onto the street and headed towards the lake. It was a clear evening, a little warmer than the last few weeks, and the snow on the streets was starting to melt away. That made the city damp, unfortunately, and grimy with the dirt mixed into all the melting slush. It was his least-favourite time of year.