I clench my jaw, wanting to drive my fist into his, even with the post-orgasmic hormones mellowing me out. But we've already had this argument a thousand times, and it's not going to go any better just because she's here.
But sheishere. And she's ours, for now.
For a year.
Three-hundred andsixtydays to convince her—and him—it should be forever.
Chapter 25
KADE
I leanagainst the hood of my Lambo, lighter flicking open and closed in that rhythm that's become second nature.
Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.
The sound grounds me, keeps my hands busy so they don't reach for the gun tucked against my spine. Not yet. We're playing civil tonight.
At least until Carson gives me a reason not to.
Matt and Tony flank me, both armed, both looking bored as fuck. They've done this dance enough times to know how it usually goes—posturing, threats, someone ends up bleeding. Just another Tuesday in the life of the Kings.
"Boss." Matt shifts his weight, eyes scanning the empty warehouse lot. "You sure about this? Could be a setup."
"It's definitely a setup on our end," I remind him, taking a drag from my cigarette, watching the cherry burn bright in the darkness. "Question is whether Carson's stupid enough to actually try something."
Tony grunts. He's not much for words, which is why I like him. Gets the job done, doesn't ask questions, and when shit goes sideways, he knows which end of the gun to point at the problem.
The burn scar on my arm throbs like it always does when violence is about to happen. Sixth fucking sense. Like my body remembers what fire feels like and wants to make sure I don't forget.
As if I ever could.
Headlights cut through the darkness, two vehicles rolling up with amateur confidence. Carson climbs out of the first one, all swagger and dripping with gold chains that catch the dim light. His crew follows—six guys, maybe seven, all packing heat from the bulges under their jackets.
Only seven to our three? Carson's feeling cocky tonight.
"Kade." Carson grins, showing off a gold tooth he probably thinks makes him look tough. I just remember when he got drunk and talked shit about someone's mom, resulting in theoriginal tooth being knocked out of his thick skull. "Heard you wanted to talk business."
"Heard you've been stealing from me." I flick ash onto the concrete, watching it scatter. "Figured we should clear the air before things get messy."
His grin doesn't falter, but I see those rusty gears turning in his head. He's trying to figure out how much I know, how much proof I have. Whether he can smooth-talk his way out of this or if he needs to shoot his way out. Otherwise, he would've come alone, not with a small army.
"Stealing's a strong word."
"Cute." I take another drag. "How much you skim off the last shipment? Twenty percent? Thirty?"
"Man, I don't know what you're talking about?—"
"Bullshit." I drop the cigarette, grinding it out with my boot heel. "You've been running product to the Southside for three months. Twenty percent off every shipment, selling it for markup, pocketing the difference. That'stheft, Carson. And stealing from me specifically tends to end poorly. You've been in this business long enough to know that."
His expression shifts, the fake friendliness dropping away to reveal something much colder underneath. "You got any proof of that, boss?"
"Cyrus has enough digital forensics to bury you six ways to Sunday." I pull out my phone, show him the first page of transactions Cy compiled. "Every sale. Every buyer. Every fucking dollar you've stolen. Want me to keep going?"
The tension ratchets up another notch. Carson's crew shifts, hands drifting toward weapons. Matt and Tony mirror the movement, and suddenly we're one wrong word away from a bloodbath.
"So what?" Carson's jaw tightens. "You gonna kill me over some product? Over money you should've been payin' me in the first fucking place? Thought you were smarter than that, Stark."
"Smart enough to know when someone's testing me." I pocket the phone, my hand coming to rest on my belt buckle. Casual. Non-threatening. The gun at my back is half a second away if I need it. "Smart enough to know you didn't come here to negotiate. You came here to see if you could take me."
