ChapterFour
ZEUS
I’m driving to meet Dylan, traversing the familiar roads of the city on autopilot. My head is full of Chloe. I’ve kept away from her for a decade and ruined it all with that kiss last night. And now I want more. Except I’m headed towards the one person who would hate me if he found out.
Dylan and I were a good team in high school. He was the cheerful, friendly guy who threw caution to the wind, while I was the brooding, considered one. He loved the effect I had on girls, since he’d had a reputation as a bit of a nerd, and we’d go out carousing whenever we had the chance. He lightened things up, made me laugh, and was a loyal friend. But I had to leave him behind when I moved here. It wasn’t safe for the people in my past to be affected by the darkness of my father’s legacy.
I cleaned up my father’s business after he died but it took a lot of work. All that dirty money built on intimidation has now been transformed into legitimate businesses. I’ve turned his millions into billions by investing in property. But it’s had a cost, dealing with the threats from people who didn’t like the direction I was going in. I have the scars to prove it, looking over my shoulder every second of every day until I earned the respect I deserved. My name is associated with gleaming skyscrapers, not back alley deals and broken bones, but I can never forget what brought me here.
My reverie is disturbed when I pull up in front of Eduardo’s, Dylan’s restaurant. I have a faint jolt of recognition, but I can’t recall why this place seems familiar to me. I never met Chloe and Dylan’s uncle; I didn’t even know he had a restaurant. Maybe I should have kept tabs on them, but I knew I’d fixate on Chloe if I did. So I pretended like they didn’t exist until that precise moment I saw her shaking her gorgeous ass on stage.
Dylan waves at me from the window as I get out of the car. I walk in the door and he rises from his seat.
“Hey, man! That’s some car…” He clasps my hand and pulls me in for a hug.
“Hey. Long time, no see.”
He winces as I pat him on the back. Mitchell’s thugs must have given him a warning thump or two last night. “What have you been up to Zeus? Nice tatts, by the way. Chloe said she saw you last night at the Grind. I wish you’d been there when those shitheads were manhandling me…”
“Is Chloe here?” I look around, trying to see if she’s in the back.
“No, she’s gone to see a friend. I’m glad you’re here, man. I’m over my head with this shit.” He walks over to the table by the front window.
“Let’s sit over here, Dylan…” I gesture to the table at the back of the restaurant. I’m not going to sit in full view of the street while Mitchell’s got his attention on this place.
“Okay. You’ve got your own club? I wish I’d known, I’d have come to hang out. Wild boys back together again?”
I smile. Same old Dylan. “You’ll get a free pass once we get Mitchell Davert off your back. He’s a sleazebag, Dyl. Why do you owe him money?” I sit down.
“He approached me. Chloe had set up a page to try and raise money for Mom, but we needed the money fast. He said he knew Uncle Eduardo, that he loved the restaurant and so I thought I could trust him. He’s doubled the amount we owe. At this point, I’m thinking it’s just easier to let him have this place.” Dylan looks at his hands.
“You always wanted to have your own restaurant, didn’t you?”
“Yep. It was taking off, too. Chloe and I were working all the time; she gave up her dance dreams to help me get this place off the ground. We had regulars, we were going to break even. Then…”
“The doctors don’t know why your Mom is sick? It’s not related to her condition?” I glance at the street. There’s some early evening traffic, but nothing that looks suspicious.
“They’re investigating it at the moment. The money is getting her a specialist scan and some toxicology screens. She’s not as bad as she was, but it’s still a mystery what caused it. She nearly died, Zeus.”
I clap him on the shoulder. “I’m going to send my medical guy to visit her. I’m also going to pay off your loan to get Mitchell off your back.”
Dylan shakes his head. “I can’t believe you have amedicalguy. That I’ll take you up on. But I’m going to figure this one out myself. I can’t take your money.”
“Don’t be so fucking proud, Dylan. You’ve gotten yourself involved with a shitheel who won’t think twice about ruining yours or Chloe’s life on a whim.” I sit up straighter.
His eyes narrow. “I can take care of Chloe, I don’t need your help. You’ve blanked me for years, and now you turn up out of nowhere. Are you going to demand her hand in marriage as payback for the loan or something?”
“Don’t go on the attack, Dylan. I’m here to help you, not fight with you.”
“It’s up to me, Zeus. I’ll take all the help you can get with your medical guy’s expertise. I’ll sort out the money, okay?” He runs his hand over his hair. His eyes have dark shadows underneath them.
I take a breath and then stop. There’s another way to do this, if Dylan’s too proud to let me give him the money. “It’s a deal. Now, show me around this place. Are there more tables downstairs?”
Dylan perks up as he shows off the restaurant. He’s in his element, talking about his plans for the future, forgetting the situation he’s in for a moment.
After connecting him with my doctor contact, I head to the dojo to see my trainer. All the frustration of Dylan and Chloe’s predicament comes to the fore as we fight, mixing Krav Maga and Jiu-Jitsu techniques in an effort to score the most points.
My trainer holds up his hands for a time-out, smiling even though blood is running from a cut above his eyebrow. “Whoever it is, Zeus, I’m glad it’s not me…”
