“We do not. Money, while not infinite, is not something we’re short of. It’s not a resource we want to tax any further, of course,” I said, thinking that if I started spending any more money, I was going to have Augustine breathing down my neck. So far, he’d called me three times, once each week I’d been here, and I wanted to keep it that way. “And giving over funds for you to push west would be expensive beyond belief.”
“So anything that comes out of my mouth will be shot down, then?” he asked smugly, and I had to try not to roll my eyes at the blatant trap.
“Your idea would attract attention from law enforcement as quickly as if I strolled into a nearby police precinct and announced my name and intentions,” I said, tapping the desk twice in a burst of irritation. “I was put here,temporarily, to make sure operations recovered and possibly even get better,andI was put here to make sure further attention isn’t drawn to us.”
“Some would call that cowardice.”
“And others would remind them that discretion has proven repeatedly to be the better part of valor. Risk is a vital part of any business, established or new.Unnecessaryrisk is the province of gamblers and drunks,” I said, stilling my hand before it betrayed my mood with another tap. “William Senior put you in charge of handling distribution because he liked your boldness. However, trying to push an idea that my more laidback predecessor turneddown during times of plenty when we are handling a situation that is closer to a time bomb is...folly.”
His expression hardened. “Right, so be a good boy and mind my place.”
My sigh was barely repressed, and I was glad I didn’t get stress headaches because dealing with Hugo was a surefire way to get them. “I pointed out that you’re good at what you do, and that right now is not the time for experimentation or risk. We don’t need expansion right now, we need to circle the wagons, keep our heads down, and ride out this storm while we prepare to get everything back on track once it blows over.”
“You might have been put in charge without anyone else’s say, boy, but that doesn’t mean you know what’s best,” he snarled.
“You know,” I said, sitting up straight. “I wasn’t intending to tell you that you should remember your place, but clearly it’s something you’ve forgotten.Iam in charge here, and while I have already proven in three weeks that I am willing to listen to the input and ideas you and the rest have, I do not answer to you. It’s the other way around. So you will keep that in mind, or I might have to forget the good standing you have within The Family and what you’ve done for it up to this point.”
He straightened. “Are you threatening me?”
“Yes,” I said simply. “Funny how quick you are to realize that, as opposed to the difficulty you’ve had regarding my answer.”
“And how are you going to back that up?” He snorted. “With daddy?”
“It’s almost funny that many of you think I go running to him for help when I need it,” I said, my lips thinning as I raised a brow. “When it comes to how I handle business, I think of him as Augustine, or my boss, not my father, and I can assure you, he thinks of me as his subordinate long before he ever thinks of me as his son. It’s everyone else who seems unable to separatethe two, perhaps because you cannot conceive of the idea that all I’ve done and will do is born from my own talents and efforts. So allow me todisabuse you of your delusion: I do not, and will not,need Augustine’s help while I am in Cresson Point. Do not test me. You will find I am not patient with fools who should know better, and if you push me too hard, Hugo, you will find that I am not an enemy you want to have. You may live to regret it, or not; that’s up to you. But it’s also up to you to decide if crossing me is worth it.”
His face skipped red and went straight to purple as he stood up. “We’ll see how far your threats carry when you find yourself isolated. A man at the top is nice, but what happens when you have no one to catch you?”
“Considering you found your way in here of your own accord, I’m quite confident you can leave the same way.”
His jaw clenched, and he whirled around to stomp out of the office, leaving the door open.
I gestured for Will to close the door behind Hugo. I had lived too long being unrecognizable to anyone but Family, so I felt confident being out in the streets of Cresson Point. I had known that being back would be difficult, but I hadn’t expected to be so tempted to go through my old stomping grounds, to see the places I’d once felt happy.
Standing outside the hotel had been stupid, but I’d done it repeatedly. I could tell myself most of that family wouldn’t recognize me, and I could get away if I saw them, and that was true. I had spotted almost all the siblings.
I hadn’t seen Dom, though, and that had been a comfort, even as the treacherous part of my brain ached to see him again, even from a distance. I didn’t know what his schedule was like, but considering I hadn’t seen him the few times I’d stood outside, I thought I was safe. That had been stupid and sloppy. I had known it was a risk,especiallybecause I hadn’t put theslightest effort into making sure Dom wasn’t in the city. I should have seen it coming and avoided it.
Yet I hadn’t been able to help myself, standing as far from the hotel while still giving myself a good view. It was one of the few places I could go without anyone knowing where I was, and it felt... safe, secret, a part of me kept from the life I now had. There, I could find peace; it was wrapped up in the regrets and painful memories of the past, as well as the knowledge that I was forever locked out of that world, but it was peaceful. At least, amid all the negativity, there were good memories and old feelings that I could cherish while I stood there, trying to forget who I was for a while.
But that damned homeless woman. I’d noticed the way she’d paid attention to me, even though I was one of hundreds of people she had to see all the time. I had kept an eye on her, wondering if she was just crazy or if she was in the employ of someone who wanted to keep an eye on me. I never saw her anywhere else in the city, though, and while I’d kept an eye on her, I had relaxed.
So many stupid mistakes I wouldn’t usually make, and they’d come calling the other night. Dom had seen me only seconds after I realized who was wrestling with that woman, but it was enough. The only saving grace was that I had kept a driver nearby in case something dire happened, and I had gotten out of there before Dom caught up to me. There was no pretending he hadn’t recognized me, though. God knew the man had been shouting, clearly not caring that he was making a spectacle, but...he wouldn’t be Dom if he cared what people thought of him.
Will cleared his throat, pulling me from my thoughts and smiling apologetically. “Sorry. Hugo’s always been...difficult. My dad used to say he was an ill-tempered horse that just happened to be really good at pulling carts.”
“An apt comparison,” I said with a chuckle. “As likely to buck you off as he is to do his job.”
“Yeah,” Will said with a weak smile. “But, um, can I ask something...again?”
“I’ve already explained this to you,” I said with a sigh. “But let me guess. Why am I antagonizing him instead of trying to make nice?”
“Yeah.”
I eyed him. “Do you truly think there isanythingI could say or do that would make Hugo cooperate? Other than going against Augustine’s orders, and letting him take over, that is.”
Will thought about that for a moment, his mouth pulling down at the corners. “No. He’s always acted like he was the sure shot for my dad’s position if my dad ever lost it or died. My dad always said he’d rather blow up the city of Portland than give it to Hugo, who would just set fire to the entire state if he were in charge for long. He never told Hugo that, though.”
“Happy people tend to be productive,” I agreed. “But contentment is a double-edged sword. It makes them more productive and more likely to think well of the person in charge, but contentment in a leadership position can lead to indolence or rigidity. Hugo believes his way has been working so well for so long, so why should he change? Your father’s coddling of his ego and temperament fed into it, and Augustine’s choice to put me in charge has cemented it in place.”
