“How did we not know this?”
“Lorcan Anders was never a stupid man, Boss,” Danny interjected. “For years, the two of you were neck and neck in everything. He at least knows he can’t just return and think people will flock to him. He’s building, like Paul explained.”
“Then we squash him before he can get any bigger.” I clenched my jaw. That family was a thorn in my side. When he’d left Northchester, it had been a relaxing time.
“How?” Paul asked.
I grinned. “He’s helping these businesses out to gain leverage, prestige, whatever the fuck he’s calling it, right?”
Paul and Danny nodded.
“I say we pay these businesses a visit, help them cut ties with Lorcan, keep them in the green and grateful to me, not threatened by him.”
Danny’s brows rose. “That’s not bad. You’ll be kicking the hornet’s nest, though. You ready for that?”
I narrowed my eyes at Danny. “This war started the second my brother’s house was set on fire and I almost lost my entire family. If Lorcan is behind it, he won’t get a chance to run this time. I’ll fucking kill him slowly, painfully, and his corpse will be a message for anyone ever thinking of going after what’s mine.”
There was no argument, and I knew Danny and Paul would be beside me while it all went down, as would my other men. Right now, I needed to weaken whatever strength Lorcan had.
“Call Alan. Let him know we’ll be at Kaleidoscopes tonight and we want to talk to him…make it sound like we’re doing him a favor, and that calling Lorcan would be a very bad idea.”
“Oh, a favor and a threat all in one.” Paul rubbed his hands together, the idiot.
“Make the call.”
I sat back in my chair and stared out the window at the city that stretched out for miles. It was mine—everything I could see, touch, taste, and smell. If Lorcan Anders thought he’d try to take it from me, he’d learn the same lesson his brother did: you touch it; I break you.
CHAPTER FIVE
Pennsylvania
Today I was givingAlan my two weeks’ notice. I never left a location without having something set up elsewhere. Drifters weren’t welcome in a lot of towns, but if I had somewhere to go to, it went a lot smoother for me.
I waved at Mrs. Mayne on my way to work. It was a clear night—cold, but it didn’t bother me. I wrapped the new red scarf Mrs. Mayne had given to me, for “always helping out,” around my neck, and I covered my mouth. My ears were warm under my beanie, my coat zipped, hands stuffed into my pockets.
I entered Kaleidoscopes through the rear entrance, moved to the employee lounge, and hung up my winter gear.
Normally the place was at capacity. Raucous laughter would fill the space, and loud music, but not tonight, it seemed. It was quiet except for a few voices toward the bar. I made my way there; maybe it was a private party or something.
As soon as I stepped out, I froze. The man from the fire, Gideon’s brother, was sitting on a barstool, two others behind him, and Gideon Hendrix himself was beside him. Lacey andAlan were behind the bar, and every single person turned to me when I appeared.
“Here he is, Mr. Hendrix.” Alan smiled and waved at me to join him. “Don’t be afraid, Penn. Mr. Hendrix here just wanted to ask you a few questions, if you don’t mind.”
Afraid…funny. But I played the part of wide-eyed worry, nodded, and shuffled over to the dangerous man.
“Evening, Mr. Hendrix,” I tried to soften my voice in the hopes his brother wouldn’t recognize it.
“Hello, Penn. This is my brother, Dean, and behind me are Danny and Alex. I was simply hoping I could ask you about an encounter you had…I think it was a few days ago?”
The wave of power emanating from Gideon was practically suffocating. Even sitting down, I could tell he was taller than my six two. His thick black hair was slicked back, and his coal-black eyes stared at me as if he were trying to dissect every emotion from within.
“Sure, I suppose. What encounter would that be? This bar sees a lot of interesting things.” I chuckled, and Gideon grinned.
“I imagine so. This is particular. It was closing, you were here, and a man entered, had a key?”
Ah, okay, of course that was what this was about. I glanced at Lacey, who tipped her chin up in a “go on” kind of way.
“Yes, I remember, but it was two men, actually. Only one introduced himself, though.”
