“You’re thinking about her,” Jer states quietly.“It’s going to distract you.”He’s likely not wrong.
Instead of responding, I take a step out of my office and holler for Dylan.
“Sir?”He pops up from around the corner.The man is always close by.
“When Vincent arrives, ensure he’s settled in here with a warm reception.”Without hesitation, he agrees, and Jermaine walks with me to the back of the house, just off the kitchen, where the security suite is located.
It’s not often I turn on the cameras in my office, and they never record, but I’d like to watch the younger man squirm before Malice and Holy make their appearance first.
“What’s the plan, Car?Feels like you’re leaving a lot to chance and intimidation.”His skepticism is why he’s my right-hand man.
“Vincent believes he’s leaving here with an empire today.An empire our families have spent a century building with precision and hard work.He’s about to learn just how hard we play when threatened.”
“I do enjoy serving lessons.”He’s getting it now.“You know he’ll try coming at us bigger and bolder afterwards, right?”
“Very likely.”
I unlock a credenza door, punch in the safe code, and show Jer the brick of cocaine I’ve been saving for such an occasion as this.“It’ll be hard once the police find a few of these babies hidden around his home in the morning.”
“How long have you been planning this?”It’s not often I’m able to shock my friend.
“Since I heard he was taking over for Carlisle.”That was nearly a year ago, and Carter O’Neill has been a huge help in securing the amount of drugs I’ll need to send the entire Malone organization to prison for a very long time.
“You’re clean?”he asks.I shoot him an annoyed look, and he raises his hands.“Just need to be sure.”
Carter has a few trusted men ready to slip into Vincent’s home and plant the evidence once he’s here.This brick will make its way into the man’s car after he arrives here as well.Dylan has been instructed on what to do after we’ve locked ourselves inside my office with the intolerable man.
My phone vibrates in my pocket.Assuming it’s one of my security people letting me know that Vincent is here, I ignore it until it vibrates again.Pulling out the device, I see it’s a message from my middle daughter.
Aura: Hi Daddy, I wanted to see if we could have dinner tonight?
I raise a brow, not being used to her extending the invitation to me.Which makes my response more difficult.
Me: I have dinner plans already.
Aura: Oh, okay.
Me: Join us.You can come here or I can pick you up or you can meet us there?
Aura: I don’t want to intrude.
The girls have all been pushing me to date for years, and she likely assumes that’s what this is.
Me: You wouldn’t be.I’d love to have you there with us.
Aura: You’re sure?
Me: Positive.Just let me know how you want to get there and I’ll make it happen.
Aura: Meet you there?
Me: Sounds good.We’ll be there at six.
A few minutes after sending her the address, she texts back laughing emojis, and I figure she’s looked it up.She probably has a million questions but asks nothing more.
My phone buzzes again, this time from my security guard a block away, announcing Vincent’s arrival.
“Game time,” I say, then text Malice the same thing.
