Dylan’s calm steps echo in the silence of the house as he heads to the front door to greet our guests before the doorbell rings.As they exit their vehicles, he messages me with how many men Vincent has brought along.Three cars and eight men.
“Fucking wimps these days,” I mutter, sharing the message with Jer.He looks just as disgusted as I feel.
We hear Dylan acting the perfect host as requested, offering drinks and snacks to everyone while letting them know I’ll be along shortly.Which isn’t true.We aren’t moving until the drugs are in place and everyone is out clean.I give Carter the signal; he’ll instruct his men to move.
Dylan looks mighty annoyed as he closes my office doors and meets us in the kitchen.“Nobody can just do business these days,” he grouses while filling a pitcher with water and grabbing the plastic cups I keep for my grandson.“They want to act like children; I’ll treat them as such.”He then grabs the box of Goldfish crackers I’d stocked up on for Emma after noticing how much she enjoyed them the other night.
We stay out of the man’s way as he moves around the kitchen before exiting.Sharing a look, Jer and I go back to the security office to watch Vincent and his men’s reaction when Dylan enters my office with the drinks and snack, snarkily instructing them not to make a mess.
Vincent fumes, and a minute later, my phone blows up with messages.I ignore him, waiting to hear from Dylan and Carter.Dylan takes minutes, and we watch Malice and Holy re-enter my office and remain in the shadows, ready to assist however I please.
Twenty minutes later, the box of Goldfish is empty, and Carter has informed me that his men are in the clear.
“Our turn.”I share a look with Jermaine as we stride towards my office.
The opening of the door startles all the men in the room.They draw their weapons, not lowering them until Vincent lets out a little chuckle to cover their blunder.
“Jumpy,” Jer comments, drawing grumbles from our guests.
Meeting Malice’s gaze, I subtly shake my head so he doesn’t come forward.They need to remain in the background for now.
“Sit.”My frigid tone is like ice in the room.Everyone does as I demand except Vincent.It’s amusing to see him look unsure of himself while his men fall in line.“I don’t appreciate the disrespect from our first meeting, and certainly not in my own home.”
He swallows as I slowly move around my desk to sit in the leather wingback chair, custom-made for me.Jermaine moves to the sideboard filled with glasses and liquor and pours us both a couple of fingers of our favorite aged whiskey, neat.
“A little crowded in here, don’t you think?”Jermaine’s gaze wanders from man to man, making each of them shift uncomfortably.
“Perhaps a few of you could wait outside,” I suggest.“This meeting shouldn’t be too long now.”Shared looks go around the room before, one by one, they stand and follow my request.Vincent doesn’t appear quite as confident as he was in his home.Six of them clear out, and I have no doubt that Dylan will escort them outside.As much as the man annoys me, he can read my mind on the worst of days.“Much better, don’t you think?”
“Immensely,” Jer agrees with a smug look on his face.
“Well, Vincent, how can we help you today?”My mother always insisted on showing kindness before shoving the dagger deep into their guts.I’ve lived by that rule for most of my adult life.
“I want to buy you out,” he states simply, making a real effort not to squirm in his seat.
“Is that so?”I take a sip of my drink, the slow burn cooling my temper only marginally.“The Cavanaughs and Sinclairs have run this city for generations.What makes you believe we’d give up that legacy?And to an outsider no less.”
“Well, uh, as you know, my father, Carlisle–“
“Ah, yes, how is old Carlisle?I heard a rumor this morning that a body was found in the Hudson River…a bullet hole to the head.The man looked an awful lot like your father.”I take another drink, chugging the rest back before slamming the crystal glass on my desk, making Vincent and his remaining men jump.
“Yes, that…well… It’s unfortunate, you see.His enemies, there were many.”Vincent makes the sign of the cross.He’s a good actor.
“Enemies.I didn’t realize that included you.”
His anger appears, flashing in his eyes like a lightning strike as I get to my feet and place my hands palm down on the smooth cherry wood.“I dislike being lied directly to my face, boy.”
“Who said it was me?”he challenges, lifting his chin, trying to hide his fear of me.
“I know everything that happens in this state.I have ears in every organization, and you are such a little nobody that it wasn’t hard to turn people.”
Sneering at me, Vincent gets to his own feet, his hand in his pocket.
I laugh and shake my head as Jermaine tells him, “Not a smart idea.”
Malice and Holy step forward then, expertly disabling Vincent’s two men, who are still wary of their place here, by kicking out their knees and pressing the muzzle of their guns to the back of their heads as they kneel in front of the brothers.
“A fucking ambush?”Vincent shouts.
