We. Meaning me.
Feeling my jaw clench, I roll my neck to try and workout the tension. He’s always a fucking step ahead.
“Not only that, but I have you out of Lannister’s grasp. See, the girl sent to Tyler’s door is Lannister’s daughter. She was kidnapped and trafficked. And my boy Tyler here saved her and is ready to serve her up on a silver platter to Lannister in exchange for you to be free of your contracts. The rest, well, he was just showing off. Showing you what he can do for you when you become a part of us.” He shrugs as he puffs his cigar.
“Well played, Mitchell. I have to give it to you, that was a good plan.” Another one of the men says, Greg, who’s a Judge.
“And this will work?” Daniel asks skeptically.
“It always works. If it doesn’t, we will find another way. But how can Lannister say no when we have his baby girl.” Mitchell shrugs, as if he’ll be the one putting in the hours of work it will take.
As if Katerina is a fucking piece to be tossed around.
All the men shake hands with me and Mitchell and exit the room to let me get to work.
“You fucking used me. Used my skills and knowledge as leverage. The skills and knowledge I had to learn to survive this world you forced me into. You used a vulnerable girl,” I growl.
“Oh please, Tyler. Don’t act like you aren’t using it to your advantage, either. It’s what you do. It’s why we have all the investments and contracts we do. You know the job. It isn’t always pretty. Sometimes all it is, is a contract. Sometimes it’s someone’s head on a platter to secure that contract. I cleaned up the mess you made. You pissed off each of those men and I hadto find a way to morph it to work out in our favor and I did. You should be thanking me.”
I let out a snarl, angry at the fact there is truth in his words.
“That’s what I thought.” He takes the bourbon decanter and pours another glass.
“And those women?” I ask.
“A bunch of whores. See, I did a good thing. They have better lives now because of this whole plan.” He sits down, looking smug.
I shake my head. “Why didn’t you just give me the assignment like normal instead of all this bullshit?”
“Because they needed to see you caught off guard and doing your best work to gain their trust. I’m asking all of them to sever their loyalty to a huge company. They needed raw, real proof of your capabilities.”
No other words are shared between us when I exit the room. After hours of working out severing their contracts, I have our guys bring Katerina home safely.
I spend the next few hours creating our own contracts for these bastards, damning myself for even creating ties with men like this in the first place.
We’ll spend one more night here to celebrate and solidify our win with each of the men. Making sure there are absolutely no loopholes for them to leave without crumbling their own empires. That’s all this is. Modern day kingdoms run by stupid foolish kings in suits.
After I do research on their hit requests, I finally make it back to my room and lay on my bed, finally looking at the thread with Sunny. And I wonder if that’s what it’ll be like when she leaves. If she will even let me live in this thread with her or shut me out entirely.
It feels weird being apart.
The words make me smile. Because it means she’s realizing how empty a life apart will be. Maybe it will make her realize she needs to stay.
Just stay with me, Sunny.
It is, isn’t it? I’ll be home tomorrow. I don’t think I can handle another day apart.
I shoot my text to her.
That’s when I realize, I don’t want to spend another minute away from her. I send Mitchell a text, telling him I’ll finalize the contracts from Boston and email them to him to have the men sign.
I don’t care if it pisses them off. I’m going home to my girl. I don’t want more time stolen from us.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
SUNNY
After a long shift,I walk from the doors of the hospital, through the dark parking garage to Tyler’s truck. He’s been letting me use it to get to and from work while he’s been gone over the last few days.
