“And what did I say?”
“Handle it.”
“Right, I said, handle that shit. But nah—you turned into Master Splinter in that bitch. Running your fucking mouth.”
Cyrus stammered, eyes already swollen, fear written all over him.
I faced the room, steady. “I don’t like repeating myself. Once is instruction. Twice is disrespect. And disrespect? That gets you put in the dirt. Let this be clear—rattin’ or disrespect don’t breathe long in my world.”
I rolled up my sleeves and looked back at Cyrus. “So I’m really curious, how the fuck you forgot that. We brought you in, fed your nappy-headed ass wife and kids, and gave you a seat at our table. And this is how you repay us?”
My fist crashed into his jaw. The crack echoed off concrete, sharp and final. Six-five, gym every day, I was in dangerous shape, and he felt all of it. He tried to form words, but I kept swinging until words weren’t an option anymore.
“Let this be a warning to anyone who decides to go against the grain.”
His face was a mess when I grabbed a plastic bag, slipped it over his head, and wrapped the tape tight until the roll ran out. He gasped. Reached for a God that wasn’t coming to save him. His body thudded to the floor, and I felt the pent-up aggression leave my body.
As I exhaled, glass shattered somewhere behind the racks, sharp enough to slice through the silence. I froze. My father’s eyes cut to mine. He was already moving toward the stairs, but I knew before he did who’d been down here. I’d caught her delectable, unforgettable perfume earlier in the night, soft under the heavier colognes and cigars. Now it lingered over the broken glass, pulling focus when I needed it most.
“Gentlemen,” my father said. “Excuse us while we take care of this.”
The crash had sent her running. By the time we reached the kitchen, she was standing there—bottle of wine clutched tight, face flushed but chin high, like posture could erase what she’d just seen.
He turned to me, “Handle it,” he added flatly.
Karyn was mid–mob-girlfriend performance, her voice high and grating. “Do you know what you just broke? That wine was worth more than you’ve probably ever seen in your pitiful life!”
“Pitiful? Bitch who is pitiful?” the planner shot back, head snapping toward her. Fire under fear. I shook my head at my future wife. She was a firecracker. I fought hard to hide the grin on my face.
“Karyn,” I snapped, cutting through her tirade. Miss Nosey looked like she wanted to light Karyn up so more, but kept it professional. “Back up and shut up. Nothing in this motherfucking house belongs to you. Figure out where your place is and stay there.”
Karyn’s mouth clamped shut, but not before her eyes flicked over the planner—sharp, calculating, like she was filing away the whole exchange for later. Most would’ve missed it. I didn’t.
She opened her mouth, caught my face, and closed it. My father set a hand on her shoulder and steered her aside, leaving the planner stiff and shell-shocked. Her eyes darted once, quick, like she was weighing whether to run or hold her ground. Smart enough to choose stillness.
“Everyone saw you go down there,” my father said to her, voice low and edged, an edge I didn’t like.
Not when it was aimed at my future wife.
She wasn’t built for this world, but she was standing there anyway, hands steady even with eyes on her. That edge in his tone made me want to snap, not at her, but at him. If there was going to be fear in her eyes, it would be because of me. Not because Legend Grimson pressed it into her.
“Question is, what exactly did you see?”
I stepped closer, shielding her from my father, heat rolling off me before she could answer. “And more importantly, what are you going to do about it?”
“I didn’t see anything, Mr. Grimson.” Her voice caught for half a second before she steadied it. She tried to move, but I didn’t let her. I caught her at the waist and guided her back, making it clear she wasn’t slipping away from this so easily.
“Not so fast,” I murmured in her ear. Her heart was racing; her spine stayed straight. I knew grown men who would’ve pissed themselves right there. “A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t be sneaking around in basements. I could smell your perfume from across the room.”
“Huh?”
“Aye, give us some privacy,” I ordered. Everyone in the kitchen scurried off, leaving just me and my new obsession.
“If you can, huh, you can hear pretty baby. What’s your name?”
Her chest rose and fell. She pulled her breath under control. “Co…Colecion.”
“That’s beautiful,” I said evenly with a smile. “Why were you down there? Looking for me?”
