“Oh, yeah?”
The guards around the room are moving in on us. There must be eight of them in total on this floor, and a gallery above where I’m sure more men lurk. Nick was never one to do anything half-assed.
“Mr. Jenson here tells me his brother has done something rather foolish and taken advantage of your generosity.”
The same little smile I remember from my past spreads across Nick’s face. He loves to think he’s doing right by people, and thattheyare the cause of all his problems.
“He has,” he says grimly. “A legitimate bet he can’t honor.”
“Is he still alive?” I ask.
Jax’s eyes are on the floor, but as soon as I ask that question, they rise to Monroe’s back. If looks could kill, the man would be dead already.
“Why do you care?” Monroe asks, rocking back onto his heels.
I glance at Flynn, who is watching his sister, his jaw clenched.
“It’s a problem for me,” I say smoothly. “We were in the midst of a rather lucrative deal, and this has made things difficult.”
“You were doing a deal with the Jensons?” Nick asks. “That’s disappointing, Gray. I thought you had more discerning taste than that.”
“It isn’t about them. It’s about their new club. I’m about to own eighty percent of their business in exchange for this little intervention.”
Right on cue, Flynn takes in a short, sharp breath, tension rolling off him in waves as I stand my ground.
“Don’t you own half of New York already?” Monroe quips.
“The good half,” I concede blandly. “But I’ve always wanted a spot on the water. The Jensons have an established, loyal following, and they’re building another site in the Ferry district. I get a ready-made cash cow for very little effort, and it was all going smoothly until Scott fucked up part of the deal.” I say, adding a note of exhaustion to my voice.
Nick glances at Flynn. “Surely you don’t need these idiots to help you? Hire new staff.”
I shrug one shoulder. “I could, but it would attract attention.”
Flynn shifts forward a fraction, and I can feel the guards stiffen all around us.
Might as well get to the meat of this thing and see if he plays along.
“I’m here to settle Scott’s debt. They’ll be payingmeback, with interest in the future, believe me.”
“You’ll settle his debt?” Nick asks skeptically. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“Collateral. Flynn and his whole family will be in my pocket, just as they are in yours now, but I can’t have my new club associated with you, Monroe. I got out of this life. I’m willing to pay to ensure it stays that way.”
I can see the gleam returning to Nick’s eyes now. He loves money, and that’s what he’ll want ultimately, but I know the biggest gamble is yet to come.
“That’s awfully generous.”
“Generosity has nothing to do with it. I’m guaranteeing my investment. I will own the Jensons for as long as it takes them to pay me back.”
Nick smirks, turning to Flynn. “And they sayI’mcutthroat.”
“People make their choices,” I add, and Nick nods as if I’ve said something deeply profound. I wait, nerves jangling.
“Scott’s little stunt injured a couple of my men,” Monroe says, his eyes narrowing. “Not fatally, but it’s not something I’m willing to overlook. Plus, their sister broke a few bones of her own.”
I glance over at Jax. The man behind her is covered in blood.
Good girl.
