Cade
Where the fuck are you?
Me
At Barwon.
Cade
Why? Your idiot friend got a problem?
I haven't really talked to Cade about what I'm doing today, so I text one word:Rebecci.
My phone rings.
I swipe to answer.
"As in the fucking Rebecci mafia?"
I sigh. "Something like that."
"Isn't this a little beneath their paygrade? I know the startup is potentially worth a lot, but why is Rebecci into it?" Cade types furiously on the other end. "And don't say that's what you want to know, either. Or that Louie is in trouble financially. Even if he is, your friend is from money. It should be a bit of a no-brainer to run, even for some dudewho probably doesn't know a computer port from his asshole."
I bite down on the laugh. "Pretty fucking sure he knows that."
"Look, Enzo. If you're getting into stupid trouble, don't."
I note the concern in his voice. "You mean, like buying Barwon?"
There is dead fucking silence, even the typing has stopped. The silence is deep. Almost a smack in the face.
It is judging silence, full of unsaid, harsh words.
"Why?" he asks.
I take a breath and quietly outline more or less what is going on. I leave out the juicier side of things, but he will get the details later. After I'm done, I add, "So, I bought the company, and I'm now in charge."
"You? A CEO?"
"I'm qualified."
"An MBA you haven't used isn't a fucking qualification. It's more a decoration."
"Why are we friends?"
Fuck. I need to go to the basement. I can't think up here.
I head to the elevator.
"Honesty. You crave it from me." Then he pauses, and the computer keyboard clacks once more as he moves around in my basement, where he is working. "Your friend comes up clean right now, some debt to various establishments, a few unwise investments, but his fortune is in one piece."
I call the elevator. "I know that. It's how people like him operate."
"Otherwise, like I said, he's clean. But...this isn't as deep as I can go."
"Okay—"
"Wait. Barwon... Didn't you help this Lola get her job there?"
