Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 88114 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88114 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Tara remains. She made me swear I’d let her stay. She said being here would put Hugh at ease—he wouldn’t guess I’d bring her along to something so dangerous.
“What the hell is happening?” Hugh asks, staring at me, staring at the gun, his face turning pale. “I thought we were making a deal. You get the crime family and I get the company.”
“Your guard here almost ruined it for me.” I wave my gun at the guy and he flinches. “He recognized some of my people the moment he came through the door. I stocked this room with my own men, guys from my personal crew, guys I didn’t think you’d know, but I didn’t bank on the muscle here.”
“This is insane. There are witnesses.”
Clyde laughs. “We might as well be alone, Hugh. These aren’t witnesses. They’re accomplices.”
It finally sinks in. Hugh sits back, trembling, staring at me with chattering teeth. “Kellen,” he says.
I lean forward. “You poisoned my mother. You hurt an innocent woman. If you hadn’t done that, maybe I could’ve worked with you. We are family, after all. But you went too far.”
“I did what I thought was necessary. What my father said—”
“Don’t blame this on your old man. That’s too pathetic.”
“You don’t need to do this. We can work together. You don’t want the company.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But do you know what I do want?”
“What?” he whispers.
“Revenge.”
I pull the trigger. Hugh’s head snaps back and his blood and brains cover the booth and the wall behind him. The guard doesn’t move an inch despite getting his face splattered with gore. One person yelps in surprise—Tara. Everyone else only stares, unmoving.
My men, my loyal fucking men.
Hugh’s corpse slumps sideways, onto the guard.
“Get up,” I say, nodding at the man. He hurries to get from the booth and put some distance between him and his dead boss.
“What are you going to do with me?” the guard asks.
“Clyde? What do you think?”
Clyde stands up and taps his chin with his gun barrel. “Tough one. On the one hand, this guy was loyal to Hugh. But on the other, Hugh’s dead, so he might as well come work for you.”
“Tough call. Think he’d show me the same loyalty he showed Hugh?”
“Hard to say, really.”
“I will,” the guard says, raising his hands. “I never liked that prick, but he paid well.”
“How about this then? You can earn your life by leaving here and finding all the captains that went with Hugh. Find them and tell them about what happened. Tell them to come to this restaurant tonight to pledge their loyalty to me. If they don’t come, their life is forfeit, and if any fail to show up, you’re a dead man too. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir, I understand.” The guard sidesteps toward the door then practically runs out.
I shove my gun back into the waistband of my pants. I look around the room and give a little bow, grinning, and my men start clapping and laughing. “Drinks on the house,” I call out and gesture at Finn and Angus. They get behind the bar and start pouring.
“Think they’ll come?” Clyde asks softly, arms crossed.
“For that poor bastard’s sake, I hope they do.”
“A few might decide to run.”
“I don’t plan on killing anyone, if that’s what you’re trying to find out. Assuming they come here and pledge loyalty. But I meant it when I said their lives are forfeit if they try to escape.”
Clyde sighs and puts his gun away. “I’ll go talk to a few of them. How late will you stay?”
“Until the morning.”
“All right. I’ll be back with good news, I hope.” Clyde salutes with a smile and walks off.
I turn to the bar. Tara’s sitting there, watching me. She’s smiling, though there are tears in her eyes. I go to her, wading through an ocean of my men first, shaking hands, accepting congratulations, laughing at lewd jokes. Behind me, in the booth, Hugh’s body cools. His blood drips down the wall. I’ll get someone to clean up that mess and get this place back into working order soon.
For now, I finally reach Tara and take her hand. She stands and I kiss her, hugging her tight.
“It’s over then,” she says quietly.
“Not quite. One more thing to do first. But the hard part’s done.”
“Can I admit that I was nervous?”
“You can, but I’m almost insulted. This was a good plan.”
“Still, I was nervous.”
“It’s over.” I kiss her neck. “Have some wine. Head home when you’re ready. It’s going to be a late night.”
“I want to stay, if that’s okay. I mean, I know it’s not really my place, but—”
“Your place is by my side.”
She grins and we go to the bar together.
Chapter 34
Tara
The boardroom of Hayle Construction is surprisingly modern. The table’s long and thin with a massive screen at one end and a bank of windows overlooking downtown Phoenix along the side. The glass walls look out into the cubicles, though nobody is working today on a Saturday.