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“Are you having a moment of self-reflection?” She cocks her head, raising her brows.
“This isn’t about me, Indie. I know it takes dedication, sweat, and a hell of a lot of determination, all of which you've been pouring into Austin. It’s time to live for yourself, Indie. He will be an adult next month. You can’t carry him forever.”
“What would you know about struggle, about family commitment and obligation? You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, Roman, so don’t you stand there and lecture me.”
I let out a frustrated breath. “I know more than you think. Silver spoon or not. We all have our problems, Indie. It’s how we deal with them that defines us.”
Her face drops, and her jaw softens.
“The only thing stopping you, Indie, is yourself.”
Indie tilts her head and looks at the ceiling, letting out a long breath. I don’t know if she’s frustrated with me, or herself.
“Are you having a moment of self-reflection?” I use her own words back at her. She snaps her head up and looks at me with an offending glare.
I cock my head and grin. “You know I always win.”
“Yeah, because you're a deceiving and obnoxious ass.”
“I’m still your boss, Indie,” I remind her sternly.
“I want a contract drawn up immediately. I don’t trust you. At this rate, I’ll owe you money for the rest of my life.”
I can’t help but smirk as I return to my desk and sit down.
“This is not a joke, Roman. This is my life.”
“Yes, and don’t stand there and tell me it’s not better now.”
“Better, how? I work for an arrogant man that is extorting me and abates criminals.”
“You can pay your rent on time. Put food on the table and not have to work multiple jobs. I’d say that is a lot better.”
“Yeah, maybe so, Roman. But I don’t sleep any better at night, so get the contract organized.” She starts to leave, stopping at the door and adding. “Today!”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Roman
TODAY HAS BEEN A FUCKING day! I sigh to myself, rubbing the back of my neck.
My dad had a moment at two in the morning. He called me to discuss his ongoing concerns about the company in his absence. No matter how much I explained everything was running fine, he was not convinced. The time at home seems to have worsened his paranoia, to the point of driving me mad with it. By the time I had calmed him down, it was after four, and I could not get back to sleep. Then when I finally did, I slept through my alarm, making me late coming into work.
On my way into the office, I received a call from Kade Wilson, aka, Cobra, insisting he sees me this morning. Cobra is not a man you want calling you demanding a meeting. I’ve known Kade for about five years now. I first met him when one of my clients was in deep water and had Cobra chasing his ass. After negotiations with him on behalf of my client, we formed a business relationship and one that, on many occasions, has saved me or my client from trouble.
Kade is well known in the Boston underworld for his quick and lethal strike. Hence, getting the name Cobra. I’m not sure if it was before or after the name given to him that he got the tattoo on his neck, but it is fitting of the man inside and out. Kade is not one to mess with. He works for himself and is rarely ever seen in public, only coming out of his den when he has a job to do, or should I say, a person to hunt.
My meeting with Cobra this morning did nothing to make my day better. He came with information that my brother had tried to contract a hit on me. My own fucking brother. How did he not think that this would get back to me? Is he truly that stupid?
It wasn’t a hit to kill but a hit to incapacitate me enough that I’d be useless to the company. One of Cobra’s old colleagues contacted him, letting him know that Liam had hired a man from Mexico, a man that’s not known or affiliated with anyone in the Boston underworld. Kade's informant knew it would be of interest to him for the right price. I shake my head to myself. Fucking money! That's what all this boils down to. Not loyalty, not decency. Fucking Money. For the right price and desperate enough circumstances, anyone is willing to spill their guts for it.
I knew Liam was desperate to take on the company for himself and well aware he had felt jealous and threatened by me for years. Although, actually wanting to harm me is a new level of desperation, and one I cannot ignore.
Apart from ramping up the security at my apartment, there’s little I can do until Kade gives me the word he’s handled the Mexican. His sources tell him he’s not yet entered the border, but no one can be really trusted in this world. Evidently, not even family.
In the past decade, I’ve dealt with some pretty sketchy men. I’ve dined with Boston’s underworld elite, danced with their wives, and fucked their daughters. I’ve defended some of Boston’s biggest and worst criminals. None of that has scared me. Yet none of that has prepared me to take on my brother. It’s an unspoken law of the underworld. So, if this gets out that Liam has a contract on me, he’s in more danger than he knows.
This must be dealt with smartly and swiftly, but my brother has been refusing my calls all fucking day. So, tonight I will pay him a little visit.
