Page 200 of The Fire We Make

Joy’s head felt like she was spinning and her steps felt unsteady.

What the fuck was going on?

Jermaine and his father had served as legal counsel but they’d never been allowed into Cartel business. Anything the Chapmans needed to know after their alliance was complete would come through Joy, where spousal privilege would prevent testimony.

Jermaine being there wasn’t right and something told her she wouldn’t like what she heard once she sat down.

She removed the knife tucked in her bra and tossed it on the desk in front of Jermaine. She unstrapped her gun from her thigh and scoffed when the guard held his hand out for it.

“I’d rather die,” she spat. Instead, she opened up her bag and dropped it inside her purse. She zipped the tote back up, creating the only barrier between herself and her weapon that she’d be allowing.

“Happy?” she asked.

Jermaine’s slimy grin made her uneasy. “I’m about to be. Let’s get started Thibodeaux.”

Joy sat down in the seat next to Jermaine and crossed her legs at the knee. She could practically feel his eyes on the bit of exposed thigh that appeared after her skirt rode up. It made her skin feel too tight and she wanted to claw his eyes out of their sockets just to get them off of her.

Byron cleared his throat. “Joy, you know I told you that the organization has come into some legal trouble,” he said.

Joy nodded. “Yes. So what, you want me to work with him?” she asked, jabbing a thumb beside her.

Byron shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Uh… something like that. Jermaine’s father just passed,” he paused and Joy wondered for a moment if he knew it was her but soon realized the gap was for manners.

“Condolences,” Joy said dryly.

“Thank you, my love,” Jermaine said, putting a hand on her thigh. She gripped it and bent it back at the wrist. His cry of pain made his guards step forward but he waved them off then cradled his injured hand.

“Do. Not. Touch. Me,” she gritted. “Daddy you have two minutes to tell me what the fuck is going on here before I get up and walk out.”

Byron huffed an exasperated breath like the two of them were annoying him. “Jermaine is taking over for his father and wants to take a more… active role. He has agreed to be our legal counsel and use his connections to make this go away… Under the condition that you agree to marry him and he fills the role of Cleve’s absence.”

Joy stiffened.

Surely she was hearing wrong.

Surely her father wasn’t asking her to continue on with marrying the man who’d almost killed her.

The man who ruined her life.

Surely not.

“Have you all lost your minds? I won’t marry him.”

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice,” Byron said.

Joy raised a brow. “Excuse me?”

“Cleve’s death left Byron holding the bag. Marry me or daddy dear goes to prison and your empire is dismantled,” Jermaine clarified.

Joy chuckled. “This is insane.”

“When the feds come knocking, your father goes down, probably you too. Then I won’t need you and I can just take over the Thibodeaux empire. You know what, now that I think about it, I like that plan better.”

“Jermaine,” Byron said with a warning in his tone.

Jermaine turned his hard eyes on him. “Get her in line Byron or that’s exactly what I’ll do. Nothing.”

“Get me in line?” Joy balked, standing to her feet once again. “How ‘bout I line my foot up with yo⁠—