AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So, boss,” he teased when Leslie walked away. “What are we doing?”
“We don’t talk business during dinner.”
He smirked. “You’re learning.”
If we weren’t going to talk about business, then what were we going to talk about? During dinner I learned a few things about Nate. He was very…proper. That didn’t seem like the right word, but it fit him. He sat up straight, put his napkin in his lap. Even the way he held his utensils was proper. He wasn’t like some of the other men that worked for the family. Someone had taught him manners. He was polite when he spoke to the waitress and didn’t stare at her ass when she walked away, even though it was clear she wanted him. He cursed but not excessively.
My food was good, but Nate didn’t seem moved by his steak. But in either case we finished our food. Leslie placed the check between us, and I grabbed it before he had the chance to say anything.
“Now, can we get down to business?” He finished the last of his beer.
“How does the family feel about me?”
Nate sighed and he bit his lower lip.
“What don’t you want to tell me?”
He blinked. “Addie…”
“They don’t like me.”
He shook his head. “I think it may have been one thing if you had been groomed all along to take over. But you went to college and Kent was… well… everyone thought he was going to take over. And to tell you the truth, a lot of the guys don’t like being told what to do by a woman.”
“I figured as much.” I took a sip of my drink.
“They don’t respect you.”
“That’s understandable.”
“They know you are…okay with death. But this business is just that… it’s a business.” He took another sip of his beer. “You can’t kill everyone, Addie, and they don’t trust the fact that you can handle the business aspect of things. And if the men in your family don’t respect you, then the men of the other families won’t either.”
Absent mindedly, I started chewing on my thumbnail.
“Your nail taste good?”
I pulled my thumb out of my mouth. “If I were to put an end to sex trafficking—”
He bowed his head and sighed. “I understand why you want to do that, but they would turn on you in a heartbeat. Listen. The boss runs shit. But the boss also needs the respect of his men. He needs to be able to trust that they won’t turn on him. Plot behind his back.”
“I wouldn’t be able to trust anyone.” I took another sip of my drink, considering my options.
“Reggie said this deal was what was best for the family and, so far, it has made us a lot of money.” Nate shrugged. “But if they feel like you can’t, or won’t, do what’s best for the family, they will turn on you before the Boss is cold in his grave.”
I tapped my forefinger against my glass. So, what the fuck was I supposed to do? Would I have to wait until I gained their trust and then make changes? Was I supposed let them steal women from their homes and families and sell them to anyone with enough money?
“What about the women’s families?”
“What about the families of the two men you killed?” Nate’s voice was merely a whisper. “What about them?”
I flinched. He was right. Matt and Frank would not be returning to their families and that was because of me. Well really it was because they were stealing from the family and that was on them. They were gone and their families probably missed them.
“Addie, if you’re going to be the boss, then you gotta be smart.” Nate took another sip of his beer.
Theen something hit me. “What if I came up with another venture that could replace the sex trafficking?”
Nate shrugged. “If the money’s good and equal to or better, then people will get on board. When you’re the Boss, what you say goes. They’ll do what you say.” He leaned in close, his eyes never wavering from mine. “But if they doubt you, they’ll plot behind your back.”
“Okay.” I nodded, feeling a bit better about things. At least I had something to work toward. “This is the last thing. What happened between us and the Sky family?”
