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He was just saying the shit because he got challenged.
Saying whatever he thought sounded good.
I wasn’t falling for this shit, though, and neither was Blue. We’d anticipated it, preparing ourselves for the possibility of him trying to goad us into something he could take as aggression.
“This woman he mentioned, she is important to you?” Those words came across the room from a man I presumed had to be Ivan, who’d opted to stand. I remembered Jake Lincoln’s mention of him, remembered the characterization he gave.
Volatile.
That… wasn’t what I got from him though.
Dangerous, maybe.
Calculated, for sure.
But I had a feeling he didn’t make a damn move without first thinking it through.
“Why?” Blue asked, still standing as Ivan made his way to the table.
He still looked like he might go across the table at any moment and I wasn’t particularly inclined to stop him. At this point, I’d decided for us, Manuel was no ally. And I was just shy of coming to the conclusion thathewas the one who’d murdered thePredatorsleadership.
In service to Renard.
“My uncle, forgive him,” Ivan said, a hand to his chest, performing contrition. “His generation, they have no concept of the level of civilization we millennials have evolved to, you know?”
I narrowed my eyes.
Bullshit.
“I am sorry for whatever offense he caused; can we start over?” Ivan asked, looking between me and Blue. “We have business to discuss and I’m sure you gentleman are very busy.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Blue asked.
“Ivan Rojas,” he answered immediately, extending a hand across the table. “I believe you are well acquainted with my half-brother, Teodoro. We share the same errant paternity if you don’t know the story.”
“I know exactly what the fuck goes on in my club,” Blue snapped. “I know all about your wayward-dicked father; good thing a little blood doesn’treallymake you family, huh?”
Ivan smirked. “Right. Teo always did feel slighted that he wasn’t embraced, but wasn’t that to be expected with… what is the term? Project twins?” He laughed. “But again, we’re off path from the matter at hand. Please, sit,” he said, taking the seat beside Manuel, who’d smartly not opened his mouth again.
Ivan was slick too, but I wasreallywondering now about ol’ Manny.
If he was the one who’d levied the attack on thePredators, it didn’t matter whose protection he was under, who he brought on to do his dirty work.
He was going to pay for his shit soon.
For now, it was imperative for him to believe we were still looking at theMarauders.It probably looked suspicious that we hadn’t made a move on them while they were weak, still reeling from the attempt on Jake.
But, between the work we were doing to build income streams and the need to give Tati whatever she needed in the way of time and space, our lack of movement could easily be explained away.
That didn’t keep them from questioning it though.
“The last I heard from your people; you were planning to interrupt our supply chain, what happened?” Manuel asked.
“I’d think you would be glad we hadn’t made any move yet,” I answered, glaring across the table at him. “Doesn’t it make you more money, if theMarauderscan continue moving your product?” I asked.
“They haven’t been moving anything anyway; they’re tucked behind their walls, afraid of themselves,” he said. “Bunch of pussies.”
“So why don’tyoutake them out; clearly that’s what you want,” Blue spoke up. “Or what, youareafraid to fuck up your income?”
