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“You never asked your dad to fund them?”
“With his drug money? Cash he’s made from moving guns? Yeah, let me sign up for that.” He rolled his eyes. “I don’t even want the money he’s made legally through his businesses. I’m not him, Junior. Never have been.”
“I didn’t think you were. I made it clear to him I didn’t want his business colliding with mine.”
“You’re a fool if you think my old man won’t find a way to control me from the inside. He’s devious, cunning.”
“Then we find a way to keep that from happening,” Greer cut in.
“I know all about you, Greer Lynx. You and your brother. You think you can help me? I’m not worth the effort. I’d be better off with a bullet in my head, but I can’t find it within myself to pull the damn trigger. I don’t have a death wish. If I did, I’d let one of my dad’s rivals take me out. I just want to be left alone, but as long as I have Altair blood pumping through me, that won’t happen. Give me the contract to sign.”
Renee slid the finalized papers over without speaking a word. She wasn’t naïve to what the other half of the Altair family did, but she was firmly on Perry’s side in everything.
JJ scrawled his name where the arrows directed him then pushed it back toward Renee. “I need two weeks to get my shit in order. I didn’t expect to be forced from my shop to turn my life into that of a corporate robot. I need to make sure my customers are taken care of, and the shop runs well without me there.”
Perry nodded. “That’s fine. Take all the time you need.”
Renee got up and left, no doubt heading to her office to finalize things.
JJ waited for her to leave to speak again. “You tell me that and you’ll never see my ass again.”
“We don’t need to be enemies.”
“Don’t we? We’re night and day. You grew up with a father who would have handed you the sun if you asked for it. Mine put a gun to my mother’s temple and blew her brains out in front of me for cheating on him. I was three, Junior.”
I couldn’t breathe at his words. I knew Perry’s aunt was murdered but it was reported as a robbery gone wrong. I never thought… didn’t want to imagine… Poor JJ.
“Don’t,” he pointed at me. He didn’t miss a thing. “I don’t want your pity. None of yours. I’ve had a lifetime of scenes I’ll never forget. Maybe this shit here won’t be too awful after all. Normal even. I could have that, right? A slice of the life you live.” He leaned back and propped his greasy boots on the table, crossing his legs at the ankle as he interlaced his fingers behind his head.
That was the end of the very long rope Perry was holding. He finally lost his temper. It was about damn time.
“Get your motherfucking feet off my goddamn table,” Perry growled. “I get that Jordan is giving me money in exchange for me doing this for you, but I will not tolerate your fucking insolence. This is my company!” He slammed his fist down on the table, the vibration from it reaching me where I rested my arms. “Now remove your boots before I have Peyton break your fucking legs. Jordan isn’t the only one who can make threats.”
JJ grinned. Fucking smiled. His entire face changed as did his attitude. Was the previous one not really him? “There.” He pointed at Perry and sat up, dropping his feet to the floor. “That was what I wanted. I knew it was in there. I just didn’t know how to get it out.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re not as even-tempered as you seem.”
“Was that bullshit you were feeding me?”
He shook his head. “Yes and No. Some fact mixed in with an attitude I knew would fire you up. But you, like this, I can get behind that and help you. I won’t work for a spineless asshole, because shit is going to hit the fan eventually. You made a deal with Satan himself. There’s only one way for that to end.”
JJ stood, nodded to us, and left. Peyton followed him out the door, closing it behind him.
“What the hell just happened?” I asked.
Greer leaned back in his chair. “That was JJ testing Perry and finally getting the results he wanted.”
“So, JJ’s not really an asshole?”
“Oh, I’m sure he is, but he’s one who seems to be on our side. We know he hates his father. Hates that life. This is his chance for freedom. Redemption if he wants it. That’s what you have to worry about, brother,” he said to Perry. “JJ is getting something he’s wanted for a long time. A way out from under his father and one not of his own doing. He’s brilliant if you think about it. He’s getting out, slowly, and in a way that was Jordan’s idea. I’d still heed his warning though.”
Perry pushed back from the table and stood. “I’m not sure if I should throw up or celebrate. I need time to digest this shitshow.” He left the room without another word.
Greer got up next, clapping me on the shoulder on his way out.
I stayed where I was for a while, trying to parse together what I’d just witnessed. Whatever happened going forward, it was going to be interesting, that was for sure.
