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COLEMAN
My phone ringsjust as I’m walking out of the office. I’ve already met with the signers this morning, apologized for my late responses and made sure to lay it on thick that I’ve just recently been married.
They were more than happy to accept my apologies for putting off the signing. And Danica was more than happy to accept a lunch date as an apology on Friday with my new bride so she can get to know her.
Now, I’m on my way to my father, slipping into the front seat of my car as I take my phone from my pocket and slide my thumb across the screen. It’s Junior, and while I would probably ignore his call any other day, business always trumping anything else, he is in charge of protecting my wife right now, and I definitely feel as if she is more important than work—which cannot be good.
“Talk to me,” I grind out.
“She got a phone call. Don’t know who it was from. She didn’t give me details, but she’s shaken, and she told me to get you.”
The internal struggle I immediately feel causes me to pause. I want to turn the car around. I want to head straight toward her, but I decide against it. Instead, I do what I must do. I head straight toward my father’s office, the same one as last night.
We are not finished. And now it’s my initiation time, as well as a meeting about what to do with the rest of the Simons, the ones still under guard. They’ll need to go back to their lives again—or not.
Either way, the meeting must happen.
“I’ll be there when I’m able. Find out whatever information you can. I’ll call you after my initiation.”
There is a moment of silence before he clears his throat, then I hear him chuckle slightly. “Congratulations, Coleman. I’m really proud of you, and I wish I could be there.”
Usually, initiations are done at night under a shroud of mystery and darkness. But this is extenuating circumstances. We’ve been without a voting executive since Uncle Dean was taken care of.
They need someone who can break the tie votes to make things fair and to continue to run smoothly. It’s me. I’m the tiebreaker, which doesn’t say much because I cannot foresee myself going against my father, the director… ever.
So we do this in the judgment’s light of day. Sucking in a breath, I shift my car intoParkand stare at the building in front of me. This is it. This is where I take the next step. Except, I’m not as excited as I should be. All I can do is think about Claire being vulnerable.
I open the car door, unfold from the vehicle, and stand tall. As I move toward the front door, I’m not surprised to see Wells approaching from the left. He stops at the door, his gaze sliding to meet mine, and I can read the worry behind his eyes.
“Better hide that expression,” I mumble as I approach him.
His chin jerks. “Can’t stop thinking about Allison being gone, but more selfishly, about Parker.”
“Yeah,” I rasp. “I’m feeling the same fucking way.”
Wells unlocks and opens the door, then stands to the side to allow me to pass. Brushing past him, I wait for him to step into the foyer to close and lock the door, then together, we move toward the meeting room.
Hendrick is standing at the door that leads into the room, a basket in his hand. I know what this is for. “Phones, wallets, keys.” His voice is monotone, and I can tell that right now, he’d rather be home and waiting for Allison to magically appear.
I take my phone, wallet, and keys out of my pocket and drop them into the basket. Lifting my hand, I clap my fingers around Hendrick’s shoulder and give him a single shake before I move into the room.
“Shirt off,” my father’s deep voice booms through the room, bouncing off the walls as I step inside.
Wells doesn’t enter the room. I look behind me, but he just gives me a smirk. He’s here for moral support. He’s not supposed to watch this part. There are rules. Big ones. And you do not get to watch an initiation of someone who is above you in rank.
Reaching for the buttons of my shirt, I quickly unbutton them, then slip my shirt off and allow it to land on the floor. “Knees,” he grinds out.
I move into the middle of the room and drop to my knees. I don’t cringe at the feeling of the hard floor beneath my bones. My father moves toward me, and the other executives do as well, forming a circle around me, but I can only see him. And then he begins to speak.
“You have been called here because you have demonstrated your worthiness for the position of executive in the family. The ability that you have displayed in your work and your loyalty promises much for you. Being an executive involves a responsibility that you must not forget—the duty to devote yourself to the welfare of the family. Make certain that you are fully prepared and fully qualified to assume responsibility.”
Instead of saying anything at all, I tell him exactly what I’m supposed to say. Only what I’m supposed to say.
“I do.”
The men move in closer. I don’t know what to expect, not really. I’ve had to murder for the family. I’ve had to blackmail. I’ve had to secure unattainable deals. I’ve had to eat a lot of shit, but I’ve never been this high up, and I have no clue what the fuck is happening.
I stay on my knees, closing my eyes as I wait for what is to come.
