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Being in charge of the Ruthless Kings has taught me that leadership is more than what you say you’ll do. It’s about actions and wise decisions. I’ve known since the first course of this meal I won’t be doing any of Davis’s dirty work. Once the dessert course arrives, he dangles a carrot. I can tell by the look of glee on his face that he’s been saving this last bit of information.
“Let’s face it,” he says through a mouth of chocolate cake. “Mayor Prudent has outdated, old-fashioned ideas about how to help this city. He truly believes the gangs are the problem, not the corrupt politicians and businessmen. You have experience with that.”
I stare him down, indicating for him to get to the point.
“If Mayor Prudent wins,” he continues, “he’ll keep coming after you and your men. He wants you to disappear so he can say he did something good for the city while he was in office. If I win, I’ll make sure the Ruthless Kings get immunity for all crimes. Past, present, and future. I know, much more intimately than Mayor Prudent, all the service you’ve done for this city.”
I bristle at his offer. He’s handing me a literal Get Out of Jail Free card. I couldn’t ask for a better deal. The second I consider saying yes to his offer, I get a flash of Damien. I see the wall in his trailer with all the gifted children he was going to exploit for his gain.
Everyone has an agenda. No matter what Davis says, I can’t guarantee his agenda will truly benefit the place I call home. He could have terrible intentions for the citizens of this city. He could be a madman, drunk with power. He could back out of our deal and screw me over in the end.
Then again, he could be an honest man who feels like this is his only real shot at winning the election. Everything he’s offering could be legitimate, and I’d be a fool to turn him down, but it’s not something I’m willing to take a gamble on. Not this time.
“It’s a tempting offer, Davis,” I tell him. His face brightens, as if he knows he’s got me right where he wants me. “Unfortunately, I’m saying no. I wish you the best of luck with your campaign. Hell, I might even vote for you.”
His face falls. A look of desperation flashes in his eyes. But he doesn’t let his guard drop for a second. He plasters his politician face back on and holds his hand out.
“Well, Nicholas, I appreciate you taking the time to have dinner with me this evening. At least we got a fantastic meal out of it.”
I shake his hand, noticing his grasp is too firm for my liking. For a split second, I consider how unwise it was to come to this meeting without backup. Then he releases my hand and taps on the table again. The waiter reappears and offers to walk me out. I leave feeling baffled by the entire interaction.
CHAPTERFOUR
The sound of pool balls hitting against each other reaches my ears as I step into the hazy bar. The sweet smell of nicotine fills my nostrils. I have half a mind to pull out my pack and start chain smoking. I usually wait until after a lay to light up, aware that some women don’t like kissing a guy who’s chain smoked for the last hour. I’ve gotten enough notes over the years.
Tonight, I’m too wound up to care. Without any conscious thought, I pull a cigarette out of my pocket and ask the bartender for a light. I pull in a long drag and fill my lungs with the smoke. It immediately eases the tension in my shoulders. Ever since Mayor Prudent’s crackdown, business has slowed down. Our best clients in New Orleans refuse to see us. It’s creating a huge dent in our earnings.
Across the bar, a woman catches my eye. She’s dressed in shorts that are much too short. They show off the bottom curve of her ass. My hands itch to touch her. She looks at me underneath full, thick lashes. Her eyes tell me she’s ready for some fun. She gets up from her seat and walks over to me, her intention clear in her face.
That’s why I chose this bar. The women who hang around are usually a lot easier to, shall we say, converse with. Sometimes all it takes is a wink and a nod and you’re in business. She approaches me but shows no sign of slowing. Instead, she runs her hand along my collar and walks toward a door markedEmployees Only. She looks back at me meaningfully, indicating I should follow.
Christ, I haven’t even ordered a drink yet, but this will be a much better way to relax. Then my damn phone vibrate for the second time this week that I’ve been in this exact situation. What are the odds? Of course, it’s Seer. I should ignore him and follow the stranger into the back office, but part of me reminds me I need money. It’s not a good idea to hang up on my boss right now.
“Yeah?” I answer gruffly, taking another drag of my cigarette.
“I need a huge favor,” Seer says, annoyed. “I’m at a meeting and I totally forgot I’m supposed to teach a mentoring class tonight at the youth center. Do you think you could cover for me?”
I exhale the smoke, watching it rise toward the ceiling.
“Can’t someone else do it?” I ask. “You owe me this night off, Seer.”
“No one else is available, Bones. I’m sorry, but it has to be you. I”
He’s my leader and I should let him off the hook. I should tell him I’m happy to do it and he shouldn’t worry about it. That’s not close to how I’m feeling. I feel like Seer’s psychic powers have extended to knowing the moment I’m about to get laid. He has a knack for interrupting.
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “You have no idea how much you owe me. A woman is basically throwing her panties at me right now and I’m willingly walking away from her.”
Seer chuckles, not too concerned about my sex life. And why should he be? He’s getting it on the regular from the woman he’s vowed to spend the rest of his life. He doesn’t know what it’s like to not know where his next lay is coming from. He has no idea how privileged he is. Of course, call the single guy when you can’t fulfill your obligations.
I hang up. Once again, I leave the bar dissatisfied. I grumble all the way to the center, annoyed I have to go because I’m the highest-ranking member without a family. How is that fair? This isn’t a job for Gator or Hemlock. If Knix or Snake were in town, they could probably cover it fine. Then again, they’re both married now too. They’d probably be too busy with their wives.
In my irritation, I barely register when I drive by the center. I have to double back, irritating myself more. I’m in a mood that amplifies every small inconvenience. I don’t want to spend my evening with prepubescent brats, telling them to stay in school or whatever. Why does Seer do this? It’s not like we’re pillars of the community. He can’t have much to offer to future high school dropouts.
The keypad turns green as I hold up my key fob. Ever since the center was vandalized, Seer upgraded Meredith security system. Now, every teacher and volunteer has a key fob specifically assigned to them. If they come outside of their scheduled time, they won’t be able to get in. Parents have a key code that only works during certain hours. Meredith, Graveyard, Seer, and I are the only people who have unlimited access to the center. I only do in case of security emergencies.
Honestly, it’s a genius system, not that I’ll admit it. In general, I try not to praise the center too much, otherwise, Seer might make me come more. I don’t hate kids. Well, I don’t hate them much. I’m just not eager to spend my free time teaching them random stuff. I never signed up for this, but as Seer’s top security guy, it’s my job to protect assets he has a vested interest in.
I breeze through the center, avoiding any interactions with the staff. They know me well enough to ignore me. Except for the dance teacher. I feel her watching me through the glass walls of the dance room as I pass by. Since she started, she’s been fascinated with me. I don’t encourage unwanted attention, so I’ve been careful to ignore her more than anyone.
