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Braden laughed. “What’s the catch?”
“You leave,” Carlo said. “Plain and simple. You get what you want, and we get what we want. I promise you, once you hear our offer you can’t refuse.”
“So tell me.” Braden was attentive now. The idea of an offer he couldn’t refuse had him salivating. I felt sorry for the man. He didn’t know what million dollar love was.
“One million dollars,” Carlo said.
Braden was silent. Then a quiet, “When?”
“When you leave. The market out here won’t make you that in 50 years,” Carlo said.
I almost laughed, but I got up instead.
Braden must have been doing mental calculations. “I don’t think I can make that in 100 years out here,” he said.
I felt bad for him. He really didn’t know the market like I did. It was true that a million dollars wasn’t easy to make, but I’d recoup my losses within a decade. The only thing that mattered was that Adriana would be with me.
If I didn’t have her, I had nothing.
“So what will it be?” Carlo asked.
Braden must have nodded, because Carlo said, “Good. We’ll get the details of that transfer as soon as your crew moves away. We need you all out of here, and we won’t be satisfied until you’re all gone. Is that clear?”
“Just to be safe,” Carlo continued. “We have connections to that money that can shut you down should there be any issue whatsoever. If we even think you’re breathing the wrong way towards us.”
“We’ll be gone within the month,” Braden said. “Give us time. We’ll leave the girl alone.”
“And her father,” Carlo added.
“And anyone and everyone in the King gang,” I said, turning around. “I have to protect myself, you know.”
Braden laughed. We all did.
In the end, the deal was struck. The Reeds would move away, and there would be no more turf wars.
Now, all I had to do was get Adriana back. If I had her, nothing else would matter. If I didn't, nothing else would matter either. All I wanted was her.
If I had to give away everything, I would have just to be with her.
I made a call first to Adriana, who didn’t pick up. Then to her father.
“The Reeds won’t be bothering you anymore,” I said.
“Good man,” Frank said, sounding more and more like his old self.
I swallowed and then said, “Now, you and I need to talk about your daughter.” I didn’t care that Frank had once threatened to kill me over her. I wanted her. I would do anything to be with her, including facing the man who was standing in the way of our unfettered love.
“I guess I owe as much as to listen”, Frank said.
“She left me,” I said. “And I want her back.”
19
ADRIANA
Iwas done with it all. With the way I was being treated by Brody, being left out of the business end of things, and just feeling like I was second, it was over.
Or so I thought.
