Chapter 17
Aron
Wow. Just wow.
I knew it would be a bit different fucking Matt, but I didn’t know it would be so amazing.
I can’t explain how it’s different from sex with a woman; there’s just a different feel to it. Matt’s tighter than Emily was, and the way he squeezed me … Fuck, I almost lost it from the beginning.
Another thing that I can’t believe happened last night: Matt let me take control.
Matt never lets anyone take control.
The next morning, though, Matt’s quiet. Not withdrawn so much as introspective. He seems lost in thought, like he’s got the world on his mind again. Maybe my efforts to soothe his nerves weren’t as successful as I believed them to be.
His first piece of Syndicate business for the day involves the twins. They’ve hijacked our systems several times despite us housing them in increasingly remote locations on the estate. Finally, Matt decided he needed to talk to them in person.
“Holly. Hank. Thank you for meeting with me this morning.”
The twins lounge on the sofa in Matt’s office like this is just some casual affair and not a meeting with the don. I want to show them the meaning of respect, but a subtle hand signal from Matt stops me.
“Yeah, yeah,” Holly drawls, chewing loudly on a stick of gum while twisting a dark curl between her fingers. “What do you want? You gonna stick us in the dungeon next?”
Matt flashes a sly grin and stands. “You two seem bored. I thought I’d offer you a challenge.”
Hank narrows his green eyes. “What kind of challenge?”
“Our rivals stole quite a bit of money from us when they exited the Syndicate. I want the two of you to track down every single cent and return it to our coffers, preferably behind stronger firewalls than we currently have in place.”
Hank seems eager, but Holly balks at the offer.
Though the twins share the same dark goth looks, each with multiple tattoos and exotic piercings, it’s clear they have differing opinions on life in the Royal Syndicate.
Hank’s settling in better than Holly, and I’ve even caught some of the Syndicate women in the estate eyeing him favorably.
“Wait a sec! These people fucking blew up half the old Syndicate heads. You want us to get on their bad side?”
“I’m sure hackers as clever as the two of you can avoid getting caught.”
“What if we do get caught? Will the Syndicate protect us then?”
Matt levels a glare at Holly. “The Syndicate guards its own like family. If you’re with us, we’re with you.”
“Like the previous don and his friends? I’m not sure that qualifies as ‘guarding like family.’ I want assurances that we won’t be slaughtered in our sleep if we hack your enemies.
” Holly crosses her arms over her chest, a move that puts emphasis on her sizeable breasts but is unlikely to affect Matt in the slightest.
“Are you declining to help?”
Hank opens his mouth to speak, but Holly’s faster. “You’re damn right we’re declining! We’re not putting our necks on the line for people we don’t even know.”
“Wait a sec, Hol. We should at least ask what we get out of this.”
A sly expression spreads across Matt’s face. He’s hooked Hank; now it’s just a matter of getting Holly to cooperate.
“The Syndicate is willing to compensate you both, of course. I’m sure we can agree on a reasonable number, say, twenty million each?”
Holly pouts. “We can’t fucking spend it if we’re dead.”
Hank shoves her. “Fuck, Holly, we can hire our own fucking guards with that much money.”
That starts a shoving match, and Matt finally gives me the all-clear to break them up. I restrain Holly first, as she’s the one who’s being resistant. She tries biting, licking, and kicking, but I’m not letting go.
“Fine! We’ll do the fucking job. But I want half up front. No short-changing us!”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
With that settled, Matt calls Rico to arrange for a room in-house for the twins. In addition to the forty-million-dollar payout, Matt also agrees to furnish the twins’ room with the latest high-tech equipment. In his words, “tell us what you need, and we’ll buy it for you.”
After he deals with the twins, Matt calls in Evan and Lyta, two of the thieves.
Evan and Lyta are a married couple who met while on a heist. Lyta has jet black hair and striking blue eyes, with a figure that’s sure to successfully distract most guards. Evan is more of a golden boy, with the kind of blonde himbo appeal that probably wins over both women and men.
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. … Smith, is it?”
Evan snorts. “Smith is all you’re getting.”
“Fair enough.” Matt indulges Evan’s ego with quiet dignity. “I have a proposition for the two of you. A challenge, if you will.”
They both perk up at the word “challenge.”
“What’s the gig?” Lyta asks.
Matt picks up an envelope from his desk. “I want you to put this under Javier Martinez’s pillow. While he sleeps.”
Lyta’s jaw drops, and Evan scowls. “That’s impossible,” he says. “That guy is more guarded than you are. Word is he doesn’t even sleep. Fucker keeps himself coked up so no one can get the drop on him.”
“That’s why it’s a challenge.”
“And what do we get in return?”
I stifle a sigh. It’s going to be a long day if everyone Matt sees insists on squeezing money out of us.
“Ten million each upon entry into Javier’s penthouse. Twenty million each upon exit.”
That should make things interesting. Not only is he giving the Smiths a more dangerous assignment, he’s also offering a higher payout in the end. I wonder if this is some ploy to get the new blood to compete against each other.
Lyta frowns. “Wait, does that mean if only one of us makes it out, we only get part of the money?”
“No. That means if only one of you makes it out, you not only get your thirty million but your dear, departed spouse’s ten million as well.”
Very cutthroat of him. Nice.
“That’s dumb. We get sixty million if we both make it out.”
“Then make sure you’re watching each other’s backs.” Matt shrugs. “I’d say forty million for one person is still better than sixty million split in two, but then again, Saint Mary’s didn’t focus much on math skills.”
Evan and Lyta hold hands and glare defiantly at Matt. “You’ll be shelling out sixty million, Don Matteo. We guarantee it.”
Thaddeus and Stephanie meet with Matt next, individually, and he offers them the same forty million payout for making it out alive.
I have no idea what’s in the envelopes, but if I were to guess, I’d say Matt’s playing mind games with my dad.
Probably cryptic messages or notes listing the price on Dad’s head.
Something meant to unnerve him if he finds them when he wakes.
Next up are the freed hitmen. One by one, Matt offers each of them fifty million for my dad’s head on a silver platter. Not the highest of prices, but enough to motivate them.
I give them a thirty percent chance of survival. Their chances of success are much, much lower. Dad’s even more ruthless than Matt, and I doubt he’d succumb to any of these guys easily, if at all.
There’s one more parolee that Matt has yet to meet with in his office today. We break for lunch, and I ask Matt what’s on the docket for the afternoon.
As soon as the room clears, Matt gives the hand signal asking if we’re alone.
I know he doesn’t mean physically alone; he wants to know if there’s anyone listening in.
He knows I sweep for bugs on an hourly basis, as well as every time a new person enters or leaves the room.
I’ve gotten quite adept at locating listening devices and destroying or removing them before the saboteur is even aware I’ve found them.
I wait a few seconds, listening for movement outside the door, before I signal the go-ahead.
“Good.” Matt stands and clasps his hands behind his back, taking a leisurely stance. “I wanted to talk to you. I’ve been meaning to tell you about this, but I just made the decision last night.
“I’m going to challenge Grady to a fight.”