Chapter 75 Ty #2
“Shall we move this to the private room?” Bryce and I walked through while Maximus and his bootleg boys scurried to follow.
I allowed Maximus to take a seat and then sat across from him as Bryce slid in beside me.
The smugness radiating from Maximus made me want to punch him in his face.
The man thought way too fucking much of himself.
“Let’s talk business.” Maximus leaned back in his seat. “As you may have heard, I’ve been making some deals lately, and they’ve been quite successful. Most have been online ventures, but I’m ready to move to a brick-and-mortar establishment.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Success is relative, Maximus. The Keller empire’s deals are on a much larger scale than yours.”
“Ah, but we all have to start somewhere.” Maximus smirked, doing nothing to hide his arrogance.
I hated these cock swinging contests, but they were a necessary part of business, especially with the likes of him.
“True, but if you’re trying to impress me, you’ll need to do better than that,” I stated flatly.
“Fine, let’s get down to it, then.” Irritation flickered across his face before he regained his composure. “I’m sure you’re aware of my latest venture.”
“Not at all.” I crossed my arms and leaned back. “Why don’t you fill me in on the details?”
“Of course.” A predatory grin spread across his face, and I braced for whatever asinine idea he’d concocted. “You see, I’ve been working on a project that has the potential to make us all very, very rich.”
“Go on.” My interest piqued, despite my better judgment.
“Imagine a luxurious hotel and casino, catering to the elite of our society,” Maximus began, attempting badly to paint a picture with his words. “A place where people can indulge their every whim and desire, all under one roof. And we, my friend, will be the ones reaping the profits.”
“Sounds ambitious.” I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about this whole thing. “But what makes you think you can pull something off on such a large scale? You said yourself that most of your dealings have been online.”
“Because I know people, Tyson.” Maximus’s voice dripped with confidence. “And I know what they want. With your backing, there’s no way this can fail.”
There it was. He needed my backing, my money, my influence, and my power to get his idea off the ground.
Why did he think I was the person to partner with?
He should have been speaking with Hiram.
After all, his expertise was casinos. For fuck’s sake, the guy literally lived in one of his casinos in a penthouse on the top floor.
“Have you considered reaching out to Hiram for investment?” I raised my eyebrows, curious to hear his answer. “He’s made quite a name for himself with his casinos. I’d think someone serious about that type of business would seek out the one person in Texas who’s made bank in that sector.”
“Absolutely not,” Maximus said sharply, his smug demeanor faltering for a moment. “He’s my competition, and I have no intention of sharing my success with him.”
“Interesting.” Maximus was far from being a businessman.
His response to my questions showed he was trying to play in the big leagues when he was clearly only suited for softball.
“Hiram may be known for bending the rules, but he’s undeniably successful.
If this is your operation of choice, you should reach out to him.
” I paused, studying Maximus’s reaction.
“Or are you afraid you can’t control him? ”
“Control has nothing to do with it,” Maximus snapped, his eyes narrowing. “This is my business venture, and I’ll choose my partners as I see fit.”
“Fair enough,” I said. Hiram respected me. He might not have the best bedside manner, but he was fully aware of the situation with Castro, and I considered him a current ally. I had absolutely no intention of going into competition against him. It simply wasn’t a smart business move.
“Listen, Maximus.” My tone was measured and deliberate.
“Let me give you some friendly investment advice. If you want to make this work, you need to be willing to collaborate with those who can bring value to your project, even if that means setting aside your ego. Hiram may be your competition, but he could also be the key to your success.”
“Perhaps,” Maximus muttered, clearly displeased by my suggestion. “But I don’t need Hiram. I’ve got other potential investors lined up.”
“Of course you do.” I smirked. The guy was bluffing. “But remember, you came to me for a reason. You saw something in my empire that you wanted for yourself. Don’t let pride stand in the way of your success.”
Maximus scowled at me, but the defiance in his eyes couldn’t mask the unease that simmered beneath the surface. It was clear that he recognized the truth in my words, even if he didn’t want to admit it.
“Look.” I leaned forward and fixed Maximus with a level stare.
“If you agree to bring Hiram onboard, then I’ll consider investing.
Your business could be lucrative with the proper funding and backing, but as it stands now, it seems like you’re looking for me to be the largest shareholder.
I don’t mind that, as long as I know I’ll get my investment back.
In its current state, I don’t feel comfortable investing that sort of money. ”
Maximus’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching. “You’re making a mistake, Ty.”
I held his gaze, unflinching. “I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager, Maximus. I know business better than most people. I’ve made countless deals for my family, and I can tell a bad one within minutes. As I stated, as it stands, this is not a good deal.”
Before he could respond, a waitress entered the room, her presence providing a brief reprieve from the tension. “Would you gentlemen like to order?”
Maximus seethed, his fury apparent even as he ignored her existence.
I gave her an apologetic smile. “We don’t need anything, thank you.”
She scurried away from the simmering animosity between Maximus and me.
“Really?” Maximus spat, glaring at me. “You insult me and then act like nothing’s happened?”
“Insult you?” I raised an eyebrow. “As a businessman, you should be grateful when someone offers you free advice. Usually, I charge a consultation fee. I’m suggesting that you weigh the pros and cons to see if it’s worth it to forge an alliance with someone who could benefit your business in the long run. ”
“Free advice?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “More like sabotage. You’re afraid I’ll show you up, and that I’ll take away your position as a respected businessman. I see right through your fucking facade, Tyson Keller.”
“Is that what you think? That I’m trying to sabotage your plans? No, Maximus. I’m trying to prevent you from making a colossal mistake. If you’re unwilling to work with others, even those you perceive as rivals, then your business will never reach its full potential.”
He clenched his fists, his nostrils flaring as he fought to contain his anger. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Ty.”
“Maybe not. But when it comes to business, I’ve yet to be proven wrong.”
“Whatever,” he muttered. “Just... get out of here. I’ll call you if I decide to take your ‘advice’.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I rose from my seat, more than eager to get the hell out of there. One more second with Maximus, and I couldn’t trust myself not to punch him square in his arrogant face. I gave him one last measured look, my dominance settling over him like an oppressive fog.
As I turned to leave, Maximus reclined in his seat, a sinister glint in his eyes.
“You know, Keller, a real businessman would sell that little mate of yours to the highest bidder, considering what she is.” The corners of his mouth curved into a cruel smile.
“I’m sure Liza would fetch a pretty penny.
More than enough to cover all my business endeavors, don’t you think? ”
A primal growl rumbled in my chest, every muscle in my body tensing as I prepared to launch at him. Bryce, sensing the danger, jumped to his feet and grabbed my shoulders, his grip like iron as he struggled to hold me back.
“Ty, don’t,” he warned, his voice strained with effort. “This isn’t worth it.”
Maximus’s scent filled the air, a nauseating mixture of arrogance and fear. His beta moved to shield him, but the guy was nearly buckling under the weight of my dominance.
“Listen to me, you pathetic excuse for an alpha,” I spat. “If you ever mention Liza’s name again, if you even think about coming near her, I won’t hesitate to tear your head from your body. That’s not a threat, Maximus. It’s a promise.”
“Come on, Keller.” Maximus sneered, attempting to maintain his bravado in front of his goons, despite the trembling of his hands. “There’s no need to get so worked up. We’re all friends here, aren’t we?”
“Friends?” I scoffed, the word tasting like poison on my tongue. “You’ve mistaken me for someone who tolerates cowards and opportunists. Good luck with your venture, Maximus.”
I shrugged off Bryce’s grip, my gaze never leaving Maximus as I seethed with barely suppressed fury.
The dim lighting of the restaurant seemed to flicker in his terrified eyes.
He understood the gravity of what he had just done.
“I mean it. One wrong move, Maximus, and you’re dead.
” I growled, throwing one more warning glance at him before turning on my heel and stalking toward the exit.
“Ty, wait up!” Bryce hurried to catch up with me. The heavy door slammed shut behind us, sealing off the stench of Maximus’s presence. Cold night air enveloped us, but it did nothing to cool the heat raging through my veins.
“Keep an eye on that bastard.” My voice strained with the effort of keeping my anger in check. “I want to know his every fucking move.”
“Already on it.” Bryce pulled out his phone.
“I’ll call Isaiah right now.” I picked up on the concern in his voice, but I didn’t have the energy to reassure him.
All I wanted was to be home with Liza, to wrap her in my arms and shield her from the predators that seemed to be closing in from all sides.
As we walked to the car, my hands trembled with the force of my rage.
I needed to fucking punch something. Each mile back to the estate was like an eternity, the thought of Liza alone and vulnerable gnawing at me like a ravenous beast. My mind raced with dark thoughts that I tried to push away, but they were all-consuming, causing my wolf to pace with anxiety and a longing to protect his mate.
“Maximus won’t get anywhere near her,” Bryce said, breaking the tense silence between us. “You know that, right?”
We couldn’t get home fast enough. All I wanted was to be close to Liza, to protect her from the likes of Maximus and anyone else who would dare threaten to take her.