Chapter 22
T he last thing the guys needed was liquor in their systems, but the whiskey tasting had already been paid for and Mark wasn’t in the mood to waste money.
The speakeasy was tucked away behind a downtown barbershop, one of those old school joints with black and white tile floors and swirled barber poles. After whispering the secret password to the bouncer, Davion and his guests descended a narrow staircase into a room that smelled like smoke, wood, and whiskey.
The tasting lasted an hour, after which Mark sat at the poker table, sipping a deep amber single malt that burned slow and clean. He was just tipsy enough to be relaxed, but not so buzzed he didn’t know exactly what was going on.
Did you enjoy your massage?
I did. Thank you
My pleasure baby girl. I told you
Is this what the kids call pressure?
He chuckled at that.
Nah. I’m wooing you
Same romance, different decade
Yeah but one thing ain’t changed
Let me guess…
You fucking my brains out
Couldn’t have said it better myself
You so damn sexy
I need that tonight
Come and get it
Famous last words
Btw something you did sparked my curiosity
???
You like nut/cum?
LOL
Interesting question
…
How’d you know?
you spraying it on yourself was kind of a tell
Secret’s out, I guess lol
Do you like that I like it?
I’m rock hard right now
So yeah
I do
Good to know
He bit his lip, putting his phone face down so he could get some air and calm himself.
He tossed back the rest of his bourbon just as his younger brother Micah slid into the seat beside him. Fresh off the red-eye and looking like the nerd he was.
“What’d I miss?” he said as Mark pulled him in for a hug.
“About four rounds and two hundred dollars of their money I ganked,” he said, nodding toward a miserable-looking Drew and Vince.
“And my ass caught on fire,” Drew added, making Micah laugh.
“Where’s Pop?”
“Napping at the hotel, I assume.” Mark’s gaze shifted to Luke, who had joined them. Orion was sulking in a corner talking to a couple of the waitresses, drinking his pain away.
“Sterling’s here,” Mark announced, locking eyes with Micah.
“Yall talk yet?”
“Nah. We will.” He elbowed his little brother. “Get you a drink, man. Have fun.”
Mark scanned the room, his eyes landing on Sylvan, who sat in the corner all alone.
“What’s up with you?” Mark asked as he approached. “You good?”
Sylvan nodded, his voice cracking slightly when he said, “I guess.”
“You nervous about the wedding?”
Sylvan hesitated. “Nah. It’s…school. I…I haven’t told anybody, but I don’t know if I wanna go to medical school anymore. I don’t think it’s for me.”
Mark nodded. “Well, you came to the right man.”
Sylvan frowned. “I didn’t come to you. You came to me.”
“Yeah. I did. I’m tipsy, man.”
Sylvan laughed.
“Look, you don’t have to know everything right now. All you need to know is enough to put one foot in front of the other.”
Sylvan nodded. “I guess.”
“It’s hard,” Mark said. “I know better than anybody in here. You’re gonna want to quit. You might even shed a few tears. But it’s worth it.”
Sylvan stared down at the floor.
“Is there something else?”
He brought his gaze to Mark’s. “Life shit. A lot going on.”
“I know.” The two stood in silence for a while until Mark pulled out his wallet, fishing out a business card.
“That’s me. Call me anytime. About school, or…whatever. Alright?”
“Alright. Thanks. And promise me you won’t tell anybody what I just said. Nobody knows, not even my brothers.”
“I promise, but I think you can talk to your mom.”
Sylvan frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“Just, um…she seems understanding, that’s all.”
“She’s not. Trust me.” He shook his head. “If you tell my mama something, you better do it. She don’t play about that. She holds you to your word.”
“I mean, I’m sure—“
“No. You don’t understand. Like one time, my dad was supposed to buy her these red bottoms. He promised, and then he saw the price, and he changed his mind. She held that grudge for years, Mr. Mark.”
“Which ones?”
“Shoes?” Sylvan shrugged. “I don’t know. Some black ones. But when I say years, I mean literally. She’s still mad about it even though she bought some for herself. It’s the principle. Or like when my dad said he’d take her to Rome, and—“
“I think this is a special case, though, Sylvan. This is about your future. It’s not like you promised her you’d become a doctor.”
“I kind of did, though.”
Mark patted Sylvan on the back. “Well, I guess you better keep your word, then.”
He chuckled.
“What would you do if you didn’t go to med school?”
“I’m kinda interested in crypto.”
“That’s not a career, son.”
“I mean—“
“Either stick with medicine, or come up with something equivalent. Crypto ain’t gon’ cut it.”
As Sylvan nodded, Mark pulled out his phone to keep Orion’s promises for him.
Sterling made his way over, drink in hand, cigar in mouth. Mark wasn’t happy to see him, but his presence was expected.
“You’re countersuing?” he said by way of greeting.
“Hell, yeah,” Mark said. “You thought I wouldn’t? What the fuck are you even doing?”
“It was either me or you,” Sterling said, blowing smoke. “You know how it is.”
Mark shook his head. “It’s so easily provable that this shit was all on you.”
“It’s also easily provable that you knew about it and did nothing.”
Sterling had him there, and they both knew it.
“I was preoccupied,” Mark snapped. “My wife died, Sterling. You think I had time to investigate your shady bullshit?”
“You know I loved Layna like a sister,” he said. “The timing was unfortunate, but it had nothing to do with that.”
“Then, what the fuck, man?”
“We ain’t gotta get into it right now.”
The two stood in silence for a moment.
“Do I know everything?”
“What do you mean?
Mark’s eyes narrowed. “Is there anything out there that could bite me in the ass?”
Sterling hesitated long enough to make Mark worry. “Nah. You know everything.”
They both knew it was a lie, but Mark didn’t have the time or energy to get to the bottom of it.