Chapter 10
Sipping detox juice, I watch the news while scrolling on my phone.
Whoever it is clearly had a very bad night.
“Do we know them?” I ask the guards in the room.
“No, sir,” one replies. “I can look into it if you wish.”
“It doesn’t concern us. Leave it be, just keep your eye on it. If someone is roasting crime bosses alive, then we need to make sure they aren’t coming for us,” I command.
“Yes, sir,” he responds, and I focus on my phone.
Just then, Zayn strolls in, wearing nothing but a silk robe, and sits at the head of the table, grabbing coffee as he meets my eyes.
I scan the numbers on the latest email, the update for the casino we are building, as I wait for him to speak.
He was out late, wining and dining some CEOs for us after reading contracts.
I don’t miss the scratch marks on his chest, but I don’t comment.
We all make sacrifices for the family.
No more than Kane. Speaking of . . . “Dodge, where is Kane, and why aren’t you with him?” I ask when he enters the room.
“He had an early meeting. He wanted me to take the young master to school,” Dodge answers.
“Right on. Dodge, can you delete the door footage from last night?” Zayn asks.
We both turn to him, and he grins. “I might have had a bit too much to drink. Father will kill me.”
“What did you do this time?” I grumble.
“I might have fallen into the pond and then maybe his new Rolls Royce did as well.” He toasts me with his coffee. “Don’t worry, I’d already be dead if Kane saw.”
“He saw. They are pulling it out right now,” Dodge informs him as he pours himself a coffee and leans against the table. “You’re dead. Sorry.”
Zayn groans, pinching his nose. “What if I tell him I sealed those three deals last night?”
“With your dick?” I say, nodding at his gaping robe. He smirks as he leans back, showing whoever’s handiwork.
“One of them took some persuading, and Kane said any means necessary.”
“And I bet you enjoyed the hell out of that.” I scribble on the email’s signature line for the new apartments before giving him my full attention.
“You need to be more careful, Zayn. I know you’re the youngest and still in your wild phase, but we have enemies everywhere. The birthday party should prove that.”
He pouts. “It’s been quiet.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe,” I reply, but I frown as I process his words. It is quiet, too quiet.
“Dodge, do you know what’s going on? We usually deal with at least four threats a day, and there hasn’t been anything for a few days,” I ask.
“I’m not sure, sir. Kane was discussing it this morning as well. It seems most of our usuals have stepped back, and I am looking into why,” he explains, but he seems troubled by it too.
“It could be to lull us into a false sense of security. Let’s triple our staff and patrols—”
“Already done, sir. Kane suggested the same. Either they are planning something or someone is out there protecting us. The first is more likely. I have your guards on extended shifts. That’s why I took the young master to school, and Kane wants everyone to lie low for a few weeks until whatever it is occurs. ”
Zayn groans but doesn’t argue. The last time something like this happened, someone tried to blow up our house with a missile.
He’s still picking dust off his suits, so he knows better than to argue when it comes to this.
“I’ll poke around and see if any of our men in prison have heard anything.
The vines inside are quicker to spill than out here,” he mutters as he pulls his phone from the pocket of his robe and heads out of the room to make those calls.
I watch him go before glancing at Dodge. “Whatever the cost of the car, take it from my account. I’ll cover it and the damages before Kane gets back. He might not kill him then.”
“Yes, sir.” Dodge smirks. “You can’t keep covering for him though.”
“He’s my brother.” I shrug. “Besides, we all did stupid shit when we were young. I still remember that day you ran butt naked through the hotel—”
“Nope, no, no.” Dodge holds up his hands. “Don’t make me relive that.”
“It was funny,” I say as I down the rest of my detox juice.
“It was humiliating, and you’ll never let me live it down,” he grumbles as he checks his watch. “I’ll go check on Kane. Call me if you need anything.”
I salute him as he leaves and get back to the mountains of emails I have.
Everyone thinks being a mafia family must be so easy, just murder and mayhem, but the paperwork is killer.
“Okay,” Zayn says as he walks into my room without knocking and throws himself across my bed, his ridiculous robe parting and showing me everything.
Rolling my eyes, I turn back to the mirror and deftly knot the black and gold tie before tugging down my waistcoat.
Turning to face him, I raise an impatient eyebrow as I button my sleeves.
“Okay?” I prompt when he says nothing.
“Sorry, forgot how comfy your bed is. Why is it better than mine?” he complains.
“Because you’re an animal that breaks yours all the time. Okay, what?” I press as I grab my suit jacket and pull it on, straightening the front. I glance at the mirror to check out the black and gold design I chose today.
“I managed to get some answers, though I don’t think you’ll like them.
” My eyes narrow as I turn back to him. “Apparently, that fire was set by our new bestie, Karma. Seems someone pissed her off. Word is she’s on the warpath, and most people think it’s in protection of us thanks to the party and Kane being at the bar.
People are backing off because of her.” I blink, and he grins. “I knew you’d like that.”
“Wait, our enemies think this random woman, Karma, is on our side, so now they are taking a step back because they are . . . scared of her?”
“She killed fifty people in that fire.” He shrugs.
“My men inside tell me she’s fair but crazy and not to piss her off.
Evidently, she’s a legend with a lot of pull.
I think they are waiting to see what our connection to her is and what she’ll do before they act again. I suppose it buys us a little peace.”
“And her a lot of enemies,” I mutter. “If they think she’s with us, then they’ll go for her too.”
“They already did. The owner of that house, Mr. Merchant, has been trying to make a move on us for years, wanting our southside land. Seems he thought he could get to us through her. He was wrong and turned into an overcooked ham.”
I sneer at the reference, making a mental note not to eat ham for a while. “We should tell Kane and then speak to her. She might be angry if they assume she is with us, and we don’t want her turning on us as well. We can’t fight a war on every front.”
“We should just adopt her, since everyone thinks she’s with us. She’s hot and crazy enough to be one of us,” Zayn says as he gets even more comfortable, his robe riding up so his bare ass is on my Egyptian cotton.
“You really think she’ll be mad?” he asks conversationally.
“If someone came after you over someone you barely know, wouldn’t you be pissed?
Worse, wouldn’t you hate them? We can’t afford to make an enemy out of her.
We will need to rectify this situation and clear the air.
We’ll wait to see what Kane says, but we’ll try to set a meeting again, this one formal so nobody gets any ideas. ”
“And so she doesn’t kill us,” he adds helpfully. “Although, I don’t think the location would stop her. She took down all those men on her own. What a woman.” He sighs wistfully, and I gag when I see his cock hardening.
“I fear for your sanity.”
“I would too. I lost it a long time ago.” He grins.
Sighing, I run my eyes over my brother and genuinely do not understand how we are related. “Please get your naked ass off my bedspread.” With an evil look, he slings the rest of the robe off and rolls across my bed, wrapping my comforter around him as he goes.
Snarling, I pull my phone out and call downstairs. “Yes, Ms. Hedge, please burn my bed when my ass of a brother gets out of it.”
Zayn laughs as I hang up. “Where are you going?”
“A meeting. Don’t forget about court this afternoon. See you tonight.” I stalk out, shaking my head when I hear him getting comfortable.
He’s such an idiot.