Marz

Chapter 4

Chapter

Four

Heir

I’d called Jay three more times on my way to his job.

There shouldn’t have been a reason for him to not answer my calls, so I was worried more than anything.

Jay was usually great with communicating while he was at work.

If he had to work later, he’d tell me. My texts and calls were going unanswered, and that was driving my steps inside of Hildon Enterprises.

Camille hopped up from her seat at the sight of me, quickly asking if Jay was expecting me.

I told her that he wasn’t because he wasn’t answering my phone calls.

Before I could make my way up to his office on the second floor, she offered to call him down to meet me.

He must have told her to bring me to him because Camille said she’d take me to where he and Iman were.

I followed behind her absently, looking over the papers yet again, refusing to believe what I was seeing.

“Oh shit,” I heard a man mumble.

“Sorry,” I muttered, stepping to the side to avoid running into him.

As Camille unlocked the tinted door, my steps halted.

Chills covered my arms and my nipples hardened.

Head tilted to the side, I inhaled a deep breath, refusing to look back.

I felt like I’d passed a part of me, and that made no sense at all.

Shaking my head, I stormed into Iman’s office in search of my man.

Bypassing the metal detectors, I groaned at the sight of Jay.

He was huddled over Iman’s desk talking to another man as if he had not one care in the world.

The closer I got, the more irritated I became.

He’d better have a damn good excuse for ignoring me.

“Jay,” I called with a firm yet soft voice, gaining his attention. “I need to talk to you. Now.”

“We’re kind of in the middle of someth—”

“Now!” I yelled quietly through gritted teeth, stomping my foot.

My nostrils flared as my gaze shifted over to Iman.

This was my first time being in his office, and it gave me the ick.

What the hell was he doing back here that required metal detectors?

Being in his presence further confirmed he was doing some illegal shit, and I wanted no parts of it.

“Alright, relax,” Jay said with a smile, walking toward me. “What’s wrong?”

I looked around him toward Iman before grabbing his wrist and using it to pull him away from the desk. It felt like men were literally scattered all over the room, making it difficult to have privacy. With a lowered voice, I told him, “I wanted to warn you. Both of you.”

“Warn us about what?”

I handed him the file that had the papers with copies of discrepancies. “I don’t know what your boss is into, but I have to escalate his account. Well, I know what he’s into. I just… can’t believe it.”

“What are you talking about?” Jay asked, opening the file and scanning the papers.

“He’s cleaning money. In very large quantities. He’s operating through several fake businesses, and he’s hiding millions from the IRS. I can’t touch his account, Jay.”

“Damn. Didn’t take you long to catch that at all,” he said quietly, using my hand to pull me back toward Iman’s desk. As he helped me sit down, he told Iman, “She knows.”

Iman released a whistled laugh before sitting back in his seat as he shook his head. “You said she was good, but I wasn’t expecting her to figure it out this fast. Wow.”

“Figure out what? Don’t tell me this was some kind of test,” I replied, refusing to believe I’d stressed myself out over this for nothing.

“It was a test,” Iman started, “and you passed. I told Jay that I was looking for someone I could trust to handle my taxes and he recommended you. I gave you my real statements, which I would never give an accountant, to see how long it would take you to find the discrepancies and how you’d respond.

It was risky, but Jay assured me that you wouldn’t report this without at least warning him first, and he was right. ”

One thought after another rattled around in my head. What I was getting hung up on most was the fact that Jay knew Iman was doing illegal shit and pulled me into it. Did he think I’d be okay with this? Sitting back in my seat, I inhaled a deep breath as I looked over at Jay.

“So let me get this straight.” I chuckled before licking my lips. “Your boss launders money and you thought it would be a good idea to test me and see if I’d figure that out and how I’d respond? For what? To bring me in so I can help him commit fraud and tax evasion?”

“Well when you say it like that, it sounds worse than it actually is,” Jay said, trying to hold my hand, but I quickly pulled it away.

“Are you even a real estate agent? Or is that a front?” I asked, sitting up in my seat.

“Because the more I think about it, the more things are starting to make sense. We’ve been together for almost two years, and I can count on one hand how many closings you’ve had, yet you’re never without money.

What the fuck do you do for him, Jay? Are you a drug dealer? ”

Jay’s relaxed expression dropped as he looked over at Iman briefly. “We can discuss that later. For now, we need to discuss next steps.”

“I’ll take it from here,” Iman said, opening the top drawer of his desk. When he pulled out a thick manila envelope and tossed it in my direction, I had an idea of what was inside. “That’s your first bonus for passing the test and proving that you’re loyal.”

“I’m not loyal to you,” I countered. “I came here to warn you as a courtesy, but I’m still going to escalate this and make my boss aware of what’s going on.”

“You can’t do that,” Jay said, squeezing my hand.

“Look.” Iman cleared his throat. “I need an accountant who’s going to help me look as legit as possible while paying the IRS as little as possible. Jay recommended you, so I’m relying on you to do that.”

“That’s not… I can’t… There are legal strategies that can be applied to save you money. I know millionaires who don’t pay a dime to the IRS. Is it fair? No. But it’s legal. I can do that for you, but what I’m not going to do is fix your books and participate in anything illegal.”

“This is what we’re going to do,” Iman said, completely ignoring me.

“I’m going to put you on my payroll. I’ll give you whatever you want for your salary.

What I need you to do is fix my books and make sure everything looks legit.

I’m about to start a new scheme using CPNs, fake socials, and a payroll system that’ll look like I’m paying my employees, but it’s really going to myself.

If you can head that up and make sure it runs smoothly, I’ll give you the taxes that are supposedly being pulled every pay cycle. ”

It seemed like my words were going in one ear and out of the other. Releasing a long sigh, I shook my head as I stood.

“I’m going to leave now. This is pointless.”

As I walked away, I heard Iman say, “Handle that,” and that made me scoff. I don’t know what Jay had told him about our relationship, but he certainly didn’t have the power to make me do anything I didn’t want to do.

“You’re embarrassing me,” Jay scolded, grabbing my arm and using it to pull me into his chest. “I told him that you were loyal. That he could trust you. You’re making me look bad as fuck, Heir.”

“You’re making yourself look bad. You lied to me about who you are and what you do, you pulled me into some illegal shit that could not only cost me my job but land me in prison if it looks like I’m involved, and you think I give a fuck about embarrassing you? You’re trying to use me!”

“I’m trying to put you on!” he seethed quietly. “I am a real estate agent, but you’re right. That’s not how I make my money. I’m close to making seven figures by the end of the year working for Iman, and I’m trying to put you on too.”

“Are you a drug dealer?” Jay huffed and stared at me, not bothering to respond. “Jay!”

“Look…” He gripped my shoulders and peered down at me, trying to reel in his frustration.

“You don’t need to know all that. All you need to know is we making money over here, and I’m trying to put you on.

Not only will this increase your income, but it’ll make me look good, and I’ll be able to move up in rank.

Please, Heir. I need you to take one for the team and do this for me.

Don’t think about it as a favor to Iman. Do it as a favor to me.”

A soft laugh escaped me as I pushed his hands off my shoulders. “You’re my man. You’re supposed to keep me safe. How could you put me in this position, Jay?”

“Baby, please. It’s not that deep. I know you can do this. I trust you to make sure we’re all good. No one ever has to find out. If you do this correctly, we’ll be rich, and you never have to worry about the IRS or jail time.”

“I need an answer,” Iman damn near yelled, standing and resting his fist on his desk. “Is she in or not?”

“In,” Jay said, while I said…

“Not.”

Jay towered over me, blocking my view of Iman. “Don’t put me in this position, baby.”

“Clearly… your girl doesn’t understand what’s at stake here.

She doesn’t know who I am,” Iman said, causing Jay to turn and wrap his arm around me from behind, pulling me close to his back.

“I get that you’ve hidden your lifestyle from her, so she’s unaware of just how serious shit can get around here. ”

“She’s good, boss,” Jay said. “I can handle it.”

“Are you sure? Because from the sound of it, you can’t.

” Iman stepped between us, and watching Jay cower only pissed me off more.

“I don’t have the patience to suggest you have a choice,” he said to me.

“You’re going to help me hide my money, whether you want to or not. If you don’t, I’m going to kill you.”

My heart rate increased, and I felt like I could barely breathe. With heavy legs, I took small steps back, until it felt like I ran into a brick wall. Looking back, I gasped at the sight of the large man standing behind me. He was almost twice my height and as wide as a refrigerator.

“Now. Have you told anyone else about my account?”

Licking my lips, I swallowed hard and shook my head. The last thing I’d do was bring my father into this. “No. I…” With a gulp, I looked back at Iman. “I made copies and scheduled an email to send to my boss in the morning.”

“Cancel it,” Iman demanded.

“I ca-can’t. I have to do it from my computer at the office.”

“Fine. We’ll go there then.”

Before I could fully process what was happening, the refrigerator grabbed my arm and effortlessly pulled me toward the door.

“Let’s go, Jay. If she tries anything, you put a bullet between her fucking eyes.”

I waited for Jay to say he would never hurt me. I waited for him to save me and convince Iman this was wrong. Instead, Jay pulled his gun from his waist, cocked it, and followed behind us.

“Wow. Are you fucking serious right now?” I asked, trying not to sob. Just when I thought this day couldn’t get any worse…

“I’m sorry, baby,” he muttered, following behind Iman.

“I’m not doing this! You can’t make me!”

“You’re either going to do it or die. Tell me now. What’s your choice?” Iman asked as the refrigerator neared the door. “If you’re smart, you’re going to go to your office and cancel that email. If I feel like I can’t trust you, I’m going to kill you, Heir. Do you understand me?”

A part of me wanted to agree to whatever he said just to live, but the other part of me knew that was no way to live. If I agreed to this, what would be the next thing Iman tried to make me do?

“I’m going to delete the email, but I’m not working for you. I promise I won’t tell anyone what I know. Just… please. We can forget I ever came here.”

Iman chuckled, but as we stepped out of the office, it was soon replaced with the sound of a man saying, “You got three seconds to get your hand off my wife before I shoot that motherfucka off.”

I couldn’t have prepared for what happened after that, even if it was in slow motion.

Iman yelled for Jay to grab me and for the refrigerator to kill the man.

But the man had already started to shoot before the refrigerator could even pull his gun.

One second, I’m being tossed onto the floor.

The next, the man is grabbing me and shoving me into the nearest room.

I crawled behind the desk, watching as he chased them back into the office.

Covering my ears, I rocked, prayed, and cried.

The gunfire sounded like it was never ending.

My ears rang, and I squeezed my eyes shut at the sight of feet heading in my direction. If this was how I died, I was going to be pissed, because it was so damn unfair. How in the hell was the man I’d been with for the last two years going to be responsible for fast forwarding me to Heaven?

When he kneeled in front of me, I scooted back until my back hit the wall. Whimpering, I jumped when he reached for me, but my fear faded away when I looked into his eyes.

This wasn’t just a man.

This was Marz.

The man I’d walked away from years ago.

The man I’d left because of my shame.

The man I’d given my heart and body to our first night together.

The man I’d missed and craved and regretted walking away from.

“Marz,” I whispered, cupping his cheek as my eyes watered in disbelief.

“You’re safe, Wifey. I gotchu.”

Nodding, I allowed my tears to pour.

I was filled with relief just knowing he was here with me.

That he’d saved me.

“Are they… is Jay…”

“I’ll answer all your questions later. Right now, we have to go.”

“O-okay,” I complied as he picked me up and carried me out of the building.

“Did you drive here?” Nodding, I tightened my grip around his neck. “Which one is your car?”

My arm trembled as I pointed toward it, and Marz wasted no time jogging over to it.

He put me in the passenger seat before swerving out of the parking lot.

I tried to focus and listen as he talked on the phone, but between the adrenaline over what happened and him talking in code, I couldn’t pay attention.

All I could focus on was the fact that I was probably about to die had Marz not been there.

But why was he there?

Did he work for Iman too?

I was so confused.