6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
“We gotta take ‘em down before they get too comfortable. You know how this shit starts. You taught me how this works,” Hero complains.
“I taught you to be smart and not jump to react based on emotions. This is business. We’ll make them a deal. They don’t like the terms, then we paint their territory red.”
“We need to take ‘em down now before they’re settled in. If we set an example, the next assholes who think they can set foot on our turf will think twice,” my VP continues to argue with me.
“I think he’s onto something.” Hardcore leans forward and snatches his smokes off the table.
“Now’s not the time to be going to war. We’ve got enough shit on our plate with the cartel increasing their haul. The Depraved are making a power play. Seeing how far they can push before we fight back. We make them a deal, we keep Redwood and Riverside, and they can have the outskirts of the region that no one wants because there’s no real money to be made. They’ll get some shitty guns that we can’t move otherwise. We’ll keep the imports and the drug runs. Nobody sheds any blood. Everyone’s happy. You’re stupid to think we can’t make it work.”
“Chino won’t like it.” Tyrant throws his hat in with Hero and Hardcore.
“He’ll be fine. He doesn’t want those shit guns either. He wants the heavy hardware. The imports. Use your brain. Chino will be too busy picking them off when they make a move on his territory to worry about where they are getting their guns, and that frees us up more time to deal with this bullshit the Juarez brothers put on us.”
“And what are we doing about that?” Soulless questions.
“That’s for me to worry about.”
I dismiss my men. They don’t need to worry. I’ve never steered them wrong and won’t start now because the Depraved Sinners got their dicks wet with a little taste of success. I’m in the business of keeping us alive and making money.
Money I want to spend on Gwynee. The newest woman in my life. Fuck me, she’s a sweet piece of tail with an edge of sassiness that just begs to be spanked and fucked into submission.
I head to my room to grab a shower before I pop in on her at work to make sure that asshole ex is steering clear of her. I find my niece, Lucie, waiting outside of my door wearing a snotty expression. “What you want, girl? I’ve got shit to do.”
“Like Gwynee Hayes?”
“What of her?”
“You can’t seriously be seeing her. She’s a whore.”
“Then good for me. Means she’s a sure thing.”
“Eww.” she sneers, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder. “You’re old enough to be her father. It’s gross.”
“What I do and who I do it with is none of your business. I don’t tell you who to spread your legs for. If you were smart, you’d worry about why Hero hasn’t made a claim on you.”
“He will. You’ll see.”
“Right. Anything else?”
“I just don’t like her and hope you won’t be bringing her around here. It’s bad enough I have to hear about it.”
“Let’s get something straight right now. You’re my blood and I love you like my own, but don’t think for one minute you call any shots around here. You don’t get to question what the fuck I do. You’re starting to be more of a pain in my ass than you’re worth. You’ve had it real good here. Don’t go letting your mouth write checks your ass can’t cash. Don’t forget I pay your bills. You’re just worried that if I get serious with someone, that means you might have to get a job and earn your keep.”
“That’s not fair. Why do stuff for me only to throw it in my face?”
“Girl, you’re working my last nerve. Go find Hero and put that energy into making him like you because you’re too old to be pulling this shit. I expect it from Sissy, but she’s a teenager. What excuse do you have?”
She stomps off and I shake my head. Fucking spoiled her ass too damn much. Lucie is about to face a rude awakening. I’ve coddled her and Sissy and worry it’s too late to correct the mistakes I’ve made raising them to behave the way that they do. I’ve done everything in my power to make sure they’ve never lacked or wanted for nothing, but maybe my mistake was in never taking another ol’ lady. Maybe if they’d had a mother figure in their life, they would’ve turned out better.
Maybe that was selfish of me, but here we are. Lucie is an adult, and I should’ve put my foot down a long time ago. I told myself she was going through a phase. Being rebellious and acting out because her father died, and she lost the one person she looked up to like a mother, my cunt wife.
It’s no longer a phase.
This is who she is, and I shoulder that blame.
Carry it. Own it. Same with my girl, Sissy, but I’ve got hope for her to turn her shit around. It’s not too late for her.
Out of habit, I check my phone for her location, making sure she’s where she’s supposed to be. At school. We’ve got a deal. She keeps her grades and attendance up, I’ll buy her a car. For now, the deal seems to keep my kid in check. The problem is, she looks up to Lucie. She’s no damn role model. Then again, neither am I.
I’m fucking a woman who is twenty years younger than me. I should cut her loose and savor the night we shared. What I should do and what I want are two very different things, and I’m a selfish bastard who wants what he wants. And what I want is to go get lost in that taste of sweet she gave me. One look at her and all my troubles fall to the wayside.
Can’t get her out of my head. She’s all I can think of when I lay my head down at night and when I open my eyes in the morning. I’ve got it bad. Not felt this way in a long damn time, if ever.
The doorbell rings as I step inside Sassy & Classy Salon. Gwynee’s head snaps up at the sight of me along with everyone else’s in the joint.
“Would you like to schedule an appointment?” She’s all business.
“If that’s what it will take to get you to respond to my messages.” She’s been dodging me for days.
“Hey, Cecilia. I’m going to take my fifteen.” She comes out from behind her desk looking prettier than I remember and shorter out of her heels. I follow her outside, catching a glimpse of our reflection in the window. I look like a fucking giant standing next to her.
“What are you doing here?”
“Wanted to check in and make sure that asswipe wasn’t giving you any trouble.”
“Thoughtful.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, and I wonder what I did to offend her.
“Babe.”
“Call me Gwynee.” She takes a few steps down the street.
We walk half a block in silence before I break it. “What crawled up your ass?”
“I can assure you there’s nothing up my ass.”
“Maybe there needs to be. I can arrange that.”
“I’ve got to get back to work soon.”
“You stood me up.”
“You left money on my nightstand like I was a woman of the night.”
I snort. “I told you to buy some riding boots because I wanted to take you for a ride. I don’t have to pay for pussy. I do just fine in that regard.”
“So I’ve heard.” She folds her arms across her chest, pushing her tits up, having no damn clue what the sight is doing to me.
“You jealous?”
“No. I’m just not going to join your harem.”
“You think I have a harem?”
“Don’t you?”
“I’ve got friends who are women I fuck when the mood strikes me. They know the score.”
“Yeah. No thank you.”
“Did I ask you to be one of those friends?”
She sputters, shock evident with her gaping mouth. “Well…no.”
“Have dinner with me.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“It’s one meal.”
“I’m not ready to get involved with anyone.”
“I’m asking you to share a meal with me, not marry me.”
“You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?”
“Now you’re catching on. You don’t realize it yet, baby, but soon enough you will. I’m going to show you how a real man treats a woman.”
“A real man, hmm. And these other women. Will they be sharing a meal with us, too?”
“If that’s what you want. I can arrange for you to meet them.”
“I think I’ll pass on comparing notes with your lovers.”
“Put your claws away. When I’m with you, I’m not thinking about anyone else.”
“Convince me.”
I grin at her, having the knowledge that I’ve won. Then I back her up against the side of the bank and in anticipation and impatient she goes up on her toes as I bend down to meet her sweet lips.