Chapter 18
Henny
I woke up right on time, my internal alarm more reliable than any device. The first thing I noticed was that Pip hadn't moved.
He was still curled on his side, face half-buried in the pillow, breathing deeper than normal.
I propped myself up on one elbow and studied him.
His cheeks were flushed, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead despite the cool temperature of the room.
When I pressed the back of my hand to his temple, the heat confirmed my suspicion.
Fever.
Pip stirred at the touch, eyes fluttering open. They were glassy, unfocused. "Time is it?"
"Early." I smoothed the hair back from Pip's forehead. "You're burning up."
"M'fine." He tried to sit up and immediately swayed. "Just need coffee."
I gently pushed him back down. "You need to rest. Stay in bed. I'll bring you water and medicine."
"But we have meetings with Dario today." His words were slightly slurred.
I didn’t need a thermometer to know there was no way he’d be in those meetings. My boy had to rest so he could get better.
The fact that Pip remembered my schedule even while sick made my chest warm. "The meeting can wait. You're more important."
"No." Pip grabbed my wrist with surprising strength. "Go. I'll be fine. Just sleeping anyway."
I hesitated. The meeting with Dario was important. Ricardo had been making moves to expand his role in the organization and wanted funding for a new operation that could potentially lead us down a path to expand parts of the resort side of the casino.
As a trusted player in this business, I needed to go over the numbers with Dario, then make the case for or against the investment. It was a job that required more than one set of eyes.
But Pip was sick.
Feverish and vulnerable. There was zero chance of him being able to take care of himself.
"I can reschedule," I said.
"You can't." Pip's eyes were already drifting closed again. "Dario's schedule is packed since he leaves town today. You said so yourself. Go to the meeting. I'll still be here when you get back."
The trust in those words, the certainty that I would come back, made the decision easier. Pip was right. The meeting couldn't be rescheduled. And I'd only be gone a few hours.
"Okay," I agreed. "But you stay in bed. Don't try to work or train or do anything except sleep. Understood?"
"Yes, Daddy," Pip mumbled, and the automatic deference even in his current state sent a thrill through me that I chose not to examine closely.
I got up and quickly went through my morning routine.
Shower, shave, dressed in one of my better suits since Dario appreciated professionalism.
In the kitchen, I filled a large water bottle and found some medication in the cabinet, setting both on the nightstand along with a note telling Pip to call if he needed me.
My boy was already asleep again, breathing steady but labored. I pressed a kiss to his forehead, grimacing at the heat. After a few moments of coaxing, I convinced him to take the first dose of meds, then I set off to my meeting.
The drive to the place where I was meeting Dario took twenty minutes. I spent it reviewing the financial projections on my tablet, making sure every number was precise. Dario didn't tolerate sloppy work, and I had built my reputation on being meticulous.
He’d have his own numbers pulled, of course. But I wasn’t going to go into this blindly trusting him.
The restaurant was upscale, the kind of place where deals got made over expensive wine and perfectly cooked steaks.
Dario was already seated at a corner booth, his presence commanding despite the relaxed setting.
It was the blank look he always wore. I’d never seen him show an expression of joy or interest in all the years I’d known him.
"Henri." Dario dipped his head my way in greeting.
He never shook hands. His germ phobia prevented it. Though, Pip had suggested on more than one occasion that his phobia wasn’t real. He told me he had a sixth sense about Dario that needed more time to ruminate before he could share.
I slid into the booth and accepted the menu the waiter offered, though I'd already decided on my usual.
"How's my cousin?" Dario asked after we'd ordered.
"Busy. The Bratva situation required more attention than anticipated, but it's settled for now."
"I heard about that meeting. Messy business."
"But contained," I said. "No casualties or police involvement. Pharrell and Ricardo handled everything rather efficiently."
Dario's expression shifted slightly. "Speaking of Ricardo. That's why we're here, isn't it?"
"Yes." I pulled out my tablet and brought up the first set of numbers. "He's proposed an expansion focused on our adult entertainment store. He claims there’s potential for significant revenue increase."
"I've seen his proposal." Dario sipped his coffee. "What Pharrell wants to know is whether the numbers actually work, or if Ricardo is being ambitious beyond what is capable."
This was the line I had to walk carefully. Ricardo was adamant this would work. His expansion plans were sound in theory but required some upfront investment with no guaranteed return.
Not that it truly mattered. Pharrell would fund it even if the thing went south. Most of this meeting was about appearances and support. We couldn’t not be there to back Ricardo up on this endeavor—especially since our boss was enamored.
"The projected revenue is realistic," I said, turning the tablet so Dario could see the detailed breakdown, "based on current market conditions and our existing infrastructure.
However, the timeline Ricardo proposed is aggressive.
He's estimating six months to full profitability.
My analysis suggests longer is more accurate. "
"That’s a significant difference."
"It accounts for variables Ricardo didn't include. Potential pushback from clientele, the learning curve for new personnel, getting the word out." I pulled up another chart. "If we follow his timeline and it fails, we're out of luck. If we follow mine and build in buffer room, we're protected."
Dario studied the numbers, his expression unreadable. "I’ve calculated the upfront costs. They’re in this folder.”
He pointed to one lying on the tabletop beside him.
Opening it, I read over the material. "This looks reasonable. Plus, most of the funding is connected to setting it all up. After that, operating costs drop significantly."
"Still a substantial investment for a maybe."
"It's a calculated risk," I corrected. "Every expansion carries risk. The question is whether the potential return justifies the initial outlay. In this case, if we hit even seventy-five percent of Ricardo's projections, we recoup the investment pretty quickly and profit substantially after that."
Our food arrived. I had ordered salmon, prepared simply. Dario had steak, rare. We ate in silence for a moment while Dario considered.
"What's your recommendation?" Dario asked finally.
This was the critical moment. My word carried weight. If I endorsed Ricardo's idea, it would likely move forward. If I advised against it, Dario would probably shelve his opinion to agree with me.
Didn’t mean Pharrell wouldn’t override us both. It just meant we needed to be on the same page.
"I recommend telling the boss it’s good to go with modifications," I said.
"Fund the expansion but implement a longer timeline.
Give Ricardo the resources but make the benchmarks realistic.
And you need to oversee the financial side from start to finish.
Ricardo is excellent at operations, but he's not a numbers person. He needs someone watching the budget."
"Someone like me." It wasn’t a question.
“It’s literally your job. This meeting is merely a courtesy because I’ve spent more time with Ricardo lately, and he’s shared his vision with me. Otherwise, I’m out of it.”
Dario stared at me, his face expressionless. "Ricardo will cooperate if he wants this to work. Consider me on board to help. Draw up the formal documentation and I'll review it. We can get this moving soon if we don’t waste any time.”
Relief hit me hard at his words. "Sounds good. I'll have the paperwork ready by the end of the week."
"Excellent. Now tell me Pip’s role in all of this."
The change in subject caught me off guard. "What about him?"
"Heard you two live together now. That he turned down three contracts to stay local." Dario's eyes were sharp. "That's unusual for a freelancer of his status."
I kept my expression neutral. "He's found the arrangement beneficial."
"Beneficial." Dario's smile widened. "That's one word for it. He's good?"
"The best I've seen."
"And loyal? To Pharrell, I mean."
This was the real question. Dario was asking if Pip could be trusted, if his presence represented a security risk.
"Pip is loyal to his commitments," I said carefully. "As long as he's working with Pharrell, he'll fulfill his obligations. After that, he makes his own choices."
"But he's choosing to stay." Dario studied me. "Because of you."
There was no point in denying it. "Yes."
"Interesting." Dario finished his steak. "Make sure his loyalty to you doesn't compromise his effectiveness for Pharrell. We need him sharp, not distracted."
"He's sharp," I said with certainty.
"Good. Because Ricardo's plan might bring in some people looking to cause trouble. It would be good to have him supporting our security efforts."
I wanted to laugh at the suggestion. There was no way my boy would want to do anything like that. He wanted work that required bloodshed.
"I'll talk to him," I said.
Dario signaled for the check. "Do that."
We finished off discussing logistics and timelines once more, then parted ways in the parking lot. I drove home with my mind split between the project and the memory of Pip feverish in bed.