24. Dean
DEAN
I’m sitting on a mountain of work that should be done by now, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave Michelle’s. I keep thinking about that smile on her face. Nothing compares to seeing her like that.
Outside Aura, I pause. There’s a line wrapped around the block. People waiting to get in, excited and restless.
I’m not making rash decisions. But I keep thinking about selling everything. Retiring. Walking away. I don’t know what comes next. I just know I’ve had enough of this.
She was right. It’s time to make a change.
I nod to the bouncer and head toward my office. One of the bartenders catches my eye and jerks a chin down the bar. Vinnie. He turns, and that oily smile cuts through my good mood. I don’t know what he wants, but I know it isn’t good.
He hops off the stool and heads over, dressed in a suit that tries too hard. Probably cost too much but still looks cheap.
“Dean, good to see you,” he says, like we’re old friends.
I look him over. I wouldn’t normally give him the time of day, but he’s Michelle’s brother.
“Vinnie, was it?” I ask.
He shoves his hands into his pockets, trying to look casual and missing it. All I see is forced ease and nervous energy. He’s about to lose the business to Michelle.
“Could we have a word?” he asks.
Every instinct tells me to shut him down, but I nod and gesture toward my office. He follows me in.
I take my seat behind the desk. He drops into the chair across from me without hesitation, legs wide, hands resting on the arms.
His eyes sweep the room like he’s assessing it. Then he gives a small nod, like his opinion matters.
“Michelle’s a great agent. You’re in good hands,” he says. “But they could be better.”
I lean back, watching him. “Oh yeah?”
“She’s old-school hustle. That’s fine, for now. But your portfolio? I’m guessing it’s bigger than that. You need infrastructure. A real team. You should be thinking about expansion.”
“You’re saying she can’t keep up?”
“I’m saying she’s spread thin. Between her listings, managing the team...” He lets the lie hang there, a cheap tactic. “She’s burning hot, no doubt. But she can’t burn forever. And people like us? We plan for scale. That’s what I do.”
I keep my posture relaxed, but inside I’m cataloging every word. The way he frames it, burning hot, can’t last, people like us. It’s all calculated. A knife in his sister’s back dressed up as business advice.
“Between you and me, I’m not sure how long Michelle’s going to be at the agency.”
I lift my brows, waiting.
“I’m set to inherit it soon,” he says, like the paperwork’s already signed. “And who knows if she’ll still be around.”
How can that be? Michelle’s ahead. But I don’t point that out.
“You’ll fire your own sister?” I ask.
“Fire? No,” he says, laughing. “But look, she’s difficult. Always has been. Maybe it’s in everyone’s best interest if she steps aside. But what I do know is, I’ll be here. Long-term. Leading.”
The urge to put him through the wall is sudden and sharp.
I don’t lose control. Not over business.
Not even when someone swings at me. But when it comes to Michelle, it’s different.
Someone disrespects her, says her name the wrong way, and I feel myself coming unraveled. It takes all of me to stay seated.
“Appreciate the insight,” I say.
He grins, smug and slick, like he’s just scored a win.
“If you’re interested in a condo, I’ve got some projects going on.
” He slips a brochure from his jacket and leaves it on the edge of my desk.
Then he walks out fast. I’m glad he does.
I’m one breath away from doing something that would really upset Michelle.
So this is how he’s beating her. Not the old boys’ club. Not bad luck. Just quiet sabotage. Undermining her to clients, smiling to her face while cutting her off at the knees.
And she doesn’t see it. She defends him. Blames herself for clients leaving her for him.
I drag a hand through my hair, trying to keep my temper in check. I understand playing dirty. I’m no saint. I built an empire on knowing how to win. But not like this. Not against your own blood. And never against Michelle.
She’s been through hell, but never plays the victim. Never complains. She just gets harder. Builds walls so high most people don’t even try to climb them. But she’s good. Too good for this kind of betrayal.
I should tell her.
But I can already picture the look in her eyes, it would sink in deep and stay there. That’s how Vinnie wins.
Right now, she’s happy. She’s winning.
I’ll deal with him. That’s my job now, taking care of her.
But I need to be smart about it. This has to be handled clean. No trail back to me, and definitely not to her.
I pick up the condo brochure, Vinnie’s face printed on the back. A plan begins to form.
“Alright, Vinnie,” I say to the empty room. “You want to play dirty? I’ll play.”
An hour later, I’m standing in the dump Ray had me put my name on. Highway Thirty-Six. A rundown bar on the edge of town with motorbikes crammed along the curb like it’s a clubhouse. The place reeks of stale beer and sweat.
Every inch of it needs a deep clean, and maybe a full fumigation. A flickering neon beer sign throws sickly yellow light across scarred wooden floors and mismatched tables. The surfaces are sticky, and the whole place feels like it might come apart if someone leaned too hard on the wrong wall.
Levi and Drew sit across from each other in a booth near the back. I grab a chair from a nearby table, the legs screech across the floor as I drag it into place.
“Figured you’d try to renegotiate now that the cops are sniffing around,” Levi says.
That stops me cold. “Cops?”
I glance around the bar. There’s just the usual drunks and deadbeats.
“What cops?”
“Nothing,” they say in perfect, suspicious unison.
I stare at them and decide to drop it. That’s a problem for another day.
“Wait,” Levi says, frowning at me. “If you didn’t know about last night, why are you here?”
“I need a permit pulled,” I say.
“First you want it pushed through, now you want it revoked? Make up your mind.”
“It’s not mine.” I reach into my jacket and slide Vinnie’s condo brochure across the table.
Drew picks it up, squints at the cover.
“I need the construction permit gone. Fast.”
They exchange a look and start one of those silent conversations they think nobody notices.
That’s when it hits me. If I bring Ray in, I’m going to end up signing something in blood. But maybe I don’t need him for this. Maybe they can handle it.
“This feels like something you two could take care of,” I say, watching their faces. “No reason to bother Ray.”
Their attention sharpens. Levi’s eyes narrow, just slightly.
“You think we’re dumb enough to run a side job behind Ray’s back?” Levi asks.
“You didn’t bring him in on the surveillance, did you?” I ask. “You’re professionals. He’ll never know.”
It’s not trust I’m playing to. It’s pride. And right now, it’s working. They look at each other again, holding a quiet debate with nothing but their eyes.
Levi clears his throat. “Twenty.”
I lift an eyebrow.
“That’s a steep filing fee.”
Levi shrugs. I guess keeping Ray out of it comes at a premium.
“Fine,” I say. “Keep it clean and get it done fast.”
I push up from the table and head for the door. The sooner I’m out of this place, the better.
Pulling Vinnie’s permit will keep him busy long enough for her to win without interference or sabotage. It’s also what he deserves. No one messes with Michelle. No one interferes with her business.
Except me.
I spent seven million on an eco-home, whatever that means, just to keep her in the lead. She doesn’t know, but I listen. I ask the right questions. I pay attention and I keep track. This place seals the win.
She thinks it was luck. If she knew the truth, she’d hate it. Michelle doesn’t accept help, especially not like this, but that choice is gone. She’s getting her business.
I’ll burn money to get her there. I’ll do worse if I have to.