Scarlett shakes her head. “Nah, she’s not worth it. And don’t worry about Lucy for another second. If she comes back, I’ll handle her.”
“My ferocious ladybug,” I say as I pull her into my hips. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
Scarlett shrugs. “I’m just me.”
“You’re fucking perfect is what you are. But I need you to know that I won’t ever do something like that without talking to you if I can avoid it. And no matter what, I will do whatever it takes to make sure that nothing connected with me ever blows back on you. Moses will never fucking hurt you. I won’t allow it. Just like last night, I’ll stand as your shield. I will gladly take any bullets so that nothing ever touches you. I swear it on my life.”
She reaches out and digs her fingers into the towel wrapped around my waist, and her expression is grave.
“I don’t want you to take any bullets, Gabriel. Not for any reason. If there is any way you can get Moses to take money, you have to swear to me that you’ll take it from me. Please. I can always get more money. But even with all the money in the world, I’d never be able to find another you.”
I move one hand to cup the back of her hair and press a kiss to her forehead.
“I promise that I won’t let my ego or my pride get in the way of asking for your help if I truly need it. I swear.”
I left my girls curled up on Scarlett’s bed. Roux was snoring at the foot while Scarlett tapped away on the keys of her laptop.
I didn’t want to go, but she kissed me and sent me on my way, but only after I got the log-in info to her security camera app for the building. I told her it was for Hal so he could see inside the stairwells and store, but I’ll be checking it all the fucking time too.
Scarlett made me promise I’d drive instead of walk, and that I wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks. I agreed, because I’ve got a whole hell of a lot of reasons to live a long and happy life, and I’m not letting Moses take that from either of us.
Hal’s out front, keeping an eye on the place. He sent a text to notify us that Monroe was coming up the sidewalk earlier, but I didn’t read it until after she left. After giving him strict instructions to notify me of anything he saw that caused concern—on the street or on the cameras—I head to the club to meet Q and go through our own security footage.
Moses weighs heavy on my mind.
Is he watching me right now? Could he really have popped me at any time?
I already know the answer to that is yes. Moses didn’t get to the top of the Biloxi crew without being clever and ruthless.
Underestimating him won’t happen again.
I park in the alley and head inside the club, thinking about how we’re going to have to hire more security for Scarlett and Curated. Someone will have to take turns with Hal, because the old boxer won’t be able to stay awake around the clock for much longer. I need to figure out where the money’s going to come from, but that’s less of a concern. We don’t have a choice.
I shoot Hal a text to ask if he has anyone he would trust with his life who could trade shifts with him.
Hal: Let me ask my brother. He’s between jobs. Only man I’d trust with my life.
Legend: Thank you. I appreciate it more than you know.
Hal: We both know I owe you big. Consider this a long overdue repayment, and if you try to slip me cash, I’ll consider it an insult.
I stare down at my phone. Well, shit, at least I won’t have to come up with the money to pay Hal. One problem solved off my long list. I’ll fucking take it.
Next up, to figure out if the cameras caught any footage of Moses inside Legend.
Eleven
Legend
Q is in his office when I make it inside, and he’s already got camera feeds up on both of his monitors.
“You see anything?”
“Not yet, but I only vaguely remember what he looks like from that picture you showed me years ago. Fuck, now I feel like I should’ve had it framed on my desk so I was ready.”
I shake my head. “I’m so fucking sorry, man. I brought this to our door—”
Q waves me off. “Stop. I’ve known since the beginning that tying myself to you could mean that I’d find myself in this situation. I know what I signed up for, Gabe.”
I pull one of the extra chairs around the side of his desk and sit down beside him. “Regardless, it’s eating at me. I should’ve handled my shit all those years ago.”
Q turns, and his dark gaze pierces mine. “You were a scared-as-fuck kid back then, and it doesn’t make you less of a man to admit it. I wouldn’t have gone after him either, if I’d been in your shoes.”
“So, what do we do now?”
Q releases a long breath. “I don’t know. Because if this fight really comes together and you win . . . we’re still fucked.”
“I will win. Losing isn’t an option.”
“So we find out where the fuck Moses is holed up and take him out ahead of time.” Q leans back in his chair. “Or get a million and a half from someone who isn’t your girlfriend.”
I shake my head. “No one is giving me that kind of cash to pay off a gangster from Biloxi. I hate to break it to you, but I don’t have a fairy godfather.”
Q grunts out a laugh. “No shit. Because we wouldn’t be in this position if you did. He’d be turning piles of dog shit into stacks of hundreds instead of pumpkins into carriages.”
“You’ve been watching cartoons with your nieces again, haven’t you?” I ask him.
He points at me. “So what if I did? You going to judge me for it, after going to a gala with the richest assholes in town?”
“No judgment.” I raise my hands in surrender. “But I’m still going to give you shit about it.”
“Whatever. Back to Moses. Even if we spend hours going through security footage, it’s not going to help us find him now. You got any idea where he’d go?”
I shake my head. “None whatsoever. Could that PI buddy of yours take a look?”
“Eduardo? He’s fucking crazy. You know he only takes payment in cash up front, and we’re not exactly rolling in it . . . which brings me to another question. If your plan is to bet on yourself for the fight and win big, where the fuck are you going to get that money, man? I assume you’re not asking Scarlett for that either.”
It’s a question that’s run through my mind more than once since I came up with this plan to pay off the investors after I win.
I lean back in the chair and cross my arms, ready to put it out there. “I’ve only got one idea right now, and you’re really not going to like it.”
“Tell me.”
“Putting the club up as collateral with a loan shark.”
Q bursts out of his chair so fast, it tips over backward. “Are you fucking shitting me? Gabe, what in the actual fuck? If you lose, then we’re fucked on every goddamn level. Not to mention, Cannon Freeman and Creighton Karas will probably have you offed by the fucking mob if you do that. And guess who most of those loan sharks are in bed with? That won’t work.”