I have a clear view of the night sky.
Although no stars are visible, the darkness above calms me.
Tomorrow, I have a lot more in store for her. When I said I wanted her to accompany me everywhere, I meant it. Setting my drink down, I pick up my phone to dial Gideon.
“Boss?” he answers. “Do you need me?”
“Nah. I just wanted to go over a few things for tomorrow.”
“Shoot.”
Technically, if I wanted Gideon here, he’d be here. He lives downstairs, along with a handful of my men. They don’t necessarily live here full time, but there is a security area with rooms. That way, if something ever goes down, I have my team with me.
I won’t need it for long if everything goes as planned.
“We need to go to Lorenzo and go over the logistics.”
“Are you sure you want to do this? This is your legacy, Tobias.”
“Yes,” I grit out.
Soon, Gideon will take over my import business. Most essential is the portion I don’t talk about.
The drugs.
Despite what he says, I want no part in it. It’s always been a means to an end. A way to get enough power to take out my enemies and seek revenge. Now that I’m close, Gideon thinks I might regret my decision or go back on it. I won’t.
All I want is to feel the life drain from the body of the man who killed my family. After that’s done, I’m done with this life.
I was handed the keys to a kingdom I never wanted. It’s time my reign ended.
“Yes, I’m sure. This is why we are going to meet with Lorenzo tomorrow. He needs to know the plan and that you will be taking over.”
“Okay,” he responds. His voice is far away, lost in thought.
“Gideon.”
“Yeah, boss?”
“Is this really what you want?” If he doesn’t, I’ll find another way out, despite what it will cost me.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
“I’m the lesser of the evils. If I step up, we can control who deals, who the customer is, and make sure it’s never cut.”
It’s true; this is the easier way. Despite my profession, I do have a conscience. Anyone who buys from me knows what will happen if it’s ever cut with fentanyl. They would die just like their customers. Painfully.
“We could close up shop,” I offer as a solution.
“We could, but you know as well as I do that someone will fill the void. They always do.” He’s not wrong.
That’s the underworld. There is always a nastier, more deadly enemy waiting to strike. This way, with Gideon in charge, we can limit the damage.
“You’re right.” I let out a long, audible sigh. “But if you don’t want this, then we just take that risk.”
“I’m good, boss,” he responds, and this time, I hear the conviction in his voice.
I nod to myself, happy with the outcome of this conversation. He’s right. This is the only solution to the problem. There is no one I trust more than Gideon Byrne. He’s the only man other than myself who will honor the principles I grew up with.
No women.
No children.
The bastard who killed my father never believed in those principles. Which is why it has always been important to honor my father and follow the rules he wanted to govern his organization with. It doesn’t matter if I’m involved. My connections and contacts trust us to be better than our competition, and nothing will stop me from making sure that is exactly what happens. Consequences be damned.
The lawyer who is looking to be complete trouble?
I’ll handle her, too.
14
Skye
Papers are signed, and I’ve cross-checked everything as I raise my hand to knock on Trent Aldridge’s office door.
“Come on in, Lawyer Lady,” Trent hollers through the closed door. I look up to find the camera, but I can’t see one easily. Are all these guys’ offices guarded like a Swiss bank?
“I brought back the signed stack for you,” I practically singsong as I walk through the door.
“Still can’t believe the bastard made you schlep all the way back yourself. I mean, come on, this is the easy stuff.”
“Yeah, well, I’m getting used to being dragged all over the place at Tobias’s side with zero notice given. It’s kind of his MO.”
“Tobias’s side. Never thought I’d see the day he had a woman as hard as nails next to him. We all need one, though.”
“A woman lawyer?” I ask, confused by his statement.
“No, a woman to put up with us and fall in love.”
“Whoa. Um. No. Trent. I can call you Trent, right? I’ve known Tobias for a total of five seconds, give or take. There’s no love talk on the table. I barely tolerate the man, and I’m ready for him to retire so I can get back to my other clients.”
“So, you talk back to him and force him to do things on Day One. Am I right?”
“Yes.”
“And he didn’t pull out a gun, shoot you on sight, and dump the body in the East River.”
“Noooo.”
“Well, in this world, that’s one step away from him being in love with you, Lawyer Lady.”
I huff. Genuine laughter bursts out of him.
“I gotta get back to my office. Let me know if you have anything else that needs to be reviewed for my client.” I purposely over-enunciate those last two words.
“Sure. Sure, I will. Oh, and when you see him, tell him I secured the teddy bears for Lorenzo, so that’s one thing off the list for ‘Client Tobias,’” he air quotes.
“Teddy bears?”
“Yeah, he’ll know what they are for. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Okay, have a good day. Oh, and I thought I introduced myself yesterday, but in case you forgot, my name is Skye Matthews.”
“I remember your name, Skye. I think I’ll stick with Lawyer Lady, though, just to piss Tobias off.”
I chuckle as I walk out of his office. Just a five-minute conversation with Trent Aldridge has my head spinning again. I’m off to find out what Tobias wants and whether I can keep my wits about me with him next to me.
Time goes by fast when you’re overworked. It’s been almost two weeks since this man has employed me, and my nerves have yet to subside. I’m not sure what to expect today. Days keep passing, and he keeps dragging me along with him. I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve also gotten used to returning home at the end of the day bone-tired. My mind is mush.
I have worked hard before, but this is something entirely different. It is as if I am completely on edge all the time. My sensory system is on overload. I want to hate him. But really, he hasn’t done anything other than tow me around to every business meeting he could have in the greater tri-state area. I’ve met his finance guy, security teams, brokers, and warehouse and shipping managers. I think I am missing a maid or two and possibly a gardener.
He doesn’t know I need to get back to my other clients. He has no clue there is a bigger objective for me. Felix.
That’s the goal.
From what I have seen and heard, Felix is responsible for a string of violent incidents. One of the incidents could very well be the one where my parents were killed.