Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
I was willing to make the sacrifice if it meant tanking Emma’s gala and her reputation along with it. Better yet, with her reputation sunk, the Lowrys should’ve left Allie alone. How was I supposed to know the night would take that turn?
“Everything taken care of?” I ask the men as I approach.
One of them nods before sucking a long drag from his cigarette. The others keep their shoulders hunched against the cold, kicking at the dirt and rocks under their boots. My gaze bounces from one to another. “Did you all go mute all of a sudden?”
Kyle and I have worked together on more than one job like this. Cleaning up unfortunate messes, then making sure what needs to be silent stays that way. He stamps out his smoke before shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. “Body gone, car chopped up or as good as by morning, security footage taken from the guardhouse. Real shame about that Lambo, though.”
I’m an expert at resentment. I’ve wrestled with it all my life. I know the sound, and I’m hearing it now. “So what’s the issue?”
“I guess we’re just wondering, is all,” he says.
“About what?” I don’t have time for this shit. Why don’t we sit around with our knitting while we’re at it and share some stories?
“It’s just… you know…” He casts a look at his accomplices. “Who says you get to call us and we just come running?”
Have they forgotten who they’re dealing with?
My gaze lands heavy on them in turn. The other two at least have enough sense to look uncomfortable. Granted, they’re a couple of pussies to let somebody else do all the talking for them, but at least they have a little self-preservation.
Not Kyle, who has the nerve to jerk his chin at me. “We’re not on call around the clock.”
“Like this is the first time you’ve ever got a call out of the blue. Since when can’t I count on you?”
He has the nerve to scoff. “Since Roman kicked the bucket. We worked for him. We don’t work for you.”
Now I get it, and I don’t feel the cold anymore. It must be the way my blood boils. “I see.” This dumbass doesn’t even realize my voice has gone flat.
I swing around to face the other two. “Is this the general opinion?” I can imagine them bitching and moaning together, but they don’t even have the balls to look me in the eye.
“Last I checked, the three of you are on the Bishop payroll,” I remind them through clenched teeth.
“Then maybe we need to discuss the terms of our original agreement,” Kyle suggests. He has the nerve to try to stare me down.
“Could be,” I agree, then slide my hand under my tuxedo jacket and pull out the pistol tucked in my waistband.
He barely has time to react to the gun before I’ve aimed it at his chest and fired a shot that echoes through the icy night.
The other two men jump back while Kyle drops to his knees, staring down at his chest, both hands covering the red stain blooming against his canvas coat. His mouth works, but not a sound comes out before he drops to his side and releases one strangled gurgle.
My voice cuts through the sudden, profound silence. “Let’s get this straight. You still belong to the Bishop family. You do what we say, or you get cut out of the family the way this fucker is now.”
I lower the gun but keep it visible.”Anybody else want to renegotiate their fucking job terms tonight?”
They exchange a terrified glance and shake their heads. “Good. Now get rid of this body while you’re at it.”
I don’t know exactly what they did with Jackson or his car, but I also don’t give a fuck. It’s better that I not know the details—plausible deniability and all that shit.
Though Kyle’s bitching makes me think twice before I’m in the truck. I turn back with the door open. “And you better hope you did your job right. Don’t let me find out the three of you had a little group tantrum and half-assed your work. I get any word of trouble over this, and the two of you will get a visit from me. Got it?” They nod quickly as one of them takes Kyle’s ankles and the other grabs him by the arms. I’m satisfied by the time I’m in the truck, turning up the heat before backing away.
Assholes. Sometimes people start thinking they’re more than tools who get paid extremely well for the work they do. You pay them well enough, and they start thinking it earns them a seat at the table. Then you need to adjust their expectations. Sometimes with a bullet.
Now that I’ve confirmed the job is done, there are some decisions to make. Do I keep this to myself, or do I tell my brothers? Calder is out. I don’t even have to think about it after the way he treated me tonight. Acting like he’s never put a bullet in a man’s chest, when it’s what ended up getting him his wife.