Total pages in book: 211
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
My eyes go wide and Eric’s hand slides to my leg, warning me to stay calm, telling me that he’s here, he’s got this. He’s in control. Isaac, on the other hand, doesn’t look in control. His hair is rumpled, dark circles shadowing underneath his eyes, his lips dry and cracked. “Let’s have a real talk, brother.”
Chapter one hundred twelve
Eric
Isaac’s face is gaunt and ruddy and he looks strung out, and as agitated as he was the night he threw that boiling water meant for hot cocoa on me. There’s a desperation to him and desperate people do desperate things. I slowly reach behind me and remove my gun, setting it on my lap. Harper tenses with this knowledge, but to her credit holds it together and doesn’t react. Adrian appears beside us and leans on the booth above me. “He came in the back door and ran for you,” he explains before he glances down at Isaac. “You want to get up, Isaac, or should I lift you by your ears?”
I lift a hand at Adrian and wave him off. “I don’t know if he’s armed.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “I am and I’m a hell of a lot faster on the draw than he is.”
Adrian hesitates but caves. “I’ll be close.” I don’t take my eyes off of Isaac, but I’m aware when Savage backs away.
“Coffee?” I offer, motioning to the waitress with a pot in her hand and turning over the cup on the saucer in front of him.
The waitress fills his cup. “Can I get you anything else, sir?” she asks.
Isaac waves her off without so much a glance in her direction, and the message is clear: she’s beneath him. He forces everyone he can beneath him. That’s his way. Lift himself up by pushing others down. It’s what he tried to do to me from the day he met me. As if I could come in and claim his empire when I’m not even a full-blooded heir.
“You were right,” Isaac states, sipping his coffee black because of course, cream and sugar wouldn’t be manly. “We have trouble with the mob, but they didn’t leave the note. I left you that note in Dad’s room.”
I add some extra cream to my coffee. I might even need to add more sugar to get through this bitter bullshit. Fuck Isaac and all his bullshit.
“Did you hear me?” he demands, his tone nothing shy of venomous. “I left the note.”
“I didn’t know there was a question,” I comment, my tone wry at best.
“You mean the note where you threatened me again?” Harper demands. “When you used me against your brother?”
He scowls at her. “I’m not behind the attack on you.”
“Then who was?” Harper demands. “Your father? The mob? Because we all know you were ready to set me up with them.”
He grimaces and eyes me, dismissing her and her accusations. “Dad knew you’d think it was me. He came here to convince you that it was not. Because the last fucking thing we need right now is to have you coming at us, too.”
The last time we talked he said Dad came to ask for my help. He’s a liar, and liars always forget their lies. I smirk. “Come at you? Why would I do that? We’re family. Right, Isaac?”
“We are family. Which means the mob will eventually come for you and Harper. They will find someone in this family to make our problems with them right. Deal with them now or deal with them later.”
I laugh and sip my coffee. “Barking up the wrong tree, brother. I won’t help. You won’t use Harper as leverage. I’ll fucking make you pay for that ten times over.”
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with,” Isaac hisses, leaning in closer and pokes at the table. “This is the mob. They will come for you.”
“How’d you even get in bed with the mob, Isaac?” Harper interjects.
He glowers her direction. “I didn’t get involved with the damn mob, Harper. I was dealing with the union.”
“Everyone knows the mob and the unions have been in bed,” I say. “I assume you borrowed money, and then couldn’t pay it back.”
“One of the higher-ups at the union offered us an influx of cash to grow the business. He wanted more jobs. I wanted more money. It was a match made to happen.”
“Isn’t it illegal to get into bed with the union?” she queries. “Or at least unethical?”
“Fuck your moral compass, Harper,” Isaac snaps. “I was trying to do what was best for the company. We were falling behind, thanks to those recalls.” He eyes the jaguar on my arm. “Our competition is thriving. We are not.”
I think through what I know and make assumptions. “You cut corners. It caused the recalls. The recalls caused financial distress. You borrowed Harper’s trust fund but it wasn’t enough so you borrowed money from the mob.”