Page 150 of Monster

He recognized them on sight. So did I.

I crossed my arms over my chest casually.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise?” I said. “What have I done to get a nice little visit from the Four Horsemen?”

Julian Levine’s smile never left his face, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say the fucker was amused.

I took in the other three men with him.

Ezekiel Creed, Ezra Aldridge, and Novak Elsher.

All powerful men in their own right, but together, they were unstoppable.

Julian was the one who’d approached me about five years ago, wanting a partnership with the King’s Men, though I had only met the fucker once.

Communication between us was done through a secure line and destroyed the moment we no longer needed it.

It was the way I wanted.

I wasn’t going to make the same mistake our former Mayor Gallagher made, keeping insurance on his business associates.

It was those insurances my boy had dug up that had led to the mayor’s downfall.

“We thought it was time to visit one of our most loyal business associates,” Ezra said, his sharp green eyes trained on me. The man was what many would call pretty. With his dark brown hair and tan skin that stood out in contrast to his light eyes. We matched evenly when it came to height and bulk, and even with a smile on his face, there was something vicious about him that he seemed unable to hide—or perhaps he didn’t want to. But I could recognize the darkness in a man when I saw it.

Pretty or not, the fucker was lethal, and I would not underestimate him.

“I’m loyal to no one but my club,” I said easily. And that was true. I’d agreed to work with the Four Horsemen because I’d recognized the benefit from a business standpoint, even knowing all the nasty shit those little fuckers had their hands in.

“How would you like to change that?” Ezra asked.

I scoffed.

“Perhapsloyalis the wrong word to use,” Julian said, steepling his hands together and staring at me with his dark eyes. I could see why he’d been chosen as the face of the organization. Compared to the other three, he looked more polished. More refined.

More trustworthy.

He was in an expensive monkey suit I was sure probably cost the equivalent of a month’s profit from this bar. His short dark hair was brushed to the side, not a single strand out of place, and he had a beard that reminded me a little of Roman’s.

“How about an understanding?” Julian asked. “There is something we want from the King’s Men. And there is something you want from us. How about we take this association into a partnership? I’m sure you can find it—ah,useful, to have friends like us,” he finished smoothly.

I looked behind me at Kai. Right now, I didn’t see them as a threat, but I still felt better standing between them and my son.

“I have enough friends. Not looking to make more,” I said, getting ready to end this joke of a “meeting.”

There was nothing I needed from the Four Horsemen. I took care of my own.

“But you haven’t even heard our proposal yet,” Novak said, pushing off the wall he’d been leaning against. I narrowed my gaze, and he stopped. Dark blue eyes not unsimilar to my own glinted, as if he wanted to express his sincerity. I wasn’t a fucking fool.

I didn’t say anything, instead waiting to hear what they had to say.

“You have a traitor in your midst,” Julian said.

I didn’t react.

The fucker’s smile widened. “We can’t help you find the traitor. That’s club business, right?” When I didn’t reply, he continued. “But we can help stop whatever that traitor is planning on doing with the Sons of War to destroy your club.”

I finally spoke. “Hmm, I feel like I’m at a disadvantage. You seem to know a lot of shit happening with my club, but I don’t know anything about your business.”

---