Page 1 of Velvet Secrets

CHAPTER 1

Iwas standing near the window of my office that looked out at the Atlyn City skyline when I heard the door open and a thud. I glanced back over my shoulders to see that security brought the man that I was set to go see later to me. I chuckled lowly before journeying a short distance from where I was and refilling my glass with some Louis XIII.

“Sin—”

“The audacity it takes to walk into my casino, knowing you owe me money, is almost impressive.” I cut him off as I took the small walk to my desk to have a seat, pointing to the chair in front of it encouraging Gerald to do the same. “It takes a certain kind of man to show up the way that you did, and it makes you bolder to place a bet as if you’re playing with house money.”

“I—I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful?—”

“No I think you were.” I cut in, smirking, drumming my fingers on my desk. “Directly? No. That would take guts,” I continued. “But the moment you sat your ass down at that table knowing that you owed me money? You decided that I was a joke. That I was harmless. That offends me, Gerald.”

“I wasn’t?—”

“It’s like you forgot the game you were playing, or worse, the kind of nigga you were playing with.” I placed my other hand on my desk and leaned forward. “You know what bothers me the most, Gerald?’

He shook his head. “No. What?”

“That you thought of me and decided that I would let you live with the disrespect,” I answered. “That’s not a mistake that most people really survive twice.”

His eyes stretched wide at the realization of what I was saying to him.

“S-Sin, p-please,” he stammered. “I-I can make it right.” He began to go through the worn bag that he had with him. “Here.” He slid a folder across the table to me.

I eyed him for a beat before grabbing the folder and checking the contents of it. My brows lifted some when I noticed what it was.

“I don’t have the money, but I have that,” he pointed. “A deed. To a building I own. It’s clean. No liens, no mess. It’s worth more than I owe.”

I looked over the other paperwork that was in there and frowned.

“This place is leased out?”

He nodded. “To a woman who runs a lounge or something like that.”

“She know you’re handing her roof off to pay a gambling debt.”

“She doesn’t know anything because she doesn’townanything. I do. She has a lease. What does it matter who owns the building?” He shrugged.

“It matters becauseyouleased it to her for a lounge.” I glared at him. “I didn’t. If it’s my real estate, I do whatIwant to do there.”

“We’re set to meet Monday about her lease anyway, so if you don’t renew then you don’t renew. She’ll have to respect that.” He stated as if it were just that easy or as if the shit was okay. I had no idea who the woman was, but I was sure she wasn’t going to be okay with having to get the fuck out because her slumlord sold the spot she was leasing. “Are we good?”

I continued to grill him before closing the folder, keeping it on my side of the table. I was going to accept the building because it was for sure worth more than what he owed, even with interest, but I was severing ties with him because next time there wouldn’t be a next time.

“Sin, are we good, man?” he asked again.

“For now.” I grabbed my glass then waved to my security guards. “You’ll feel it when I change my mind.”

“S-Sin! Wait!” He pleaded when Gronk lifted him from the chair. “Sin, please man.” He cried as he was carried out. “Come on! I gave you the…”

His words trailed off once my door was closed. I didn’t want to hear what he was saying anyway. I was done talking. A nigga wasn’t going to disrespect me by showing up to my place of business like he didn’t owe me money and live to talk about it. I dealt in outcomes and unfortunately for him, his was death. Gronk would handle it because I had to go back down to the floor.

My brother and my homeboy were sliding through with some of the people from my boy’s firm to have some fun so I made some accommodations for them. My brother had just gotten drafted to the Titans, so he wanted to come out and celebrate his accomplishment by blowing some money.My money.

Speaking of…

“Yo?” I answered.

“Where you at nigga? Me and Money just got here.”

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