Page 142 of Unwritten Rules

“Her roommate and best friend, Kelly Wilder.”

He contemplated that while crunching down on his chips. “I think I’ve seen her a few times. The video doesn’t zoom in all the way, but that’s the troublemaker I was telling you about a few months ago. Butchered my surveillance and we lost the guy and then he wound up dead.”

When she said she had rats, I didn’t think she was living with them too. Stupid me for not thinking to install cameras two years ago when they moved in, I guess.

“If that’s the case, I need eyes on her or some form of it. Get a few of our tails to see what she’s up to and what trouble she’s been getting herself into. I’ll need to report that to the Dictator.”

Speaking of, he was waiting for us in his office.

“Boy.”

“Hello, sir.”

Reaper plopped down in the chair across the room holding a cat like a football.

“What do you make of the situation with Haines?” Lighting up the cigar, he leaned back in his chair and awaited my response.

“I think we are underutilizing Romania.” I poured a drink for him and then myself, setting myself up across from his desk. He wants to know what the future CEO thinks of business, and I planned to let him know that I’ve been paying attention all these years while he used me as an attack dog.

“What does Romania have?” A coy smile played on his mouth and dared me to speak up and play like one of the big boys.

“A willingness to cooperate for the right price. Better arms available than our current resources. The Slavic countries have been stingy lately from higher demand in the current climate, but with Romania, we’d have open air free trade with the government. A foot in the door to practice legitimate business outside of arms deals.”

We sat there staring each other down for a while and he nodded his head after he thought long enough about it. The air felt stale with sweet tobacco and the silence became uncomfortable.

“Thank you for speaking plainly. I will consider your opinions. What I want to tell you now is of great importance. With the intel we have now, and your great work putting together pieces of the puzzle for me, it’s obvious that my suspicions are correct. The Montgomery Group is in great peril from lacking leadership for the last five years.”

Not to mention his getting older, but I wasn’t going to be the one to tell him that. Any chances I had of taking over the company would be over if I mentioned how old he was. Last guy who showed concern about him being older left with a broken leg. And I was pretty sure Reaper might have been the one to carry out my beating since the old man didn’t have his cane with him.

In no way would I riskDeathhimself beating me to a pulp.

“Her board of directors I assume did a terrible job.” Since when did he stock his office with gin? That shit is disgusting.

“Evans is a good team player, he just fails at leadership. The entire company is going to need an overhaul.”

If I were to wager to guess, he had a plan brewing in that cold mind of his. What it was wouldn’t be revealed until it was time to take action.

If you tell those around you your plans too soon, it gives them time to make a move against you. Always operate as if nothing will change and then when it does, no one can stop you when you implement a plan that cannot be stopped. The game of chess isn’t just a game—it's your war strategy.

It worked well for him. No one was able to cross him yet, and he remained on top as his father did before him. He must have wondered if his company would die with him before I came along as a baby left on his doorstep. Some days, he acted like it even with me around. Other days, he spoke in almost code about how I needed to be prepared for certain situations.

No one ever got a real read on my grandfather. His late wife might have, but she died long ago.

“We’d need to make one quickly with the vultures circling the Montgomery girl waiting to attack at any moment.”

He waved off my comment. “Always operate...”

”...as if nothing will change.”

”Good boy.” He slapped the table and stood. Pacing around the room and contemplating.

The only read I was ever able to get on him was when he paced his office in deep thought. Things would get tense and he would pace—that’s how I knew things would happen shortly after. He never had a poker tell, but he never got up from the table and walked around when he played.

“We have intel on the Wilder heir.” Reaper butt in. He was impatient to share because he wanted to go home and drink himself to death with however many cats he picked up this week.

The Dictator stopped. “Do tell.”

He relayed the story of when he saw her causing a ruckus before the guy we trailed ended up dead. He didn’t mention how he said he thought that was her from security footage, but knowing him, he probably identified her properly.

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