Page 13 of Into the Blue
“She’s a dancer, yea.”
“And I waited at a brisket joint in bumfuck for an hour before Redd eventually showed upwithoutthe paperwork you were supposed to be having signed… because of a new dancer?” She was mostly upset because the barbecue spot I’d suggested we meet at was not a five star restaurant with table side service. She had gotten more uppity over time as her net worth increased. Something I knew only made Redd damn near feral.
Who am I playing?
That man is feral.
“He did sign it.” I slide the papers across the desk to her and she finally sits in her plush leather chair across from me.
It takes her a moment, but she looks up at me and the incredulous look she had before is now twice as intense. “There is no addendum. This is the original offer I drew up.”
Steph Perry has made a killing in real estate on the legal side, and recently—not so legalside, as she’s been looking for ways we can expand the business as undetected as possible. We have several small businesses from restaurants to galleries, all keeping the money clean. The massive warehouse we’re in now, is an actual storage facility for many of these businesses all operating under a larger corporation that I own. Off Topz was meant to be a joke on her part when she presented the option to me.Honestly, what is more cliché than dirty business happening in a strip club?
And that’s what made it perfect to me.
Little did I know I was going to see a woman who caught my attention moments after settling that deal. Caught isn’t an accurate word for what happened to me. The moment I saw her, she was under my skin and I couldn’t stop thinking about having her.
Still can’t.
That has never been something I’ve experienced before.
From a young age, my dad had always told me women were only good for a few things. None of those things were worth repeating to you. I admired my pop for many things. His treatment of women, including my Ma, God rest her soul, was not on the list. In my mind, I had them very low on my list of priorities because a family was not something that could be possible for me.
Anything associated with me is a target. Just like my Ma, there is no way to save an innocent tied to us in this life.
Pa was a duffle-bag boy, and slung his shit everywhere. No finesse, process, or system. Went to prison twice and came out to keep selling again. He might not have been a picture perfect role model, but he always encouraged me to take the game he was running and do it better.
He had done well for himself. We lived comfortably and his reputation preceded him. Hence, all the lil’ dudes who tried their luck with me. I knew it would fall to me to take over the Dupont name and be the successor this family needed. My little brother, Tony, wasn’t built for this life and with everything I’ve done, keeping him as far from it is the luxury I’ve been afforded.
“Signed and notarized,” I say, still looking at my computer and sifting through the files Redd sent me before Steph came barging in.
“Wow.” She sits back in her seat, letting the folder close. She slicks a hand over her ponytail. “Makes my job a helluva lot easier. I’ll finish this up then.” Steph crosses a leg over the other. I can see the irritation she had earlier receding into nothing. “So, this new girl?”
She starts in on me, but I hit her with my own nosy ass question. “So, your barbecue dinner?”
She grimaces at me and I already know what she’s going to say, but she says it anyway. “Nothing happened there. I ordered because I was hungry and the food was actually really good.”
“That all?” I hedge. Redd might be a nosy fucker, but he won’t give me more than crumbs when it comes to his fascination with my best friend.
One might think that my two best friends would be friends with each other.Nah. Redd has made it clear that he will not be sitting in a friend’s territory with her in any capacity.
“That’s all,” she says through clenched teeth.
“And Redd—”
“Was annoying as shit, per usual. Why did you even send him if he didn’t have the papers?”
“I didn’t.”
She looks genuinely confused. “So how did he…” She trails off and I let her.
There is no way I’m gonna confirm or deny anything about why Redd knew where she was.
She rolls her eyes. She knows I won’t either. “Whatever. Don’t change the subject. We’re talking about your new girl.”
“It’s a temporary investment.” She raises a brow. “I gotta be seen at the club I just bought. She’s somethin’ to look at while I’m there.”
She scoffs and checks her manicure. “You’d be there anyway.”
