Page 8 of Dom 4
He gazed at me with those dark eyes. I knew firsthand why women were crazy about my brothers. They both looked like they were sent right on a platter from God himself. “Next is simple. All Royal Enterprises operations stay running how they’ve been. Keep the books tight, keep every transaction logged, and make sure your paperwork is clean while Carmen is keeping the feds running in circles. We’ve had the spotlight on us too long. These next few months, I want quiet money. We already made too much noise. Now it’s time to breathe.” His voice dropped into that calm command I’d heard since we were kids. “I’m trying to enjoy some kind of normalcy, at least till the next storm hits.”
I laughed sarcastically. “Normalcy? You? That’ll be the day.”
He walked over, leaned down, and kissed me on the cheek. “Be careful, lil sis.”
“Always am,” I replied.
He turned to leave, but I couldn’t resist stirring the pot one more time. “Oh, and Dom?”
He stopped with his hand already on the knob. “Yeah?”
“I’m working on another contract. Somebody else big.”
He turned his head just enough for me to catch the suspicion in his eyes. “That right? And does that contract require all that freaky shit too?”
I grinned slow while biting my lip to hide my laugh. “It just might.”
He shook his head, exhaled and tucked his gun into his waistband. “You need help.”
“I need everything I’ve already got,” I shot back.
He continued shaking his head laughing to himself as he pushed the door open. “Don’t get yourself in no mess you can’t clean up, O.”
“Mess pays better!” I called after him.
He just waved me off, walking out the way always unbothered and on his own time. When the door shut, I leaned back in my chair, still smiling to myself. The monitors were blank again, reflecting only my grin.
“Freaky shit or not,” I whispered, finishing my drink, “business is booming even when we aren’t shooting motherfuckers.”
The door clicked shut behind Dom, and the echo lingered in the air long after his footsteps faded down the hall. I sat still for a moment, and the smile that had been plastered on my face was finally slipping away. His words replayed back in my head, over and over.
“You keep playin’ like that, one of these fools gon’ catch feelings and end up thinkin’ he own you.”
At the time, I laughed because I always did when one of my brothers had my back up against the wall about a man. But now, sitting here in the quiet, it didn’t sound funny anymore. I swiveled in my chair, facing the monitors again. The screens were glowing softly against the dark room, with the club floor below moving slowly, as the dancers cleaned up getting ready for next shift while the security checked the exits. Everything looked in order, but my chest felt heavy.
I picked up my phone out of habit, just to distract myself. One notification sat waiting for me and I wasn’t surprised. It was a message fromMalik ‘Stone’ Jefferson… Philly Eagles’ golden boy, standing six-foot-four and full of good foolishness.
The text read:
U disappeared on me. That how we doin it now, shorty?
My thumb hovered over the screen a little longer than it should have as I contemplated. Malik had been in Miami a few times, always finding his way to Royal Nights like it was a coincidence. We’d met months ago after a fundraiser he hosted for youth programs. He’d walked up to me like I was a trophy, showing off his charm and handsomeness with the kind of confidence that came with being used to people saying yes to his ass. We’d had dinner once in the beginning and then a few more times after that. He made me laugh, of course. He also looked at me like I was something he wanted to eat, and I’d seen that look too many times before.
I dropped the phone face down on the desk and leaned back. Dom was right; there was always somebody ready to fall for the idea of me. The woman who ran her own world and who didn’t need permission for anything but what they never understood was that freedom came with blood on the paperwork and enemies in the corners. Men liked the story but not the reality.
I wasn’t built for love, at least not the way normal people wanted it because love required letting somebody stand too close, and I’d already seen what that cost… my heart. My phone lit up again.
Another text from Malik:I’m flyin’ back to Miami this weekend. Let me take you out. I miss slick ass mouth of yours.
I stared at the message, not sure if I wanted to laugh or sigh. I picked up the phone, unlocked it, then stared at his name for a long time before hitting the side button and locking it again. He’d get the message, hopefully. I wasn’t heartless, but I wasn’t about to let anybody walk into the Royal world thinking it was all romance because it wasn’t. After my last heartbreak, I learned to use my heart less. What we built came with enemies, too many damn secrets for one person, and bullets that didn’t care about feelings or who they hit.
I turned back to the monitors one more time, looking at my reflection in the glass as Dom’s voice echoed again in my head.“You got the mayor in your back pocket now, but that kind of power gotta be treated like nitro.”
He was right about that too. Everything I touched lately felt explosive, and love? That was just another fuse waiting for a spark. I reached for my glass, finished the last of my drink and smiled to myself. “Ain’t no love in survival,” I whispered, setting it down. “Not for me.”
The phone lit up again, but I didn’t check it this time. Instead, I powered it off just so I wouldn’t be tempted to, pushed back from the desk, and stared out the office window at the Miami skyline. Down below, the club lights danced to life as the happy hour crew came in. Money was already flying, and the music got louder. It was business as usual. Just the way I liked it.
Ilocked the front door behind me and adjusted my blazer, ignoring the quiet echo through the penthouse after I changed my clothes, thankful that I did at least keep a few necessities here at Dom’s. The place still smelled like his cologne lingering and his presence still felt strong. He hadn’t made it back yet, but that was typical. Dom didn’t move on time, instead he moved on purpose however long that took.
