“Bennett coming to see you was an attempt to fool you into thinking—”
“He was a victim of circumstances, or something.”
“Or something, is right.” Dro took a sip from his club soda and lime. “I’m not one-hundred percent sure yet, but I think he’s some sort of broker in this business which is also tied to the immigrant children the current administration is snatching from the parents and putting into detention camps.”
Shaz studied his hands, which lay on the table. The news kept getting worse with every word. “I’m sure he’ll learn I wasn’t born this big, as my mother likes to say. I’ve got some experience to back things up.”
“Won’t he be in for a surprise,” Dro agreed, before they both burst out laughing.
After their laughter trickled away, Dro spun the glass on the table as he scanned the room.
“So, what have you decided regarding taking up Khalil’s offer on The Castle business?” he asked Dro.
Dro’s voice faded a little, while Shaz sat up and threw a glance toward the doorway of the restaurant. He resisted the desire to check the time. He’d scheduled his meeting with Dro for a half hour before his lunch date with Camilla. Fifteen minutes had gone by since they’d been seated, and he’d prefer if Dro was out of the picture when she turned up. Dro would give him hell if Camilla dragged him over the coals like last time.
“Earth to Shaz. Earth to Shaz.”
When he looked at Dro, the man had one hand fisted over his mouth, forming a loudspeaker, while his eyes danced in a private laugh at Shaz’s expense.
Shaz sucked his teeth. “I’m very much here.” He let his gaze settle on the bar situated on the other side of the room before connecting with Dro again. “I have to tell you, the main reason I’d be interested in any of this is because of what happened to Khalil and the debt I owe him, and …” Again, his attention drifted to the doorway. “Camilla. The Castle would extend my reach, give me more access to people who could influence her situation. She’s got me …”
“Twisted up seven ways to Sunday?”
Throwing Dro a glare, Shaz said, “You’re certainly on a roll. When the tables turn, I’ll remember how you treated me.”
He swallowed more of the red-tinted beer. “So, like I was saying, what’s going on in that place hit me right here.” Shaz patted his abs. “I admit my history has a lot to do with what I’m feeling and if I can help anybody else avoid being torn from their family or used as pawns in the way that Bennett sets things up, that’s what I’m gonna do. What about you?”
With a slow nod, Dro said. “I think I’m on board. It means juggling my schedule to fulfill my role, but it’s doable. Membership has its privileges.”
A slow smile spread over Shaz’s face and he folded his arms over his chest. “I like the sound of that. You’re a fixer by nature, so turning things around is right up your alley.”
Once more, his focus strayed to the doorway, where Camilla now stood. A tiny frown pulled her brows together as she scanned the restaurant. When she spotted him, Camilla’s expression shifted, and a smile lit her face. She wore another of those ankle-length numbers that skimmed her curves and made him wonder what was underneath.
His heart rate accelerated, but Shaz kept his smile from turning into a goofy grin. Looking back at Dro, he tipped his head toward Camilla. “Hit the road. Camilla just walked in.”
“Is this how you treat your friends?” Dro said as he got to his feet.
When Shaz rose, they shook hands and exchanged a man hug. By the time they stood apart, Camilla had arrived at the table with a hostess guiding her. Shaz asked the hazel-eyed woman to send them a waitress in a minute then he helped Camilla into her seat.
Meanwhile, Dro was acting the part of host. “Hey, Camilla. Everything good?”
“Yes, thanks,” she said, with a bright smile.
Shaz peered at her, thinking she was expert at hiding her emotions. Having spent some time with her, he was more attuned to her moods. The anxiety she carried with her hadn’t disappeared. She simply cloaked it when necessary.
“It’s good seeing you again,” Dro said and left them with a charming smile that made Shaz want to pop him one.
“Nice guy,” Camilla said, as Shaz sat. “I forgot to thank him for the help he’s given me so far.”
“Not to worry, I’ll convey your thanks.” Shaz was surprised at the sour note in his voice and hoped Camilla hadn’t caught it. The woman had him acting out of character. Dro had his own love interest, so Shaz had no need to be jealous. And yet, Camilla stirred emotions inside him that he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
As their gazes met, he gauged that for all outward purposes Camilla seemed fine, but he’d tread carefully and find out how she was really doing in a bit. “Would you like to order?” he asked.
Shaking her head, she hid a grin. “I’m sorry, but I’ve already eaten. I stopped by Aunt Mabel’s before I got here. She forced some stewed peas on me.”
Shaz assumed a sober expression and laid a hand on his stomach. “And she didn’t send me any? Tell her I’m wounded.”
Camilla rolled her eyes. “Did you expect me to walk in here carrying a food carton from another restaurant?”
He tapped her hand and injected a teasing note into his voice, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Next time, bring me some of dat mmm-mmm goodness. Did it have pig’s tail?”
Laughing, Camilla said, “You know it did. And salt beef. And spinners. She said you like those little dumplings.”
“She’s right, and you’re a cruel woman for even bringing that up.” Shaz licked his lips and acted as if his eyes rolled back into his head on their own, which made Camilla chuckle.
“I’m sorry. Yeah, I’m a terrible tease.” She turned her hand over and squeezed his. “I’ll make it up to you.”
As warmth spread in his belly and shot southward, Shaz linked their fingers together. “Promise?”
Camilla tried to withdraw her hand, but Shaz wouldn’t let her. “Don’t,” he said softly.
Her eyes went to their joined hands on top of the table and turned cloudy. A mixture of guilt and sadness crept over her features, and he wanted to comfort her. At a guess, he’d say she felt bad for exchanging jokes with him when her issues with her baby were still unresolved.
“What d’you mean?” She slid her hand from his.
“It’s okay to have this interlude with me,” he whispered. “Nothing in life says we can’t have good moments even when our situation seems as black as midnight.”
A grimace crossed her face. “Easy for you to say. You’re not in my position.”
“We both know I’m doing the best I can for you and Ayanna.”
After a moment, Camilla sighed and raised her head. “Yeah. You are. It’s just that sometimes I get impatient, especially with the time going by at the speed of a horse running down a track on race day.”
“I get that. But I’m here for you. You know that.”
If they weren’t sitting in full view of a bunch of people, he’d have pulled her to him and sampled her lips the way he had when they kissed that first time. He was sure she read his thoughts because her eyes went dark and she turned her head away as if to avoid interfacing with him.
Camilla was definitely into him. He wished she’d relax and go with the flow, even if right now they could only go so far based on her status as his client.
She licked her lips and mussed her hair by running one hand through it. “I know you are.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “And I appreciate you more than I can say.”
He wanted more than that from her, and he clasped her hand again as a man loomed over the table. Shaz tipped his head back but didn’t let his expression change when he recognized Darryl Bennett.
“Didn’t expect to see you here,” the strapping older man said while his focus shifted to Camilla. “But I’m glad we ran into each other.”
“I wonder why.” Shaz got to his feet. “I believe we sai
d all we had to say at my office.”
“I doubt that,” Bennett said, holding out one hand.
Shaz hesitated but shook it after a few seconds. Bennett’s grip was firm to the point of being painful, but Shaz refused to wince or crush the man’s hand in return. The ploy was childish at best and twisted at worst. Typical of a corrupt politician. Even in a handshake, the man was trying to strong-arm Shaz.
As Bennett loosened his grip, a tic danced around his eye. “I still need to talk with you. I have an offer I’m sure you won’t be able to refuse, especially since …” He dropped his pitch. “I hear you will be taking a seat on the board of directors at The Castle.”
Hands on both sides of his waist, Shaz raised both eyebrows and decided to keep his business to himself. “I’m not sure where you heard that, but I haven’t made a decision.”
“The Castle’s business can be demanding … and dangerous,” Bennett warned. “You may want to think carefully before you decide whether to accept the position.”
If he’d had a doubt about going all-in, this man’s veiled threat made up his mind for him. Shaz’s gaze was steady when he said. “Thank you for that advice. Unsolicited, though it may be.”
Heat flared in Bennett’s eyes, and Shaz suppressed the smirk rising to the surface. The older man straightened, smoothed the lapels of his jacket and stepped back. His gaze flicked to Camilla and came back to Shaz. “You’re welcome, and as far as I’m concerned, we still have business to discuss.”
Shaz let his smile come through but kept his tone terse. “Let’s agree to disagree.”
Bennett spun on his heels and walked away.
Shaz took his seat, acknowledging the anger in Camilla’s eyes. “No worries. This business is being handled,” he said. “Now, where were we?”
CHAPTER 39
“Fellas, I have to make a run,” Vikkas said, checking his screen and frowning.
The men paused in their conversations aimed at fleshing out what their roles would be in The Castle.
“Looks like there’s a little bit of trouble at Milan’s office.”
“What kind of trouble?” Daron asked, piping up from his chair at the boardroom table.
“The kind that’s going to take about fifty grand and my presence to resolve.”
“Your woman is asking for that kind of money straight out the gate?” Kaleb asked, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. “I ain’t saying she’s a gold—”
“No,” he snapped, still scanning the screen. “Her assistant has her phone. She’s hiding out in the office and just texted that Seth—Milan’s brother—showed up to the office with some big dudes. They’re not letting anyone leave until that money walks in.”
“Let’s ride fellas,” Daron said, peering over Vikkas’ shoulder to read the message for himself.
“And do what? They’re asking for fifty grand within the hour,” Shaz said, coming to stand near Vikkas and Daron. “You have fifty grand just laying around?”
“Actually …” Daron grinned and checked his watch. “We’ll just need to make a stop on the way there. I’ll explain the plan before we get to the center.”
* * *
“See, here’s what we’re not going to do,” Vikkas said an hour later, as the two men posted at the entrance of the center frisked him for non-existent weapons. “You’re not going to hold my woman hostage over some bullshit. She’s worth every penny you’re asking, but I’m not giving you one dime.”
The employees had all been rounded up from their cubicles and stood under guard against the back wall of the office. Toni was not present and accounted for.
A pale, stocky man waved his gun before pointing it at Milan. “She’ll still be worth it if I bust a cap in her ass?”
“She most definitely will,” Vikkas shot back. “But you won’t. Trust me on that.”
Milan frowned and focused on the window as several shadows flickered past. Then her gaze lowered to the row of plastic chairs across from the reception desk as though trying to figure something out. Everywhere else, but where he wanted her to focus. Vikkas flinched and tried to get her attention. When she finally locked a gaze with him, he gave her a look which translated to, knock it off.
A head appeared over a far section of the drywall as Toni peeped over one of the cubicles. At the sight of the guns, she disappeared as fast as she’d appeared. Apparently, they missed her on their first pass.
“I mean, ain’t you guys supposed to pay her family something?” another one of the criminals said, plopping down on Toni’s desk and causing her porcelain angel to slide onto the ground.
“Bride price,” Vikkas answered. “Yes, but that is negotiated with her father.”
Milan’s brother shrugged. “Well, he ain’t here. He’s locked up.”
“Then seems like you’re shit out of luck today,” Vikkas shot back. “So, set it up and let’s roll. Get that whole price of the bride thing together.”
“Nah man, we gon’ need that cash right about now,” the stocky one said, tapping his gun on the desk.
Vikkas timed the last few taps, reached out and in a blink, the man’s gun was in his hand, pointed at the pale guy with the hoodie.
The man didn’t flinch, but his skin turned an ugly shade of crimson. “Why you pointing it at me? I ain’t asking for nothing.”
“Yes, but you’re the one calling the shots so . . .” Vikkas shrugged.
“Put the guns down,” Seth said. “We just gonna have a man to man talk, that’s all.”
Vikkas swept a gaze across all of the criminals in the place and asked, “Which one of you is a man?”
“Oh, you got jokes,” the leader said.
“I’m just saying, it takes someone with balls to step to someone with a basic amount of common sense.” Vikkas moved a little closer so the men’s focus would stay on him. “So, like I said, which man? I would respect that much more than this madness you’re trying to pull.”
“Worked, didn’t it?” the leader said with a smirk. “You’re here. Outnumbered and outgunned.”
“Fifty grand, right?” Vikkas queried.
“Yeah,” the hoodie guy said. “That’ll square thangs up.”
“Bring it in,” Vikkas said into his phone.
“Damn you got it like that?” Seth asked, taking his feet off the desk. “Maybe we should’ve asked for more.”
“Yeah, that sounds good to me,” the bruiser of a guy near the front door chimed in.
A few minutes later a knock on the door caused the two goons to crack it a little. Daron was on the other side.
“Is that him?” Seth asked.
Vikkas nodded and Daron was frisked before they allowed him to walk to a spot that wasn’t far from Toni’s desk. “Somebody call for a courier?”
“Damn, that was fast,” Seth said, gesturing for Daron to come closer.
“No, bring that over here,” the leader said, overriding Seth’s direction and causing him to glare so hard Vikkas thought the place would catch fire. “Let’s see what I got.”
“What you got is a problem,” Reno said, exploding into the foyer from the back exit. Grant, Kaleb, and Shaz were right behind him. They spread out and each of them had a weapon of their own, pointed at the key players. Reno tossed one each to Vikkas and Daron, who immediately positioned themselves to handle the men perched near the door, and the few at Toni’s desk.
Daron, you’re my mofo.
“Awww, so you brought in reinforcements,” the leader taunted.
Vikkas shrugged and smiled. “You know, even things up a little. Toni, go with them.”
She popped up from her hiding place, still holding Milan’s phone. “Any of these brothers sing—”
“Toni!”
She scrambled away, then sprinted toward Kaleb and Grant. “I’m moving. I’m moving.”
Daron lifted a duffle bag and dropped it on the ground in front of Seth and the leader. “Fifty grand, just as you requested.”
Milan snapp
ed, “Now, I’d like for all of you to get the hell up out of my—”
“If it was that easy to get this,” Seth said, grinning as his buddy unzipped the bag. “Then he can get more. A lot more. Then we’d re-up supplies that’ll last us the rest of the year. We’d make two million before—”
A gunshot rang out.
CHAPTER 40
Kings of the Castle Page 16
