by Reana Malori
Most times, the people in her parents’ circle of close confidantes weren’t related by blood, but that didn’t matter. Her father had known them since his middle-school days and he had been through all of life’s up and downs with these guys. At this point, they were family.
Her cell phone rang at that moment, breaking through her thoughts. The unique ring was her father’s, which brought a smile to her face. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
“Hey, old man,” she answered the phone.
“Hey, big-head little girl. What’s going on?”
How the hell did he do that? He always seemed to know when to call and check on her. “I’m gonna tell Mom you called me big-head.”
“Okay, okay. Don’t do that. You know that woman is a momma lion when it comes to you and your brother.”
Laughing, she nodded her head, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “That she is. Malcolm gets it the worst. I’m surprised he hasn’t moved to Ecuador to get some freedom.”
“Aww, that boy’ll be all right. Deep down he knows she’s doing it out of love. Now, quit stalling. Tell me what’s going on with you, little girl.”
She hadn’t been little in quite a few years, but she would never correct her father or mother when they called her that. To them, she would always be their little girl.
“Just trying to make it work, Dad. This is harder than I thought,” she admitted.
After a pause, her father spoke again. “You giving up?”
Some days it was the only thought in her head. Everything in her fought against the need to pick up the phone and call her father. To ask him for help.
A couple million was a nice chunk of change. If she asked, they’d give them the money without question—and more if she needed it. There was no doubt her parents would invest in her dream, but to her, that would be admitting defeat and she wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.
“No. I’m not giving up. That’s not how I was raised. All four of us had this dream and we came into this as a team. Walking away isn’t an option for me.”
“How are my other daughters? They holding up okay?”
Yeah, her dad was cool like that. He’d practically adopted her friends from the first moment she’d brought them home.
When growing up, she’d never been close to other girls from school. If anything, she’d gone out of her way to antagonize them. She’d been suspended multiple times each year for fighting, usually because some girl would look at her wrong or say the wrong thing.
Never before had she willingly connected with other females. Not until she’d met her three kindred spirits. When she’d taken them home the first time, her mother almost fell over in shock. That she’d brought them to meet her family…well, that said something. By default, they were immediately adopted as new daughters and integrated into the Dupree family fold.
They were a unit. They succeeded or failed together. There was no other way.
She was never giving up or walking away from this. Or from them. She’d use every low-handed, dirty trick she could to make this casino work.
Looking back on the situation with a clear head, she could now see her mistake. When the opportunity came to them, she was over the moon. If she’d been thinking more clearly, she’d have realized this casino deal was too good to be true. She should have known better. Her spidey-senses should have tingled, but they hadn’t.
She’d been so excited about closing this deal on her own, without her father’s influence, she’d missed the signs. She’d allowed her friends to enter a deal that could potentially ruin everything they’d fought so hard for over the years. Just the thought of that happening pissed her off even more. Failure would happen over her dead fucking body.
Focusing again on the conversation with her dad, she answered his question.
“They’re okay. You know how they are. Dylan is still kicking ass and taking names. Emmaline is trying her damnedest to find some hidden magic formula to make the finances look better.”
“Well, if anyone can work magic with numbers, it’s my Emma,” her dad said proudly.
“Yeah, her brain is like a high-powered calculator. I think she might be an android.” Terra laughed.
“Don’t let Dredd hear you say that.”
Shaking her head, she thought about Dredd. “Well, she’s the one I worry about. Handling the ins and outs of this place is no joke. Sometimes I wonder if I’ve asked them to take on too much. If I’m pushing my goals onto them.”
“Stop.” Her father’s harsh voice cut into her musings. “Those girls wouldn’t have joined you unless they wanted to. All four of you decided this was a good deal. Were you excited and didn’t see all the traps? Yes. But now that you’re here, you have to deal with it.”
“I will.”
“You’re not in this alone. Those girls have your back, just as much as you have theirs. So, what else is bothering you?”
Pausing, she wondered if she should voice the lingering thought that kept bouncing around her mind. “I think someone’s trying to sabotage us.”
“Oh yeah? Why do you say that?” She knew that tone; her father had switched to street mode.
“Something’s not right, Dad. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be making money hand over fist. This is the only casino in an eighty-mile radius. Our hotel is rated four stars, even before the upgrades were made. Our restaurants and food get high rankings. Our tables and slot machines aren’t being flagged by the gaming commission. People come here and have a good time. We should be making buckets of money. But we’re not.”
“Who would benefit?” he asked.
She knew what he was asking. Who would benefit most if they failed? Who won if they lost?
Sighing, she gave him the answer she’d been struggling with over the past few months. “I don’t know. I have some feelers out and had some research done. But it’s not enough. I need more than what I’m getting.”
Now that she was voicing it out loud, a thought was forming in her head. It was time to ask her father for help.
“I thought you’d never ask.” He chuckled.
“Well, I didn’t really ask,” she hedged.
“That’s what my dad-ears heard. I knew you were worried about something, so I made a call to an old friend.”
“You already made a call? To who?” Lord, her dad had a sixth sense when it came to his family. People thought her mom was bad, but she had nothing on the crazy-ass man sitting on this phone.
“Don’t worry about who I called. They’re an old friend and he goes way back with the family. You only need to know that someone’s coming to help. He can help you dig a little deeper and find out what you don’t know. He’s prior military and has some unique skills. If things go sideways, he’s a good man to have watching your back.”
“I don’t need a man watching my back. One of the baddest men I know taught me how to handle myself.”
Considering he was the bad man she was referring to, he could do nothing but laugh. “You right about that, angel. I know you got this if needed, but let your old man help out. Our guy should be there in the next couple of days. He’s there to help you figure this shit out. Let him.”
Our guy? Who exactly was he sending to her?
She knew he expected her to follow his directive and just let things happen. While she wasn’t going to fight him on this, she also didn’t want someone sticking their nose into her business and reporting back to her father. This guy, whoever he was, would be allowed to help based on the terms she set.
Her dad spoke up again, “All right, little girl, I have to go take your mother to lunch.”
“Give her my love. I’ll call her this weekend.”
“I will. Bye big-head.”
“Bye old man,” she said, laughing.
Hanging up from her father, she leaned back in her chair. Someone from her father’s other world was crossing into her current one. This was going to be interesting. She gave some thought to who it could be but k
new it was a useless exercise.
She continued to look at the documents in front of her and tried to figure out what couldn’t she see. It had to be right in front of her, but it wasn’t coming to her.
The longer she sat there, the more frustrated she became. If she weren’t too pretty for prison, she’d start going down the list of names of anyone who’d crossed her or any of her friends and start taking motherfuckers out. Since she loved her freedom, she decided against that course of action. But, she wished she could. Just the thought of it brought a smile to her face.
Part of her wanted to embrace the darkness buried inside and just let it all go, let things fall where they might. Shaking her head to clear the thought, she tried not to go there. Coming back from something like that was harder than most people realized. She didn’t want to chance getting lost in the darkness. There was a dual nature within her, and each side fought for control. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree and if nothing else, she was her parents’ child.
She’d grown up with all the things a child could want. She’d never gone a day without food, shelter, or the love of her family. She’d been encouraged and pushed to succeed and create a good life for herself. Her family had laughed, loved, cried, and supported each other. There were no other people in this world better than her parents.
She’d also grown up knowing that bodies could be hidden in places where no one dared to look. People went missing all the time, never to be seen again. Her memories conjured up the nights filled with whispered conversations when her father was the only one speaking. Shortly afterward, her uncles and cousins would leave to do his bidding.
The news the next day would detail things she knew her father had either directed or set into motion. It never scared her to know her father held people’s lives in his hands. It made her proud.
Which made her a very sick little girl.
Her father’s other world flowing over to her current life wasn’t necessarily a good thing, but she knew this day would come. And on behalf of her friends, she’d gladly accept all the help she could get.
When this was over and she figured out who the hell was trying to take them down, she’d extricate herself, send the hired gun packing, and put back on her façade of corporate respectability.
CHAPTER TWO
“Black Mamba to Security. I think I have a problem here. Eyes on casino camera three. The man standing next to blackjack table twelve, with the black suit, white shirt, and black hair.”
Dylan Ives eyed the man standing around looking a bit too comfortable. With just one glance, she knew he’d never been here before. Her memory was just that damn good.
And a man like him was not someone she’d soon forget.
Eyes back on her target, she wondered just who the hell he was, and why he decided to show up at their spot. Picking up her phone, she texted Dredd.
“Hey Girl, where you at?” Dylan needed someone else to know she was on edge. There was too much going on around them for her to let this go.
“In my office working. What you need?”
“Got a dude down here. Reminds me of home. I’m getting itchy.”
“Damn. You need me?” Dredd understood that anyone who reminded Dylan of home was not someone to be taken lightly.
“Yeah, I don’t like this at all. He’s here for a reason.”
“I’m on my way.”
Dylan eyed the man as he continued walking around, eyeing the tables and the dealers. He’d look at his watch, then look at the dealer as she issued the first card. Then he’d glance at the players as they closed out. He even eyed the table boss as he watched the play. Yeah, this dude was up to something.
After pausing at a few more tables, he nodded his head and walked away. His long stride took him toward the back of the casino where the entrance to the mezzanine level was located. There was no need for him to be heading in this direction. She knew every person who had an appointment with anyone in the corporate offices, which included her co-owners.
This man did not have an appointment today.
Emmaline exited the double doors that marked the entrance to the business offices and stopped in front of the man.
“May I help you?”
Dylan smiled. Her voice might be sweet, and she might give off the vibe of an absent-minded professor, but Emmaline Heart was no one to mess with.
“Is this the way to the business offices?” the man asked with confidence. As if they were just going to let him inside.
“That depends,” Emmaline answered, positioning her body in front of the door in such a way that if he tried to go inside, he’d have to physically move her. Since she knew Dylan was standing behind the man with her hand resting on her fully registered nine-millimeter Glock, there was no need for her to be worried.
“On what,” he answered smoothly.
She crossed her arms and smirked, “On who you’re trying to see.”
“I’m here to see Terra Dupree.”
“Why?” Now it was time for Dylan to speak up.
Who the fuck was this guy to waltz in here and demand to see Terra? Oh, hell no.
The man turned his body to the side so that he could see both women clearly. Ahhh, so he was smart as well. He didn’t like to feel closed in. Yeah, this guy wasn’t a regular Joe.
Dylan’s eyes focused harder on his face, memorizing everything about him. She’d be doing a search of the casino security footage to see if he’d come in during another time. Something about him was off to her and she didn’t like it.
With a slight smile on his lips, he placed one hand in his pocket as if he had all the time in the world. “That’s between me and Terra.”
She growled. Just who does this motherfucker think he is? She was already on edge and looking for a reason to put a bullet in somebody. If he didn’t show the proper amount of respect, he was about to be nominated for the job. “Not if we don’t let you inside those doors.”
Dylan looked up toward the offices and saw Terra standing at the window. Her gaze was focused on their little group. That was one of the main renovations made to the hotel space. They could see everyone who entered their office suite. And right now, Terra had a perfect view of the man standing at the entrance waiting to come inside.
*****
Pushing through the glass doors separating the main floor from the business suite, she saw her friends surrounding the huge man and smiled. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the man sent by her father.
Walking up to the group, she stopped a few feet in front of the large man. Her momma didn’t raise no fool. She saw Dredd post up on the other side of him, her face a mask of deadly intent. Damn, she loved that woman.
“Hello, I’m Terra Dupree, CEO of Gulf Stream Casino and Club. Are you looking for me?” Sizing him up as she stood in front of him, her first instinct was to get the hell away from him and lock her door. His eyes were a little too focused on her and it made goosebumps rise on her skin.
When she’d walked up to the group, she couldn’t help but notice how tall he was. At five feet eight inches and wearing three-inch heels, she looked most men in the eye. Not this one. He still towered over her by more than six inches.
He wasn’t a pretty man. No, his face was too hard for that. He was handsome. No, he was more than that. Striking. Yeah, that was the word she was looking for. And she couldn’t take her eyes off him. His eyes were intense. Too intense. Something about him called out to her, but she couldn’t put her finger on why.
“Your father sent me,” were the only words he said. His deep baritone voice flowed over her skin, causing a shiver to run along her spine.
“Is that right? Couldn’t you call ahead first? Don’t you think it’s rude to show up at my place of business without announcing your arrival?”
She had no idea who the hell this guy was. Even if her father had sent him, did he really think she’d just welcome him with open arms? No questions asked? There was no way in hell he was getting into thei
r private offices without confirmation.
Nodding her head to Dylan, she waited until the other woman pulled her Glock from its holster.
“Let’s be clear. You take another step and my friend here will shoot you where you stand. We’re quite particular about who gets close to us. The fact that you walked in here looking all shady and shit has us a little testy.” Pulling her phone out, she dialed her father.
“Hey big-head,” he answered on the first ring.
“Hey old man. I have a visitor in my casino who says you sent him. Since we never discussed names the other day, I’m a little unsure. And Dylan has her Glock trained on him.”
“Hey Mr. Dupree,” Dredd called out.
“Hi Mr. D,” Emmaline said next.
“Hola Papa Dupree,” Dylan yelled.
“So, the entire crew must have my man surrounded.” He laughed. “I’d actually pay good money to see that.”
Glancing over at the man, she shook her head at the stupidity of some people. His face was relaxed as he watched her, a slight smile lifting the corner of his lips. Clearly, he hadn’t done his research on the women he was coming to meet if he was so relaxed in their presence. That he felt there was nothing to worry about said he was too stupid to understand the situation…or maybe he actually wasn’t worried at all.
That second thought forced her to look at him a little closer. Just who the hell was this guy?
“Dad, I need details before Dylan’s trigger finger gets itchy and she gets a hankering to scratch it. This guy’s a little too nonchalant for the situation. Makes me jumpy.”
Her father always said those words when someone new came around and he wasn’t sure if they were cool, or if he needed to take other steps to remove them. Yeah, he probably had no idea she knew what that phrase meant. Until just now.
“Damn, girl. I knew you had more of your momma in you than we thought,” he said with a laugh. “That’s Damian. I figured he’d be the best person for the job.”