*
I was trying to think of a flirty response to Kane’s last email when a text message from my brother popped up on my phone. My heart dropped. I hadn’t heard from him in weeks and seeing a phone number I didn’t recognize really made me start to worry. There had to be something wrong. There was a time that I’d thought Tony was the best brother in the world. I’d looked up to him and thought he would always be there to protect me. In his defense, I think he tried. I knew a part of him worried about me, but his life had taken a different turn than mine. He didn’t want me involved in the things he was dealing with, so he pulled away from me… only sending text messages or emails to keep in touch. I hated it. He was the only family I had left, and he chose drugs and money over me. It hurt.
Need to talk to you. It’s important.
T
*
Well, shit. That didn’t sound good. I had to wonder if he was in some kind of trouble. The last time we talked, I could tell that he was upset about something. He wouldn’t tell me what was going on, but I could see the concern in his eyes. I didn’t think twice about confirming that I would be there. He was the only family I had left. I had to help him if he needed it.
*
Chapter 4
Guardrail
?
“Need to know where we are with Tony,” Cotton told me. As club president, he ruled with an iron fist. When he gave an order, he expected results… immediate results, and I had nothing. He was depending on me to deal with Tony, and I could tell he was getting restless.
“Meeting the sister today,” I told him assertively. “I’ve got this, Pres.”
“We’ve got to make an example of him, Kane. No one fucks with the club… no one.” The deep crow’s feet around his dark eyes crinkled as anger crept over his face.
“He’ll slip up, and when he does, I’ll be there. You can count on that,” I told him, trying to reassure him.
He tugged thoughtfully at the ends of his long white goatee as he said, “What about this Youth Center? You really going to try for that with everything that’s going on?”
When Cotton came up with the club starting its own construction company, I was intrigued. He wanted a cover for the money we were bringing in from early distribution, and we both agreed that a company like this would be the perfect front. I had no idea if we’d be able to pull it off, but I wanted to give it a try. I’d always had a passion for building things, and I was good at it. At first, we built small houses, trying to build a name for ourselves. It didn’t take long for us to become one of the best companies in the city. Our work was good, and we submitted the best bids to ensure our growth. Everyone came to us, and we were constantly expanding. It truly was a perfect cover. Not only did it launder money for the club, it provided all the patches working there viable proof of income as well.
“It’s one of the biggest projects we’ve had in a while. If they accept the bid, it could be a real good opportunity for us… opening doors down the road,” I told him.
“I get that, but this whole thing could get messy. It’s not about getting the job. She could find out that you’re looking for her brother, and that would have consequences. Just play it safe,” he ordered.
I nodded and walked out of his office. There was no point in arguing with him. I knew he was right. This wasn’t about some fucking construction project. It was about finding Tony. I had to make myself remember that.