* * *
It tooka bit to call church to an end and get everyone out. I sent Tanner to go find Jaz and escort Naomi to school. Apparently, she couldn’t miss class. A few of my men didn’t want to leave me alone with Louis.
They eyed him up skeptically as they went past, and one or two may have purposely bumped their shoulders into him. Honestly, I was surprised someone didn’t hit him.
To Louis’s credit, he didn’t egg any of them on. He let them make their mocking comments and give him dirty looks while remaining cool as a cucumber. A lot like Micha when the guys were giving him a hard time, but you know what they say, like father like son.
It was more than I expected from two secret society pricks. In their world, genetics were all that counted. Nothing in my world was given.
The only thing that mattered here was the mountain of blood and sweat one climbed up that earned their position, including me. I had to work my way through the ranks just like everyone else.
Louis made his way over and pulled out one of the chairs. “I assume Naomi gave you the file?”
More like I took it.
“She did.”
Gotta say I was a little shocked that the uptight asshole didn’t demand to sit at the head of the table.
“So you see,” Louis smoothed down his suit jacket and sat back. “We have a mutual problem.”
“My men can handle it.”
I didn’t want anything to do with his people.
“Not without my permission, you can’t.”
Fuck, I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy. Before I said anything, I wanted to figure out what his game was. So I walked over to the bar and poured myself a soda. I made a pact with the divine last night. As long as my kid and woman were safe, I wouldn’t touch drugs or alcohol. I was sticking to my end of the deal.
I looked over at Louis and asked, “You want something?”
“Yes,” he stated flatly. “But it’s not a drink.”
And here comes the catch.
“You are the last in a lost part of my organization, Chase.”
Should I tell him that I’m not the last? No, why screw up my cousin’s life.
“And I want to reinstate that part.”
I shook my head. “Not interested.”
Louis let out a heavy sigh. “Then I’m not interested in letting your men come in my town.”
Oh, so that’s how he wanted to play this.
I swallowed down a mouthful of soda and pointed at him. “Who says we won’t come in anyways?”
“You can try,” he said while rolling his dark eyes my way.
Yeah, he had me there. I may call the society little, but it was nothing to scoff at—their connections ran a lot deeper than any of ours did.
I eyed his dark hair and seemingly undisturbed stature. From what I understood, the wolves part of their sect had been gone for a long ass time. So why now?
“Why’s this so important to you? You got something to prove?”
“Maybe,” he shrugged.