Page 66 of Lost Kingdom

“You paid last week’s debt.” He snaps his hand away and smooths his jacket down. Lest the cops catch the long-barreled weapon strapped to his ribs. “That stupid ass kid spent all of yesterday inside clubs he wasn’t supposed to be in.”

For fuck’s sake.Anger roars in my blood and singes the hairs along my arms. “I told your guys to stop letting him in. Whatever debt he racks up because of your negligence becomes your loss.”

“I think you misunderstand the purpose of running certain establishments. We welcome the dumbasses in, Malone, and then we collect fromwherever,whoeverwe need. Consider this a professional courtesy—Mr. Booth does not wish to be at odds with you. In fact, he has expressed a certain…” He considers his words carefully. “Desire, to be friendly. Should you wish to sit down and talk business, he’s ready and willing to host that meeting.”

“No thanks.”

He tsks, shaking his head from side to side. “The offer remains open. But in the meantime, wewillcollect what Emeri owes. It’s the nature of business. Surely you understand.”

“I understand Booth knowsnotto become my enemy.” I lean on the bar and stare into his eyes. “I also understand Booth is smart enough to stay on my family’s good side. If he wants to remainoffmy hit list, he’ll walk away from Duane Emeri, and he’ll make fuckin’ sure to not let him step inside a gambling hall ever again.”

“You ask too much.” Grinning, he grabs the lapels of his jacket and snaps the fabric into place, the collar flipping up and shielding the back of his neck. “I’ll pass your message on to the boss, though.”

The fuckin’boss.

They’re children, dressed up as gangsters.

“Keep Booth away from me and mine. I won’t say it twice.”

“Mmhm.” He turns on his heels and whistles his way to the door.

“You okay, Boss?” Daisy walks behind me and drops a glass beneath the beer tap I stand over. Because we have customers, and I’m not serving them. “Looked kinda serious.”

“Did you see his face?”

She frowns, her brows pulling in tight and her bow lips flattening into a line. “Yeah. I saw him.”

“Remember it. If you see him again, inside or out of this bar, stay vigilant. He’s looking to piss me off, and I doubt that’s the last I’ll see of him.” I yank the hand towel off my shoulder and drop it on the bar, then I spin on my heels and pull the phone from my pocket. “I gotta head out.”

“No problem.” She’s good at her job. Fast and personable, so the customers like her and continue to come back. “I’ll call you if I need you.”

“Thanks.” I stalk toward the doorway leading up to my apartment and start up the stairs, dialing Felix’s number as I go.

“Hey.” He answers on the fly, moving, walking, conducting business now that he’s back from his honeymoon. “You okay?”

“No ‘tickle my balls, my big bro is calling me’? Are you sick?”

“Busy,” he grunts out. “Some motherfucker took a shot at Cordoza this morning.”

“What?” I stride through my apartment door and slam it shut at my back. “Did they hit him?”

“No. But his army is mobile, and he’s pissed.Bigpissed. It’d do me good if you had a sudden change of heart and came back here to be Tim the Third. I’m doing the job,” he clarifies. “But the city wants a Tim. That’s who you were born to be.”

“I’m not coming back. But I might have to be the Copeland City Tim if shit doesn’t calm down soon. Six of Nathan Booth’s foot soldiers were popped this morning in a drive-by. And now he’s got his remaining men on the streets, collecting every cent owed. Since I guess he’s preparing for war and needs money for that shit.”

“For fuck’s sake. Who is this kid, anyway? He’s a nobody, but he’s still annoying the shit out of me.”

“My thoughts exactly. He’s a violent gangbanger who got lucky, selling drugs on our streets and getting away with it because you’re all the way over there.”

“And you’re right there! It’s one thing to say you’re out, but fuck, Tim! It’s a whole other thing to be the fat cat watching the mouse steal your cream.”

“I’m not gonna stomp these streets and be the fuckin’ heir. I don’t want it, Lix!”

“And that’s a choice you get to make. But you need to remember that your choice affects your family. Booth wouldn’t exist if you’d stepped up and made your presence known, so the fact he does, and now he’s out there screwing with people, that’s on you.”

“It’s not my fuckin’ job to sweep a city clean and keep the drugs out!”

“No. It’s not. But you have the power to do something about it, and you’re choosing not to. That’s on you. Meanwhile, I’m putting out fires on the East Coast, so if you’re done wasting my time…”

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