Page 25 of Mine, Forever

Serenity Asylum.

“Jesus… you don’t think he knows?” York asked.

“I don’t know, but I can’t risk it,” I said. “Ebony is almost completely broken. I can’t hinder that. Not after all this time and effort.”

I picked up my cell and dialed Maria. “Hey, it’s Jett. Make sure Ebony is off the books and locked away from the public. I have a feeling you’re about to get a call from someone very interested in her.”

She said she would ensure everything was in place and hung up. I knew she wouldn’t betray me. She was a good staffer, but the fact John would go straight there was a worry. He easily could have been watching me all these years or even the last few months. He could already know what I’m doing to Ebony and the fact she was my weakness.

“Boss… what do you want me to do?”

“Gather the boys. I need to reassure them of their places in this organization. There’s been talk of me going soft, which isn’t entirely off-base, but I need them to know we can still rule this city.”

York nodded and got up from my seat to head outside. He hesitated at the door. I turned to face him.

“What about Ebony?”

“Leave that to me.”

“I mean, the boys have noticed you’re preoccupied, and Duncan knows it’s because of her. He has their ear. I hate to say it, but maybe he needs to pay the ultimate price.”

???

Seeing the boys who I knew were talking behind my back, just sitting at the table, made me angry. Betrayal wasn’t something I dealt with well. I held back my gut instinct to draw my gun and start shooting and focused on what I needed to.

“I know you’ve been questioning my absence lately.”

Everyone was quiet as they looked up at me. Not one of them looked like they could betray me. Most had stayed loyal to me even after I killed their friend in front of them but that could change at any time.

“I don’t like the lack of faith you have in me.”

Pulling my gun out of the holster, I shot Duncan between his eyes. Gasps echoed throughout the room from everyone. Most of the men in range copped a spray of blood, brain, and flesh. They didn’t dare wipe it off.

“Any more doubters?”

Silence.

“Good.”

I put my gun in the holster and took my seat at the head of the table. “Now, what do you have for me?”

I could see the fear written all over their faces because they didn’t have anything good to deliver. I relished in it. In fact, I wanted so badly to have someone screw up so I could use my pistol again.

Ebony had turned me soft in recent weeks, and I needed to get my edge back. I had no idea how I had let this happen. Never before had a woman held such dominion over me unless she was giving me the money I needed. Only one woman ever had that power, and she hadn’t been back in my life since she fled five years ago. How could she be doing this to me? I’d never been so turned on by a woman in my life, and she’d not even sucked my cock. The thought of those pink lips wrapped around me as those black eyes looked up had me almost shooting off under the table. I moved forward with business so I could focus on giving them assignments and tracking down John. I couldn’t have him finding my weakness or helping Giordy to overpower me. John had always wanted everyone to cower to him, especially me. His only child, whether I wanted to or not, was born to be this man, to be dangerous and willing to kill those who pissed me off as easily as deciding what to have for dinner.

“Jenkins has launched an attack on the clubs. Giordy wants in.”

“Get Joe fucking Lamb on the phone.”

It’s about time that fucker did something for me. I didn’t get him into the Senate to do nothing for me.

Ty, one of the most vicious men in my organization but also the most annoying, nodded and ran out of the warehouse to call him. If Jenkins was still on Giordy’s payroll, I needed to call in a favor. This shit had gone on long enough.

When Ty returned a few minutes later and handed the phone to me, I dismissed everyone and walked to my office to take the call.

“Joe.”

“What’s up, Jett?” There was just a hint of fear in his tone.

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