Page 37 of Property of Big Daddy

“We’ve got a problem.”

I sit up, becoming alert.“How big of a problem?”I ask as my feet hit the floor and I go out onto the terrace to keep from waking Gwynee.I grab the pack of smokes I left out here earlier and light one up, taking a hard drag.

“We’ve lost the shipment.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“Wish I were.”

“You better fucking find it or it’s coming out of your ass.”I end the call and finish my cigarette.This is a big problem.

His mistake could get us all killed.

I glance back over my shoulder to where Gwynee sleeps peacefully in my bed.

I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

To protect all that I’ve worked for.

“She doesn’t look like Dave.Tell me you’ve got my money or the trailer with my product.Do not tell me you brought me some chick with small tits in his place.”I stare at Hero and the woman he has with him.She looks like a scared little bird about to flap their wings for the first time and take flight.

Hero shoves the scared girl toward me, and I notice him holding her hand.This is an interesting development, and the last thing I need is another one of my guys being fucking lovesick.Lunatic has been moping around for weeks.

“Dave is in the wind.This is his daughter.Figure we can use her to flush the rat bastard out or to earn out his debt.”

I pound my fist down on my desk.Earn the money out.What’s he thinking?We don’t pimp women out.

“You got something worth fifty k?”

She meets my hardened gaze, shaking like a damn leaf in a windstorm.“Me.I could sell my virginity.”

I scratch at my chin, trying to tamper my temper.Dave’s a pathetic piece of shit allowing his daughter to be dragged into my office to offer her body up as payment for his betrayal.I’d never let either of my girls be used like this.A fucking chess piece on a board.Even if we find her dear old dad, I’m putting him six feet under for being such a piece of shit.“You think your snatch is worth fifty?”

She shrugs at me while I’m running through all the ways I’m going to murder my VP for such a colossal fuck up.

“Can you dance?”She could make decent money at Legends even if she doesn’t have a great rack.Some men are into the thin look.This whole situation has my head ready to damn near explode.

“Like on a pole?”

“Nah, sweetheart.Tap dance in a princess costume.Yeah, on a fuckin’ pole.”

“It can’t be that hard.”

I cut my attention back to Hero.“Since you fucked this deal up by hiring her ol’ man for the job, I’ll leave it to you.Audition her for Legends.If she can’t dance, guess you got yourself an auction to organize or a debt to pay.”

“Prez,” Hero growls.

He knows we don’t sell women and I doubt he has fifty grand lying around.He better sharpen his detective skills and get creative to find Dave.

“Your dude Dave fucked us.You brought her into the situation.It’s your mess to clean up.I don’t care how you do it.I want that money or that trailer.Both would be preferable.Now, take your charity case and get the fuck out of my office.”

Once the two of them are out of my sight, I lean back in my chair, wondering what the fuck he was thinking.I let him take the lead on this because he needs to start bearing more responsibility.This is going to be his club someday, unless Tree proves worthy.

I was never blessed with a son.Only two wild ass girls who I’m surprised haven’t made all my hair fall out yet.No.I can count on Hero to do that.He knows I’d never allow a woman to be sold for a fucking profit or a debt.Guess he’s trying to scare the truth out of her.I’d go about this shit a different way, but the only way Hero will learn is by making mistakes and I’ve gotta give him the room to do it even if it kills us both.

“It’s like a fucking circus around here,” I complain to Gwynee as she brushes her teeth.

“I don’t know.I’ve always loved clowns.”She spits in the sink, then rinses her mouth.Things between Gwynee and Lucie are nowhere near thawing out.I don’t know if they ever will.“Ophelia is a sweetheart.Did you see that way Hero was looking at her this morning?”

---