Page 15 of Property of Big Daddy

“Chino won’t like it.”Tyrant throws his hat in with Hero and Hardcore.

“He’ll be fine.He doesn’t want those shit guns either.He wants the heavy hardware.The imports.Use your brain.Chino will be too busy picking them off when they make a move on his territory to worry about where they are getting their guns, and that frees us up more time to deal with this bullshit the Juarez brothers put on us.”

“And what are we doing about that?”Soulless questions.

“That’s for me to worry about.”

I dismiss my men.They don’t need to worry.I’ve never steered them wrong and won’t start now because the Depraved Sinners got their dicks wet with a little taste of success.I’m in the business of keeping us alive and making money.

Money I want to spend on Gwynee.The newest woman in my life.Fuck me, she’s a sweet piece of tail with an edge of sassiness that just begs to be spanked and fucked into submission.

I head to my room to grab a shower before I pop in on her at work to make sure that asshole ex is steering clear of her.I find my niece, Lucie, waiting outside of my door wearing a snotty expression.“What you want, girl?I’ve got shit to do.”

“Like Gwynee Hayes?”

“What of her?”

“You can’t seriously be seeing her.She’s a whore.”

“Then good for me.Means she’s a sure thing.”

“Eww.”she sneers, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder.“You’re old enough to be her father.It’s gross.”

“What I do and who I do it with is none of your business.I don’t tell you who to spread your legs for.If you were smart, you’d worry about why Hero hasn’t made a claim on you.”

“He will.You’ll see.”

“Right.Anything else?”

“I just don’t like her and hope you won’t be bringing her around here.It’s bad enough I have to hear about it.”

“Let’s get something straight right now.You’re my blood and I love you like my own, but don’t think for one minute you call any shots around here.You don’t get to question what the fuck I do.You’re starting to be more of a pain in my ass than you’re worth.You’ve had it real good here.Don’t go letting your mouth write checks your ass can’t cash.Don’t forget I pay your bills.You’re just worried that if I get serious with someone, that means you might have to get a job and earn your keep.”

“That’s not fair.Why do stuff for me only to throw it in my face?”

“Girl, you’re working my last nerve.Go find Hero and put that energy into making him like you because you’re too old to be pulling this shit.I expect it from Sissy, but she’s a teenager.What excuse do you have?”

She stomps off and I shake my head.Fucking spoiled her ass too damn much.Lucie is about to face a rude awakening.I’ve coddled her and Sissy and worry it’s too late to correct the mistakes I’ve made raising them to behave the way that they do.I’ve done everything in my power to make sure they’ve never lacked or wanted for nothing, but maybe my mistake was in never taking another ol’ lady.Maybe if they’d had a mother figure in their life, they would’ve turned out better.

Maybe that was selfish of me, but here we are.Lucie is an adult, and I should’ve put my foot down a long time ago.I told myself she was going through a phase.Being rebellious and acting out because her father died, and she lost the one person she looked up to like a mother, my cunt wife.

It’s no longer a phase.

This is who she is, and I shoulder that blame.

Carry it.Own it.Same with my girl, Sissy, but I’ve got hope for her to turn her shit around.It’s not too late for her.

Out of habit, I check my phone for her location, making sure she’s where she’s supposed to be.At school.We’ve got a deal.She keeps her grades and attendance up, I’ll buy her a car.For now, the deal seems to keep my kid in check.The problem is, she looks up to Lucie.She’s no damn role model.Then again, neither am I.

I’m fucking a woman who is twenty years younger than me.I should cut her loose and savor the night we shared.What I should do and what I want are two very different things, and I’m a selfish bastard who wants what he wants.And what I want is to go get lost in that taste of sweet she gave me.One look at her and all my troubles fall to the wayside.

Can’t get her out of my head.She’s all I can think of when I lay my head down at night and when I open my eyes in the morning.I’ve got it bad.Not felt this way in a long damn time, if ever.

The doorbell rings as I step inside Sassy & Classy Salon.Gwynee’s head snaps up at the sight of me along with everyone else’s in the joint.

“Would you like to schedule an appointment?”She’s all business.

“If that’s what it will take to get you to respond to my messages.”She’s been dodging me for days.

---