Page 1 of Vengeful Reign

Chapter One

Jack

April 2013

The meeting drones on longer as the sun begins to settle over the Chicago skyline. The two men I’m focused on sit in my office pretending to be respectable, concerned businessmen until it’s time for the actual city officials to leave. What started as an early morning conference turned into a four-hour meeting.

Finally, I was able to wrap it up, standing I addressed the men who had other pressing engagements with their constituents. “Thank you for joining me today. I’ll go over your offer and make a decision later on this evening and have an answer to your people by tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Mr. MacNamara,” Councilman Mason says.

I walk the two councilmen and their assistants out toward the bank of elevators.

As I do, I address Miss St. James. “Please serve more coffee in the conference room. I’ll be in there momentarily.” My assistant nods and does as I ask, pushing the cart inside with a hint of hesitation.

“Thank you again, gentlemen. It’s been a pleasure.” After shaking hands, I push the down button and wait for the elevator.

“Please think about our offer, Mr. MacNamara. It’s a truly good deal, and we could truthfully use the investment,” Councilman Ward says. That’s the most honest thing that man has ever said to me, but I have to decide if I need the deal more.

“I will. I’ll get back to you soon with my decision.” The doors open, and they depart. My assistant is back at her desk,sorting mail, refusing to look up at me. She’s been on edge since they walked in, and I can’t say I blame her. As soon as they’re gone, I check the weapon in my suit jacket before returning to my meeting with the two assholes in suits. Thugs masquerading as businessmen.

Both Fieri and Espinosa are menacing to the average person, drawing on their years of intimidation and brutality to get what they want and keep others at bay. I could give two shits what they think because I’ve dealt with a much more fucked-up man who was willing to let his wife suffer until she died just to have another son to neglect, so these pussies don’t scare me.

The second I take a seat in my chair at the head of the table, Espinosa barks out, “MacNamara, have you considered the ramifications of going against the other families if you move forward with this deal on the waterfront?” My blood pressure rises higher than fucking building were in. I could shoot this fucker right between the eyes for daring to challenge me.

My hand slams against the wooden table as I stand, staring down at the other two families’ heads. “Are you fucking threatening me?” My actions might be violent, but my voice comes out cool and deadly calm.

The head of the Mexican Mafia shifts in his chair. “No, no. We’re just saying,” he stammers like a little bitch, and I want to pull out my gun and shove it in his mouth. Who the fuck does he think he is? I just saved his ass from embarrassment last month, and he comes in here with the idea that he can talk to me like that. I gave them a chance to change their minds, and this is what I get?

“I hear what the fuck you’re saying, Ernesto. You’re saying that we’re of opposing opinions, and that my choices onlywork if they align with yours. If they don’t, I’ll regret it. Is that correct?”

“I’m just…” He’s at a loss for words like a damn coward.

“Either speak with your chest, or get out of my face. Next time, send a man to do business with me instead of a little bitch. I will do as I please. Until today, I hadn’t been certain about the contract on the building on Lake Shore Drive, but now I believe the deal is a must. Now, both of you can excuse yourselves from my office, or I’ll be forced to show my employees that you’re not actually upstanding businessmen.”

“Are they aware you’re not either?” the other faux suit questions me. At least he has bigger balls, but I don’t care for his challenge.

“They are aware that I’m not to be tested, Fieri. Are you?” The words exit my mouth through clenched teeth even though my voice doesn’t raise a single decibel.

“Yes.”

I stand up straight and tug on the edge of my suit, adjusting it calmly. “So, gentlemen, are we going to have a problem?”

“No. No, we won’t,” Fieri insists. The look in his eyes tells me that I’m dealing with a man of honor. Espinosa has never been one I could trust, but then again, they’re both my rivals, so they can’t really be trusted.

“Good. I would like us to move forward in this endeavor peacefully.” I tip my chin, and they nod. Standing, each man grabs their things and then shakes my hand before exiting my conference room. Fieri passes my assistant, Molly St. James, and gives her a lingering look, one that screams he’d like to pin her to the nearest surface and do unspeakable things to her. It’s anintensity that unnerves her. I almost want to laugh and punch him at the same time, because she has a job to do and I don’t have time for a flighty assistant.

My assistant comes into the room in their wake, holding her notepad against her chest like a shield. She’s a petite blonde who has worked for the company for two years. I don’t run my illegal operations here; however, there are times when they cross paths. “Mr. MacNamara, your brother called and asked that you call him immediately.”

“Which brother?” My brow raises, and she takes a step back. The men that were here had definitely intimidated her. She was used to scum in suits, except these ones were deadly. The others just threw their money around.

“Forgive me, sir,” she stammers. Fixing her glasses, she bites her lip. “Ian, sir.”

“Very well. I’ll call him now. Make sure my guests exit the building.”

“Yes, Mr. MacNamara.” She shimmies back to her desk in a hurry. I almost feel bad that she’s nervous, but that skittish behavior worries me. Can she be trusted? Is she just afraid of Fieri because he’d been looking at her like a meal, or is there more that she’s apprehensive about? Employees understand my name is synonymous with danger, but that shouldn’t make her skittish around me since I haven’t given her a reason.

Instead of turning to my office, I slowly approach her desk without drawing attention to myself, and she nearly jumps out of her skin. “Sorry, Miss St. James, I didn’t mean to startle you. May I ask why you seem so jumpy today?”

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