Page 103 of Stepson

My heart is pounding in my chest, but I know this is something that needs to be done. I jump in the Jeep before I change my mind and head straight for the heart of the city where I know Tony's compound is at.

He claims that I owe him money, but that’s a crock of shit. If anything, he owesmemoney. Before I was arrested, I sold all of his inventory and had all of his money binded up and ready for him. I left detailed instructions with Jeff and my other guy at the time on how to make the switch with Tony's men. I wasn't there to see how it went down, but I’m probably about to find out. If Jeff screwed me over, I'll kill him.

The guard at the door is the same guy from before I was incarcerated, and he knows me too. He’s a huge guy at well over 6'5" and muscles that are bigger than my head. If I ran an operation like this, I'd have hired him too.

"Well, if it isn't the prodigal son," he jokes as I approach.

But I’m in no mood for joking around. Whatever Tony thinks I owe him is going to be squashed today.

"Cut the shit, Hulk. I need to see Tony."

He clearly isn't impressed with my joke back to him, cracking his knuckles as if he wants to fight. I didn't come here to fight him, and I know I won't win this battle anyway. The guy has a solid hundred pounds on me. He'd destroy me.

"He's been waiting for you." Then he opens the large creaking metal door and allows me entrance.

I haven't been here since my old drug-running days and the memories aren't good for me. If it weren’t for Marcus abandoning me and treating me like shit, I never would have gotten into this industry in the first place. But I had to do what I had to do for money and this was the easiest thing for me when I was going through the darkest days of my life.

The place is exactly how I remember it. Long, dark hallways stretch in three directions, but the one I want is straight ahead with a metal staircase leading up. Tony’s office is on the fifth floor, and I can only imagine that he’ll have his little bodyguards with him. They’re nothing compared to the man guarding the door, and I know I can fight my way out if I have to. The front door isn’t the only way out of here.

Several men fill the hallways as I make my way up to the fifth floor, but none of them get in my way. I might not have worked for Tony in the last seven years, but I’m still widely known in these parts. I don’t want to toot my own horn, but people don’t fuck with me.

When Tony’s office door comes into view, most men would cower, waiting to be allowed in, but I’m not most men. I march in like I own the place, finding Tony sitting at his desk with a fat cigar in his mouth, counting money. His bodyguards stand or sit sporadically through the office just as I thought, all standing at attention when I enter unannounced.

I freeze in my spot, pinning Tony with my glare and pretending as if his men aren’t there, but my eyes and senses take in their spots. If they try to jump me, I’ll be ready.

Tony chuckles, leaning back in his leather chair as he glares over at me.

“Well, I’ll be damned. If it isn’t Gabe Price, the best man I’ve ever had on the streets. What do I owe—”

“Cut the shit, Tony,” I cut him off. “You sent your men to scare my woman and that doesn’t sit well with me. You claim I owe you money, and I came to settle that debate.”

He sits up, intently watching me as the smile on his lips fades.

“You’re pretty cocky to come into my compound and act like you’re the boss all of a sudden.” He sparks his lighter, relighting his cigar as he puffs on it, glaring over at me. “The men I sent was a warning; something you know I don’t do when money is involved. I could have had them rough her up a bit, but I wanted to play nice since you deserve more than that.”

“And you know me well enough to know that if they laid a hand on her, this place would currently be up in flames and this conversation wouldn’t be taking place.”

His lips turn up into a grin as he studies me. “Still just as confident as I remember. It’s a shame you don’t want to come back to work for me. You’re the exact kind of guy I look for when choosing my partners. You could be filthy rich, Gabe.”

I snort, shaking my head. “I don’t need your money or your connections, Tony. As I said, I came to settle a debate. You say I owe you money, and I say bullshit. I gave Jeff and Carlos strict instructions on getting you your money. I was arrested before I could see it through.”

Tony nods, puffing on his cigar again. “Yeah, they dropped the money in the location, but…” he trails off as he stands up and rounds the desk, coming right up to me. “It was short by ten thousand dollars. You didn’t think I’d notice that?”

This is news to me. I’m never short and Tony knows it.

“Then your beef is with Jeff and Carlos, not with me.”

“Wrong. They might have been responsible for dropping the funds when you were arrested, but they were your men. You’re responsible for them and for that, I have to punish you. You either give me the ten thousand you owe me or…” he trails off again and looks around at his men, grinning from ear to ear. “Or you fight your way out. If you make it out of here alive, you don’t owe me a dime and you’ll never see or hear from me again.”

Without moving my head, I count the men in the room. There are five of them and one of me. Tony knows what he’s doing and thinks he’ll win, but what he doesn’t know is that this is nothing. Prison hardened me in the best way possible and he’s about to lose his first bet ever.

I crack my neck with a grin, giving Tony a single nod of acceptance. This is going to be fun.

Chapter fifty-four

Bentley

Peering up at the clock, I realize Gabe has been gone much longer than a little errand for our trip would take. Where the hell is he? What the hell is he doing?

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