Page 31 of Reckless Desire

Vincent clenched his fists. He couldn’t let Xander ruin his family’s legacy, but he couldn’t risk escalating the situation further, either.

“My King, please. We need to go.” Dominique’s voice broke through the haze of anger.

He looked down to see fear and concern etched onto her face. He had to regain control of the situation. His hand rested on Dominique’s lower back, leading her away from Xander and his negative energy. On their way out, Vincent gave him a look that could freeze hell.

Xander’s venomous voice followed them out of the VIP area. “Nah, this ain’t hardly over, Moretti. See you soon, pretty motherfuckas!”

Vincent guided everyone outside. While Dominique and her friends chatted with each other, Josh pulled him to the side.

“Now it makes sense,” he said, gritting his teeth. “Joey was getting his drugs from Xander’s cousin, Malaysia.”

“Damn it, Joey,” Vincent muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples. He looked at his brother, who seemed to shrink under the weight of his disappointment.

“Hey, I’m sorry, alright?” Joey blurted out, his voice shaky. “I-I didn’t think it would lead to all of this.”

“Didn’t think? You never goddamn think, Joey!” Vincent tapped his brother upside the head. His eyes flashed with a mixture of concern and fury, making it clear that this wasn’t just about the drugs. It was about the very fabric of their family being threatened.

Joshua stepped between them. “Okay, enough. Y’all arguing won’t help us right now. We need to figure out our next move before Xander makes his.”

“Josh is right,” Dominique agreed, giving Vincent a worried glance. “How do we protect ourselves and your family’s firm?”

Vincent took a deep breath, steadying himself. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found the one person who could help him navigate this minefield. As the phone rang, he silently prayed that his friend would have some answers.

“Hey, you got a minute?” he said when MJ picked up.

“Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

“We got a situation here. This guy, Xander Bishop, he’s Dominique’s ex-husband … how about he’s the owner of the club and cousin of the girl who’s is accusing Joey of sexual harassment.”

“Okay. What’s up?”

“Oh, it gets better. He’s also one of our clients out here. Things got heated tonight at his club, and I knocked him out. Now he’s threatening to sue us.”

“The hell, Vince?” MJ muttered on the other end. “That’s not good. Well, what do you need from me?”

“Reinforcements,” Vincent replied without hesitation. “How quickly can you and Nigel get here?”

“Tomorrow. I’m sending Nigel a text right now.”

“Can you get him to gather intel on Bishop and his connections in the city? We need to know what we’re up against if he follows through with his threats.”

“Consider it done,” MJ assured him. “And hey, we’ll get through this. Just like always.”

“Thanks, MJ. See you soon.” Vincent murmured before hanging up, his chest tightening with gratitude and dread.

As the group huddled together, their breaths visible in the crisp night air, Vincent felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. But he was determined to protect those closest to him, no matter the cost.

“We need to be ready for whatever Xander throws at us.”

“My King, are you sure about this?”

He pulled Dominique close, feeling her warm breath against his neck as he murmured reassurances in her ear. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family. That includes you now, My Queen. And we’re going to get through this.” With determination hardening like steel in his eyes, Vincent knew that this battle was unlike any he’d had to deal with before. He mumbled, “It’s not over until I win.”

Every man needs a woman when his life is a mess, because, just like in a game of chess; the Queen protects the King.

~Unknown

Chapter 12

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