The hot water from the showerhead pounded down on my tense shoulders as I tried to wash away the frustration that gnawed at me. Olivia had left, refusing my offer, and it felt like a punch to the gut. My fists were clenched under the stream of water, knuckles turning white. Goddamn it. Why did she have to be so stubborn?
“Fuck,” I spat at the empty room, raking my fingers through my still-damp hair after turning off the shower. Anger pulsed through my veins as I roughly dried myself with a towel. Every action felt like an aggressive attempt to regain some control over the situation, but deep down, I knew I was the one who’d pushed her too hard. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing her; it made me feel more vulnerable than I’d ever admit.
“Stupid woman,” I growled under my breath as I yanked on my pants, buttoning them up with more force than necessary. If only she could see how much I needed her around, how much she mattered to me. But no, I had to go and fuck it all up, didn’t I?
I grabbed a shirt from the closet, angrily shoving my arms into the sleeves and fastening the buttons with impatience. The image of Olivia’s face as she’d walked out the door haunted me, making my heart twist painfully in my chest. I hated myself for driving her away, but I’d never admit it out loud.
“Get your shit together, Marcus,” I scolded myself, trying to shake off the memory. “You’ve got a goddamn empire to run.”
I reached for my phone, deciding it was time to call Benjamin, my head of security. I needed to make sure Olivia would be safe, even if she wanted nothing to do with me.
“Benjamin,” I barked into the phone, “I need a guard on Olivia’s apartment building around the clock until further notice.”
“Olivia? That the same girl you requested the background check on?” Benjamin asked, his tone casual yet curious.
“Yes, you’re a fucking genius. Good job putting those pieces of the puzzle together. Your smartest boy in town bonus check is in the mail,” I snapped, irritated by his prying. “Just do as I say.”
“Of course, boss,” he replied, barely even trying to disguise the amusement in his voice. That was annoying, but given how obviously stupid I was acting, I had to appreciate that he put in any effort at all. If the tables had been turned, I would have blazed his ass for being so emo about a woman.
“Good,” I said, hanging up before he could get another word in. I didn’t want to admit how relieved I was that Olivia would be safe. Benjamin was a sarcastic piece of shit most of the time, but he was also the best in the business. After years working his way up through the trenches, sometimes literally, he’d earned my trust, respect, and the massive salary he got for making sure my back was covered. In my line of work, there’s nothing more important.
The thought was a timely reminder that I needed to stop brooding over Olivia and start protecting my empire before I lost that, too. With a deep breath, I headed downstairs to Club Desire, doing my best to shove Olivia from my thoughts. The familiar sights and sounds of the daytime crew bustling around the club greeted me as I stepped onto the floor.
I stood still, watching the staff ably perform their duties. Desire was my baby. The flagship of my empire, and my home. Both literally and figuratively. I had dreamed of a place like this for so many years. Spilled so much blood – my own and others’ – to get it and keep it.
It was oddly soothing, really. Listening to the soft swish of the mop and the gentle clink of bottles being wiped and arranged in neat rows. So civilized and normal. The opposite of what happened in this place when it opened. And the opposite of every part of my life. The club in daytime was all soft lights and tiny corners. Inside, I was chaos and jagged edges.
Visions of last night’s violence flashed in my head. I could imagine what would have happened if the attackers had gotten inside. They would have destroyed this place. Broken the glass, and tried to break me too.
Never.
It seemed impossible now. Watching my staff continue the same way they did every single day as if nothing had happened. Their well-organized movements were like a well-choreographed dance, each action flowing seamlessly into the next. Time seemed to slow down as I looked on, almost hypnotized by their efficient routines. Normal could be good sometimes.
Feeling calmer, if not quite back to myself, I strode to my office, ready to face the massive pile of work I knew would be waiting for me. But when I opened the door, I found Brynn sitting at my desk, absorbed in some paperwork. Her presence grated on me, especially today when my patience was already wearing thin.
“Making yourself comfortable, are you?” I sneered, leaning against the doorframe. Brynn looked up, startled, but quickly recovered her composure.
“Making yourself comfortable, are you?” I sneered, leaning against the doorframe. Brynn looked up, startled, but quickly recovered her composure.
“Marcus,” she replied icily, “I was just going over some reports. We need to discuss the bartenders giving out too many free drinks. Do you have any idea how much money this place leaves on the table doing this?”
“Whatever keeps hot people partying in the club is good. More bodies, more sales, more money,” I retorted dismissively. “You’re too smart for your own good sometimes. You need to look at the big picture, not obsess over tiny details.”
“Fine,” she snapped, her eyes narrowing for a moment before she forced a cold smile. “You’re right, of course.”
“Damn straight, I am,” I said with a smirk. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to make some calls in private.” Brynn’s face fell, obviously hurt by my words, but she said nothing as she gathered her papers and left the office. It wasn’t the first time we’d clashed, and it wouldn’t be the last.
Once the door closed behind her, I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. Brynn and I had history, and she annoyed me endlessly, but I’d hired her for a reason. Her smarts more than made up for her shitty attitude. Right now, I needed to focus on business and keep the few people I could trust around me.
I picked up the phone and dialed the number of someone I absolutely could never trust. He answered after a few rings, his voice dripping with suspicion. “Moore, what do you want?”
“Nice to hear your voice too, Gregory,” I replied, trying to keep things light. How’s the weather? Your family?”
He snorted. “Please, don’t pretend you’re calling to have a friendly chit-chat.”
Truthfully, I was relieved. Small talk is not my thing. “Fine. Straight to the point, then. Did you hear about the attack on my club?”
“Of course,” he scoffed. “Word travels fast in our circles. Is it true you fought small children? Did you get a boo-boo?”
“Hardly,” I snorted. “But close enough. Have you heard anything about someone ramping up the turf war?”
Gregory paused before answering. “Yes, I have. Rumor has it someone’s trying to create chaos, make us fight each other.”
“Big and messy violence,” I mused. “That’s the last thing this city needs. There’s plenty of business for everyone as long as we keep things chill.”
“Indeed,” Gregory agreed. I didn’t like the fucker, but he was, like me, focused on the important things in life. Money and staying out of jail. “Hopefully, this is all just talk. You know how mobsters love to gossip. But either way, everyone needs to work on turning down the temperature. Keep any disputes out of the public eye. Lower the temperature before we all get burned.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page. But I can’t let what happened here go ignored. Someone has to pay for trying to fuck with me.”
“Ah, yes. The obligatory retaliation,” Gregory replied, his voice like gravel over the phone. “What are you going to do? What’s your plan to thread that needle?”
“Still deciding,” I muttered, my fingers drumming against the desk. I was itching for action, ready to strike back against those who dared challenge me, but I couldn’t rush into things blindly or overreact.
The door to my office opened without warning, and Brynn sauntered back in, her eyes wide. My heart skipped a beat, briefly wondering if Olivia had come to her senses and returned. But no, she wouldn’t make that easy for me. I wasn’t having that kind of luck lately.
“Someone’s waiting outside to see you,” Brynn announced, her voice tight.
“Who?” I snapped, annoyance flaring at the interruption.
“Someone about renting the club for a private party.” Her eyes were cold, daring me to take my anger out on her.
“Fuck,” I growled. I held up a finger, telling her to wait a second so I could finish my call with Gregory. “I’ll be smart about it. Put an end to this before it all gets out of hand.”
“Glad to hear it,” he said before unceremoniously hanging up.
“Have a nice day,” I said to the empty line.
Brynn cleared her throat in front of me.
“Yeah, yeah.” I looked at her. Something was wrong. She was on edge, even for Brynn. “I’ll go talk to whoever about whatever. In the meantime, grab whichever one of our bruisers you can find. I need a team to hunt down those punks who attacked my club. Quickly and quietly. But decisively. The message must be clear.”
“Marcus,” she said, her tone biting. “That’s unwise.”
“Didn’t ask for your opinion.” My gaze locked onto hers, challenging her to defy me. “If you want to keep your job, you’ll do as you’re told.”
Her face flushed with anger, and for a moment, I wondered if she’d snap. She’d always been fiercely loyal, at least to the money I’d paid her, but there was a history between us, and sometimes old wounds refused to heal.
“Careful, Marcus,” she warned, her voice barely more than a whisper. “You’re getting sloppy, forgetting who helped put you where you are today.”
“Is that a threat?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous. But she was already turning away from me, her blonde hair swaying with each step as she marched out of my office.
“Hardly,” she called back, her voice dripping with venom. “Just a reminder.”
The door slammed shut behind her, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the growing sense of unease. I’d made enemies before, but if I wasn’t careful, I could end up turning allies against me as well.