The men and women mingling around laughed.
The interruption ceased our conversation and Arthur let me go, moving away to slouch against a spindly looking tree. He shoved his hands into his pockets. I liked to think he just wanted to relax, but the pain darkening his eyes squeezed my chest. The tree wasn’t just to lean against—it was for support.
I let him recuperate in silence.
I went to his side, and we watched the commotion for a while. Beetle came forward and handed Arthur an icy beer. When he offered me a bourbon, I turned my nose up and accepted a bottled water instead.
Sipping quietly, my heartbeat calmed and I soaked in the happiness of such an evening.
I didn’t know how much time passed while we relaxed in each other’s company.
I wanted to ask questions. I wanted to know everything there was to know, but I kept my thoughts to myself.
However, Arthur must’ve sensed my desires, because he took another pull of his beer and said, “When I gained my freedom from Florida State, I had nothing to my name—not even the T-shirt on my back. Wallstreet made sure I had a home to go to, a bank account to utilize, and friends to trust.”
His voice was thick and delicious as honey. “The money trickled in at first. I wasn’t confident in what Wallstreet taught me and it took a while for me to start trading large amounts.” His eyes connected with mine. “Wallstreet gave me two million dollars to use to get the Club back in order and to trade with.”
I blinked. “Wow. That’s a hell of an investment.”
Arthur took another sip. “It was the strangest thing to be treasured for the same gifts that I’d been shunned for all my life.” Stroking his weeping beer bottle, he continued. “Like I said, I didn’t feel comfortable trading with his money—what if I lost it and couldn’t get it back? I owed him my life, my world.” He shook his head. “No, I couldn’t do that.”
“How did you make your fortune then?”
Arthur kept his eyes on the chaos of bikers and their women as the Club prepared the garden for dinner. Three large foldaway tables appeared and were put in a mismatch of places. Chairs were slammed into the grass and firewood was brought by the armful to slowly create a teepee of logs and tinder in the central fire pit.
“I allowed myself one hundred thousand of Wallstreet’s money. I figured if I lost it, I wouldn’t be in debt all my life trying to pay it back. And it was enough to trade large amounts that meant my rewards swiftly grew.”
I stayed silent, willing him to tell me more.
“I came pretty close to losing it. One trade wiped me out because I hadn’t put a fucking stop loss.” He scowled. “A dumbass mistake—just like the one I did today. I should’ve known better then and I definitely should’ve known better now.”
Taking a deep breath, he ran a hand over his face. “Stop loss, Buttercup. The ultimate requirement in any trade. I’ll teach you that. Don’t worry.”
I jolted to think of ever having the intelligence Arthur did. Trading with money terrified me. It seemed as dangerous as gambling if not taken seriously and approached with logic and formulas.
Arthur pushed off from the tree. “When I’d doubled the hundred grand, I started to look at other means to make money. I used some of my profits and bought a local business.”
My interest piqued. Keep going. “What did you buy?”
He chuckled. “Don’t laugh, but a salon.”
“A salon?”
“I bought it because the owner was being harassed by a small Club on the outskirts of town. I also bought it because the woman who owned it looked a bit like you.” He sighed heavily. “She was older, but her hair reminded me so much of your red curls that when she burst into tears knowing she’d be broken into and destroyed the moment I withdrew my protection, I couldn’t walk away.” His lips curled into a self-conscious smile. “I gave her cash.”
My heart flipped over at the kindness inside him. “And it was a loss?”
“No, not at all. It’s rather profitable considering the small investment I made.” Smiling coldly, he muttered, “Not to mention the small Club who’d been raiding shops and raping girls walking home from work was suddenly torn apart and never seen again.”
A chill worked down my spine. “You stopped them.” It wasn’t a question.
He glared past the chain-link fence to the everglades beyond. “Yes, I stopped them.”
I shuddered to think how many bodies the local alligators had devoured over the years. But if they were evil men disrupting a peaceful city—was there harm in that? To take a human life in order to save countless more? What would karma say to such a decision?
I changed the subject from death and carnage. “What other businesses do you own?”
Arthur finished his beer, dropping it by his feet to tick off on his fingers. “Well, there’s two bars, a burger joint, and another salon. Oh, and there’s also a sushi train and I’m part owner in a security firm that does neighborhood watch pro bono.”
My jaw fell wide. “Holy crap.” Was that all he did? Trade and save and invest into people he believed in? He gave so much to others, all while living a bare existence in comfort and connection. “Arthur, I’m—” Blown away.
He cocked his head, his forehead furrowed with yet more pain from the headache that never left. Pointing at Grasshopper and Mo, who were now the main chefs of tonight’s dinner, he grinned. “Grasshopper owns a pet groomers and donut shop, while Mo manages to split his time between three pubs and a yacht that’s a floating restaurant on the bay.” He laughed. “We’re all very entrepreneurial.”