“Plus, we’re low-key. That last client? That’s as noisy as shit has ever gotten for us. Because usually, our heads are down. I mean, ever since you stepped up to the plate, our enemies have become at least neutral. Some of them even allies.”
“Until now.”
He sighed. “You think your father’s working with one of our allies?”
I paused. “I think my father is working with someone who wants us out of the way. Whether it’s an ally or someone who’s neutral--or even someone who’s new--I don’t know. But none of that matters. The only thing that matters is their current motive.”
“Which is to get you out of the picture. Obviously.”
“Yep.”
I threw back my second beer before Rupert refilled my glass.
“You know what I think?” he asked.
I cleared my throat. “Give it to me.”
“I think we need to stop looking at this practically and start looking at it through the lens of your father’s eyes. Because if he’s really at the head of all this, logic doesn’t get us anywhere. Because your father doesn’t operate on it.”
I pointed at him. “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said since we arrived here.”
He blinked. “I don’t know if that’s a compliment or an insult.”
I grinned. “Good luck.”
“Hey, Max!”
My head panned towards the voice. “Tiger! Holy shit, where the hell have you been?”
The man with three scars tearing down his face walked up to our booth and shook my hand. He leaned down for a pat on the back, and I held him a little longer than he was probably expecting.
“Man, it’s good to see you on two feet again. I didn’t think you’d ever get out of the hospital. How’s the leg doing?” I asked.
He bent his knee for me. “After the four surgeries, it’s doing fantastic. Sorry I was out of commission so long.”
“Man, you know you don’t have to apologize for shit like that. Especially after shoving your wife out from in front of a truck like that.”
Rupert chuckled. “Yeah. Only you could take a hit fr
om a semi and walk it off after some surgeries.”
Tiger chuckled. “So I miss anything? Got any jobs I could hop on? We could really use the money.”
I sipped my beer. “I’m working on the job front. We’ve run into some snags. Some shit that’s happened since you’ve been gone. But any one of these guys will fill you in on what’s happening.”
He furrowed his brow. “Something I should be worried about?”
“Not to freak you out, but yeah.”
I watched Bub slap his hand against Tiger’s back before he winked at me.
“Someone around here’s chasing our damn president down. Not very nice, if you ask me.”
Tiger’s eyes narrowed. “Are you fucking kidding me? Who? Who are they? Tell me, and there’s no need for anything else.”
I chuckled. “You need to take a seat and keep on resting. And Bub! Try not to freak him out on his first night back. He’s got pins in his leg, remember?”
Bub smiled. “Ah, I’m just messin’. You know Max can handle himself.”