fifteen
Royal Dolce
I stand in the shower with the water on hot, like I always do. I drop my forehead against the cool tile wall, not caring if it’s a hotel and fuck only knows when it was last cleaned. I want the feel of her off me, the smell of her gone.
I remember what King said to me.
Take care of our brothers.
I remember what Ma said to me.
Stop making up stories.
I remember what Dad said to me.
“There’s a new buyer for a small chain store in town this weekend.”
My back stiffened, my palms got clammy, and the rest of his words were muffled.
“I’ve been trying to get Dolce Drops into their stores for years, but the bastards say we’re too obscure and expensive. This new broad, she’s open to hearing us out. I’m meeting with her tomorrow, but if she needs a little extra push…”
“I hate it when you ask me to do this,” I said through clenched teeth, not caring if he heard a whiny little bitch who wouldn’t do what needed to be done for the family.
He held up a hand. “I’m hoping it all goes well tomorrow, and we don’t have to treat her to anything extra. But I need you to be able to show her a good time if she’s on the fence. Take her out, let her know we take care of our people.”
My fingers curled into fists, and I wanted to reach across the desk and strangle every ounce of life out of the bastard.
“No,” I said quietly. “I’m not doing this anymore.”
“Son,” he said. “This company is yours. I know King’s the oldest, but he’s got his own thing going now…”
“You mean your thing,” I said. “You fucking sold him to the mafia. Don’t make it sound like he started his own business.”
“It is a business,” he said, leveling me with a stare.
“It should have been me,” I snapped. “I would have been good at it. King’s not meant for that shit.”
“He was very good at this business, too,” Dad said. “He never complained the way you do. But he’s not here, so the responsibility falls to you, son.”
I glared at him. “I’m done.”
He leaned back in his chair and studied me. “A man should know how to run the business he’s going to inherit. All this could be yours. But you’re not the only one who inherits what I built. I have two other sons who get their share.”
I swallowed hard, shaking my head. I told King I’d protect the twins, and I’ve done a piss poor job of it, but this is a line I will never cross. “You’re not bringing them into this.”
He folded his arms, all but gloating now that he’d gotten me. The fucker. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve considered it before. I think Duke would be the better of the twins, don’t you? He’s a little bit of a loose cannon, but he knows how to have a good time.”
“I’ll do it,” I gritted out through clenched teeth.
“You know, I didn’t just choose you because you’re older,” he said. “I thought it would help you move on after what you went through. What makes a man feel more virile than seducing a beautiful woman—a married woman—who simply can’t resist him?”
“We’re done with this conversation,” I said.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with the Darling girl, does it?” he asked. He’s a shrew motherfucker, I’ll give him that.
“No,” I said, glowering at him, daring him to contradict me. I’m bigger than he is, but he has weapons I don’t have.
“Good,” he said. “You already fucked up with Preston because of a girl.”