I thought about it a second then nodded. “Text me the time and where to meet. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do in the nightlife department.”
“As you wish, Mistress,” Braxton said with a smirk and a little bow. “I can’t wait to see what the evening will hold for us.”
Heading down the hall, I couldn’t help but feel a little better knowing I had something to look forward to. After all, what was the point of being freed from my cage if I didn’t experience life? The taste I got last night before I was so rudely interrupted just wasn’t enough to tide me over. Braxton gave off the vibe he knew how to live life to the fullest, and that was the type of people I wanted around me. Work hard and play harder, knowing we have one life to live, so try it all!
This time when I approached the office, two men were standing at the door with the whole mafia goon vibe going on—black suits, tattoos, guns hidden under their jackets, and hands clasped in front, standing at attention. They nodded to me before one of them opened the door, allowing me to go in. Before I entered, I took a moment to scan them over, making sure I knew their faces. If there came a time shit hit the fan and we needed backup, I wanted to make sure I didn’t kill our people.
“Did you need something from us, Mistress?” the man who opened the door asked.
Well, that traveled around fast.
“No, just making sure I know my friends from foes, is all,” I answered with a soft smile. “Although I should probably mention that these meetings might get a little vocal. As long as it isn’t me or the boss sounding like we’re in pain, I’ve got it handled.” I had to hand it to these men, they didn’t even bat an eye about my statement. They simply nodded.
Entering the office, I found Daddy sitting behind his desk looking over some papers with my uncles sitting off to the side. They both smirked at me, and Mathis gave a thumbs-up regarding the outfit while Athos scowled slightly. That means I’d hit the combination of a sexy-business-professional look right on the money.
“Astin, come stand by me, please,” Daddy requested. “Our first meeting is going to be with Big Time, the president of the Red Tigers MC, and his VP, Crow. As you know, these men are the ones who distribute our drugs and guns all over the country. We supply them, they give us thirty percent of the profit, and we stay out of their business as well as keep the law off their backs.”
I walked over to him and perched on the armrest of his leather wingback chair. “Seems you wanted to start with the tough crowd first, I see. They’re even worse than the mafia’s views on women in power.”
“They are also the ones who have been giving me the most trouble wanting to lower the percent of our cut, saying we aren’t doing much protection for them,” Daddy grumbled, looking up at me. “I assume you’re aware of all of this?”
“Yes, I’ve been keeping track of everything I could on this matter. If we lose them, it will hurt business quite severely, having no one to move the goods once we get them in. I’ve had a few ideas on the subject but getting to meet these men in person will be helpful,” I answered.
Daddy patted my leg approvingly and felt the blade under my skirt. He looked at me with a questioning brow, and I just shrugged. “Better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think?”
“If they cause that kind of trouble, then we have an even bigger problem,” Daddy pointed out.
I leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “It won’t be anything I haven’t been trained to handle. Just don’t be mad at me if I make a bit of a mess by the end of the day.”
Daddy chuckled and hit the intercom button on his phone. “Liu, send them in, please.”
“Right away, Boss,” a man named Liu answered.
eleven
Amomentlater,thedoor opened, and two men in jeans, T-shirts, and leather vests with patches and logos all over them entered. Big Time, as declared on his cut, had a full wild salt-and-pepper beard with a shaved head. He was older, probably in his fifties with wrinkled skin that had seen lots of sun and reeked like stale cigarettes. Crow was younger, probably in his late thirties, clean-shaven, and had a bald head covered in tattoos leaving random spots of un-inked skin. Crow looked like he was trying to compete with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the buffest man alive. The leather cut hardly seemed to fit, or maybe it was the muscles that didn’t allow him to put his arms down.
“Colmazio,” Big Time greeted with a nod. “It’s about damn time you and I had a face-to-face meeting. You’ve been stonewalling for weeks.”
“Big,” Daddy greeted, ignoring the rudeness and gestured to me. “Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Astin, newly appointed underboss. She’ll be working alongside me on all matters pertaining to the Caprioni business.”
Rising to my feet, I stepped around the desk and reached out a hand to Big Time. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope we’ll be able to work well together.”
Big looked at my hand then back up to my eyes and snorted. “You have to be joking. Why the fuck would you have a woman in such an important position? She won’t be able to handle things when it comes down to it. I’ll bet she faints at the sight of blood.” He laughed, and Crow joined, adding his husky laughter.
“Goodness, it seems you don’t have a very high opinion of my father if you feel he’d give such a valuable position to someone who couldn’t handle it,” I commented, resting my hip on the corner of the desk.
Big tried to puff himself up, attempting to use his size to intimidate me, but I just sat there holding his gaze. “Listen, little girl, I don’t give a flying fuck about what your old man does in his business, but when it affects mine, then I take issue with it.”
“Really? What have we done that’s affecting your business?” I asked, propping my chin on my hand, waiting for his answer.
Crow stepped up, drawing my gaze. “We don’t talk business around women.”
“Oh, is that because we’re too stupid to understand or because my legs are too distracting for you to concentrate? I can go back behind the desk again if you like,” I reasoned.
Crow snarled at me, taking another step forward, but I sat up and let my gun peek out of my jacket as I moved. It wasn’t an outright challenge, but it let him know I was packing heat. Crow paused, looking from the gun up to me as if considering his chances. “I bet you don’t even know how to use that.”
“Problem is, by the time you figure that out, you’ll be dead,” I pointed out. “Now, I think we all need to take a deep breath and get down to the matter at hand.”