Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Dima chuckled. “Did you forget my business, Kash?”
“Brothels and sex.”
“Which means that I know the great power of women.” He turned around and headed off. “Have your cars follow me.”
I checked to the side and saw that Santino’s SUV still remained where it was. He watched Dima walk off and then he looked at me.
It’s okay, baby.
I gave him a smile and nod.
Seconds later, his SUV left.
And that was my day. Dima introduced me to Paradise City’s most powerful politicians. We even went to the courthouse. I watched several judges sign off on decisions to allow my men to be relieved of all their legal consequences from criminal convictions.
Rue called Tomasso to let him know that the tasting with the wedding caterer would need to be pushed back to the evening.
Finally, we arrived at the prison.
Merik had a fun idea, and I let him do it.
Fifteen limos waited outside. Beside each limo my men’s families stood—mothers, wives, girlfriends, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. They’d been ordered to dress quickly and come welcome their loved ones back to freedom. Many of their faces were covered in shock. Some faces held suspicion as if I had brought them out to set them up somehow. Most of the women cried. The men were equally effected—tears streamed down their eyes.
Far off, I remained by my Ghost with Dane and Rue.
Merik had joined his mother Aunt Irene over by the first limo. Roscoe’s wife and teenaged twins, Melody and Melanie, chatted with them. Roscoe had been in prison the night his twins were born. As far as I knew, he had never gotten to hug his kids.
If Dima can truly keep my people out of prison and with their families. . .then I would remain united with the Diamond Syndicate. It would be nothing but love from here on out.
Aunt Irene went to the back of the limo and pulled a large plate out.
It was crazy, but Rue, Dane, and I stared at that plate like we hadn’t ate all day.
Dane spoke first, “What do you think she made him?”
My stomach growled. “Roscoe loves smothered pork chops and rice with a big helping of her special greens. I bet that’s it.”
Rue shook her head. “I only eat pork a few times a year, and when I do. . .Aunt Irene made it.”
“Hootie hoo!” Noise sounded from the front of the prison.
We all turned that way.
Roscoe walked out with a bop. “Hootie Hoo!”
Dane leaned my way. “Will we tell him that the phrase isn’t a popular thing in Paradise City anymore?”
“No way. Let Roscoe have his day.”
The twins ran to him. “Papa!”
“Oh my God!” Roscoe spread his huge, muscular arms and rushed their way. “God is so good! He’ll show you. Won’t he?”
There, they hugged for several minutes and Roscoe broke out into a sob.
My eyes watered.
One by one, more men headed out.
Their families all tackling them with love.
My throat went dry. “Okay. We can go now.”
“The hell we can.” Dane shook his head. “This moment will forever be remembered in Killer Crow history, and you made it happen. No one else.”
Rue wiped a tear from her eye. “I agree.”
Dane gazed at the hugging families. “You stay. So that when people think back to this memory, your face will be imprinted in their minds.”
Holding back as many tears as I could, I looked at him. “Do you think this will help me unify Killer Crows?”
“Now you have a new Board of Executives that will die for you, just because you let them see their family again when they thought they would die behind bars.”
Sorrow shivered through me.
Rue added, “New shareholders within the prison will be assigned by these men who just left. That means that whoever sits in the shareholder seat in prison would have been loyal to the Executives.”
“Maybe we can get them out too.” I swallowed. “I don’t want any of our people behind bars.”
“Soon, Kash.” Dane put his gaze off to the distant right where Dima stood by his Phantom, scribbling in his damned little notebook. “If we put Dima in office, then we have a mayor in our pocket. Less time for Killer Crows in prison.”
I sniffled. “Then, after the wedding Killer Crows’ top priority is getting all of the West to vote for Dima. No one else can win.”
As if hearing us, Dima nodded and waved goodbye.
I smiled and saluted.
It must have caught him off guard because he looked at me oddly, pulled that notebook back out, scribbled something, put the notebook up, and then gave me an awkward salute back.
What the hell?
I laughed as he got in the back of his Phantom and his driver sped him away. Yellow SUVs full of his men followed him toward Caviar Lime Highway.
“Mayor Dimitri Ivanov.” I shook my head. “Romeo and Chanel are doubling over with laughter in heaven.”