Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Mr. Manwarring, that meeting has been set for 12:30. You’ll need to leave in the next five minutes to arrive on time,” Henry said, as if he was reminding me of an important business meeting and not lunch with my future wife. He really earned every cent I paid him.
“I’m sorry you came all the way here when I don’t have the time for a proper sit-down, but how can I help you?”
“How do we know Dubois won’t be a problem no more?” the middle one said.
He was a fat man with ruddy, pockmarked skin, crooked yellow teeth, and stark white hair. I didn’t remember his name. I made a point to never remember their names. I didn’t even like them in my office. My father wanted to bring them in. He should be the one dealing with him.
“Because the only power he had was going to come from marrying the district attorney’s sister.” I spoke as if I was explaining this to a small child because that was about the intelligence level I was dealing with. “She’s close with her brother, and her husband would have the ear of the DA. Dubois will no longer be in a position where the DA will listen to him. The DA will listen to his sister’s husband. That is going to be me.”
“Why would the DA listen to you, just because you are shaggin’ his baby sister?” one of the others said. His thick accent made me stop and take a moment to mentally decode his words.
“Because he wants to keep his sister happy. His family also made their fortune in tobacco. What’s a better merger than whisky and tobacco?” I stood and grabbed my suit jacket from the hook, hoping the men took the hint.
They didn’t; they remained seated.
“That still doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t he still listen to Dubois? It’s not like he can’t make an appointment.”
“No, he can’t. He has tried several times over the years. DA Astrid won’t see them. He has refused every appointment, and marrying Ms. Astrid was his way in. My father and I are already working on the contracts for a few joint ventures that will link our fortune with the Astrid fortune. Which will incentivize Mr. Astrid to help with our endeavors.”
“How so?” They still didn’t move.
“Because if we go down, then so do they. It means that the district attorney has reasons to keep all of us safe, and if he doesn’t, we have other leverage. I assure you, gentlemen, it is well in hand. Now if you don’t mind, I have a meeting across town I must get to.”
The three men rose and looked me up and down. It took everything I had not to roll my eyes at them again.
“Aight, we’ll go, but don’t go forgetting his fortune isn’t the only one yours is tied to.”
“Right, if you need further information, I suggest going to see my father. I believe he is in his office just down the way. He just got a fresh box of Regius Double Corona cigars in. I’m sure he would love a reason to break it open.”
I lifted my arm and directed the men to my father’s office before turning and locking mine.
Henry, the godsend that he was, stood at the elevator, holding it open for me.
“Did you really just send a bunch of Irish mobsters to your father’s office to smoke fifty-thousand-dollar cigars?”
“Did he send a bunch of thugs to my office because he thought he could pawn the consequences of his poor choices off on me?” I shot back.
Henry didn’t bother hiding his chuckle.
Truth be told, I wasn’t sure my father hadn’t sent them down just to convince me we didn’t need to play nice with my in-laws.
“What all were you able to manage for this afternoon?” I asked, adjusting my shirtsleeves.
Surprisingly, this lunch was making me a little nervous.
It was the first time I was meeting Amelia that wasn’t for some function we could be seen at. For all intents and purposes, this was our first date. Why did that thought make my stomach clench with nerves? I had already had her. I knew her body.
Why was getting to know her less carnally so intimidating?
Maybe this’d be easier if I convinced her to let me fuck her in the bathroom first.
“I called in a favor to the curator at the Met. The Impressionist exhibit hasn’t been opened to the public, but we have the room, and a romantic lunch has been planned. The food will be there about thirty minutes after you both arrive, but there will be strawberries and chilled champagne waiting for you.”
“Excellent work,” I said, impressed by how quickly he was able to throw a catered museum lunch date together.
“Thank you , sir. Assuming traffic is normal, you should arrive just before she does.”