5

Gage

"You certainly didn't give me any options, Gage. You know I hate the fact you call and just expect that I'm going to be your arm candy for the night."

I'd grown up around Diana, her older brother a buddy of mine. She once hungered for more than friendship and while we'd shared a few passionate evenings, we only tolerated each other at this point. However, she would keep the guests entertained while I secured the contracts. She also made excellent eye candy.

"And you have no problems sidling up to the rich and powerful men who attend these functions, my sweet. If I didn't know any better, I'd say your Harvard education was going to go to waste."

"What the hell does that mean?" Diana demanded.

The nasty glare she shot me was enough to remind me why she and could never be a good match. "It means that I predict in less than a year, you'll be married and pregnant."

"You're an asshole." Scoffing, she fluffed her long red hair and grabbed her purse, keeping her head high and her eyes straight ahead as she attempted to walk past me toward the door.

I grabbed her arm, yanking her close and giving her a stern look. "Just remember who you belong to tonight, so keep that mouth of yours in check. This is an important evening for Ralph Enterprises. I can't have you going off half-cocked."

"I know exactly how to handle myself, Gage. It's you I worry about, but arrogance certainly suits you." Huffing, she jerked out of my hold, flinging open the door and storming outside.

This was going to be a very long evening.

She remained silent until our arrival at the party, her sullen attitude exactly what I was used to. "You didn't have to be so rough. Christ." Diana smoothed down her dress, a very fake smile plastered on her face. Her dazzling personality had returned, the term 'bitch' forming on my tongue.

"If you don't want to be treated like a child then don't act like one." I kept my hand on the small of her back as we walked through the garishly decorated ballroom, nodding to a few guests as we passed. The expansive space was filled to capacity, the by-invitation-only list including noteworthy politicians, CEOs, powerful influencers, and various actors and musicians, as well as the real estate moguls who ran not only Chicago but the notorious corridor up and down the east coast. Very few in the industry truly had a working knowledge of who was running the various corporations guised as land development, even proffering donations for charitable functions. Hundreds of millions of dollars were at stake.

Wars were waged on less.

"Why don't you at least buy me a drink?" she asked offhandedly, waving to several women as they passed by. "Least you can do for forcing me to come to this shithole."

"This shithole is a catered affair costing every guest one thousand dollars. I suggest you put on your happy face, my sweet princess. I purchased you for the night." Yeah, I knew the words were harsh but at this point, I was weary of the nasty jabs.

Diana wrinkled her nose. "You're such an asshole."

"You've already said that. Just try to enjoy the damn evening."

I noticed one of the holdouts just up ahead. Caleb Santori was a pious pit bull of a man, his employees hand-picked to ward off evil spirits. Or so I'd been told more than once. "How about this, my sweet. I have business to attend to. Why don't you find us a glass of champagne? Better yet, a full bottle. We'll have a celebration in order within minutes."

She followed my direction, flanking my side as she turned slightly. "Be careful, Gage. Your greed is showing. Mr. Santori doesn't like you very much. Why don't you offer him a position at your company, suggest that you combine your wealth instead of trying to gouge him with a lowball offer for a company he's taken years to build?"

I chuckled and gave her an approving nod. "I underestimated you, Diana, which makes me a fool. A very good idea." Santori and his bodyguards were headed in our direction. The true games were about to begin.

Allowing her hand to linger on my arm, she rose onto her tiptoes, kissing my cheek, her whisper sultry. "Something for you to keep in mind. I'll get that champagne for us."

I held back a smile as Caleb approached, his puffy face telling of years of hard drinking and frequent cocaine use, given his enjoyment of frivolous parties. I could easily best this man, acquiring his wealth and his followers, but why not use him for his other attributes, such as his understanding of the New York crime syndicate. "Caleb. I'm so happy to run into you tonight."

"I'm certain you are, Gage. How is your father doing?" Caleb asked, his voice just loud enough to be heard by any passing by.

"He's doing very well. Asked that I say hello, wish your lovely wife and two daughters well." The threat was only implied, but I could tell by his eyes that he understood. "I have a business proposition for you."

"I've already told you, your damn attorney, your assistant, and half a dozen other people from your shoddy organization that I am not selling out to you. I don't care what you plan on doing. The company is worth much more than the pittance you offered. You also can't have the battlefield property. That's precious to me."

The battlefield property was the icing on the cake, a piece of land my father added to this particular contract. I couldn't care less. "What I hope to do with the beautiful piece of land is vital to the city and people of Chicago. However, that's not what I was hoping to talk to you about." I held my grin as I wrapped my arm around his shoulders, walking him away from his oversized thugs.

"And what do you want to talk to me about?"

I was improvising of course, going along the lines of what Diana has suggested. By the end of my soliloquy, Caleb actually shook my hand. Not only would we be building the largest Casino in the state of Illinois, but I had his full backing on several other acquisitions and he would soon hold the title of vice president of Ralph Enterprises. Funny how life could turn on a dime.

There was one other holdout and this one wouldn't be so easy; he couldn't be handled by implied threats or throwing a bone about working together. Richard Scott was old school, growing up on the East Side, working his way through college working two jobs. He saved his money, finding a few investors and opened Scott and Associates when he was only twenty-five years old. Through the years, he'd acquired hundreds of pieces of property, turning some into destinations worth millions of dollars. Yeah, I'd learned everything about the man, including details about his family, his friends, and private information about his bank accounts and real estate holdings. His wife had been dead for almost four years and he had an estranged relationship with his daughter, who'd all but disappeared. The man was very much alone in his business decisions.

Through nothing more than hard work and tenacity, Richard had turned Scott and Associates into a thriving business employing over two hundred people in Chicago and the surrounding area. From everything I could tell, he was moral, ethical, and had refused on several occasions to bow down to anyone pushing his buttons.

Including my father.

I genuinely liked the guy and I only knew him on paper. I even admired him for his business ethics and his regard for his employees, but his luck had run out. He'd made a single mistake, albeit significant, and now I was able to capitalize on that in order to force him to sign a contract.

"I take it by the grin on your face that everything went well?" Diana asked as she handed me a glass of champagne, her eyes twinkling.

"Very. Your idea was brilliant. You might have a keen sense of business after all." I scanned the room, searching for any sign of Richard. He'd confirmed his attendance and given he was an honorable man, I expected him to attend. There were no secrets. He knew the score and would come prepared for an answer. Breaking his balls could be in order, but I was more than prepared to do just that.

"And what about your next intended prey? What are you going to do with him, cut off his testicles and feed them to your hamster?"

I chuckled as I gave her a quick glance. She had her father's brusque and uncaring demeanor, hence the concept of bitch. "My hope is that he'll listen to reason."

She laughed and swirled her glass. "You must be kidding me."

As Richard walked into the room, entering with no fanfare and no one on his arm or by his side, I bristled, a cold chill shifting down my spine. The aging man certainly wasn't formidable, but there was something about him that gave me pause. "I'll be right back." I headed in his direction, able to see the look of concern on his face, the way his skin seemed ashen, almost gray. "Richard. Good to see you here. I hope that you're prepared to give me your final answer."

Richard tilted his head, looking me dead in the eyes. In his, I could see such sadness, as if he'd given up on the world and his beliefs. "I've lived a long life, Gage but I'm a lonely man. All I have is my business. There is no family that cares any longer, no grandchildren to bring me joy. Only my company. I worked hard to make certain I had a legacy and even though that no longer matters, I still have my pride. I won't sign the contract. I simply can't."

The pain in the man's eyes was telling as well as heartbreaking. For a few seconds, I didn't want to be the ruthless fuck I'd turned into, but there was little recourse. "Richard, while I do understand and appreciate your conviction, I will have little choice but to destroy you given what I know. One call to the police and you will lose everything you've worked so hard to achieve."

I wasn't surprised by his deadpan reaction. I was shocked when he began to shake, his entire body sagging. He looked at me, his eyes reaching through mine and straight into my very soul, and I knew then what I'd done could never be undone.

As he fell to the floor, I heard his last words and they were ones that would haunt me to my grave.

"I forgive you."