Lover (Court University 4)

He nodded. “Hence, why I’m here in front of your lovely face, brother.”

His manservant came back in, this time with an offer for said Mallick properties listed in great detail in a binder.

LJ had the figures listed under each property, and as I turned the pages, I actually chuckled at the sight of them.

But not because they were low.

“Shit, you’re not playing,” I said. At another exorbitant figure, my brow dashed up. “This is like triple what these properties are worth.” Anyone would have thought he’d lost his mind, mostly my board. “Does Knight know you’re doing this?”

Knight Reed, his buddy and another of Royal’s best men, headed Reed Corp. Had since his grandfather, Gerald, died our junior year. This was well known in our circles, and like me, Knight had a board running things until he graduated from school. I’d just decided to get involved with my family business early, and his was technically number one in the real estate and development game. At least, when it came to Maywood Heights.

The Reeds and Prinzes built this town, partners in its creation. The Prinzes had their names on everything, and the Reeds help them build the empire. The Mallicks, my father and the other members of our family who later emigrated over, came in late, but our income was more diverse. Mallick Enterprises was global, but my father always had full backing from the Reeds and Prinzes.

>

I mean, they made him mayor.

Funded his campaigns and everything.

At the mention of his friend, LJ lifted his eyes to the heavens.

“Oh, he knows.” He sat back, opening his hands. “I went to the fucker first. Wanted to buy some of his properties.”

“And?”

“Completely shut my shit down.” He chuckled. “Knight may be my boy, but he’s also a competitive prick. I think it actually got him off I was trying to get into the game.”

Not surprising, knowing him. The dude was scary, but in this case, had both LJ and me laughing.

He braced his arms. “Ain’t getting any help from him. I’m on my own with this. A one-man show.”

Something told me he wouldn’t be for long. He wasn’t just trying to get ahead but build something, help people. I opened my hands. “I’ll deep-dive more into this, but I’m going to be real, man. I do answer to people.”

Even with as big as the offers were that didn’t mean my people would say yes. Some of them thought the same way as Knight. Though, obviously not for the same reasons. What LJ and Knight had was a friendly rivalry, but in business, people could be money-grubbing douchebags.

Some of the board might want to white knuckle the properties just maintain their current status in the game. Stupid, I knew.

I did make the final, final decisions around here, but going all rogue after just arriving probably wouldn’t be a good idea. I had to pick my battles, and people already thought I was crazy for buying one art gallery. They didn’t trust me, thought me young and naive, and with all the drama I came in with, the Brown shit…

“I get it.” LJ shook my hand, the pair of us standing. “Just let me know.”

I certainly would. I actually really admired the guy, coming in here and putting it all out there when he was new. It also took a lot to do what you wanted to do. It took bravery.

And that was something I’d forever respect.

Chapter Twenty-One

Ramses

Honestly, taco night with Mom nearly got canceled that night. One, because it was yet another night Bri’s and my schedules clashed and I couldn’t see her. She didn’t feel comfortable schmoozing up to my mother while the pair of us secretly fucked behind the scenes. And two, I found myself so wrapped up in LJ’s business plan I hadn’t wanted to leave the office. I’d actually brought all that shit home with me, pretty engulfed. By the time I looked at the clock to meet my mom for dinner, the hour had gotten away from me. I called her to cancel, but she wasn’t having that.

Before I knew it, she’d driven over to my house. My actual home in Maywood Heights. My condo on campus was just a place to keep my stuff while I went to school, but I saw it more than the old colonial-style I’d purchased my freshman year of college. My inheritance had opened up around then, and naturally, I’d needed a place near my mom.

These days, it was merely a place to rest my head on days I worked too late, and Brielle had never come here. I hadn’t asked since I barely stayed here myself.

I had people to keep up on it, dust and what have you, while I was away, and Mom made herself right at home the moment she arrived with her arms filled with bags upon bags of food. She knew how I ate so she brought a lot.

“Don’t you worry. I’ll get everything all set,” she said, making me spend time with her. I told her I was bringing work home with me, but she insisted. She eyed me. “I see you basically once a week, and you won’t deny me my fix.”