The Tyrant (Banker 3)

Claw lowered himself into the seat across from us, the scar still visible down his left cheek. He was the top dog of the organization, the cruelest one of the bunch. “Glad you could make it, gentlemen. We have a lot of beauties for sale.”

“Is she for sale?” Bates nodded to the waitress.

“Ask her that, and she’ll cut off your balls.” Claw laughed maniacally before he drank from his glass—straight vodka. “So, how can I help the Marino Brothers? I heard you’re expecting a little one, Cato. Congratulations.”

I didn’t appear disgruntled by his knowledge. “Thank you. I’m having a girl.”

“Not a boy to take over the empire?”

“There’s still time to make one.”

Claw winked and clinked his glass against mine. “Then what brings you here? Looking for another woman to give you a son?”

“Just here to check on our investment.” I crossed my legs, and my elbow rested on the table. “You’ve borrowed a lot of money from me, and I hope you’re on track for paying it back.”

“You don’t need to play the banker with me,” Claw said. “We always pay. You know that.”

“And I always check,” I countered. “You know that.”

His smile faded. “Don’t worry another minute about it, Cato. Production is going smoothly. Once we sell our first batch, that’ll be more than enough to pay you back in full—along with your interest rate.”

“Good.” I clinked my glass against his. “Loaning nearly a billion dollars overall to one group is pretty generous. We don’t do that for just anyone.”

“We don’t,” Bates said in agreement. “And on that note, what do you know about Micah and Damien?”

Normally, I would roll my eyes or tell Bates to shut his mouth, but in the presence of Claw, I had to roll with the punches. It was a stupid question to ask, a question that was wasted.

“Haven’t spoken to Damien in a while.” Claw leaned back in his chair. “It doesn’t seem like they’re distributing drugs the way they used to. Maybe there’s a bigger player that’s come to town.”

“Then where are you getting your fix?” Bates blurted.

I intimidated my allies and my enemies. But I didn’t interrogate them.

“I get my fix everywhere,” Claw said. “But you know what my biggest fix is right now?” He grinned widely. “Pussy. Lots of pussy. The ones that aren’t virgins go through a strict quality-control check by us before they get on that stage.” He nodded behind him.

Before Bates could fixate on his obsession with Damien and Micah any longer, I kicked him under the table.

Bates clenched his jaw but didn’t make a sound.

“Your next payment is due in a month. Hope you deliver on time.” I finished my drink before I rose to my feet. “Until next time.”

“You aren’t gonna buy a bitch for the road?” he asked, not rising to his feet.

Bates stood up and pulled out a business card with his phone number written on it. “Let the bartender know I’m looking for a good lay if she is.”

“And I’ll pass,” I said. “I don’t pay millions for pussy.”

I didn’t pay for pussy at all anymore. There was only one woman in my bed—and only one woman I wanted in my bed.

Siena called me on the way home. “Where the hell are you?”

I was just down the street from my estate. I’d hoped I would be able to slip in and out without her noticing I was gone. I liked having a woman to come home to at night, but I hated having someone to answer to whenever I left. There was no way around it, none that I could see. “I’m down the street. I’ll be home in five minutes.”

“Is everything alright?” she asked, desperation in her voice.

“Yes, baby.” I spoke in a bored tone, but I liked hearing the concern in her voice. It was the same sensation I felt when she said she loved me. She had me wrapped around her finger, and I loved knowing she was wrapped around mine.

“Then why are you sneaking out in the middle of the night?”

“I’m not sneaking. Just didn’t want to wake you.”

“But why are you leaving the house in the middle of the night?”

“Work.”

“Work?” she asked. “It’s almost four.”

“Which is early if you ask me.”

She growled into the phone then hung up.

Wow, she hung up on me. She really was pissed.

I loved it when she was pissed.

I arrived at the house minutes later then entered the bedroom. She sat up against the headboard, her large stomach stretching my t-shirt. Without looking at her, I stripped off each piece of my suit.

She walked up to me, the fire still burning in her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but then shut it again once she smelled something in the air. “Why do you smell like smoke, booze, and perfume?”

“Because I was at an underground auction.”