Page 74 of Ruthless Roses
He really believes what Andre told him over the phone—they’ve gotten enough of a jump on us that he’s about to land the victory.
We’re nowhere to be seen when he enters. Just his two men we’ve captured sit in chairs on the club floor, bloodied, gagged and roughed up.
He freezes at the sight of them and then glances at his other few men. “Andre, what the fuck is this?”
Andre and the other man both attempt to speak, but their gags muffle any sound they produce.
“They’re a little… tied up right now,” I answer for them. I appear from behind where Clay and his men stand. They spin around and have the audacity to pull their guns on me. A grin cracks onto my face. “You might want to put those down. Saying you’re outnumbered is an understatement.”
The rest of the lights come on and reveal the dozens of my men that are spread out across the dance floor, bar and VIP sections. All of them armed. All of them ready to blast these dipshits at the drop of a hat.
As soon as I give the command.
I do, motioning my head in a way that signals I want his men taken out.
The three he’s brought with him drop dead, shot in the head before they even realized what was happening.
Clay glowers at me, like he hasn’t been the one to start shit and not the other way around.
“Clay Palmer… Killer Clay,” I say slowly, walking toward him. “Is there a reason you’re writing my wife letters asking to meet her?”
He opens his mouth to answer, but I don’t let him. His answer doesn’t fucking matter.
“Is there a reason,” I go on, “that you thought you had the right to accost her on the street today? Surely, you must know her security is around-the-clock. Did you think you were going to snatch her up?”
His nostrils flare and he tries to answer a second time to no avail. I carry on interrupting him, taking pleasure in humiliating him in this way.
“Is there a reason you were stupid enough to believe you’d ever be able to have your minions chase me down with my fucking son in the car and live to see another day?”
“Mancino—”
“You’re working with Ernest Adams, right?” I cut in. I rub my jaw as my grin lingers. “Ernest must be at rock bottom if he’s enlistingyoufor help. Clay Palmer, Killer Clay, one of Northam’s most underground criminals… in the fucking 70s and 80s. I’m afraid your influence and power doesn’t go as far as it used to.”
“You’ve got your fucking butterball father to blame for that,” he spits.
I laugh. “He was a butterball, wasn’t he? Insult him all you like. I hated his guts too. But, you see, I have this thing about people hurting my family—they all wind up slaughtered and dead—you understand.”
“Don’t take it up with me. Take it up with Ernest.”
“I’ll take it up with whoever the fuck I want to, Clay,” I snap, looking him in the eye. “You know, I could’ve been open to a business deal. If you were hurting that badly with that little underground club of yours—what’s it called again—and you wanted some help growing your base. Imight’vebeen open. But you had to go let Ernest get in your ear and talk you into what’s probably the stupidest fucking power play ever. You thought a little car chase would take me out?”
“We were getting the jump on you.”
“You’re an old friend of Leontine’s, are you?” I ask. “Now’s probably a good time for you to tell me what your intention with my wife was.”
His eyes shrink into slits, his glower deepening. “I’m not just an old friend of Leontine’s. I’m the damn love of her life. You know what it took for Ernest to set his pride aside and ask for my help?”
“I can only imagine.”
“Good, then you can imagine what he wanted—you away from her.”
“And, what? My empire goes to you?” I laugh. “Definitely very ostentatious of you, Clay. But if rumors of Killer Clay at his peak are to be believed, then that’s no real surprise.”
“Either get it over with and take me out or let me go! You new guys talk too damn much.”
I flip open my knife and approach him. “I can always cut off your ears, Clay. But make no mistake, we’re on my timeline. The talk stops when I want it to fucking stop.”
“What’s going on in here?!” bellows Ernest Adams.