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He nods once, satisfied, and a collective exhale from the room tells me everyone was holding their breath, not just me. As I watch him take control, the reality has my heart sinking like a stone in a pond. This man, who does funny things to my pulse and dominates my thoughts, is now in charge of my world. And I can't decide if I'm more scared… or thrilled.
With a newfound authority, Walker begins talking to the man who’d come in with him in hushed voices. Neither glance at me, and all the while, I stand there, caught between the fear of the unknown and the pull of an attraction that's impossible to ignore.
Chapter Seven
Walker
I am now the proud owner of a bar, and I plan to make it resemble an old friend’s club. I wonder what Alex is up to these days? Getting shot in the leg again? I need to give him a call.
“I’m not sure you made the right choice with that power move,” Vice says. His eyes, shaded by the brim of his baseball cap, are tight with concern.
This is why I like Vice. He never hesitates to tell me I’m making a mistake. The office door swings closed behind us with a soft click behind me, leaving us alone in the room.
I lean back against the cool wall, crossing my arms over my chest. Vice’s disapproval is a familiar tune, but tonight, it's just white noise against my own certainty.
“I mean, I get needing revenge as much as the next guy.” He lifts his shoulders.
But does he?
“Sometimes you have to shake the tree to see what falls out,” I say, keeping my tone even. “It's about respect. If these guys think they can push me around, what will they do next?”
Vice steps closer, his gaze never leaving mine. Our shared memories and the bond we've forged through years of looking over our shoulders are all on display. We’d escaped the life together, but it’s still written into our flesh. “Look, I watch your back, you watch mine. But firing the manager like that just tanked morale. Low morale, low profits. You’re smarter than this.”
A muscle ticks in my jaw as I push off from the wall. “Morale can be rebuilt.” I sit down before the computer, ready to dig in and learn everything about the new business I’ve acquired. “Fear is a more useful tool. It demands immediate attention.”
“Or immediate backlash.” I hate that he’s making too much sense. He’s loyal, and he’s been calling me out is invaluable.
“Let there be backlash,” I say, my voice low. “They'll learn quickly enough that I'm the one holding the reins. And I won't let go.”
Vice shakes his head, but there's a grudging agreement in his eyes. He knows as well as I do that the world we left behind didn't prepare us for boardroom battles—it taught us to strike fast and hard before someone else could.
“Alright, boss,” Vice says, “but remember—you can't lead if there's no one left to follow.”
I know he’s right; every empire needs its soldiers. Maybe morale is something I need to consider a little more than I have. But for now, I’ve sent a message -I’m in charge, and there will be no questions asked.
*
The next day…
The absolute silence in the kitchen where all the chairs sit in a horseshoe shape with me at the helm is only broken by a sneeze.
Vince settles into the chair across from me, his eyes darting around our surroundings with the wariness of a man who knows what it's like to be blindsided. I lean back in my chair, scanning the people sitting in the chairs placed here for our meeting.
A soft movement catches my attention, and I glance sideways, catching sight of Isla trying to make herself small in her seat, the tops of her cheeks flushed with a color that wasn't there before. She's nibbling on her bottom lip, a clear sign of her discomfort, and something about that tightens my chest uncomfortably. Despite it all, she's avoiding looking directly at me, and I can't help wondering what's going through her mind.
“I hate meetings, so I want to keep this short and painless,” I say, scanning the room. Liam, the busboys, a couple other servers, and the prep staff blink at me. “You all know this place better than I do. I would value your ideas and thoughts to improve the place. Thank you for staying, and I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you better.”
I see a spark of cooperation in their eyes and breathe an internal sigh of relief. “Other than that, just carry on and any changes that need to be made will be discussed as we go. Dismissed.” As I say the words, people jump out of chairs and scurry off.
Vice stays behind to help me put away the chairs. “Smart,” he says under his breath. “That was a good angle to take.”
I nod. I’d been thinking about what to do and how to do it last night.
“I need a drink,” Vice says, making his way to the front. I follow him, also wanting alcohol to smooth the rough edges of the night and the pain within me from the fight.
I catch sight of Isla as a random suit makes his way to her. His overconfident grin has my knuckles itching to rearrange his face. “Care to dance?” he asks her.
I want to ask if he sees anyone dancing, but I need to go slow with her. But I feel the muscles in my jaw clench, the primal side of me itching to mark my territory. But I keep my cool. This isn’t a battle I can win with force. I need to fight with more subtle weapons. Still, my gut twists at the thought of her in his arms, but I pull out my phone and force myself to focus on that instead.
