Page 110 of The Fire We Make

“I’ll look into if someone is living better than they should be,” Aug added. “If someone’s paying judges and law enforcement, that’s gonna leave a money trail.”

“Good shit,” Ace said, his mind racing and his hand digging in his pocket in search of his lighter.

“What about me?” April asked.

Lighter in hand, Ace looked over at her. “Handle perception. Make a few donations and keep attending your functions. We don’t want to give anyone the impression that we’re affected,” he said. “Whoever is behind this may be in one of those rooms. Keep your ears open in your social circles, I need to know what people are saying.”

April nodded.

“Rich people gossip and we’re public enemy number one in these circles,” Jrue cosigned. “If someone’s making moves against us, they’ll want to brag and you’ll be the first to hear about it.”

“Got it,” April said.

Ace turned to Jrue then. “Jrue, put feelers out to our people. See if anyone has grievances against us or a palm that needs to be greased. We need to know who our allies are.”

Jrue saluted.

“What about Joy?” Von asked.

Ace stiffened. “What about her?”

“Lawyers don’t tote pistols and carry knives,” Von stated, sending a knowing glance to Ace. “And they don’t think like kingpins.”

I do, was Ace’s first response but he swallowed it. He wasn’t a normal lawyer. He wasn’t a normal man.

He wasn't quite sure how yet, but he could tell Joy wasn’t normal either. That’s what he liked about her. She got him. Even still, his gut told him that Joy wasn’t a threat. Not in that way.

To his life? Maybe.

To his sanity? Absolutely.

To his family? His organization? No.

“She’s not a problem,” Ace answered finally. The room went silent. The fact that she wasn’t automatically taken out for the coincidence or even considered spoke volumes to Ace’s siblings – and to him. No one opposed him further, though.

“Everyone clear on their assignments?” A mumbled symphony of ‘yes’ sounded off around the table as his siblings watched him plant the line firmly between boss and big brother.

Ace nodded and rose from the blue velvet chair. “Good. Someone thinks they’re gonna bring this empire down. Not on my fucking watch.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

When Joy’s Uber pulled up to the club, she was immediately grateful that Mel had put her on the VIP list. The line was wrapped around the building and as much as she was looking forward to the night, she’d be damned if she stood in that line in the skinny heels she was wearing.

Joy’s entire ensemble was only conducive for walking from the car to the section, and sitting pretty. It was April now, the brutal winter giving way to warmer days but still brisk nights.

She went for a simple black flowy mini dress that had spaghetti straps and dipped as far as it could decently go in the back. The dress had subtle sparkles that were illuminated by the street lights. Joy’s heels were black with a strap that buckled around her ankle with gold hardware.

For the first time in years, she brought out her simple gold chain with the iced-out ‘J’ pendant that Mel had gotten her for her 21st birthday along with the matching iced-out gold bottom grill she and Glock had gotten fitted for together that same year. Her wash-and-go was on day three, making it big and fluffy, just the way she liked it. Her entire body was greased head to toe and she’d spent extra time on her makeup, of course finishing it off with her signature red lip.

Between the snag in Blue’s case at work and her plan of redemption slowly coming together, Joy had been spread thin the past several weeks. Mel had noticed her stress and suggested a night out at the club she worked at.

Joy immediately declined, memories of what’d happened their last girls night crippling her. However, after much coercion, she had agreed.

She bypassed the purple velvet rope indicating the start of the line and made her way straight to the bouncer. The large light-skinned man looked her over with an appreciative gaze and licked his lips. “Line starts back there ma,” he told her before she could open her mouth.

“I’m on the list. Joy Thibodeaux,” she replied, putting all of her weight on one leg, making her already wide hip pop out.

The man looked down at the tablet in his hands and scrolled for a moment before nodding. “Aight I see you right here, mama. I gotta wand you before I let you in,” he said before setting the tablet down on the stool next to him and swapping it out with the metal detector wand.