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Sadly, Lucien and Karl were to accompany me every day, but unlike me, they had the leeway to do as they pleased, while I was forced to commit to my routine with no complaints. Not like I cared about it anymore.
The isolation and the silence soon became my biggest strength.
I didn’t bother lingering and headed straight to the shower, the chlorine-laden water dripping in my wake. I hardly felt the soreness in my muscles as I dressed in my uniform. I was so used to my life that I could do it all in my sleep.
Ten minutes later, my knuckles knocked on the large teak door before I entered the room.
“Father,” I announced my presence in a monotonous voice.
His close associates, William Ford and David Greigwood, Karl’s and Lucien’s fathers, acknowledged me with a small smile, unlike my own father, who didn’t even bother sparing me a glance as he signed a bunch of papers. Not like I expected it. I knew better now that I was older.
My father didn’t approve of my unbothered behavior. More so, he didn’t like that I was more intelligent than him. But he knew he couldn’t do anything about it, so he simply did petty things like making me wait.
“Arkane, today will be your first responsibility as the eldest,” Father finally said five minutes later, leaning back as he swirled his pen with his fingers. “You’re to accompany David to see your Uncle Kenny tonight. They’re going to negotiate the Salazar deal. I want you to observe and take notes. One day this will be your job.”
Never. The last thing I would do in power was talk deals with a lousy man like Kenny. “Yes, sir,” I said instead. My face, a mask, showed no emotion.
Father’s lips thinned. He wanted me to be an obedient son like Marcus, and nod to his every will with a grateful smile. Maybe I might’ve if he had treated me any differently, but we were way past that now.
That night, sharp at ten after dinner, David was waiting for me in the driveway, and I slipped into the backseat of the limo and greeted him with a curt nod.
“Fancy a drink?” David asked while he poured himself a good serving of whiskey from a crystal decanter.
“No,” I said flatly.
“Suit yourself,” he muttered, eyeing me with the same black eyes he shared with his son. “You’ve grown up to be a fine man, Arkane.” He took a long drag of his cigar. “I thought Victor’s over-the-top ways would ruin you, but here you are, the complete opposite of your father.”
I didn’t say anything. That was another thing I learned. When you have nothing to say, don’t say anything at all.
He chuckled at my silence. “You’re smart, I’ll give you that. Don’t tell your father I said this, but he was never really a smart man.”
“I know.”
His chuckle turned into full-blown laughter.
Our car stopped right outside a warehouse attached to the Gators Club in the Lowers. We waited for our security to give us the all-clear before we exited and were escorted inside by one of Kenny’s guards.
“Brought the future prince along, Greigewood?” Kenny smirked at my presence. “Are you sure you can handle this, boy?” he mocked.
“Worry about yourself first, Kenny,” David said nonchalantly as he took the seat in front of him.
While they spoke business, I took in the surroundings. There were about thirteen men in total— nine rookie guards who were all carrying, and four of his lousy associates, including Heath Glen, whose eyes didn’t hide his evilness.
I didn’t know if they realized, but there was someone else here, hiding in the shadows, spying on us. Cousin Killian. These fools were so useless that we could take them out in an instant. Instead, my father was making deals and giving them so much space that they were equipped with our own weapons. All because Father let Kenny steal the Sanctum Sollus for a woman’s death. Father knew it was useless without a reader, and instead of using his men to fucking get it back, he let Kenny control him like a fool.
“In the end, it’s a win-win for both of us.” Kenny smiled with a little too much excitement. He gestured toward Heath, who nodded and walked toward David with a paper. “You simply have to sign.”
Before he could, I asked coolly, staring Kenny in the eye, “What about it is a win-win?”
Heath’s extended hand paused while Kenny cocked a brow at me. “What?”
“I asked what about it is a win-win?” I repeated, and Kenny’s eyes went to David, who simply waved a hand and didn’t say anything.
Kenny hid his discomfort with a smile. “Well, the profit is shared fifty-fifty between the two of us. And we’ll be the first to introduce product X into the American market. What’s more win-win than that?”
“Only we invest a hundred percent upfront, and you get fifty. For what? For doing the talk?” I asked, tilting my head. “We’re more than capable of doing that ourselves.”
Kenny’s eyes flashed. “What do you know, boy? We adults have already discussed this matter. You'd better be a good boy and listen to your father.” He dismissed me with a chuckle, and his men joined in like it was the funniest thing they’d ever heard.
