Damage Control (Page 75)

“Unless Mike plans a hostile takeover, which could come at us framed in any number of ways.”

“And you think your mother knows about it?” Seth asks, though it’s more of a statement of understanding.

My lips thin. “Like I said. She’s an opportunist and my eyes are open to the problems he could represent. If he’s in with Derek, he’s after control. If he’s not, he could use Derek’s stupidity to force that hostile takeover. Whatever the case, while I was trying to prove Mike was dirty, my father was just looking for the juggler, proving he’s a brilliant bastard, and controlling that sports stadium is exactly what we have to do.”

“Are you willing to trust your father with that kind of control?”

“Never,” I say, “which is why I need to insert myself into the negotiations now, today, and ensure I personally become a key stockholder, which translates to me getting well funded just as quickly.”

Seth gives me a deadpan look that I know as his version of Are you fucking crazy? before saying, “That’s a big undertaking for a small window of time.”

“New York is a river of money I know well and I plan to take a deep, dark swim. In the meantime, I need to simplify my problems to a place that the Sports Center solves everything.” I look between both men. “Do the raid tonight,” I say. “If I have to pay extra, I’ll pay it. I want to look in Adrian’s eyes and know this is over.” I look at Seth. “Get on a plane and go to Boulder now.”

“That’s fast,” Seth warns. “We need time to plan this out.”

“I’m going to disagree, Seth,” Nick says. “I think tonight is the right move. It presents the heat level from the FBI as high.”

“Exactly my thought,” I say. “And since my brother went to Adrian the minute he heard about me paying off Brody’s wife, you can bet he’ll go straight to him when he finds out about this. I want them together. I want Derek to know he has no moves left. And I want to be the one to deliver the news to him about the raid.”

“Understood,” Nick confirms.

“I’m the voice of reason here obviously,” Seth interjects. “Making this happen and doing it right are two different things. Can we do it right?”

“We can and we will,” Nick says. “I’ve already talked to Ted about making it happen.” He looks at me. “No extra charge. The sooner we exit the alignment with Martina, the safer the exit, for all of us.”

My respect for Nick is officially given freely. “What time?”

“Ten o’clock,” Nick says. “We’ve already started preliminary arrangements, and preparing for this we simply need to expedite it. We’ll report to you on your brother’s location by nine and we’ll have men watching you; blink for assistance if needed.”

“I wish like hell one of those men was me,” Seth says.

“We’ll take good care of everyone,” Nick assures him, glancing at his watch. “But it’s five o’clock and I have a lot of prep work to pull this together.”

“And I have a flight to arrange,” Seth says, eyeing me. “Are you staying here or going back to the office?”

“I’ll stay here and make sure I avoid any collision with Derek that could throw off our plan, but I’ll need to borrow a car or to get a ride to mine at some point.”

“I’ll have a driver take you to your car,” Nick offers. “You’ll want to appear as normal tonight as possible, and that means your own car.”

“Normal,” I say. “There’s a concept I barely comprehend.” I dismiss my own words, and add, “Emily will drive my car home tonight, so I’ll need that ride to be to the Four Seasons.”

“Not a problem,” Nick says, and both men head for the door, but while Nick disappears, Seth pauses in the archway. “I don’t like you going to see Martina without me.”

“He won’t kill me,” I say. “He needs me. You’re another story. I’ll see you on the other side of this.”

Respect and friendship I value from this man more than any other, perhaps because he gives it rarely, fills his eyes. “Be safe, Shane,” he orders, giving me a mock salute before disappearing. I stare at the empty space he no longer occupies, my mind choosing to be just as empty, a brief, but needed, reprieve from the black sludge my brother has created for me. The problem is, he’s in it too, and doesn’t even see it, and I’ve accepted he can’t be saved. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Shaking myself, I immediately remove my phone from my jacket and dial my father, who answers quickly and gets right to the point. “Unless this is about the deal we discussed—”

“It is. How much is it going to cost?”

“Four hundred and fifty million.”

“And you have the cash.”

“I’m short two hundred, but close to getting it.”

“I’ll give you the cash and the signature you need, but I’ll have terms.”

“You wouldn’t be my son if you didn’t, but I wouldn’t be your father if I just accepted them. And Shane. Make it fast. I’m on a deadline.” He ends the call and I suck in a bitter breath on the words referencing his death. The one thing worse than a lie. Only with Emily … I find myself worried about the truth.

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