Indebted - Piper Stone Page 0,27

been whisked away from the courtroom. He was also a greedy son of a bitch. Talking to the highest bidder wasn’t beneath the man on any level.

It was also time to learn if anything was being said on the streets. At least there was a portion of the contract only Jefferson was aware of. There was also a single man I trusted to tell me the truth in all things, his candor and his offhanded advice often exactly what I needed. As I roared out of the garage, I pressed his private number on the onboard screen.

“Gabriel.” Aiden’s voice held more than just a hint of amusement. “I thought you might be calling.”

“Which means word is on the street of my latest business decision,” I countered. Given what Robert had said, I needed to take this seriously. My enemies were no doubt waiting in the wings.

“Business decision,” he countered, laughing. “You know that anything you do seems to be tabloid fodder. You are a true celebrity in this town, especially since you’re a catch for the ladies. It’s been interesting... entertainment.”

I hissed. I’d learned only after Luis’ death that he’d maintained important and powerful connections with people on both sides of the law. The man had been the kind of opportunist who fed from one hand while providing information with the other. No wonder he’d wound up dead, shot execution style. Still, I had been surprised. He’d been dedicated for years. What had driven him to change?

“I’m certain some of the information is incorrect and over-dramatized, but holy shit. I gotta ask you, what in the hell?” He laughed until he realized I found none of this amusing.

“You know I keep my business arrangements private,” I snarled under my breath.

“Yeah, I know that far too well. Did you really convince the judge to place Mr. Rivers’ attacker in your custody? Is that shit even legal? Granted, I know who she is and more important, what her father did to you, but that’s nuts. I mean, why? To get back at him?” Aiden stated, unable to contain another round of laughter.

“Cut the crap, Aiden. As with any business arrangement, there are unusual codicils. This one was no different. It also fell into my lap.”

“Codicils? Whoa. You’re kidding me, right?” When I remained silent, he snorted. “You aren’t kidding me. You have some kind of balls, Gabriel. I’ll give you that.”

“He fucked up. He made me a deal before his untimely death. End of story.” My words were clipped, matching the intense anger sweeping in.

“Didn’t you ask yourself why he was murdered? Is this all about ruining you and maybe he made a second mistake in the person he trusted with that valuable information?”

“Likely.” What else could I say?

“Okay then. Do you want to grab a drink later and discuss your options, ‘cause I’m certain you need to hear a few of them? Ten. Hell, maybe twenty.”

I glanced at the clock before making a right turn. Aiden knew better than to push, but he had an innate ability to see through the murky waters of my life. I couldn’t afford to make a misstep, not when I was almost prepared to take control of everything that rightfully belonged to me. After Toro’s betrayal, I’d been blindsided by the large envelope arriving on my doorstep, the offer made by the man himself. However, the gorgeous color photographs had unearthed a level of desire I’d shoved aside. There would always be vultures waiting for bloodshed, including my family, hungry to drive a stake into the very heart of all I’d accomplished. I saw this as a sign to accept my father’s generous offer, even though it might be from the devil himself. “I have some additional business to deal with, but I’ll meet you at the club in an hour.”

“Good choice. I’ll be there.”

Good choice. Was there any in this town? I’d been an outsider since the day I’d arrived in America, the old boys’ network covered in barbed wire. My success had ruffled more than a few feathers and I’d remained driven, fueled by that fact alone. I smacked my hand on the steering wheel, refusing to fall into the vacuum of self-doubt.

My thoughts drifted once again. Alessandra had called me a coward. Maybe that was the most honest thing anyone had said to me. There’d been no reason I hadn’t returned to Ireland after a few years, demanding my rights. My family had survived my scandalous behavior, the corporation thriving. I’d paid