I moved across the room to Dad’s grubby windows, pretending their discussion mattered little to me but doing that listening closely and fearfully.
“Don’t give a shit the protection the brother has. They’re tight. The brother gone, that’d sting,” Nair returned. “Easy hit. Whack Nick. Deliver a big blow to Sebring. Seriously, Vincent, you cannot have a problem with that.”
I fought hard to keep breathing, looking out the window, hoping I was giving the appearance their conversation wasn’t that interesting to me when now I was listening so hard it was a wonder my ears weren’t bleeding.
“Our histories, respect, you sitting there,” Dad said. “You talk stupid shit, Drake, I don’t have time for that.”
I felt the tension in the room rise and looked to Nair because of it.
His face was twisted with distaste. “Was pussy, you backin’ down from that years ago.”
Very much not good.
Dad would not like being called pussy.
It was time for Gill to be involved in this scenario.
I moved two steps from the window, sliding my purse off my shoulder, my eyes glued to Nair.
I felt my father’s gaze and looked to him.
He seemed reflective as he studied me for a few moments before he shook his head.
I nodded, moved the strap of my purse back up my shoulder and stepped back.
Dad looked again to Nair. “I showed you respect. You wanted time, a meet, I gave it to you. You sit in my office and not give that back?”
“My shit got fucked right along with yours, the Feds shut that down,” Nair returned.
The Feds?
What on earth?
“I need resources if I wanna make Sebring hurt,” Nair said.
“This is not my problem,” Dad replied.
“The resources I need are not money. I got that and I’m good with givin’ it up,” Nair stated then stressed, “A lot of it.”
Surprisingly, Dad didn’t deign to respond to that.
“Take him down, when I get those bitches he stole from me back, I’ll cut you into a percentage of his gash,” Nair bartered.
Dad glanced at me before he sat back and declared, “We’re done.”
Nair glanced over his shoulder at me. Looking into my eyes but for the briefest moment, he took in my breasts and hips before he looked back at Dad.
“Word is your girls ain’t stupid. They know easy money and easy money to be made off pussy.”
My lip curled.
“You have daughters one day, come back and repeat that,” Dad shocked me by saying.
I was not shocked because Dad was in that business. He wasn’t, never was and I knew that.
I was just shocked that he was intimating he wasn’t because of his daughters.
He shocked Drake Nair too. And amused him. I knew by the noise of the incredulous hoot Nair made.