only African-American guy in the room, sitting in a booth, is subtly filming you with his phone; therefore, your confession is undeniable even with this number of witnesses to back it up. And the bonus? His father is Chief of Police. I would say you are ‘ducked’ as Miss would put it.”
“Queenie, what you need to understand, is Roemer’s men could get to Gino in jail. Gino won’t be the one paying the debt off, so he will not be pleased the contract got broken. Your stepfather will have a better chance if he disappears. I can make that happen. It’s your decision."
“I’ve got a cement foundation waiting to get poured,” Xander offers.
I’m not sure if he is joking.
Gino is furious. “Queenie, the last laugh is on you because King not only is paying off my debt to save your ass, but you are now looking at your new boss. I would say you are ducked,” he spits out.
“What the hell is he talking about, Bradford?” This can’t be happening.
“Gag him, or I will,” Bradford tells Blondie, who does one better by putting Gino in a sleeper hold until his body goes limp and he’s unconscious.
“Or, you can do that,” Bradford quips before turning back to me. “This is not how I wanted to have this conversation.”
“No time like the present.”
“Just before you walked in, I agreed to pay off the gambling debt Gino encumbered with Roemer, thus saving his skin, and he, in turn, signed the papers I had drawn up while you were sleeping. The money got transferred. It is true. Queenie’s is now legally mine—the whole building is mine. Gino wasn’t agreeable at first, but we eventually nutted that all out with a little convincing.” He holds up a bruised and bloody fist proudly. “It is time for Gino to get permanently ejected from your life, taking any menacing danger with him, and now your family’s home and business is safe and in my capable hands. Bankruptcy will no longer be an issue for you.”
I hold my hands up. “Slow down. Bankruptcy? Gino had a gambling debt with Roemer, but we aren’t bankrupt.”
“Gino will be if I don’t step in and pour in the money owed. He’s borrowed against the building to pay wagers, invoices, and gambling debts over the past two years, but his addiction had him looking elsewhere for a loan. He made it look like there are no money problems until he couldn’t cover the debts anymore, and he took out a loan with Roemer to cover his gambling addiction. He would have found a way to use Kingdom of Wigs given more time. Excuse me for digging into your family’s financials, but I had to know what I was dealing with.”
I’m stunned we are having this conversation. Bradford bought the building? Gino all but bankrupted himself. “This is my private business.”
“Well, technically, it’s now my business.”
Oh, he did not just say that! “I can raise the money to pay Roemer off, and then I—”
“No, you can’t, sweetheart. Not within forty-eight hours. You are not putting your mother’s legacy that she left you in jeopardy. And you will have nothing to do with Roemer. He got close to you once; it won’t happen again. May I remind you that Gino had to pay his lawyer a hefty sum to modify your mother's will? You were never getting the building handed over to you. He’s a leech. He sucks off other people’s lives.”
“I refuse this deal you have struck with Loren—Gino. This is not happening. Not today or any day,” I growl, drowning in fear for what my stepfather has done to me but wanting to row the boat to shore myself for my father’s sake. I have failed my father.
I know I’m acting unreasonable, but I’m angry and scared. Too much has happened in too little time.
I am a fish out of water for the first time after losing my mother. I thought I had my life worked out, but I am far from okay. “I am my father’s daughter, and the bloodline fills my veins—not Gino’s and not yours to do as you please with my life, Mr. King. And who are all these big men?!” I whisper-shout in frustration because I am starting to lose it.
“Apologies, Queenie. Please let me introduce Xander Black, a construction company owner and my friend.” The guy with the man bun inclines his head. “And his five crew: the blond guy is Dolf, Blaze has reddish-brown hair