Chapter 3

• Jace
• “Oh!” he cooed. The giddiness in his voice was the only sign I needed. “Hurry up, this place is full of chicks you don’t want to miss!” he yelled as the background music grew louder, and I ended the call. I didn’t need to know what Maximilian was doing to know what he was doing. I snorted to myself. He had two hobbies—sex and working out. Everything excited him, but these two were like his air.
• So, of course, he would take me to some private club to talk about business. I shook my head, my lips pulling into a smirk. Max was the best friend everybody needed, but he didn’t know when to stop.
• ‘Chicks’ he’d said... That was the last thing I needed. I had no time for ‘chicks’ or the obligations they came with. I was barely hanging on as it already was.
• Entering the private bar, I looked around. The place was dimmed, and the dark golden-brown walls were making it feel more like a club. The panoramic windows were darkened and didn’t let enough light in.
• Max frequented this place, and even though I didn’t see him as one of the regular types here, he made a good fit. This place was swarmed by influencers, playmates, some kinky politicians, and drug dealers. It was a safe haven for people who wanted to do something in the dark or discuss it. Just like me right now.
• “Hey.” A girl I was sure I had seen on the covers of men magazines winked at me from her table. I gulped, flashes of her passing through my head on one of those websites. She’d come here for a reason.
• Ignoring her, I moved forward. I wasn’t interested in a silicone chick who only demanded money and sex. I wasn’t a sugar daddy, but I was certain she wouldn’t go back home alone. She was going to find what she’d been looking for.
• “Jace, Jace!” Maxim, rising from the sofa he was sitting on, waved at me.
• His wide grin made me chuckle, and my sullen mood brightened. When I approached him and noticed the excitement in his eyes, I beamed like an idiot.
• “Dude, finally.” He bumped his fist with mine and sat back down. “I feel like it’s been centuries since we last met.”
• I scratched my neck and grimaced. Maybe that was true.
• His vigor sizzled down a notch.
• “How’ve you been? I know now that your father’s gone, the firm’s responsibilities fall on your shoulders.” He leaned closer. “And I know you want to do the revision all on your own.”
• I tensed just at the mention of it. Straight to the point, as usual. I needed to make sure everything was right with the legal and illegal ledgers, and none of the accountants were spies. You could never know.
• “Yeah. It’s pretty shitty.” I sighed and let my arms rest on my legs, leaning back on the sofa. The ceiling was as gray as my life.
• “What can I get you?” A waitress showed up and smiled at us.
• “An Irish coffee for me.” Maxim grinned at her, checking out her breasts that were almost popping out of her uniform.
• I punched his bicep. “You’re driving!”
• He shrugged, looking as bored as if he were talking to his grandma.
• “So? I won’t get caught.”
• I grunted. “I hope you don’t kill someone with your driving.”
• “I’m an angel, why would I do that?” Max beamed at me. His short black hair was gleaming a bit because of all the gel he had drowned it in. He gave it his all to look like a spoiled rich brat, and he did it so well.
• “I’d like a long coffee.” I glanced at the girl waiting for the order, and she nodded. “No.” I stopped her when she turned to leave. She raised her brows and looked at me. “Make them two.” I lifted my fingers, and my lips twisted up.
• Maxim studied me suspiciously and crossed his arms. “Is someone else coming?”
• “No, I just need something extra to keep me awake.”
• “Two coffees at once?” He widened his, eyes and his eyebrows hit his hairline.
• I shrugged. “Life is hard, what can I say.”
• His expression changed to a concerned one. “Why are you the only one dealing with this? There are other accountants who can check things for you.”
• A tight smile appeared on my face. “The only person I trust is myself.”
• Maxim pretended to be offended and crossed his muscular arms. “What about me?”
• I arched an eyebrow. “You’re not an accountant, are you?”
• “Pf.” He scoffed. “So what? I studied accounting in high school.”
• “The only thing you studied in high school was girls’ anatomy.” I laughed.
• “Whatever.” He rolled his eyes.
• When the waitress brought us our order, we became quiet and waited for her to leave. This place looked like it had no ears, but I didn’t want to risk it.
• Watching her go, his demeanor changed, and Max became serious. “I’m worried about you. After you got the firm, you buried yourself in work, and—”
• “Did you do what I asked you to do?” I said instead. His concerns were valid, but I didn’t want to talk about this. It had been stuck on my mind for too long. If I had a choice... I would’ve never accepted the accounting firm. I didn’t want to have to deal with them all my life. I saw where that led my father—to a stroke at the age of forty-eight.
• “Jace…” He groaned and rolled his eyes, and I sent him a nasty look. Did I have to repeat myself? Sometimes, he acted like a child. “I’ve got it covered, don’t worry. They’ll be burned in no time.”
• My throat growled, and he frowned as if I were undermining his qualities.
• “Don’t look at me like that,” he snapped and raised his buff shoulders in defense. “They’ll be gone with no proof left. I assure you.”
• I glanced around. Nobody was looking at us.
• “I hope you keep your word because if you don’t, we’ll all be in trouble.”
• His nostrils widened as he inhaled, and his muscular chest expanded.
• “Count on me. Even if someone sees me, they’ll soon be swimming in the bay.”
• I flinched at the mention of the bay and his words. Maxim was capable of so many things, and when it came to it, I knew he would support me no matter what, but his cruelty was too much for me.
• He blinked two times when he realized what he’d said and gave me an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I know you don’t like talking about the bay.”
• I let my eyes fall to my hands for a second, and memories rushed back. My father’s heartbroken face, the coldness, the cruelty of the mafia, and her screams through the gag.
• “It’s no big deal.” I lifted a shoulder. I couldn’t blame him for the way he thought. He’d grown up in a rich mafia family and had met with things I didn’t dare imagine.
• My accounting firm was a sheep that was trying to work with wolves.