“I’m glad I could help, which reminds me.” I stood up and walked over to my desk, where I had put together an envelope for Zane. I handed it over to him and said, “Inside is the deed to the Expressway, as well as blueprints, layout, and zoning restrictions. Plus, I added some of the contacts I know around the city for you to help get around some of the restrictions, as well as construction companies who would be more than willing to work for you. They all know we are friends, so they should be a pleasure to work with.”
“Wow, thank you,” Zane said, while looking down at the envelope. “Lot 17 really means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”
More than he would ever know.
“It’s an opportunity for me to give something back to the community, which needs it. This city has been through hell and back, and if I can help it out in any way, help the children of this city have a better life, then I will do it.”
“That’s very honorable of you. You’re not the man I thought you were. I’m glad we were able to work together.”
“Me too,” I agreed.
“I hope, in the future, you’ll come up to my speedway and indulge a little.”
“I would enjoy that,” I said, as Zane got up from his chair and headed toward the door. I grabbed his cup from him and put it on the buffet that held my bourbon.
“Who knows? Maybe you’ll start your own racing team for my Speedway; just remember, no one beats Black Top Racing,” Zane said with a wink.
“Wouldn’t dream of even trying.”
We shook hands and I guided Zane out the front door of the Lafayette Club. Once again, we thanked each other and made future promises to visit each other. Zane would be spending some time in New Orleans because of the Expressway, so I reminded him to call me when he was in town; I would be more than delighted to show him around the city that made me the man I was today.
The minute Zane was gone, I sent a text message to my detective and let him know I would be sending over the write-up Zane put together about Masquerade, as well as all the evidence he was able to gather.
I was in my office, sending out the information when Kace knocked on my door. I looked up to see he was looking somewhat distraught.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, while looking away at my computer, making sure I had everything in place.
“Lyla is driving me fucking insane,” Kace responded, while slouching on my chair. “That girl has more of a mouth than Goldie, and she’s impossible to shut down.”
“You chose her,” I said, while finishing up, ignoring the pang of hurt that ran through my veins at the mention of Goldie’s name.
“I thought I was doing us a favor, trying to find Goldie. She had some great ideas, but fuck, now she’s just annoying the crap out of me.”
“It was never your concern to find Goldie.”
“What’s crawled up your ass?” Kace asked, while slouching in his chair. “I thought you saw her last night.”
“I did; she was with Rex.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“How do you know?” I asked, getting angrier by the second.
“Because, she told me…” Kace trailed off, knowing he’d divulged some information he wasn’t supposed to.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, anger lacing my voice.
Clearing his throat, Kace shifted in his seat before looking me in the eyes. “I went to go see her one night; I wanted to make sure she was okay.”
“That is not your place,” I yelled, while slapping my desk. “I told you to stay the fuck out of it.”
“Someone had to do something!” Kace yelled back.
“I had it under control. I have it under fucking control!”
“You might now, but you didn’t then. I needed to make sure she was okay. Fuck, Jett, she set out to save your pathetic ass. Who knew what she was getting herself into? But that doesn’t matter; what matters is that she told me she wanted nothing to do with Rex. She only wants you, Jett. She was devastated to know you were hurting.”
“Why would you tell her that?” I asked, feeling rage pouring out of my body. “You had no right to tell her any of that.”
“Why is it so hard for you to show someone your feelings?”
“Pot calling the kettle black there, Kace.”
“Don’t, don’t fucking compare me to you. I’ve lived my life. I fucked it up. I have no need to show feelings. I’m an emotionless man walking through the phases of life until my day comes. We both know that, but you’re different. You have your life in front of you, but you refuse to let anyone in your fucking world.”
“I was raised not to show feelings,” I shot back. “Showing feelings is showing weakness. The moment I showed any kind of emotion, everything was taken away from me, Natasha was taken from me…”
“You didn’t even love her,” Kace cut in.
“That’s beside the point. I don’t let anyone in. I didn’t until Goldie came along, and do you know what fucking happened? She ripped me apart. The moment I let her in, the moment I dropped the walls erected around my heart, she broke me. She fucking broke me,” I trailed off.
“Not on purpose,” Kace defended.
“I don’t want to hear it,” I held up my hand.
“She wants nothing to do with him,” Kace pushed on, just as my phone signaled an incoming text.
Expecting a message from my detective friend, I looked down at my phone to see a text from Rex. I pulled it open to see a picture of a naked woman with the same honey colored hair that had run through my fingertips on more than one occasion, mounted on him. My chest restricted, my breathing became shortened, and my legs started to go numb. I read the text that came along with the message.
Rex Titan: Just like I remembered. Goldie has by far the sweetest pussy I’ve ever had the chance to fuck. Thank you for fucking up, because not only do I have the girl, but I will also have Lot 17. The best man always wins.
Swallowing hard, I turned the phone to Kace and held it up so he could see it.
“You can’t tell me she wants nothing to do with Rex when this is proof that she went back to him. Tell me that isn’t her.”
Kace looked at the picture as he started to chew on his bottom lip. He was silent. He knew I was right; there was no mistaking that was Goldie in the picture.
“That’s what I thought,” I said while closing out on the text message, just as my phone rang.
Detective Brown.
Taking a deep breath and trying to will my thundering heart to slow down, I answered.
“Jett Colby.”
“Mr. Colby, I received your email. I was able to briefly go over it, but we have enough material to go in tonight. I know you have some restrictions about some of the employees; do those still stand?”
He was asking if I still wanted to give Goldie immunity. At the moment, I didn’t care what happened to her, not after the blatant betrayal I was just privy to.
“No, do what you need to do. Will you call me after you get everything settled tonight?”
“Will do, Mr. Colby. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will be sure to honor you for keeping this city clean.”
Not wanting to keep up with the pleasantries, I thanked him and got off the phone.
“What was that about?” Kace asked.
“Taking care of things. Lot 17 will be mine tomorrow morning. Rex and Leo will be in jail, and their club will be shut down.”
“What about Lo?”
Staring at my computer, trying to act like I wasn’t affected by his question, I just shrugged my shoulders.
“Don’t know. Most likely she will be taken to jail as well for working at the club.”
“You can’t let that happen,” Kace said, outraged.
“I can,” I responded quietly, while turning away from him in my chair, dismissing Kace from my room.
“She loves you, Jett.”