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The line grew quiet before my father spoke again; his voice arguably lower. “You tryin’ to tell me something, old man?”
“I’m ready to make a deal.”
“You don’t make the deals.”
Pop snorted. “That’s pretty fucking funny, considering I’m the one calling you.”
“You ready to trade up that whore?”
I ground my teeth together until my jaw started to ache and listened to Pop respond. “That what you want?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Where the fuck is Bear, old man?”
“Bear and your boy are pussies. Me and the boys decided we were tired of a pussy club, decided to do something about it, so now you deal with me.”
“You expect me to believe that? An old timer like you was able to overthrow Bear and my boy? Not a fucking chance.”
“You better watch your mouth, Viper. I may be old, but I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you have, and I still got friends who like to help this old man out.”
There was silence before he spoke again. “Who turned?”
“Bull, Tank, enough of the big ones to make a difference.”
“Where’s my boy now?”
I lifted my eyebrow. What the fuck did he care where I was?
Pop stared at me when he answered. “Why? You lookin’ to save him?”
He snorted out a laugh. “Fuck no. I should’ve taken him out when I took out his mama, but I had plans for him then. Never guessed he’d be a goddamn sellout.”
I balled my hands into fists but let them drop by my sides. Pop leaned back in his chair like he did this shit all the time.
“You after the video?”
“You have it, old man?” he growled.
“I have everything, fucker. We doin’ business or not?”
He chuckled. “You’re no match for the Widows.”
“Probably not alone,” Pop agreed. “Good thing we ain’t alone.”
He snickered. “My boy was in bed with the cops. No other ally as far as I know.”
Pop snickered. “Guess you ain’t been paying as close attention as I thought you’d be.”
He was quiet again for a moment, and Pop grinned when he started talking. “I’m gonna need proof my boy and Bear are done.”
“I can do that,” Pop promised. “But I can do one better than that as an act of good faith.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll give ’em to you.” My head snapped to Bear because Pop was now working away from what we’d planned, but Bear held up his hand to silence me.
“What the fuck would I want with them?”
Pop took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “Don’t know about you, but I like to take out my biggest rival myself. That’s the old school, though. I’m sure you boys nowadays like to keep your hands clean.”