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I lean back in the leather-bound armchair. Yeah, it’s old-school. But if my father did one thing right, it was decking his office out so it looked like an old British smoking room. He even had a smoking jacket made for himself, monogram and all. Despite being a little eccentric, I haven’t gone that far. Dark greens and mahogany perfectly blend with the wainscot walls.I’ve taken inspiration from my father’s style, but I like to think that mine is more comforting, whereas his is dark and not a place you want to linger. I’ve collected a few books, of which I’ll be adding my most recent reads to the shelf. My whiskey collection is world-class, too, something that seems to impress Luca more than me. My vice is purposely putting myself in dangerous situations with unpredictable women. Well...one woman.

“Explain it to me,” Luca snips.

I sigh. If anyone else talked to me like this, their tongue would be nailed to the desk, but Luca is my oldest friend. The shit we pulled when we were younger, it’s a miracle we’re both still alive and kicking.

“She’s the one.”

“The one?” he asks dumbly.

“Yep,” I pop the “p” the way Olivia does and take another sip of my whiskey.

He says nothing and just stares, one eyebrow arching mockingly.

“I know this is hard for you to understand. This isn’t our usual style, but did you really not see this coming?”

“No...I’m just surprised you finally worked it out. I thought you never would.” He downs the remainder of his drink and gets up to pour another.

“Bastard.” I hold out my glass for him to top me up.

“Hey, you were the one watching her from afar for two years. And I’m guessing you found out she’s Danny’s brother by now?”

“You knew?”

“Yeah, because I’m not a fucking simp like you. I do my research.”

“Fuck off.”

“With pleasure. I have a date as it happens. I might take a leaf out of your book and become a one-woman man.” He winks.

That’s as likely to happen as it is for Olivia to be ready togo on our date without a fight tonight.

I look at my watch; it’s six thirty. I should start heading over to Olivia’s to finish the argument we’re bound to have before she finally agrees and make our reservation for eight.

“Meeting booked for tomorrow?” I ask.

“Yeah. Danny’s ready.”

“Good. You gave him the research points?”

“It’s all sorted, boss,” he snips. Luca’s been doing this for as long as I have, so I’m not sure why I still nag him on the details. But he lets it go quickly.

“Good. Enjoy your date. I’m heading out too.”

“Well, if you don’t make it in by tomorrow, I’ll know where to look first.”

I grin back at my oldest friend. “If I don’t come in by tomorrow, don’t come looking for a few days.”

We clink glasses and down the remainder of our drinks. The burn of the amber liquid sears down my throat, and I grab my jacket.

It has been a busy day. After nearly a week off, there is a lot to catch up on, but also plans to make.

My time in the basement has been thought-provoking. But most of all, my conversations with Olivia have made me reassess a few things. I’ve been coasting on my father’s coattails for too long. I want to step away from his shadow and build on something fresh and new. Something completely unrelated to his shady business dealings.

We’ve worked hard over the last few years to build The Unseen to where it is now. We’ve used technology that my father’s business had harnessed over the years to grow marijuana plants underground and repurposed it for something legal. Which I understand, is not usually how scientific breakthroughs go. Usually, people start with good intentions, but my father ran out of those in the 1970s, so it’s my turn to make up for it.

Luca moved over from my father’s business with me and has remained under my protection, a novelty my fatherhas permitted up until now. We haven’t had any trouble. Danny also came over, as we needed his tech skills to get up and running. He’s a practical kid. Knows his way around a computer, and he’s started to automate our growing system, too. We started out in a basement, and now we’re working on three underground levels of growing capacity, hence the name “The Unseen.”

Since then, Hannah has started as our social media and marketing campaign manager, and Jack is a sales rep. Hannah is quiet, unassuming, but strategizes like a fucking tiger stalking its prey. She’s sharp, witty when she wants to be, and has Jack completely wrapped around her finger. Jack is suave and smooth, a typical car salesman type with slicked-back hair, a sharp jawline, and a shark-like smile. We tolerate his cheesy one-liners and too-white teeth because he’s doubled our customers in six months since he started, so he’s worth his weight in gold.