Page 15 of Volatile King (The Kings of Wayward Academy #6)

N ash

“What the fuck do you mean it’s going to take over a month?” I yelled into the phone.

This contractor was pissing me off. First, he said it would be a week, then two, and now over a month to get the bulletproof glass. The club was hemorrhaging money with the doors closed.

“There’s a shortage for that much. It’s taking longer than I thought to get it shipped in,” he said, and I called bullshit.

“No, that’s not fucking good enough. I’ll find someone else. You have twenty-four hours to get the glass, or you can fuck off completely because you’ll be fired,” I growled.

“But—”

I hung up the phone, swearing under my breath.

“That bad?”

Nora was leaning on the bar, swinging a bottle around between two fingers.

“These fucking guys. He’s saying that it will take a month, maybe longer.” I walked over and tossed my phone down on the bar. “One night…that was it, and now the place is shut down.” I shook my head.

“Not to be the asshole and point out the obvious, but this has your father written all over it,” Nora said, before taking a swig of her beer.

“Fuck,” I snarled, and she offered me her drink, but I waved it off.

“You’d think that I would be used to this bullshit by now.

You’re right. He must have figured out who I was using and got to them.

Like my business getting shot up on opening night wasn’t enough for him.

He has to try and make a point.” I slammed my fist down on the black bar top.

“I may know a guy,” Nora said, pulling out her phone.

I cocked a brow, but she ignored me. Liam’s older sister was almost as annoying as he was.

“Hey Barnie, long time no talk,” she said, and then laughed. “You know I’ll never stop calling you that, and it’s your fault.”

The door opened, and I heard the creaking of footsteps on plywood. Rory and Liam walked up to the bar, while Nora wandered away on her call. Rory glanced around and shook his head.

“It’s a damn shame. Opening night was fire until the shooting started,” he said.

“Tell me about it.”

Almost everything had been cleaned up, but the walls outside looked like fucking Swiss cheese. Some of the mirrors behind the bar still needed to be replaced, and of course, the windows and glass door. The only thing that didn’t get touched was my sign. It still glowed bright red.

“Want a drink,” I asked, sliding behind the bar.

“Just a soda is fine. I’m not much for alcohol,” Rory said.

Liam screwed up his face. “I guess I’ll be good, too.”

I scooped ice into three glasses, filled them with cola, and handed them out before taking one for myself.

“Let’s head up to the VIP area, the couches,” I said, leading the way.

We spread out around one of the tables, and Rory seemed relaxed despite the fact that we didn’t meet up often. I liked that. The guys who jumped up yelling ‘yes, sir’ were not what I was looking for when bringing someone deeper into the fold.

“Are you wondering why you’re here?”

Rory shrugged. “I assume you want me to do something. But I’m not sure what.”

I smirked. “Do you know who Edmundo Genovese is?”

“Of course, everyone does,” he said, taking a sip of his drink.

“I need you to do me a favor. I need you to find out why his wife, Patricia Genovese, hasn’t come to visit him at the hospital,” I said. “Think you can do that?”

“Pretty sure I can find something out. Big, important family like that always has skeletons that can be flushed if you ask the right person,” Rory said, and I smiled.

“Isn’t that the truth. Find out everything you can, and I need it as quickly as possible.”

“Consider it done,” he said.

I glanced at Liam to see if he was picking up on anything. His face remained neutral and didn’t give me any indication that Rory couldn’t be trusted.

Leaning forward, I put my arms on my knees as I stared into Rory’s eyes.

“I need something else.”

Rory smirked and sat back, getting comfortable.

“I thought that was an easy task for a private meeting.”

“This cannot leave the room.” He nodded. “The time is closing in. I’m going to make my move in the new year, but I require some assurances. First, I need to know that you are all in. I can’t have the pressure getting to you the closer we get to the finish line.”

Rory’s eyes grew deadly serious. “I have dreamed of the day that man gets what he deserves for what he did to my sister. I would rather die than back out. You have my word and my loyalty. I don’t care what you have on me.

I’ll give you a hundred more guns just to be there the day justice is served.

” The venom in his voice mirrored the hatred in my soul.

“Very good. I need your parents’ vote in my favor.” He sat back and rubbed his chin. “Will this be an issue?”

“They aren’t loyal to Lawrence, but they are terrified of him. They aren’t like me, and we fight about it all the time.”

“What if Nash could ensure their safety? What if he could raise their financial status,” Liam asked, dangling the carrot.

“If you can convince them that there won’t be any blowback—like not getting murdered in their sleep—then they would probably agree. As decent as my parents are, they don’t have a backbone. You wouldn’t want them shielding you in the line of fire,” Rory said.

“At least you’re honest. Can you set up a meet and make sure it stays under wraps?”

“That’s easy, but they are away visiting my mom’s brother in Hawaii, and then were going to visit family in Ireland. Did you want me to ask them to come home early,” he asked.

I shook my head.

“That’s fine. It will give me a chance to work out all the details of the offer.” I stood, signalling the end of the meeting. “If you’re able to provide these things for me, I’ll be bringing you into the inner circle.”

Rory’s eyes lit up as he stood.

“I’m honored, thank you.”

Liam gave me a satisfied look. He was pleased with the decision. That was good.

Rory stopped before he got to the stairs and looked back.

“By the way, how is Ren doing? There hasn’t been much talk at school.”

My mood darkened at the thought of any rumors running rampant.

“She’s awake, but she won’t be back at Wayward for a while.”

Rory looked down and shook his head.

“She’s a really sweet person. I hope she makes a full recovery,” he said.

I watched him and Liam leave, and all I could think was that I hoped so too. I really fucking hoped so. My phone vibrated, and I looked to see a missed call from my father. Ignoring it and any message he left, I stuffed the phone back into my pocket.

“Hey, your meeting done,” Nora asked as she came back into the room.

“Yeah, were you able to find someone to help?”

“Sure did. Barnie came through, and the new windows and door will be here Monday,” she said, and I smiled.

“You’re not fucking with me?”

Her face screwed up. “Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, just to annoy me,” I said, and she laughed.

“Okay, maybe I’d do it to mess with you if it was about anything else, but not this. There is no shortage, so that contractor definitely has your father’s boot on his throat,” she said, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

I hadn’t realized how much she and Liam looked alike until this moment. They even have the same ‘ I always get shit done. Why do you doubt me? ’ look.

“Thanks, Nora.”

“Go ahead and say it,” she said, the corner of her lip curving up and a devious glint shining in her eyes.

“I’m not saying it,” I said, walking away.

“You better say it,” she said, in a sing-song voice.

“Nope, never.”

“Say it, or I cancel your windows.”

I glared at her, my hand on the door, ready to leave and tell her to fuck off. Instead, I shook my head and sighed.

“You’re the best. I don’t know what I would do without you,” I grumbled, and pushed my way out into the night to the sound of Nora laughing.

Yeah, she was way too much like Liam. This wasn’t good.