Free Brent Sinatra: All of Me by Mallory Monroe Page B

whose dream has always been to be in
charge of the Jericho County Police Department is not going to be happy as the
number two.   Even when you were a kid you
couldn’t stand for me to give you orders.   You have to be your own man.   Come
to work for me and you will be.”
    Brent drank more water.   A week ago he would not have even considered the thought of leaving the
Force.   Now, after proposing to Mal,
after too many bad dreams about that awesome leadership burden he bore, he knew
he couldn’t dismiss it outright.
    “My businesses in Jericho are expanding, not contracting,”
Charles continued.   “Including a
nightclub I just acquired.”
    Brent couldn’t believe it.   “A nightclub?   Which one?”
    “The Roulette.”
    “Are you serious? The Roulette is the most popular nightclub
in this county.   That’s insane, Dad.   It’s been in the Albright family for
generations!”
    “And now it’s in my family.   They had a second mortgage on it.   Hell, a third mortgage too.   They
couldn’t pay.   Went into
Receivership.   It’s over.   It’s mine now.   But I want you at the helm.”
    “You want me to run a nightclub?   What do I know about running a nightclub?”
    “You know how to lead, Brent. You’re a natural leader just
like I am.   You’re exactly what that club
will need. The employees are already in place.   Nobody will have to lose their jobs unless they deserve to.   But I need you to bust heads and take names
the way I would do it.   There’s nobody
else I know who can do it better than you because I will get resistance up and
down, you know I will.”
    “These good citizens of Jericho are already convinced you’re
trying to own the whole town as it is.”
    Charles nodded his agreement.   “And this won’t help that perception, I know that going in.   That’s why I’m going to need you.   They fear you, Brent, and they respect
you.   And actually like you.   They fear me and hate my guts.   I need you onboard.”
    But Brent was conflicted.   He’d been a cop for a long time.   It was all he knew.   The idea that
he would give up his profession to take on a business his father could just as
easily sale, didn’t make sense on any level.   But now that Makayla was coming to town, and was soon to be his wife, he
knew he had to consider it.
    “You’re tired, Brent,” his father answered for him.   “You’re constantly seeing all of the evil
that men do, day in and day out.   It has
to be getting to you.   Some of your cops
are crooked.   Others are
incompetent.   I heard about a couple of
them hospitalizing a suspect the other day.   All of that crap is now on you.   This town expects you to clean that shit up.”
    “Your point?” Brent asked.
    “You need to start thinking ahead.   If Porter Keith loses this upcoming election,
you won’t be chief anymore, just another cop on the Force.   The new mayor is going to want to appoint his
own man as chief.   But if you come
onboard with me, you’ll always be employed.”
    Brent laughed.
    “I’ll give you top rank.”
    Brent looked at his father.   That was a first.
    “You’ll be CEO of my East Coast operations,” Charles
continued.   “I’ll remain Chairman of the
Board and handle all out-of-state acquisitions and businesses, but you’ll run
Jericho.   You’ll be in charge of all of
my local operations, except for the Jericho Inn, which Jenay runs and will
continue to run.   But my Jericho
investments are the second largest chunk of my business.   And just as I gave Jenay veto power over
anything that goes on at the Inn, I’ll give you veto power over anything that
goes on in Jericho.   Including that
nightclub.”
    “Veto power over you?” Brent asked with a smile, knowing his
father wasn’t going to dignify that question with an answer.   And he didn’t.
    “I heard Makayla’s going to work in the D.A.’s office,”
Charles said.
    Brent smiled.   “You’re
hearing a