Free The Family Business 3 by Carl Weber Page A

nodded. “So before you leave, you wanna tell me why you want the old man dead?”
    Bernie turned to me with an annoyed expression. “For a million dollars, I don’t think I should have to tell you shit. Just get the job done, Xavier.”
    I watched Bernie and his goons head out the door.
    â€œWhat, Elijah?” I asked. I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel his gaze.
    â€œI don’t trust him,” Elijah replied.
    I turned to face him. “Neither do I, my friend. He’s hiding something, I just don’t know what it is yet.”
    â€œYou want me to look into it?”
    â€œNo. I’ll deal with Bernie Goldman. You go speak to our people on the street. I want to know everything there is to know about LC Duncan and his family.” I grabbed his arm. “And this time, Elijah, I want to know everything there is to know about the Duncans—both legal and illegal.”

Paris
    12
    Bam! Bam! Bam!
    As I descended the basement stairs I could hear the distinct sound of a .38 being fired, and I knew exactly who was shooting before my feet hit the ground. I touched the cold steel of my nine, heading toward the gunfire. I probably should have gone back upstairs to get Sasha, but it had been a long time since I’d had an opportunity like this, and I wasn’t about to let her outshine me.
    Bam! Bam! Bam!
    As I turned the corner, I watched my father take aim and then place three rounds dead center. LC Duncan wasn’t one to go into the field anymore, but he was no joke with that .38 he always carried. I slipped in beside him, taking out the target next to his with three rounds of my own.
    Bam! Bam! Bam!
    He glanced over at me and smiled. We used to do this type of thing down in our basement shooting range all the time, before my son Jordan was born and I was still considered his baby girl. You can’t even imagine how much I loved my daddy.
    He took off his protective ear covers.
    â€œWhat you doing down here shooting, Daddy?” I asked.
    â€œWith everything going on, I figured I better make sure I keep my skills sharp. You never know.”
    â€œTrue that,” I replied. “Orlando said you wanted to see me?”
    â€œYeah, where’s Sasha? I wanted to see you both.”
    â€œShe’ll be down in a minute.”
    â€œGood. That’ll give us a little time to talk.” He put his headphones back on and started to shoot, taking out his target’s head.
    Bam! Bam! Bam!
    â€œTalk about what?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure if he’d heard me through the gunfire.
    Lowering his gun, he turned to me and pulled the ear covers behind his head. “I’m worried about you, Paris.”
    â€œWhy? What’d I do now? I got my shit together.” He shot me a disapproving look. “I mean, I got my stuff together. I’m taking care of Jordan, being responsible, doing my job.”
    He placed an arm around me. “I know that, but you don’t have to do anything for me to be worried, little girl.” I loved it when he called me his little girl. “Sometimes a father just worries.”
    â€œYou really worried about this mess with Junior, aren’t you?”
    â€œYeah, but not in the same way I’m worried about you.”
    I looked at him, confused. “Huh?”
    â€œRio told me what LaSalle said about Niles,” he said.
    Just the mention of Niles’ name still caused my stomach to flip, but I couldn’t let Daddy know that. “Fuck LaSalle,” I shot back. “Niles is dead. I killed him myself, Daddy. Just like I killed LaSalle’s fat, lying ass.” Suddenly, I was on the verge of tears, and I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding it. Daddy pulled me in close, wrapping his arms around me.
    â€œIt’s okay, little girl. Let it out. I know how you felt about him. I’m sorry it had to come to that.”
    Usually I prided myself on being one ultra-tough