Free Empire Part 3: A New Adult and College Billionaire Romance Series (Empire Billionaire Romance) by Bella Love-Wins Page B

to understand the D.A., the Mayor, and even the Governor of New York are all breathing down our necks to find out who’s responsible for killing Rushton’s niece.”
    “That’s no excuse. Why did you stand there and let Miller threaten his kid?”
    “Miller was just a little eager.”
    “Fuck that. What about the Grand Jury? Was he being eager about that too? Because I want to be clear with you, Matheson. We have our arrangements. It does not include harassment of my key men. If it happens again, there’ll be hell to pay. I know everyone want to take a piece out of me, but this has to stop.”
    “Sloan. We warned you about this time and time again. You can’t keep doing this and think we can turn a blind eye every time. This time you went too far, and none of us can protect you. Not even the Deputy Commissioner.”
    “So what the hell do I pay you for?” my dad asks, combing a frustrated hand through his hair. “Look, when I talk to Deputy Morris about what you’re saying, he’d better have a different answer.”
    “I don’t think you should mention I met you. I think your answer is we didn’t meet tonight.”
    “Oh, really? Then how did I find out about all this?”
    “You didn’t. Or maybe Rocko here told you. Right now I’m not in his good graces.”
    “What the hell kind of trouble are you in, Matheson?”
    “I wasn’t here tonight. And if anyone checks, that will be my answer,” Matheson says.”
    “Why will anyone look into this?”
    “They won’t, especially if you don’t mention we met tonight.”
    “Jesus, Matheson.” My dad turns to the limo driver. “Stop the car.”
    Rocko is mad as hell. “Boss, this guy stood there and let me take it up the ass. That’s all we’re gonna do?”
    “For now, yes. Don’t worry, Rocko. I’ll fix this. Matheson here is at the bottom of the dung heap. He’s just following orders. We’ll get this sorted out at the top.” He turns to Matheson when the limo comes to a stop. “Get out.”
    He gets out and realizes we’re nowhere near his SUV. “You’re letting me off here? We’re a mile from my car.”
    “Yeah well, life a bitch. Take the time to walk it off and think about things.”
    Rocko seems pleased, but only a little. “That guy fucking stabbed me in the back, Boss. He stood there and didn’t say a word. He might as well have stuck a dagger in my eye. Fucking bastard.”
    “We’ll take care of this, Rocko. For tonight, go home. Get some sleep. We’ll figure it all out.”
    In my opinion, tonight has not gone well. We have this recording. I decide in the back of my mind I’m pulling Kara in, despite my dad’s wishes to handle it in-house. After we take Rocko home, Dad drops me off at my place. He tells me he’ll talk to me in the morning. I tell him I’m going to the villa in the Bahamas for a few days. He says to keep my phone on in case he needs me.
    I’m anxious and exhausted when I get up to my place. It’s after ten at night. And I didn’t get a second to ask Dad about what’s going on between him and Mandy. If I had just ignored that phone call at the airport, by this time tonight I would’ve been on the ground in Bahamas, sipping cocktails and holding Rebecca.
    No matter what, I’m taking that trip tomorrow. From the recording Rocko played, and from Dad’s chat with Matheson, things are heating up fast. Someone in the NYPD wants to hang my Dad out to dry, and that means they’ll be coming for me soon. If and when they do, I have no doubt they’re coming for blood. Someone has to pay, and I’m the one with the billboard around my neck.
    ***
    It’s almost midnight, and I still can’t sleep. On top of having all of Dad’s stuff on my mind, I’m craving Rebecca. She and my position at Fairchild’s are the only good things going on in my life right now. I don’t even text her. I get dressed and head over to her place. I buzz her from downstairs and she answers. She tells me to come up.
    I get upstairs and