Chapter Thirty-Three

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Barrett

" I need your help," I tell Hank as he sits on the other side of his desk. "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"You've never come to me for help before, so I truly believe that. Alexis said she's involved with it too, a friend of hers? If they're fuckin' with my secretary and basically right-hand woman, then they're fuckin' with me, too."

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. "Gabby's ex-husband served her with papers and has sent emails basically saying he's taking the shop from her. He's some big name in the building industry, and I want to take him down. She's built that place with her own blood, sweat, and tears. How dare he do that to her?"

"What's his name? Abel didn't know, but he seemed to think I would be able to help," he asks, tilting his head to the side.

"He knows who you are, and you know everyone," I defend Abel. "His name is Jeff Smithfield."

He raises his eyebrows. "You know who you're messing with?"

Not really, but I've always faked it until I made it. "Not really, all I know is he's trying to make the woman I love give up something she loves, and I don't like it."

Hank squints. "Gabby? That's his ex-wife?"

"Yeah, he's suing her for control of Get Baked because the money he gave her in the divorce was what she used to start the business." I have a seat, putting my head in my hands.

"What a fuckin' asshole. Look..." Hank leans forward. "I don't normally get involved in this type of shit because I do need my contacts, but everyone I know thinks Jeff is a dick. He's screwed over more people than I can count, and the way the Smithfield family got their money is shady at best. Boone trusts you, and Alexis speaks highly of Gabby, not to mention I've had the food there, and she is doing what she has been called to do ."

I totally agree, but I'm nervous. I've never spoken to Hank like this before. He's my big boss. Of course I've seen him around and spoken to him on an employer/employee level, but never like this. "Yes, she is, and I don't want to see that spark taken from her because he's a dick. When I mentioned all of this to Boone, he said you might have a way to help me."

Hank smirks. "Boone knows too much for his own good."

He's tapping keys on his laptop, and then the printer whines as it spits out a piece of paper. I'm almost out of my chair, curious as to what the fuck this is.

"Look, I'm trusting you. You've been a great employee for me and Boone respects you. But you fuck me over, Barrett, and I'll bury you in ways Jeff never thought to."

I've heard this about Hank. That the way he got ahead in this business was by getting dirt on his competitors and using it to fuck them over. "You have my word. I will owe you forever, and you'll have my loyalty."

Hank sighs heavily and pushes what he's printed out over to me. My eyes go over what's printed. "Is this true?" From what I'm seeing, it's proof that the Smithfield family is paying off certain inspectors for the city of Broken Falls.

"Yeah, it's very true. All someone has to do is let the state of West Virginia know, and they'd be shut down."

I grip the piece of paper. "Thank you."

"Go get that woman. All of us have a couple. One who got away, the one who gets you, and the one that makes your life better. According to everyone who knows you, she's the one who got away, and she makes your life better. Tomorrow, I expect you to be at work, though." He raises his eyebrows, and then looks down at his desk, signing a piece of paper.

"Will do. Thank you."

Smithfield Engineering is located in a building much like the one that houses Hank's construction company. I'm completely out of my element when I walk in. Everyone here is wearing dress slacks and button-downs, or business suits. I'm standing out like a sore thumb in my worn jeans, dirty boots, and t-shirt, but it doesn't mean that I'm going to let that intimidate me. Walking up to the front desk, I slam my hand down, causing the secretary to look up, startled. "I want to talk to Jeff Smithfield. Tell him it's regarding Gabby."

"I'm sorry he's busy." She gives me a smile.

"No, he's not. Tell him it's about Gabby. If he's not out here in ninety seconds, I'm going in."

One of the office doors opens and a man who looks like he's coming off the front cover of GQ Magazine. "How do you know Gabby?"

"I'm the man who's taking the place of the man you thought you were."

His dark eyes sharpen, and it seems as if he's going to try and call me out, but instead he holds his hand up and moves his fingers in a motion that says I need to come in. Holding that piece of paper in my back pocket, I head over to him. He shuts the door, before crossing his arms over his chest. "Say your piece and get outta here."

"I'm gonna say my piece and you're going to leave Gabby alone. You're going to let her have Get Baked and you're gonna get fucked."

He laughs. "You think you can threaten me? You don't know who I am."

"Yes, I can threaten you. You don't know who I am. I work for Hank, and he gave me a little bit of information about you."

When I mention Hank's name his face pales. "What exactly did Hank tell you?"

I hold onto the piece of paper so that he can see it but can't take it from me. "That you're pretty close to getting shut down by the state if they knew you were paying off the city inspectors. Does being a dick to Gabby really mean more to you than the big picture of all of this." I hold my hands up to encompass the building. "Do you want to be the person who loses all of this for your entire family?"

He sighs heavily, licking his lips. "You sure you wanna do this?"

"Yes, I am. I love this woman in ways that you could never imagine. Get Baked is the culmination of all her dreams and hopes. I know you want to ruin that for her, but what I want is for you to sign paperwork that says you'll never come after it again. You gave her a shitty amount of money to live on for a year and you're pissed that she used that money to give herself everything you couldn't. Fuck you, and fuck your money. Let her have the happiness, or lose what gives you the power."

He gives me an annoyed grimace as he take another piece of paper that I'm handing to him. He signs it with an angry flourish. "Kid, she's going to ruin you. She'll make you believe that you're everything and then you'll have to take a back seat to her so-called dreams."

"The difference between me and you? Her dreams don't threaten mine. I want to live them with her, not in spite of her. You missed out." I take the paper back. "I'm going to marry her someday."

"Good luck, she'll chew you up and spit you out."

I give him the finger before leaving, a huge smile on my face, ready to take this to Gabby.