Chapter Eighteen

Jax

J CP Corporation, Broadway Avenue, Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York...

"Jax, there's a man at the front desk downstairs insisting on seeing you. He doesn't have an appointment. Did you arrange a meeting you didn't tell me about?" Viola Summer's voice sounded crisp and professional over the intercom on his desk.

"No, but did they give you a name?" Jax didn't move from where he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows staring out over Central Park.

"His name is Angelo Grecco."

A sigh of annoyance drifted from his chest. Grecco is in ADX Florence, so it definitely couldn't be him, but using his name sent the message very clearly. The Genolere Mafia was tightening the screws again.

"Tell them to send him up."

"Very well, but what about the meeting with the project team at ten?"

"This won't take long." Jax cut the connection as he opened the link on his laptop to the building's CCTV footage. He zoomed in on the man standing at the front desk in the entrance hall of the twenty-story building. "What the actual fuck?" His voice rang with stark disbelief as he stared at the tall, muscled man dressed in a crisp navy Armani suit. With his shoulders square and his nose tilted upward, he oozed confidence. "How in the hell did he get out of prison?"

"Jax? It's not normal for you to phone this early in the day. What's up?" Max answered the call he made within the second ring.

"Angelo Grecco just arrived at my building. What the fuck, Max! Did you know he's been released?"

"No, the colonel would've given me a head's up, but one thing I do know is that Judge Henry Cobalt, who presided over Grecco's case, was murdered last week in what was deemed to be an armed robbery."

"And Grecco arriving here now... it can't be a coincidence."

"Except Cobalt didn't have the authority to revoke the charges and have him released. Only the Chief Judge can do that and after a formal request and hearing has taken place." Max sounded annoyed.

"Can you get Rex to see what he can dig up? I need to deal with this fuckface. Lemme know what you find. If Cobalt was underhanded, someone had to line his pockets. You know as well as I do that these fucking mobsters have the highest-ranking officials in their pockets."

"Will do... and Jax, stay safe."

"Don't worry. He's been body searched and scanned downstairs. If he has a weapon, I'll fucking throw him out of the window before he has a chance to draw it."

Ending the call, Jax took a deep sip from the espresso Viola had waiting for him upon arrival earlier.

"Are we still on for lunch, Jax?" The words floated toward him from the doorway. Glancing over his shoulder, he stared at the man for long moments to calm his raging mind.

He was hard-pressed not to turn on George with the fury unfurling inside him. Ernst's initial report, which indicated he was potentially the one who had amended the tenders, was at the forefront of his mind.

"I have an unscheduled meeting, so I might be running a little late. I'll let you know before lunchtime."

"You do that." Jax watched George leave with a closed expression before he turned to look out over Central Park once more. Standing motionless, his gaze swept over the lush green swathe of Central Park below. The stark contrast between the serene natural beauty and the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan's skyline usually brought him a sense of calm, but today, it did little to quell the storm brewing within him.

The late morning sun glinted off the glass facades of nearby buildings, casting shimmering reflections across the park's winding paths and tranquil waters. In the distance, the city's iconic landmarks stood proud against the azure sky— a testament to human ambition and perseverance. Yet Jax felt anything but inspired as he contemplated the looming confrontation.

The soft chime of the elevator announced the arrival of his unwelcome guest. Jax's jaw clenched, and his fingers curled into tight fists at his sides as he prepared to face his enemy. He didn't need to turn around to know he had just stepped inside the office— the heavy, deliberate footsteps spelled the name ominously.

"Mr. Crowthorne," his deep, gravelly voice said colloquially. "It's been far too long."

Jax slowly pivoted, his steely gaze locking onto Angelo Grecco's smug face. The man exuded an infuriating air of confidence, as if he owned the very ground he stood on. Jax's blood boiled at the sight, but at least he had the satisfaction of the annoyance on the man's face when he didn't show shock or surprise at his presence.

"Iceman," he grunted in a voice that was cold and clipped with anger. "I see you've managed to slither your way out of your cage. Tell me, how many palms did you have to grease to pull that off?" He smirked. "Or should I say, how many fishes did you feed with concrete-wearing corpses?"

"Now, now, Mr. Crowthorne," — Grecco's lips curled into a predatory smile— "is that any way to greet an old friend? I thought we could at least have a civil conversation about our... shall we say... mutual interests."

"We have no mutual interests," Jax spat but didn't move from his position in front of the window. It gave him an advantage since his face was in the shadow from the brightness behind him. "The only interest I have is in seeing you back behind bars where you belong."

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen. See,"— he studied his nails with a Cheshire grin—"Chief Judge Willows revoked all charges against me and dismissed them with prejudice." Grecco smirked. "I guess I don't need to explain what that means."

"Yeah, it means that Roberto paid the Chief Judge a pretty sum to line his pockets."

"I can neither confirm nor deny such a claim," Grecco replied, his tone dripping with glee. "As for my visit, I'm here to make you an offer you can't refuse. The Genolere family has taken a keen interest in your operations, and as mentioned numerous times before, we believe a partnership would be... mutually beneficial."

Jax's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Partnership? I guess we have a different perception of what the term extortion means."

Before Grecco could respond, Jax's phone buzzed. He glanced down and read the message from Ernst, containing a link to security footage. With a swipe of his finger, he pulled up the video. Fury threatened to boil over as he watched the footage. There, clear as day, was George Larson— his supposed best friend and trusted colleague— engaged in a clandestine meeting with the very man facing him now. Even though the seed of betrayal had been laid with Ernst's visit not so long ago, seeing actual proof hit Jax like a physical blow and momentarily stole the breath from his lungs.

Shock quickly dissipated under the white-hot anger raging inside him. George wasn't just betraying him; he was jeopardizing the livelihoods of everyone at JCP Corporation. Every amended tender, every lost contract— it all traced back to this act of treachery.

"You can tell your Genolere masters that their little scheme ends now." Jax's voice was dangerously low when he finally spoke. "I don't care how many crooked judges or backstabbing friends you have in your pocket. This company, these people... they're under my protection. And I'll be damned if I let parasites like you bleed them dry."

Grecco's smug expression faltered slightly, clearly not expecting such vehement resistance.

"You're making a mistake, Crowthorne. Our aim isn't to bleed anyone dry. On the contrary, their financial positions would exponentially increase for the better. Besides, you can't protect all of them 24/7... and the family doesn't take kindly to—"

"Get out," Jax cut him off in a tone that brooked no argument. "And take this message back to Giovanni Lombardo. JCP Corporation is off-limits. If I so much as smell Genolere interference in my business again, I'll bring the full force of the law down on your entire operation. And you can wipe that smug look off your face. This time, I have more than enough proof to put you and Lombardo away for a lifetime. Are we clear?"

For a tense moment, the two men stared each other down. Finally, Grecco straightened his tie and turned to leave.

"You're making a huge mistake, Crowthorne. The Viper wanted to have an amicable association with you. One whereby you benefited as much as he did. You would be wise to reconsider. He's been very patient. Another rebuke... he won't take kindly to it."

"Stop wasting my time, Grecco. I'll never reconsider. Now, get the fuck out."

"This isn't over, Mr. Crowthorne," he called over his shoulder as he sauntered toward the door— his entire demeanor lazy and dismissive.

"I know it isn't," Jax muttered as the elevator doors closed. "But I'll be fucking damned if I turn into a criminal after all the hard work to make it on my own."

Sitting down, Jax's shoulders hunched under the burden of betrayal and anger. His eyes drifted to framed photos against the wall— of company picnics from previous years, always with George standing right beside him, both of them grinning widely. The fury rose hot and potent from afresh.

"How could George do this? Doesn't he understand the consequences of his actions? It's not just about money or power— he is fucking with the livelihood of every single person who depends on JCP for their family's future." His voice echoed hoarsely back at him.

His fingers hovered over his phone. He was tempted to confront George directly. Drawing them into a tight fist, he sat back.

"Not yet. This requires a more calculated approach. I need to give Ernst time to gather irrefutable evidence, build an airtight case, and then... then I'll make sure justice is served." He frowned. More than that, when Lombardo eventually made his move, George might just be useful. "Until then, I will personally oversee every tender we submit."

Jax turned his gaze back to the window and gazed out over the city he called home.

"I worked my fingers to the bone to build JCP from the ground up. I weathered countless storms, and I'd be damned if I let it fall to corruption and greed now." His lips pressed into a determined line.

"Bring it on, Lombardo," he whispered to the New York skyline. "I'm not facing you alone, and believe me, we're all ready for a fight."