Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Vincenzo

I had no idea what Fred was going to say or do. I was both nervous and excited. The redheaded brat kept me on my toes, and I found that the longer I was around, him, the more I was on the edge of my seat to find out what would happen.

Aiden had arranged a meeting in the back room of Rowan's butcher shop. It was a place where they all congregated often.

"You need to bring unknowns here?" Rowan was a man in his late forties. He had black hair, clearly dyed, a round belly, and the beginnings of jowls.

"When the people you're supposed to trust prove they don't have your back, you find an army that will." Fred sat at the head of the table and to their credit, the three men said nothing.

"You're saying you don't trust us?" Oscar was a little younger than Rowan, thin with light brown hair and glasses that rested on a long nose.

Fred snorted. "Let's talk about trust, Oscar."

Aiden was behind Fred, in the corner. I was keeping my eyes on him the entire time. Any twitch, move, anything—I was cataloging it all.

"Did you call this meeting to lecture us?" Finn brought a cup of coffee over to Fred and then sat in the seat beside him.

He was the oldest of the three, with a receding hairline, medium build, and a permanent scowl.

"Does it matter if that's exactly the reason I called this meeting, Finn?" He lifted a brow.

"Well, lookie here, you found your balls." Oscar was joking, but only the three men laughed.

"I always had them. I am my father's son, after all. The difference is, I don't chop people's heads off just because they glance at me wrong. If I did, the three of you wouldn't be here."

That silenced the trio, and I had to concentrate on not smiling.

"What's going on here?" Finn folded his hands on the table. "We've been keeping things running smoothly while you've been hiding, doing what you've ordered. Why all of a sudden are you lookin' at us like you've never seen us?"

"None of you respect me."

"That's bullshit," Rowan argued.

Fred snapped his head in Rowan's direction. "So, you steal from all the people you respect?"

"What the fuck are you talkin' about?" He sneered, his cheeks turning red.

"How long did the three of you think you'd be able to take from me without my notice?"

"I'll ask again, what the fuck are you talkin' about?" Rowan appeared genuinely upset.

I flicked my eyes to Aiden, and he wasn't giving his attention to any of them. His gaze was focused on something on the wall, as if he were holding himself together by sheer will.

"Numbers don't lie, Rowan. I have proof the three of you have been skimming from the top for a while now."

"You have to be shittin' me," Oscar growled. "We'd never do that."

"Right because honor among thieves and all that?" Fred huffed. "Should I show you?"

"Please do," Finn said.

While all the proof was on the computer, Fred had spent the afternoon making copies so he wouldn't have to pass around a tablet. These were old fashioned men, and Fred wanted to do this the old-fashioned way.

He slapped the proof on the table, and all three men scrambled to get an eyeful. I watched as they read document after document. Only one thing showed on their faces, and something didn't sit right with me. They were utterly confused.

"What's this shit?" Rowan slapped the papers in front of him.

"Proof, Rowan."

He shook his head. "That's not right. Those numbers lie. I got my own books."

"Books you cooked to counter this." Fred motioned to the papers on the table.

"Hold on." Oscar was glaring at the documents. "Where'd you get these? They don't match my books either."

"Shocking." Fred folded his arms over his chest.

"You've just decided to not believe us no matter what." Finn pushed the papers away. "You come in here guns blazing, but you're pointing the barrel at the wrong people."

Fred stood, hands flat on the table and towered over Finn.

"Am I? Here's how I see it. The three of you were taking from me, you knew it was a matter of time until I figured it out and you'd have to pay for your disrespect, so you hired some thugs to kill me and since you all hated Aine and by extension Sean, you figured you'd take them also, keep your money, and take over my empire. What part of that do I have wrong?"

"All of it," Oscar answered without hesitation.

"We haven't taken any more than our take. We loved Sean and while yeah, Aine had no spot at this table, we'd never kill her for her ambition. We were waiting it out; soon enough she'd get the hint and back off. Whoever has been singing in your ear is off tune, sir." Oscar slammed his hand on the table.

I could see doubt begin to creep into Fred's entire demeanor, and I was beginning to think these guys might be telling the truth.

"What about the poker game?" Fred turned to Finn. "You were running your mouth about Aine, about how I was a shit boss."

Finn scrunched his nose. "You are a shit boss, but so was your pops at first. You're young, but not stupid. You lack things but bring other stuff to the table. You're better at numbers than your pops, and we're raking in a lot more these past three years."

"And Aine?"

"She had no place here ever. But, sir, we'd never hurt her." Finn didn't flinch away from Fred as he spoke.

Fred returned to his seat and glared at the three lieutenants. "Why would someone want me to think the three of you were behind this?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Rowan snorted. "If you're lookin' at us, you're not payin' attention to who you should be."

To Fred's credit he didn't turn toward Aiden, but he was the one who'd given Fred all this information and as I met Aiden's eyes, I could see the countdown. He was a ticking timebomb, and we were running out of time. Fred was going to have to do the unthinkable, and I could tell from Aiden's expression he wasn't going to make it easy.

"I need to speak with each of you alone," Fred said.

"Sir," Aiden interrupted.

Fred whipped his head in Aiden's direction, I couldn't see his eyes but I imagined they were filled with hellfire.

"I. Said. Alone."

Aiden stepped back, to his credit he composed himself. "Yes, sir."

"Finn first, the rest of you can leave."

"I'll be right outside the door." I spoke for the first time.

Fred nodded but was facing Finn. The two men were in some kind of staring contest.

Once we all filed out, Rowan announced he'd be in the front checking on the shop, Oscar said he'd be down the hall making a call. Zion moved to the end of the hallway, and I stayed at the door. Aiden…he was pacing. Every part of him screamed nervous energy.

"He'll be fine in there." I knew he wasn't worried about Fred's safety, but playing it off as if that were the problem prevented Aiden from lashing out.

"I don't trust them, they're lying."

I pursed my lips and regarded the man. "You gave Fred the proof, told him what you heard, and you'll stand by it?"

"Absolutely."

"Does seem like the three of them are sticking close on this one."

Aiden tilted his head. "You believe me?"

No. "Yeah."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "In that room, those guys tore your entire argument to shreds, and you never bolted or interrupted. Only someone with the truth on his side would face it head on."

While that was true, I didn't think Aiden had a plan at this point. His world was falling apart. I'd make amends and make him think I was in his corner. An unlikely ally.

He snorted. "I never thought, out of everyone it would be you believing me."

"I never hated you, Aiden. We just clashed in personality. But I'll stand by the truth." I stepped closer to him. "You and I both want to keep Fred alive, right?"

"Exactly."

"Then maybe we do our jobs." I held out a hand in a false truce.

"Okay, I'll relax." He shook my hand squeezing a little harder than necessary.

"For Fred." I smiled.

"For Fred…" He did not.