“Lan,” he acknowledged with a faint smile. “I take on short-and long-term investments, such as flipping real estate and buying and selling stock. I win some and I lose some, but fortunately the win column is larger.”
A meaningful look passed between Kosta and Meyer, a look Lan didn’t catch. But Nicole did, and her eyes narrowed briefly before her expression smoothed out to neutral, which Blaze found intriguing.
Kosta leaned forward, elbows on the table, apparently ready to get to the point. “I know. I took the liberty of doing some checking on you, and your financial portfolio is very impressive indeed.”
Kosta’s avarice seemed to indicate that the man had not recognized him. Yet.
“I’m not sure whether to be insulted or flattered,” he drawled, arching an eyebrow. He allowed a hint of anger to darken his tone. “Do you run background checks on every person you meet? Or am I just special?”
“It’s a compliment, I assure you. Few people possess the intelligence to become a success or the capital to make it happen. You, my new friend, have both.” That smile was so corrosive, it could eat paint off the side of a house.
Now that Kosta had made the bold move forward to schmoozing him, he had to tread carefully. Not appear too eager. “Right. And I didn’t become successful by caving to every scrap of flattery tossed my way.” He ended on a slight note of humor to take the sting from his words.
“Nor did you get where you are by being blind to good business,” the man countered. “Isn’t that so?”
“True enough,” he allowed reluctantly. “I assume you have a point?”
“You’re forthright and don’t waste time, Chase. I like that about you, because I carry those same traits myself.” Kosta leaned forward, earnest, as though he were about to impart the location of the lost Confederate gold. “What would you say if I told you I had two exclusive investment opportunities for you to consider, too big to pass up?”
“I’d say tell me about them and I’ll be the judge of how passable they are.”
“Smart man.” Kosta waved to Meyer. “I’ll let Ralph tell you about the first one, since it’s his baby. But first, why don’t we let the ladies take themselves off to the bar to get their drinks and get acquainted?”
Dismissed as useless females. Blaze winced as Emma’s gaze snapped up, eyes on fire. Thank God she recovered before the other men noticed, rising and shooting a smile at Nicole.
He tracked their progress to the bar, then looked at Meyer again. The guy was
“We’re starting an arena football team,” Meyer said, warming to the topic. “In the Eastern division, the Richmond Rebels. It’ll be—”
“Hang on. Didn’t the AFL fold last year?” He frowned.
Meyer shook his head. “No, they filed Chapter 11 and suspended the season. But now they’ve come to an agreement to get under way again, and the league is expanding. Exciting new changes are coming, there’s money to be made, and we want in on the action.”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been a follower of arena football other than what little I catch on the news,” said Blaze skeptically. “I’m not sure I could invest in something that’s teetering on the brink of extinction.”
“Sounds more dire than it is.” Meyer waved off his concern. “They’ve got it all worked out, no problem. We have a detailed plan to show you, with the bottom line clearly laid out, if you’d care to take a look. Listen, you don’t have to be a fan to appreciate making money. What can it hurt? Looking’s free, right?”
Clever bastards, mixing just enough truth with the lies — the lies being that the millions “invested” would ever be used to start any team. “Sure, what the hell. I’ll go over the information, but don’t hold your breath on that one. I’m not sold on the idea of sinking cash into sports teams, period.”
“Fair enough.”
“What’s the other one?”
“Importing coffee beans and soybeans,” Kosta said with a small smile. “Not nearly as glamorous, but profitable. I’ll get you the file on that as well.”
Oddly enough, Blaze had a change of opinion. His gut told him that the arena football thing was legit, while the products were the scam. A stroke of genius when you thought about it. The investor would be so dazzled by the idea of being a team owner — what was a few hundred thousand more for coffee beans and soybeans?
He turned his attention to Lan. “I take it you’ve been satisfied with these ventures?”
“Well, everything’s in the fledgling stages, and it takes a while to turn a profit, but yes — I am so far. I don’t even have to handle any of the details. Augustine and Ralph see to all the legalities.”
“All right, I’ll study both and we’ll go from there. Now, Lan, why don’t you tell me about that pretty sub of yours?”
The man’s face lit, and he spent the next half hour doing just that, listing exactly why Nicole was the most perfect woman who’d ever lived. Not only was she a wonderful sub, but apparently she had a wicked sense of humor, was a great cook and a gifted pianist, and had a black belt in karate. The last seemed so “one of these things is not like the other” that his eyes widened.
Well, okay. A woman should be able to defend herself, after all.
Whatever. He couldn’t help but like a guy who was clearly gone over his woman.
Adding his own praise about his “wife,” he settled into the conversation while keeping an eye on their ladies sitting at the bar. Lan did the same, his protective instincts showing.
Yeah, if circumstances were different, he wouldn’t mind getting to know them better.
A lot better.
* * *
Emma found stools at the bar for her and Nicole, silently fuming at being ordered from the table like an annoying child. “Rude asshole,” she muttered, earning a throaty laugh from her new companion.
“My thoughts exactly,” Nicole agreed. “From the day I met Augustine and Ralph, I’ve wanted nothing more than to push them both off a bridge.”
“Then it’s not just me.” With a sigh, she beckoned to the bartender, who hurried right over.
“What can I get you ladies?”
“A glass of Chardonnay for me,” she said.
“Jack on the rocks, and make it a double, please.” The other woman made a face. “It’s been that kind of day.”
“You’ve got it.” The man moved away to fill their orders.
Emma studied the beautiful woman, finding her to be an intriguing mix of tough and feminine. What woman drank straight whiskey? None she knew.
“How long have you known those men?”
“I met them several months ago, right after Lan and I became a couple. Why he puts up with them, I have no clue,” the woman said with a frown. “Sometimes I think he’s got too good a heart, too trusting a soul.”
“Is it possible, I wonder, for a man to be too good?” The bartender set down their glasses, and Emma waved her off when she reached for her money. “I’ve got this round.”
“Thanks. I’ll get the next one. Anyway, I suppose not. There aren’t enough heroes in the world anymore, and Lan is one of the few.” She smiled, her feelings shining in her eyes. “I worry about his trusting nature, though. He’s just so damned good and kind he doesn’t see the evil in people.”
“And you do?”
“Oh, yes,” Nicole said softly. “I’ve seen more than most.”
“How so?”
“You don’t want to know. But trust me when I tell you that you and your husband don’t want any part of the shit those other two are shoveling. Whatever they’re trying to get him into, talk him out of it.”
“Pardon me for saying so, but if you feel this strongly, why haven’t you done the same with Lan?”
The other woman took a sip of her whiskey and paused, her face suddenly sad. “I can’t. As much as I love him, I can’t keep him from doing business with them. It’s… not my place.”
“As his sub?”
“Yes.”
