I never went to college, so when other kids my age were out getting drunk and stumbling to class I was building my empire.
“Oh,” she looks surprised. “You just bought the whole building?”
I smile, “Yep.” My father put away a lot of money for each of us. Between his legal, and not-so-legal business ventures he had zero money problems. I was rich before I even started working.
“You just buy buildings?” She shouldn’t have been surprised, I;ve already shelled out a hundred grand to cover her brother’s debt, but still she looked at me with innocent curiosity.
Yeah, I just bought buildings. It was a good way to launder money too. I paid cash to contractors on my brothers payroll and they washed the money through their various projects.
It was sweet, her naivety. She has no idea how this business works. How much money I bring in every day, how much money the one job I have her working on will bring in.
It would cover Johnny’s debt tenfold.
I’m not hurting for money. At this point, I just really enjoy the thrill of it.
“Yeah, babe.” I grab two travel mugs from the cabinet, placing them on the island.
“So what, like, do you really do?” she asks tentatively as I pour the coffee into the mugs.
I eye her suspiciously. “I own businesses. The Bar, The Alibi, and I have a few other clubs and restaurants. Cream?” I ask, gesturing to the coffee creamer on the counter.”
“Yes please.” she continued, “How many apartment buildings do you have?”
“Just this one.” I press the lids onto the cups, extending one to Annie.
“And are they all legal?” he voice is soft when she asks the question, taking the cup from my hand. It was clear she wants to know the answer even at the risk of pissing me off. Anyone but my men or Gian trying to talk business is a sure way to piss me off. I don’t like questions, they’re too risky in my line of business.
I consider the question. One one hand I have plenty of legal business. There was the bar, two restaurants, a new club I just opened, and the apartment building. Though, if I was being honest they were all dirty in the sense that they all act as a laundry for my dirty money. My real money, the bulk of my income comes from the robberies, but do I really want to tell her that? “Yes.”
“Then, how…”
“I have other side projects,” I answer the question without really answering. She doesn’t mean to be intrusive, she’s just curious. I want to be fair to her, but the less she knows the better.
She considers me for a moment. “Like what you have me doing.”
“Yeah, little thief.”
She grimaces at the nickname. “If I asked what it was exactly that I’m doing, would you tell me?” She questions hesitantly. Her blue eyes are locked onto mine.
I’ve been careful not to tell her what the Pearce job is, and I’ve made sure my men have done the same. The best way to make sure there are no leaks is to make sure no one has the full plan.
But that was before last night.
Now, I want to tell her, but I’m thinking with my dick. I know better than to be reckless.
It’s Annie though.
Sweet, innocent, Annie. Would she really betray me?
“Not yet.” I settle on. “But I promise I will soon, okay?”
She accepts the answer with a simple nod. “Okay.”
I just hope I’m not lying.
Robert Pearce.
I’ve read everything ever written about the guy, including all the notes from the men I have watching him. I know what time Robert gets up, when he leaves for work, what time he gets home, what slut he’s fucking, and even when he takes a piss. Lucky for me, the guy has a consistent routine.
He’s one of the richest men in New England, and he liked people to know it.
From the Cartier wristwatch to the Armani suits, Robert Pearce screamed wealth. I also have a taste for expensive things, but I like to think the difference between the two of us is that I’m not an asshole, and Robert Pearce most definitely is.
This is the distinction I like to make.
If someone is a good man, I won’t touch him.
But a bad man? An asshole?
He’s fair game.
To some this distinction doesn’t mean a thing, but it helps me sleep at night if I know I’m only taking from men who deserve it.
“Tony’s making progress.” Charlie shares as he enters my office at The Alibi with two to-go cups of coffee.
I graciously accept the coffee, taking a long chug before acknowledging the man.
“Yeah?”
“Yep. He has the girl wrapped around his finger, plans on finishing the deal tonight and then she’ll be ours.”
The girl in question is an employee of Pearce & Co., Liza Smith. She’s a cute, petite girl with long blonde hair who had been working at the store for the past year. Tony is the schmoozer of the crew. He goes in and gets close with one of the girls, finds some dirt on them and then blackmails them into assistance.
Blackmail is always the way to go. Money can only keep people quiet for so long, but if you have something good on them, they’ll never talk. That’s the way I like it.
The only person in my crew who knows all the details of a job, other than me, is Charlie. I like to keep my crew small and the information limited. Even the most trusted men will turn if the Fed’s get their hands on them. They can’t share what they don’t know, so I find it safer to keep everyone at
