He gave a small smile.
“I suppose you know who Dmitri would like to use in establishing the first building, the security and main offices of the project.”
“Of course. The information about the companies are right here.” She reached for the folder and opened up the one on Pro-Tech Industries and then the one on Liberty Construction and Development.
“These are the top contenders for the job. I can personally vouch for both of them. You won’t find a better, fairer priced security firm and construction development company around.”
He looked at the documents though she knew he already did his research.
“Renoke’s workers are immigrants trying to make it in this country after fleeing some pretty devastating conditions,” he told her. She knew that Cartwright was a patriotic man. A true Texan through and through.
“Liberty Construction and Development and Pro-Tech Industries, employ retired and even disabled military veterans and their families. There are men and women who have risked their lives to keep our country safe and secure. They’re American citizens surviving and providing for their families and loved ones. But, the choice is yours, Clarence,” She told him and he held her gaze then gave a small smile.
“I’ll need to look these over and compare to Renoke’s offer. I’ll get back to you. I’ll have my secretary call to set up another meeting soon.”
She nodded her head.
“You have my personal cell phone number, Clarence. Call me. I want you to understand that what I’m offering. Dmitri is offering that personal touch, the traditional handshake relationship that has been the start of thousands if not millions of successful business deals since the establishment of this great country of ours.”
He stood up and so did she. Clarence reached out and she shook his hand. He held it a little longer than a handshake should be.
“I’ll hold you to that, darling, and that personal touch. The commitment of a true relationship so that my dream can become a reality.”
“The ball is in your court, sir. I look forward to hearing back from you soon.”
He released her hand and she bent down to grab her purse.
“You’ll stay for some lunch, won’t ya?” he asked then proceeded to tell her about the lobsters and the items the chef was preparing. Clarence was a decent-looking man, a bit of extra pounds around his center but still very macho and manly, as a cowboy should be. But again, she felt no attraction. Not even enough to fake a roll in the hay, and she never shit where she ate.
“Of course I can. That’s so kind of you to offer.” He guided her toward the stairs, his hand at her lower back. The convincing wasn’t done quite yet. Now she had to seal the deal with casual conversation, a personal touch beyond the meeting room, and hopefully a new business venture would begin. After all, the point of taking on this job for Dmitri was all part of the revenge she sought.
She could ensure that Pro-Tech Industries Storm and his team’s business landed this job along with Dmitri’s construction company and not Renoke’s.
Andrei Renoke was a slimy, Russian mobster, and a man partially responsible for her abduction and near death. She was going to get him where it would hurt the most. His wallet. If he threatened her, so be it. She had no fear. No recollection of how she was rescued. But she remembered the pain, the broken bones, and being dragged over concrete to an awaiting cargo ship headed to some third world country. Discovering that Andrei Renoke, a Russian mob boss and business man responsible for running a sex slave business and for abducting her, would pay big-time. Not only for what she went through, but also for all those innocent women who never made it out alive. Revenge was a powerful emotion indeed.
* * * *
“Of course I don’t like any of the shit I’m hearing. But what do we do? Andrei’s a ruthless businessman. He’s had his claws in Cartwright for years just waiting on this opportunity. There’s plenty of other work out there,” Winter said to Weston.
“But this is fucking huge. It’s thousands of acres of land to develop. It’s near Salvation, Tranquility, and Casper’s. This could give us the opportunity to focus solely on this job and retire. Get the fuck out of this business,” Weston told him.
“It’s not that easy. Yes, this could be the opportunity to start easing further away from the mob connections in a sense. We could let Nicolai take over our share and step down. But I think the opposite might happen,” Storm added.
“What do you mean?” Weston asked.
“He means that if Dmitri lands this job, it’s going to piss off a lot of major people. This could cause all of us nothing but problems. Renoke, Demyan, Iakov will all suffer financial loss but also lose a lot of power and authority in the eyes of the top bosses. We’ll gain more respect, it will be looked at as a strategic move to monopolize Texas and Chicago. We’re staking a deeper claim in the mob,” Zin stated.
“Like that’s so fucking bad? We pretty much established that these are our lives now. We’re made men. We are doing more than a billion a year in revenue, and if by some miracle we get this, we’re in the deepest we can be. There’ll be no going back. There’ll be no becoming regular civilian businessmen. We’re going to need our own security details and personal bodyguards,” York said.
Everyone remained quiet a moment.
“What else do we have? We know nothing better than this business. We’ll be helping thousands of military families find steady work for years, because that’s how long this project will take. This is serious American money to be made,” Weston added.
“But what about Aspen?” Zin asked.
Winter took a deep breath and released it. “You know the answer to that. We all fucking do,” he said in annoyance. They all wanted her. Had watched over her and hoped to keep her as far away from trouble as possible, yet she seemed to wind up pretty damn close to it. Working for Dmitri, a made man and one of the major bosses in Chicago, wasn’t what her brother Porter, or any of them had wanted. But
she was great at business. She was a workaholic, a woman running from her past, her fears and dealing with it in the best way she knew how to. How badly Winter would love to have her. To share her with the rest of the team. But that would put her in the ultimate danger, and she survived death once. She wouldn’t survive this time.