“Yeah?”
Before he talks again, he rolls his eyes with frustration and then bites on his words.
“Let him the fuck in, but make sure he is disarmed.”
He hangs up before slamming his phone down on the surface of his desk and his eyes flick back up to ours.
“You might want to take a fucking step back.”
Me and Reign glance at one another in confusion before we back away and stare at the door, waiting for whoever is coming to come through it. I notice from the corner of my eye that Arlo takes a slow seat in his chair before leaning back, adjusting his suit, and crossing his ankle over his knee in a calm manner.
When the door suddenly opens and I see my pa, he pauses, switching his gaze between me and Reign, the weight of his disappointment evident. I can sense the fury in his eyes as he takes a careful step inside before slamming the door shut behind him, the loud sound reverberating through the office like a thunderclap. I shove my hands into my tight, black jeans pockets as he attempts not to acknowledge me and Reign any longer and focuses solely on Arlo.
"Arlo, what the fuck is going on?”
My eyes shift to Arlo, and he just stares at my father, not giving a single fuck before he shrugs his shoulder.
“Be more specific, Ivan or get the fuck out of my office.”
My gut churns just thinking that my father could be killed at any minute if he continues to talk to Arlo Hayes like that. I do not like the old fuck, but he is still my pa.
“You need to stay the fuck out of this, Arlo! The shit that goes on in the Russian Mafia is no concern to you!”
Reign suddenly steps forward, catching all our attention, his huge hands balling into fists as he squares up to my father.
“I swear to fuck, Ivan, if you don't—”
Suddenly, Arlo sighs loudly and slowly stands, capturing everyone's attention. He rounds his desk before leaning againstit and overlapping his hands in front of himself while keeping an intense stare at my father.
“Every single piece of shit that happens in MY city concerns me, Ivan. I suggest you reconsider your words carefully.”
My eyes shift to my father as he takes a small step forward, now speaking cautiously.
“What I mean is, you have a choice in this one, yet you’re choosing to get involved. This girl is nothing. She—”
Arlo tilts his head to the side and narrows his eyes before cutting him off.
“She’s not of importance to this city, no?”
The tension in the room is thick as my pa's features twist in disapproval and anger. He is not used to being challenged, especially by someone much younger than him yet more powerful. His jaw clenches, and his nostrils flare as he struggles to maintain his composure in the face of Arlo's defiance.
“She does not even know who the fuck she is. She will NEVER rule the Russian Mafia! She is not fucking capable!”
Arlo slides his tongue piercing over his bottom lip as he carefully absorbs my pa’s words before he raises his chin.
“You are willing to destroy a young fucking girl over revenge, Ivan? Is that it? Or is she that much of a threat to you just because of how powerful her bloodline is?”
My father's jaw tenses, his eyes wide with rage, yet remains silent, but it’s clear that he is ready to combust at any moment. Arlo pushes himself away from the desk with measuredcomposure before taking calculated steps toward him until they stand nose to nose.
“Let me tell you something, Ivan: hurting an innocent woman for your personal revenge is a fucked-up outlook to have. It’s snaky, its shit, it’s weak and I don’t fucking like it. At this point, you are as bad as Maddox, the same person you are trying to spite.”
My father attempts to speak up but Arlo flicks his knife from his sleeve and sets the sharpened point of the blade beneath his chin, prompting him to raise it and stiffen in response. Arlo's unnerving eyes sweep across his old face, piercing through my father's facade, and I am not sure how I should feel in this scenario, but I allow it because he deserves it; he must understand that what he is doing to Charley is wrong.
“Shut the fuck up and listen to me, you old cunt. You might just save yourself from your own kid killing you if you do.”
My pa stays motionless before Arlo continues his torment and wise words.
“I was bread and raised by the evilest motherfucker in this city, a close friend of yours actually; he sought greed and power to the point where he fucked over his own son for it, willingly destroying his flesh and blood, yet you know where he is now, don’t you?”