A low chuckle escaped me. It didn’t surprise me to hear that my uncles gave him a hard time to link with me. They protected us on all sides.
“What exactly did you want to meet with me for, Iman?” I asked, declining the seat he offered me. As far as I was concerned, the meeting wouldn’t last long.
“I admired your work with Karrington, and when I heard you were no longer operating as his enforcer, I wanted you for myself.”
Looking around the office, I asked, “What are you into that requires an enforcer? What would you be expecting me to do?”
“I trust that what I say to you will not leave this room.” I nodded, and he continued. “My real estate business is legit, and some of my investments are as well, but for the most part, I run the biggest money laundering business in the South. Maybe the United States. I clean money for a hell of a lot of people, and I also give loans. As you can see, I have more than enough security for myself. I need you to operate as my debt collector. My rule enforcer. And when needed, my killer.”
What he was asking for was common for an enforcer. When I first started under Beethoven ten years ago, a lot of what I did was intimidation and collection. As I grew older, the jobs became bloodier. I took my first life under Karrington, and because it was an unexpected hit, he released me to protect me. Little did he know, I was getting back into the lifestyle whether it was under him or not.
“Have you used an enforcer before?”
“I have,” Iman replied with a smug grin.
“So I’m replacing someone?” He nodded. “What happened to your last enforcer?”
Iman locked eyes with one of his guards before saying, “Killed on the job six months ago.”
“And that’s why Karrington didn’t want you to contact me?”
“That’s correct. He believes the kill was unnecessary. I went after a debt from someone who’s known to be violent and unyielding.”
“Is he still in your debt?”
“He is.”
“And let me guess... he’s the first person you’re going to want me to go after?”
“Yes.”
“So you’re bringing in an outsider because you don’t want to risk losing any more of your own men?”
Our eyes remained locked as he remained silent. Done with the conversation, I shook my head and turned to leave. Did I want to be an enforcer? Yes. Was I on a death mission? No. I firmly believed death could be avoided depending on how you finessed a situation. That’s what made me such a great asset for anyone I worked with. I didn’t just drop bodies; I collected what they needed, most times with interest, and kept an open source of business for myself. When a true businessman saw how I was able to collect, he often wanted my services for himself.
“You didn’t give me time to tell you what the job pays,” Iman said loudly.
“Don’t matter.”
“Fifty thousand a month.” I wouldn’t lie. That number did stop my feet. “And anytime you bring in a paid debt, I’ll give you fifteen percent as your bonus.” The sound of his chair creaking let me know Iman had stood. “I’ll never send you to collect a debt that’s less than six figures. At least sleep on it and give me your answer tomorrow.”
Pops would tell me to follow my first mind and walk away. To not let the money sway me. Shaking my head, I continued past the guards as Iman said, “I’ll reach out tomorrow. I’m sure you will have changed your mind by then.”
Ignoring him, I headed out of the tinted door and almost ran into a woman who was too busy looking down at the papers in her hands to pay attention to who was in front of her.
“Sorry,” she muttered, adjusting her steps without bothering to look at me.
She didn’t have to.
Even in that brief passing, I knewexactlywho she was.
Even with her having shorter hair and a thicker frame, she still looked the same.
Heir Robinson.
Thefuckwas my wife doing here?
Chapter