Breaking Conviction by Greer Rivers

Meanwhile

The pounding on the door would’ve made a lesser man jump, but he had no time for fear. Instead, he rolled his shoulders and sat straighter, careful not to look at Vlad or show any weakness. Waiting a few seconds before responding.

It was a power play, but he’d come to learn power—or the illusion of it, at least—was all that was expected of a man in his position.

And he played to kill to make sure everyone knew he had it.

“Come in.”

Two men entered the room. One with dirty blond hair, lightly tanned skin, and no idea how out of his league he was. He didn’t give a shit about Dean Jones, though. The coward was lucky to have a man like him on his side, let alone a bankroll that got him out of jail. But it was always good to have people that knew people in his pocket. He could be persuasive when he wanted to be. The second man was living proof of that.

“Phoenix, you’ve been causing quite a stir since you arrived. I hear you wanted to see me.”

“Sir.” The man didn’t answer further and his face was carefully blank, just like he’d been taught. You don’t become the best of the best without a poker face. “It’s been a long time.”

“It has,” he conceded, leaning back in his chair and assessing the former soldier. “You’ve been playing house with that security firm for long enough. I thought I’d pull you in.”

Phoenix said nothing, not that he expected a response. Why had he asked for a meeting if he wasn’t going to talk? What was his endgame here?

“Are you comfortable?”

A slight tic in Phoenix’s unshaven jaw was his only tell. Still a weakness. He’d grown soft.

“Perfectly.”

He grunted and moved on to the newest recruit. “And you, Jones. I trust your accommodations are better than the cell we liberated you from?”

“Um...” Dean Jones looked around the room as if the answer would spring out to bite him. “Y-yes, sir. Thank you for posting my bail.”

“It was a pleasure, I’m sure. I always do love solidifying business relationships. But remember, you went behind my back when you hid Ascot from me. You’re lucky I’m keeping you alive, let alone bailing you out of jail.” He leaned up and placed his elbows on his desk, the mahogany one he loved so much. The one at his office made him itch at its poor quality. “The reason why I called you here is because, as both of you know, we’ve gotten rid of Ascot. He was our final loose end in that ridiculous society we worked with, and I abhor loose ends.”

Neither man spoke, which irritated him, but he didn’t let that show.

“Both of you have... attachments on the outside. I wanted you to know that you won’t have to worry about them for much longer.”

Phoenix’s face remained frustratingly placid, but Jones’s eyes widened.

“Sir? B-but my kid? And my fiancée—”

“From what I understand, she’s in bed with one of the BlackStone boys. Honestly, I’m surprised you’re objecting to her getting her due. The disrespect she’s shown you.” He tsked, shaking his head. “She had to have known how whoring herself out to AIE Securities’ number one competitor would make you look.” Jones’s mouth slammed shut. “Do you know how it makes you look, Jones?”

Jones’s face turned bright red. “Yes, sir.”

“Tell me, Jones.”

The spineless man’s fists tightened. “Like a goddamn fool.”

“Precisely. Now Vlad, here, knows his orders. The BlackStone boys have gotten too comfortable in their arrogance. I don’t want them to just be taken down a notch. I want them to be wiped off the map. I’ve given them too many chances thus far, and I’ve spared their lives already. Well... most of them.”

Another tic in Phoenix’s jaw and it made him nearly giddy with pleasure. It was always so much fun to get underneath a subordinate’s skin.

“Anyway. That’ll be all. Thank you very much for your cooperation.” Before he went back to writing his order, he glanced at both men’s expressions. One confused, the other stoic again. He tried not to show his disappointment, but when they finally turned to the door, he called out, unable to keep from poking the bear further. “See that he gets back to his quarters safely.”

Phoenix’s shoulders tensed, but the men kept walking. When the door had closed, he continued signing off on the order, ramping up protection on one of his charges. She was becoming more of a nuisance, but he knew she’d come in handy soon. He just had to bide his time. After a few more strokes of his pen, he registered the Russian’s dark stare boring into his head from the giant’s corner. “What is it, Vlad?”

“Why do you tell them your plan?”

He chuckled under his breath, but never looked up. It was important that even his right-hand man was never comfortable enough to feel like questioning his leadership was appropriate, but he was satisfied with the game he’d just played.

“Torture comes in many forms, Vlad. Mental and physical to oneself is one. The promise of the same to others is another. It was time they were reminded of who is in charge.”

“You do not think they know you are the boss?”

Anger welled within him at the question. The Russian was a brute, but he sure as fuck was no idiot and he saw way too much.

“Of course they know I’m in charge, you imbecile. But now they are aware that others will know it soon, too. It will ensure future compliance.”

“Da, ser.”

Placated, he slowly went back to his paperwork before continuing. “You did well, with those rich assholes, Vlad, and securing Ascot.”

“It is easy when you have someone on the inside.”

“Indeed.” He chuckled before sobering. “Although you will have to step up your game. From what we… coerced from Ascot and from what that idiot investigator found out, BlackStone knows more than we want them to. You’ll have to make sure to take them down quickly, but discreetly. It sounds like they’re going to start snooping around. See to it that they don’t find who they’re looking for.”

“Da, ser. I understand.”

* * *

Keep reading for a sneak peek of Healing Conviction!