I stared down at my glass. “Really? Most of the time, it feels like it chose me.”
“Which is the sign I needed to know I made the right choice.” Tate leaned back and steepled his fingers, watching me over them like a hawk about to pounce on its prey. “You did your time, and when you came out, you integrated back into our life without a hitch. Some might even say you’ve shone like a fucking lightbulb.”
“Call me Rudolph, if you must,” I said, smirking.
“Call yourself whatever the hell you want, but I call it ambition. Street smarts. Success.” He stood and went to the window, pulling the blinds apart to look outside. It was a sunny day in Steel Row, and the light reflected off the tip of the cathedral. There were birds singing out the window, telling of the coming spring, but I wasn’t holding my breath. Mother Nature was a major bitch this year, and there was still snow on the ground. “I’d be a fool not to reward that.”
I also stood, smoothing my button-up shirt over my abs. “What are you saying, sir?”
“You know, I haven’t been on a date with a normal girl in ten years.” Tate dropped his hold on the blinds and turned to me. He ran his hand over the buttons of his suit jacket. “I feel like I’ve been in this life too long sometimes, you know. Like it’s changed me, but not for the better. Do you ever get that feeling? Like normal life is something beyond your reach?”
I swallowed. “Yeah. I know the feeling very well.”
“But you have Heidi now.” He cocked his head. “She’s normal.”
I nodded once. “Indeed.”
“And you make it work.”
Tugging on my collar again, I shrugged. I didn’t like him focusing on her. The less the gang knew about her, the better. Then once we were over, she could break free of it all, once and for all. “So far, sure. But I’m a guy, so I’m sure I’ll fuck it up at some point.”
Tate laughed. “Sure. We all do. But they usually forgive us.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “No offense, but did you really bring me in here to chat about the status of my relationship?”
Tate quit laughing. “No, of course not. Sorry.”
“Don’t mention it . . . sir.”
“I called you here because”—he came up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder—“I’d like you to take over the exporting and importing sector of Steel Row. Be my head lieutenant.”
I’d known it was coming, thanks to Chris’s intel, but it still sent a hollow ping through my chest, because it reminded me yet again that Scotty wanted me dead over a position. I said the only thing I could say if I wanted to walk out of there alive. “I’m honored.”
Tate clapped me on the back. “I’ll take that as a yes?”
Not like I had a choice, really. If I turned it down, I might as well sign my own death warrant. Anyone who turned down advancement in this gang was suspect. “Yes, of course. Thank you.”
“Excellent.” He sat back down and pulled out his Mac-Book Air, opening it and staring down at the screen with a furrowed brow. “We’ll announce it at the party, then.”
I bowed. “See you then, sir.”
“Oh, and bring Heidi.” He glanced up at me again, his expression leaving no room for argument. “I want to meet this paragon of a woman who can handle this lifestyle of ours, without even knowing what the hell she was getting herself into.”
“Oh, she knew.” I headed for the door, my body tense. “But I don’t think she can come. She owns a bar, and she has to work.”
Tate leveled a frown at me. “I want to meet her.”
“Again.” I shrugged. “I’m sorry, but she’s busy, sir.”
“Another time, then.”
I left without answering, shutting the door behind me with a soft click. A bunch of guys sat at the bar, drinking and shooting the shit, but I walked out without so much as a wave in their direction. After I got behind the wheel of my Mustang, which we’d dropped off earlier so Chris and I could carpool to the docks, I gripped the shifter and snarled, “Son of a fucking whoreson cocksucker.”
He wanted me to bring Heidi into the mix and introduce her to a roomful of people she had no business knowing? And even worse, Scotty would be there. If I brought Heidi, it would take Scotty all of five seconds to put two and two together.
And she’d be vulnerable to attack.