“There’s not.” He sighed again. “You need to go.”
“You realize what this is going to cost you-you got a second chance with her.” I felt my stomach twisting into a knot.
“I know, and I didn’t deserve that one, so I sure as fuck won’t get a third.” He turned to face me. “But like I said—you need to go.”
“Fine…” I pushed back from the bar. “I’ll go be the man you can’t be.”
I couldn’t believe Gerard was actually willing to go through with whatever deal he made with Robert Townsend. I understood his desire to keep Rachel safe—I would have walked over broken glass to make sure nothing happened to her—but I would never lie to her. I would never betray her trust. I certainly wouldn’t fuck up a second time if I finally got forgiveness after breaking her heart the first time. He didn’t even seem interested in trying to find another way—and I believed there had to be one. Robert Townsend was powerful, but he wasn’t invincible. At the end of the day, he was just a man. Gerard had made his choice, and I couldn’t do anything about that. I would just have to console Rachel, try to help her get over his betrayal—and hope that we could come out the other side of it with what we had intact.
16
Gerard
Earlier that day
“Ah, Gerard.” Robert Townsend smiled when I stepped into his office and looked at his watch. “Cutting it a bit close aren’t you?”
“I waited until I didn’t have another option.” I sighed and sat down. “I have some money, but not all of it. I want to discuss giving you that and buying a little more time so I can figure out how to get the rest.”
“This wasn’t a negotiation. It’s all or nothing.” He shook his head back and forth. “So, will Ms. Lawson be dancing for me later tonight or are we going to discuss the deal I’d like to offer you?”
“You’ll never lay a fucking finger on her.” I felt my eyes burning with intensity. “Never—ever—and if you even think about it…”
“There’s no need for hostility. We’re both honorable men. I told you that I had a deal in mind and now we can talk business.” He reached over and picked up two glasses. “Let’s have a drink.”
“Sure.” I nodded, mostly because I didn’t have a choice.
“I believe that business should be casual, and both sides should profit from the discussion.” He poured our drinks and pushed one over to me. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“I don’t feel like I’m going to profit from this.” I grabbed the glass and sipped the whiskey. “I’m just doing what I have to do to make sure the debt is paid—because the other way will just end in bloodshed.”
“Yes, yes it will.” He nodded and picked up his glass. “Because you’re too honorable to let me take her.”
“You’re damn right.” I nodded quickly.
“Excellent.” He smiled. “The deal I have in mind will be quite lucrative for you—but like any deal, there is a price.”
“Just tell me what I have to do.” I took another drink. “The faster I’m done with this, the sooner it’s over.”
“Not—quite so simple I’m afraid.” He chuckled and put down his glass after downing half of it in one gulp. “What I need from you will be a lifetime commitment—or at least until you retire.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“I need a man on the inside—someone that I can trust. I don’t know if I can trust you yet, but I know you’ll do what’s necessary, and that’s good enough for now.” He nodded.
“Inside? Inside of what…” I tried to make sense of his words, which sounded like riddles.
“You may not know it yet, but Chief Dade is about to announce his retirement. It’s an early retirement—sad really, but necessary.” Robert Townsend nodded. “Once he’s gone, someone will need to step up and take his place.”
“Well, there are plenty of people who can…” I shook my head in confusion. “What does that have to do with me.”
“You will be the man who takes his place.” Robert Townsend lowered his head slightly. “You will be the new chief.”
“What?” My eyes got wide, mostly because I was bewildered by his statement. “How? I’ll never get that job. I haven’t been there long enough. There are lots of firefighters with more experience—and they’re a lot more deserving.”
“None of that really matters. The only thing that matters is that once it’s all said and done, you’ll be the one who gets it.” He nodded. “An arrangement that benefits us both—that’s what I want from you. Once you’re chief, I’ll give you some instructions that I expect you to follow—nothing major—but, you’ll be well compensated on top of the salary.”
He’s not kidding — holy shit.