His dark tones send shivers down my spine, which tells the power of the man because I live in a dark world and should feel at home with that.
“Morgan Sorcusi has overstepped her boundaries and is walking in territory she has no right to.”
I wonder what that woman has done to upset Malik, which in turn upsets Club Mafia, and I shiver inside. It’s an unspoken rule in our world: do not prod the larger beast, and they are the largest one in the kingdom. I’m surprised we are even having this conversation because they could crush her without breaking a sweat, which leads me to conclude they want something from me, and I prepare myself for their brand of negotiation.
His deep voice is low, husky, and laced with threat.
“She has woven herself like a dark thread into an otherwise golden tapestry and is set to unravel the entire masterpiece.”
His glass gleams with the liquid as he holds it up to the light, and his deep voice is laced with warning.
“She is setting the sisters up for ruin, and her intention is to strike soon. Her plan is to secure Tiffany and remove her from the game, the other sisters losing their inheritance because of that. Morgan will watch the House of Cards topple, and in return, she will inherit what is left of the Diamond Dynasty, which many believe is heavily in debt and worthless without the security of the sister’s inheritance.”
I say nothing because I was led to believe the same, and I wonder if we’ve got this all wrong.
“There is a mine outside Cape Town that is still operational, and word on the street is that its riches supersede any before it. Some may say it’s the jackpot, others a golden goose. Morgan wishes to control the mine, and yet it is tied up with the others, and she has drawn up an escape plan, if you like.”
I wonder how he knows this shit, but expect his intelligence network is far greater than mine will ever be, and he saysthoughtfully, “She is currently setting up a rival company bankrolled by Rafael Dimitri. They intend on buying the mine from the Diamond Dynasty legitimately and require all three sister’s signatures witnessed by a lawyer.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
I ask the obvious question, and Malik smiles, his teeth gleaming against the glass that he raises to his lips.
“Because you are a friend and, well, I hoped you would be as generous with a small problem of mine. The mine is of no consequence because I have already purchased it from the bank and Morgan will receive the good news tomorrow. However, that is not why I asked you here.”
I hold my breath because, of course, Malik does nothing without an ulterior motive, and I wait for the mic to drop.
“Tiffany’s grandfather is Walter Van Der Hudson, as you know, and is dealing in a commodity that is in short supply right now.”
“You want his oil?”
I’m surprised he is asking for my help because surely this is an easy one for Club Mafia to deal with.
“As you are aware, supply is difficult to obtain and demand is high, the cost is going through the roof and the usual sources are, shall we say, being held hostage.”
He isn’t wrong about that because the price of oil is at an all-time high, and anyone who deals in that is sitting on a gold mine, even more valuable than a diamond one.
“We are working on alternative delivery methods and are almost ready to begin production, but require an endless supply. Walter is one such supplier, and you possess the perfect leverage for us to apply to persuade him to do business with us.”
“Are you saying you have no other method of persuasion where he is concerned?”
I’m surprised at that because if a target has no skeletons to dismantle, it’s usual to fabricate them.
Malik shakes his head. “Walter is a good man. An honorable one, and access to him is, shall we say, difficult. He has an impressive security detail, and money isn’t a carrot to tempt him with. His daughter is a mess already, and he isn’t interested in saving her from herself. She has always been a wild card, and he has lost patience and locked her away to rot and die.”
Fuck. This doesn’t sound good, and Malik sighs as the women walk back inside.
“If you could persuade him to open the channel of communication, I will help you with your problem.”
I’m fully aware we have the means to deal with our problem ourselves, and Malik obviously realizes that because he adds, “Tiffany is an heiress twice over. The Diamond Dynasty hinges on her fulfilling the conditions of her father’s will, and she is the sole beneficiary of Walter’s. It would be a shame if she failed to secure either of them.”
“Is that a threat, Malik?”
My tone is even because I am no threat to him and he knows it, but I will not bow down before him and beg.
“Of course it’s a threat.” He laughs out loud. “It’s how we do business after all, and the Ravera Mafia are no different. I make you an offer you can’t refuse, and you hold the winning card. We both mutually benefit from the arrangement and conclude a satisfactory business transaction. Morgan is an evil woman in a sea awash with them. Her plan is a good one. She has laid the foundation over many years and is intent on finishing the job. It would be a shame if the foundation stone was pulled out from under her and the empire came crashing down.”
“We can take out Morgan Sorcusi, you are aware of that.”