My oasis will flourish. A haven by the sea for all who need an escape. And the perfect cover for all our other 'business ventures' in this town.
Thethrill of victory courses through me.
I gather Florian, Dimitri, and Josef in my office after the investors depart. We're all still riding the high of success.
"We did it!" I exclaim, pulling them in for a celebratory embrace. Their strong arms wrap around me, enveloping me in their warmth.
"You were amazing out there," Florian says, pride in his voice. "They didn't stand a chance against your charm and wit."
"Couldn't have done it without you three backing me up," I reply. "You give me the strength I need."
Dimitri grins wolfishly. "Soon this whole city will be ours. The restaurant is the perfect front for our other operations."
Josef nods in agreement. "With these investors on board, we'll have the capital to expand quickly."
I smile, reveling in our shared anticipation. The thrill of gaining power and influence here energizes me.
"It's nice to know we have them on our side, but that we don't truly need them," I say. "For once, we have the upper hand. And we intend to use it wisely...in more ways than one."
My men's eyes darken with desire at the promise in my words.
The night is still young, and we have much to celebrate.
Chapter thirty-four
The sun glints off the waves as Brick and I stroll along the beach. I take a deep breath of the salty air, letting it fill my lungs.
"Remember that time on the other island when we tried to protect the girls without them knowing we were there?" Brick grins. "Man, that did not go as planned."
I chuckle. "Didn't we think about trying to pose as pool cleaners to get inside? But we settled on old-school trenchcoats and hiding behind large potplants."
"Yep. Ordered those fake mustaches and everything." Brick shakes his head. "We looked ridiculous."
"Hey, I would have made a very sexy pool boy!" I nudge him playfully.
We're quiet for a moment, listening to the rush of the surf. I know we're both thinking about the fight ahead.
"Alright, enough moping and enough nostalgia about pool boy dreams that never happened," Brick finally says. "We need a new strategy to take down Tane's goons. A foolproof plan."
"We could start with low-level intimidation tactics," I suggest. "Like leaving disturbing balloon animals at their targets' homes, or popping up in their rear-view mirrors during late-night drives. But as the pressure mounted, we'descalate things. Arson, kidnappings, selective amputations—nothing would be off-limits."
"We'll be like a pack of demented leprechauns," Brick said, his eyes alight with twisted glee. "But that sounds like it will take a while to ramp up to the stage we need… we need Tane gone, like… yesterday."
I rub my hands together. "Ooh, I've got one. Hear me out: we send them all free passes for hot yoga classes..."
Brick bursts out laughing. "Hot yoga? For Tane's meathead mobsters?"
"Just imagine it!" I continue, grinning. "We get them in their little spandex shorts, all contorted into wild poses. Then—BAM!" I slam my fist into my palm. "We ambush them mid-downward dog!"
Brick is doubled over, wheezing with laughter. "I'd pay money to see that. Tane's top hitman wobbling in tree pose."
"Right? They won't know what hit them!" I'm on a roll now. "I bet we could convince them it's some kind of mandatory fitness training. A Pilates Day of Reckoning!"
Brick wipes his eyes, still chuckling. "As appealing as that mental image is, I don't think yoga is our best bet. We need something they can't resist..."
I nod, ideas churning. We walk further down the beach, scheming. The sun glints off the waves, but my mind is sparking even brighter. Brick and I will come up with the perfect plan to take Tane down—no matter how ridiculous we have to get
Brick's eyes light up. "I've got it. We send them an invitation for an exclusive whiskey tasting."