Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
“Roman,” he patted his shoulder, “we will work well together. You have nothing else to worry about. I’ll make money. You’ll make money. My grandson is finally a team member and employee of Wilde Enterprises.” Grandpa extended his hand, a wide smile across his face.
Roman shook his hand as they stared at one another.
“Now, time for the first transfer.” Grandpa leaned against the desk.
“Right now?” Roman asked. “But you said we’d do it later in the week! You said that I’d have time to—”
“Yes, right now. Boy, I don’t trust you! This way I know that it’s for real, and that you’re on the up and up. I can’t trust a black sheep. Do it. NOW.”
Resentment pulsed through him like an electric current. His arms, legs and brain felt heavy. Fingers pounding the keys, he logged into his computer. Grandpa loomed, looking over his shoulder as he signed in. Roman navigated to his accounts, as instructed by the old man, and allowed him to see various clients’ account totals, profits over the last six months, and more.
“That one. Bengal Co.” Grandpa selected an account that Roman had had for years. A large company that manufactured prescription pain medication. One of his first accounts. $18,002,111.53 was listed as the net worth from smart investments over the past two years alone. “I want a sizable sum, but not enough to trigger an alarm, you know? Let’s take it slow.” Grandpa stated, as if he gave a damn about being fair and having decorum. “You’re a gambling man. What do you bet that would be? One percent? Maybe two?”
“Two percent would be a little over thirty-six grand.”
“To a company worth that amount in investments alone, thirty-six grand shouldn’t be a big deal.” Grandpa shrugged as he orchestrated a felony in the making. “I’m sure you’ll be able to come up with a good explanation should they ask you about the dip. Mark me down for two percent.” Grandpa watched like a hawk as Roman removed the money from the Bengal Co. and transferred it into his own account. “Now, take that $36,042.00 and transfer it from your account into mine, in three separate deposits. Space ’em apart, and use these three bank routing numbers.”
Grandpa pulled out his paperwork and rattled off his offshore bank account information, one by one. Roman typed it all in as needed. When he was finished with the deed, Grandpa waited until he got notification that the money was being deposited into his accounts, from Roman’s accounts. The old man grinned with satisfaction. He went back around the desk, picked up his hat, and placed it gingerly atop his head.
“This was a good first day of work, Roman. In a week or two, I will contact you about the latest reports. I want that information before you give it to anyone else. I also still want an update on the Bierman Corporation’s assets. Don’t think that I forgot.”
More prohibited dirty work. More shit to get him on the hook. Grandpa’s bank accounts for this deceitful operation were almost untraceable. Roman didn’t need the old man to tell him that for him to know it. Grandpa had planned this down to the letter, and Roman was forced to sign off in blood…
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Run, Forest, Run
Genesis listened to ‘Will Ya,’ by Sam Cuervo, on repeat. Roman had gotten her hip to it. She heard him turn off the shower water in her bathroom as she sat in the middle of her comfy bed. Her television was on mute while she worked on a jade necklace. She bobbed her head to the music, her wet hair wrapped in a towel. She moved and grooved a bit too much, causing the pink cloth to unravel and fall off the side of the bed.
“Shit.”
She leaned over to retrieve it, pushing Roman’s overnight bag a few inches over in the process. And then, she paused when she felt it. Hard. Heavy. Metal. In that brief brush of her knuckle against the fabric of his luggage, she recalled the time when she was at his home, and the first time they’d made love. He had a gun there, too. Right in bed with them. This time, she knew why… This time, it all came together. Roman was fighting for his life. He had dark secrets that would never come to light.
No longer in the mood to keep working, she quickly picked up her tools and gems, put them away in their little color-coordinated bins, turned the music up, and grabbed a new mystery book she’d purchased from an independently owned bookshop near her place of work.
She lay on her back while Thundercat’s, ‘Durag’ played, turning the pages, sniffing them every now and again, unable to resist.
Just as the book was getting good, the bathroom door swung open. Roman stepped out from a cloud of vapor, butt-ass naked and as beautiful as a brand new day. She turned back to her book, pretending not to notice as he approached her, running a towel over his locks. He glanced at the television screen as if not paying her any attention, either.