Chapter 33

The SUV pulled up to the club where there were a line of men waiting at the door that immediately approached the SUV when it came to a stop. One of the men opened the back door as Brad and James got out of the front seats. Josiah got out and immediately offered his hand to Rossalyn, intending for her to exit on his side of the SUV into the middle of the group of men currently acting as a shield for them. She got out and let Josiah lead her inside the club and into the main floor where they'd had their improvised engagement dinner. Being that it was early in the day, no one but his men were there and she was led to an alcove that was furnished with a sofa and a lamp providing soft lighting, but not much else.

"I'd like for you to wait here. I'm going to have Bart and Larry standing just outside. If you need anything, let one of them know and they will get it. But I want you out of site for right now." Josiah told her.

"They're going to know I'm in here, why else would you have this room guarded." Rossalyn pointed out angrily.

"I don't care, they're not going to be able to get in here to get to you and that is what I care about." Josiah said warily.

"You said he wouldn't try anything. Why do I have to hide like a scared twit?" She demanded, her tone fierce.

"I'm not making you hide. But the one thing we have going for us, depending on what he is scheming, is I can almost guarantee he doesn't know what you look like. I'll bet my fortune that is the purpose of the meeting is to get eyes on you. I'm not going to allow it. Stay here. Or I'll tie you to that couch, I swear I will." Josiah said then turned and stormed off.

Bart and Larry immediately closed ranks and their massive forms blocked her view of the room and the room's view of her as well. She gave a long huff and went and sat down on the couch to wait to be retrieved. She was angry about being left out of the meeting because she wanted to see what George looked like herself. She understood where Josiah was coming from, but there was a threat out there to her that she couldn't even see coming.

****

Josiah walked up to the office upstairs where George would be escorted. He had purposely told George it would take him longer to get to the meeting than it did so that he could get into the building first and get Rossalyn out of sight. He wasn't sure why George wanted to meet, but anything he said about making peace would be a line of bull Josiah knew better than to buy. He wouldn't be able to refuse a peace offering, but it did give them a bit of leverage over the other. If Josiah tried to retaliate for the assassination attempt, it would ruin Josiah's credibility with other dons. But if George was caught doing anything to harm Josiah or his family, Josiah could declare war with the support of every don in the country.

Josiah stood at the glass that looked over the main floor. It was currently faded so that no one could see inside the office but Josiah and anyone inside could see out. So Josiah was prepared fifteen minutes later when the knock came to the office door from having seen George and his two henchmen being escorted into the club by Brad and James with several of Josiah's lower level men following behind. Josiah had glanced nervously at the alcove he had instructed Rossalyn to wait and seend Larry and Bart standing outside, arms crossed over their massive chests looking like bolders from the mountains wouldn't even be able to budge them.

Josiah turned and called permission to enter as he made his way around the table to meet George with no barriers between them. Once the politics had been seen to and everyone had a drink in front of them, Josiah asked everyone to take a seat and get on with the meeting.

"First of all, I want to congratulate you on your marriage." George said politely, "I hope everything is well on that front so far."

"Thank you, we're doing great. We've only just returned from our honeymoon yesterday. You've got good timing on asking for a meeting." Josiah's words were polite but the undertone went clear to his men. They had to have been being watched for the meeting to happen to be requested the very day after they returned when the duration of the honeymoon had been more or less played by ear and controlled by Rossalyn. That message had been received loud and clear, as Josiah was sure George was intending.

"A three month honeymoon? That is a long time to be gone. Aren't you nervous about someone encroaching on your territory?" George asked, sounding genuinely surprised, though Josiah wasn't sure how sincere he was being.

"My territory has been on lock for years, George. As you well know, from how many times you have tried to weasel some of it away. Even my absence didn't make that possible." Josiah said giving him a cocky grin and was satisfied at the slight clenching of George's fist around his glass.

"Yes, that is true. I've had a lot of time to think about things and I've decided you may make a better friend than enemy. Maybe....give me some tips on how to get my area on lock." George said airly waving his hand in a small space in front of him as if to encompass his territory.

Josiah studied him carefully. It wasn't something that was unexpected, as he had been contemplating while he waited for George to arrive. But did the man think him stupid enough to believe that he needed tips on how to keep his territory secure? The only real way to keep your territory secure is to have very loyal men employed. George recruited any and all that wanted to sign up. It was a wonder George hadn't stumbled across an undercover fed yet. Josiah took a sip of his drink to buy him a little more time, as the silence between them stretched longer than politeness allowed as he contemplated the offer.

"So you want to make friends, huh? After an assassination attempt the week before my wedding?" Josiah finally said, bringing the main issue up to be addressed.

"That was not me, friend. I didn't sign off on anyone trying anything." George said firmly, though Josiah could see his shifting eyes and knew he was lying.

"The difference between signing off on, and knowing about is very small. You knew about it, though, didn't you?" Josiah pressed sitting up in his chair straighter, indicating his serious interest in the conversation.

"Well, of course I knew about it. Everyone knows about it by now. But I assure you that I didn't sign off on it, if it was even my men." George said scoffing.

"Be that as it may. There isn't anything I can do at this point to prove who it was, since there wasn't any witnesses that were willing to come forward. If I had proof I'd have already retaliated." Josiah said, though that was partly a lie. He had proof it had been George's men, though the lack of retaliation had been deliberate. He'd wanted to wait until the honeymoon was over and guards had been dropped a little before sending men in to diffuse the situation.

"So what do you say? Would you be willing to work together instead of against each other?" George asked bringing the conversation back around to his proposal.