Diamond (Rare Gems #2)(51)
“He’s just too selfish for a man with all the money.” Ward looked around when he’d realized he’d spoken out loud, and decided to take another walk about the place. But Thad had always been this way with his things. His clothes as well as his cars, things that Thad had bought because he’d had a job. Not even his dad could make him share that shit. Not that Ward had wanted it all that much. But it was the principle of the thing.
Ward smiled when he thought of the time he’d taken his car out for a joy ride. He figured that Thad had wanted him to do it or he wouldn’t have left the keys out where he could find them. And he’d had to look hard for them, too, if he remembered correctly.
But the crowning jewel had been when he’d managed to take all that money. Of course, he’d had to lose all he’d bought with it, but that, too, was his brother’s fault. How he found him was anyone’s guess, unless that f*cking cunt Jane had told him. She’d been a burr up his ass since he’d been a teenager. She always seemed to know just when he was up to something. And that f*cking bastard Benson. That man would rather have died than to lend him any money, and Ward knew that he made enough. None of the people in the house that Thad had bought would do anything for him. It was as if they knew he wasn’t going to pay them back. Ward stopped moving, and a woman bumped into him from behind.
“He told them not to. Fucking bastard told them all to not lend me a dime. Mother f*ck.” Ward was walking around the court again when he thought of something else. “He said that that woman was his future wife. She’ll get it all if Thad dies. Probably have him milked dry before I get the chance to anyway.”
The more he thought about it the more pissed off he got. What was her name…something like a stone or something? Ward was walking by the jewelry store when it occurred to him, Jade, her name was Jade. “Or some other bullshit.”
When he rounded to the food court again, he used his last couple of dollars to buy him a burger and fries. Water was free, so he had a glass of it rather than a bottle and hated the fact that they’d reduced him to this. He’d be on top again, and when he was, Ward decided that everyone was going to remember his name and what he stood for or else.
By the time the mall was closing down, he had things worked out in his head. He’d get enough money to get a cab out to his brother’s place, rob him or make him give him some money, then sit him down and have a long talk about what he expect from him. It wasn’t much…a house for starters.
Not like the one he had, but almost. Ward also wanted a staff to run it and keep it neat. As much as he despised filth, he didn’t want to have to clean up after himself either. Then there was a car. He decided that he’d want a limo and a driver on call all the time. He didn’t want to have to wait on someone to come and pick him up. Then there were the credit cards.
Ward thought that as Thad’s brother he should have as much to spend as he wanted. It wasn’t as if Thad spent all that much. The man did not know how to live as far as Ward could see. He’d had on a nice suit, of course, but his shirt had been a cotton one, and if Ward wasn’t mistaken, it had been a simple tee-shirt and not silk like he should be wearing. A man should wear silk all the time. And then there was the girlfriend. She’d have to go.
Yes, she was beautiful and all, but she was from the working class. Blair seemed like a nice man, but he worked for a living, and those types of riffraff did not mingle with his kind. Ward wondered why Thad had never known about these rules of the rich and shook his head. After about a month of hanging out with him, the new Thad would be someone to reckon with.
Slipping into the bathroom, he pulled his feet up on the seat and waited. It was annoying to have to do this nightly, but after today, he was going to be living in style. As he waited for the building to close down, he thought maybe as his last night as a guest here he’d make it worth his while. Yes sir, he was going to make sure that when the place opened up in the morning, they were going to be scratching their heads over his gift to them for months.
~~~
“I’ve packed up all the things that Mrs. Galloway wanted, as well as had the few things that Benson suggested sent along too. The women that are going to take my place are going to run the business down here for a few short days while I’m up there. Then when I return, I’ll go over everything with them to see how they did.” Thad was making notes as quickly as Jane spoke. He’d been on the phone with her for over an hour, and it didn’t look like they were making much in the way of progress. Benson entered with a tray and sat a cup of coffee in front of him as well as an envelope. He opened it as Jane went on about hiring more staff for the Texas plant.
“Whoever you hire, make sure they are well aware that if the company moves, they will have first option of taking a job here.” The note was from Diamond. He read it before continuing with Jane.
I went to the hospital to get my office straightened out. There are some things I want to discuss with you when I get home. Do you think we can do something about a fundraiser for the hospital? Love, your diamond in the rough.
He added that to his growing list of things to get started. Thad also put on the list “run with Diamond” and underlined it several times.
“The new guy I interviewed has some great ideas. I’d like for you to come down and arrange to meet him before I make a job offer.” He didn’t have time for that.