Xavier Cold (Hard Knocks #2)(29)

“Like I told you before, I don’t have any money.”

He gives me a stop-f*cking-with-me look and then motions for me to follow him. “Explain that to Bishop.”

He weaves us in and out of the writhing bodies on the dance floor until we come to a sectioned off area with two men standing guard, both about my size. Bishop has certainly upped his protection. Back in the day, I was his only hired muscle. Bishop can afford a lot more than one bodyguard nowadays.

“Stay here,” Kai orders as he slips past the men.

My eyes stay trained on Kai as he struts over to a plush black couch, and I spot Bishop sitting between two women. Kai leans down and whispers something into his ear, and Bishop’s eyes snap in my direction.

A huge smile sweeps across his face as he shoves off the couch and walks in my direction with his arms out. “Phenomenal X, my man. What’s up?”

He looks older than the last time I saw him. The last ten years haven’t been kind to him. His light-brown skin has a few lines etched around his eyes, and his signature goatee is graying. The Afro he once sported is gone, replaced by tight braids against his scalp. The black pin-striped suit he’s wearing is perfectly tailored to fit him. The tiny bowtie wrapped around his neck and the glasses on his face finish off the outfit. He looks like a pimp to some high-class hookers.

I raise my chin and stare down at him. “What do you want from me, Bishop?”

He cocks his head to the side. “Is that any way to talk to an old friend, to someone who helped you out when you were at the lowest point in your life?”

While that might be true, he sure as f*ck didn’t do it out of the goodness of his heart. Every scrap he gave me, I earned it by doing his dirty work, like beating money out of people who owed him.

When he sees there’s not going to be any open-armed reunion, his smile disappears, and he motions toward the couch where he just came from. “Come in. Let’s talk.”

“You’re wasting your time, Bishop. Whatever it is you want from me, the answer is no. Like I told Kai, I don’t have any money. I have nothing of any value to you.”

He squares his shoulders and meets my stare head-on. “As you can see, money, I have. What I need is a legitimate name, so I can open a business—a real nightclub—to pass my money through. And seeing as how you’re on the straight and narrow now, I think you’re the man I’ve been looking for.”

It’s common practice in the drug world to have businesses to make the large amounts of money moving through hands appear clean, and I have no desire to get mixed up with anything that could hurt my wrestling career.

I lick my lips. “No, not going to happen.”

Bishop’s eyes flit to Kai, who shrugs.

“I told you, man,” Kai says. “This isn’t the same X who ran with us.”

Bishop sighs. “I was hoping things wouldn’t have to get nasty, but I need this, X. I need you to do this for me, and I’m afraid I won’t take no for an answer.”

Even though the threat doesn’t sound so menacing the way he presents it, there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a vicious one. I need to tread carefully with what I say next because Bishop seems to have quite a bit of power around here now. That still doesn’t mean I’m going to give in to him though.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you out. I’m not the right partner for you,” I say.

Bishop shoves his glasses up the tip of his nose. “Are you close to that bitch of yours?”

Anger rolls through me, and I clench my fists at my sides. “Don’t,” I growl. “She’s off-limits to you.”

“Now, that depends. If you agree to do as I’ve asked, then your Anna won’t be touched by me or the crew, but refuse”—Bishop lifts one shoulder as he pokes his bottom lip out a fraction—“and it’ll be open season on her.”

“Touch her, and I will f*cking kill you.”

Bishop throws his head back and laughs. “There’s the X I knew.”

There’s nothing more I want at this very moment than to bash his face in with my fists, but I’ve got enough sense to know that if I do that—Cole being a witness to seeing me take off with Kai—I won’t be walking out of this place.

“Here’s the situation, X. You’re going to cooperate with me and help me get the nightclub going. You will invest some of your money, and your name will be on all the legal stuff.”

My nostrils flare as I allow him to talk, knowing full well that I’ll never go along with what he says.

Bishop straightens his suit jacket. “Now all of that is taken care of, sit down with me, and let’s have a celebratory drink.”

“No. I’m good.”

“All right then.” He gives Kai a pointed look before turning back to me. “Your ride will be out front.”

I begin to head back the way I came when Bishop’s voice stops me dead in my tracks, “Tell Anna hello for me.”

I flex my fingers, and as hard as it is for me to walk away, I know I have to.

Wandering through the bodies to make it to the exit, the only thing I can think of is how thankful I am that Anna will soon be back on the road and far away from this city. As much as I hate to admit it, I would much rather risk her being around Rex without me than her being here in this city with me while Bishop has her in his sights.