Page 86 of Bloodlust
"Mute them all," I instruct Zoey as I clench my fist.
Moe's mouth continues to move as frustration brims from his decaying head, but at least I'm not going to be interrupted again.
"From now on, if someone has something to say you will raise your hand like a child, understand? And not until I am done speaking." Sweeping the screens, I'm met with sluggish nods. "Great."
I clear my throat and continue. "Establishing a partnership with Alba proved to be more difficult than any of us anticipated. He had demands, ones I've taken time and consideration to digest, and ultimately, I came to theconclusion that the best course of action would be to form an alliance with The Dragons."
My jaw clenches as each member of The Council, including my father, begins to protest. God bless the mute button. I suppress a laugh. It's kind of funny.
"Kindly shut up and listen to me," I demand, keeping my voice stern. "As we all know The Dragons are gaining momentum at an alarming rate. Marco's last territory sweep has confirmed that Wei Zhao has no plans to stay in his lane. As your leader, I have zero intention to start hustling down. We're classier than that, right?" A few nods. "If we partner with Zhao, we'll be able to avoid a lot of bloodshed as long as we market our products to different crowds. Less bloodshed means fewer eyes." My hard gaze floats across the screens. "Any questions?"
Nearly every hand spikes into the air and I roll my eyes.
"Moe."
"This is a bad idea?—"
"Mute him," I tell Zoey. "Next?" I cross my arms, adding, "I said questions, not comments. This decision is mine alone, you are here to merely consult. If you don't like my leadership style, wait until the annual meeting." I grin to myself. As if they'll last a year. "Or feel free to come down to the city and talk to me directly." I tilt my head. "Well? Questions?" My father raises his hand. "Yes, Daddy?"
He twists his lips in thought before he asks, "Are we splitting profits?"
"No," I reply. "We each get our shipment. No revenue lost."
He nods, impressed. "I have no more questions then. Cash is cash." His gaze circles the screens. "Anything else, gentlemen, or can my daughter go and enjoy her Friday night?"
Leo raises his hand.
"What, Leo?" I ask, crossing my arms.
"When the deal goes down..." He clears his throat, a twinge of fear in his tone. "How many men will you bring? Do we have enough? Do we need to hire more bodies?"
"Frankie?" I ask, finding his face. He's not an official member. Just a foot soldier. But he knows everything. He's always involved when money trades hands. "I'll need eight men. Maybe more. I'll keep you updated once Alba sends me the specs."
"Sure thing, princess," Frankie says with a warm smile. Fake. All of them. "No problem."
"Good," I say. "Well, I'll keep you all updated. Zoey will send minutes later today for your reference."
"Good job, kid." My father flashes me a crooked grin as he holds up a cocktail to the camera. "Proud of you. To Camilla."
"Thanks, Daddy." I smile, disconnecting the call. I grab the half-drunken martini on my desk and toast to a black screen. "And to your demise."
"That went better than I thought it would," Zoey whispers in a timid tone. "I'm surprised my father—" he swallows, "—didn't say anything."
"Your father is my father's pawn," I say, a faint flutter of guilt in my heart for what we're planning to do. "He made his bed, Zoey. What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know." She gives me a lifeless shrug. "I just... I don't like the idea of him in jail. It's not fair. He's not... I mean he's not always..."
"Life's not fair, Zoey," I state in a gentle tone. "You know it's not. You've seen what life is like in our family, haven't you? Is that what you want?"
"No," she whispers as my phone rings. "I guess not."
I check the caller ID. "It's blocked. Who is it?"
"One sec." She checks her laptop monitor, jerking her head to my cellphone. "It's registered to a Hazel Qian."
"Typical," I say, answering the call. "Hello?"
"Well, if it isn't the infamous Camila," a low, male voice replies. "You exist."