Page 120 of Their Starlight
“As you all know,” Lance starts, crossing his arms over his chest. “My father died a week ago, The Daos now fall under my command. I can tell you now there will be changes to way things are run and some of you may not like the way I do things. I am not my father, and I won’t hold you to a pledge you made to him. If any of you can’t offer me nothing short of total loyalty, you should leave now.”
No one moves.
“What happened to Syd?” someone calls.
Lance’s brow arches. “His ambition outgrew his intelligence.”
Nervous shuffling waves over the small audience. An older guy I recognise as one of Sydney’s top cookers stands and points between Hayden and I, his mouth down turned, and his brows narrowed. “And what about those two?”
Lance answers without hesitation. “Brent is my second in command, you all answer to him as much as you do me, and Hayden is my partner.”
“Your partner as in…?”
“Yes, my partner in every sense.”
Whispers and gasps sound like we are slap-bang in the middle of a courtroom drama. I can see Hayden flinch, surprised by Lance’s easy admission and my lips quirk up. I’m so fucking proud of my little cousin.
“If anyone has a problem with that,” Lance continues. “Feel free to use the door while you’re able to walk through it yourself. If any of you choose to stay and I then I find you showing me or Mr Pullmen anything less than the respect we command, you’ll leave in pieces.”
The chatter dies and a couple men stand to leave. Lance glares at them and they stare back before heading for the door.
“Before you go, understand one thing. You better be leaving to retire or start a quiet office job out of the city. Because if I find any renegades have started working for The Kukris, words can’t describe the horrors your fate will hold.” Lance’s words swing in the air between him and the defectors, creaking and swishing on fraying string.
One of them awkwardly returns to his chair and sits down, the other slinks out the room. Lance shoots me a quick look and I nod in acknowledgement; I’ll have a report on both men before the day is done.
“Right,” Lance stands and comes back to sit in his chair. “Let’s get this over with.”
One by one the men come to pledge the allegiance, some do so begrudgingly, some shake Lance’s hand and offer their support. A couple shake my hand, too, and one shakes Hayden’s, he quickly makes it to the top of my list of people to keep close. They filter out once Lance says he will be in touch with everyoneabout plans moving forward, and we are nearly left alone to breathe easy. but a familiar face walks through the door.
“Jason,” Hayden stands and greets the boy with a friendly handshake. He takes it and smiles, looking, for the first time, his age. He’s tall and slim with light brown skin and dark shaved hair. If he didn’t have the tattoo over his brow and temple, he’d look unassuming and innocent. His arm is held steady in a sling, a reminder that he was there to help when it mattered.
“What are you doing here?” Lance asks, but there’s no anger in his voice; just curiosity.
“I uh…” Jason rubs the back of his neck, looking to the floor. “I’ve come to swear my loyalty.”
We all just blink at him.
“If you’d been here for the beginning of the meeting, you’d know that you’re under no obligation to do that,” Lance says. “Any promises made to my father are null and void. You’re free to do whatever you like.”
“I was here at the start of the meeting actually, I left with the crowd ‘cause I chickened out. Didn’t think you’d have me.” His shy self-deprecation is charming.
“Your friend said that you only ever joined The Daos because they made you and that you didn’t want this life,” I say. “I got the impression you weren’t happy with the work you were doing.”
“That was true when Sydney was calling the shots,” he says standing straight and jutting his chin. “But I know it’ll be different with you three. I’ll start however low you want me and show you how good I am, how loyal I can be and hopefully, one day, you’ll trust me enough to let me move up the ranks.”
I like this kid. I shouldn’t. I nearly killed him a couple weeks ago. But I like him anyway. Lance looks at me, his face seemingly telling me he feels the same and I know what he’s saying, this decision is mine. I look back at the boy and nod.
“I’m gonna take a chance on you, kid. Let me down, I’ll gut you myself.”
His mouth twitches. “Yes, Sir.”
Lance nods and Jason steps forward. Hayden stands, too, giving this moment more respect than he had for anyone else.
“I, Jason Cole, pledge my loyalty, my services, and my life to you, Lance Preston, as leader of The Daos.”
Lance smiles and claps him on the back. “Welcome to the family, Jase.”
We have an hour before Elle needs to be at Starlight for tonight’s show and the four of us take the opportunity to relax after the day’s events. While we were holding our meeting, Elle helped her old roommate move in with his boyfriend. I wasn’t happy letting her out of our sight, but she’d put her foot down. I will need to sort out regular security for her. She won’t like that, but I look forward to the making up after that fight.