The Family Business Read online

  Pop glanced knowingly at my mother, as if this had been the subject of many conversations between them. He sighed, then glanced at each one of us. “Your mother already spoke to Vegas about this, and he’s one hundred percent behind our decision to have Orlando run the business. As you all know, he’s got other things he’s taking care of right now.”

  Yeah, but what’s going to happen when he comes back? I thought as I watched Paris take her seat. My little sister and I were going to have a long talk in the near future, because there were going to be some changes around here now that I would be in charge. Her spoiled behind wouldn’t like the changes one bit, but she was going to have to deal with it.

  “Are you sure about this?” I asked before adding, “Um ... about the retirement?” Couldn’t let them think I was unprepared for the announcement—even if I was.

  “Mm-hmm. We’re sure about our retirement, son, just as we are about you leading this family.” The look he gave me almost dared me to refuse. Of course, he knew I wouldn’t, even though it was not going to be easy to deal with my siblings—and Harris. But life isn’t about knowing everything, especially in our business. It’s about how you handle the unknown; how you stare it in the eye, laugh in its face, and conquer it.

  “Is this something immediate, LC?” Harris asked. I knew he hoped it wouldn’t be, because that would give him time to manipulate things to his benefit. Despite the fact that my brother-in-law and I worked well together, it didn’t mean I trusted him completely. Maybe it was our matching ambition and intensity that put us naturally at odds.

  Harris had made us all a lot of money over the years, but I still questioned my father’s reliance on this dude. He hadn’t done anything to betray the family, and I didn’t have any clear-cut reason to distrust him, so it probably just rubbed off on me from Vegas. He had never trusted Harris, and wasn’t shy about his feelings, despite Harris’s hard work and apparent loyalty to our family. Vegas never told me what his beef with Harris was, but I was pretty sure it had something to do with our sister London.

  “No, Harris. We’ll have time before Chippy and I wash our hands entirely of the business, but I felt it was time to let you all know. That way those who may need to step up and pull their weight will have the opportunity to do so. You don’t have anything to worry about, Harris. Orlando may be sitting in my chair, but yours will remain next to it. He’s going to need your advice and counsel.”

  “I see. That’s good to know,” Harris replied, adjusting his suit jacket. It had been established that there was still a need for him, and I was sure he’d do all he could to exploit that. Still, my father had made his decision, and the decision was me. I didn’t think it could have been any clearer.

  “Congrats, bro,” Junior succinctly uttered. He’d have my back in this. He was too easygoing to want to deal with this leadership shit. As good-natured and gentle as he was, that was what Junior did so well—the not-so-gentle stuff.

  “You okay with this, bro?” I whispered. I really didn’t want him to feel as if I were taking him for granted.

  “Yeah, you know me,” he said, as expected. “Can’t say the same about the rest of them, though. With them you’re going to have to prove yourself. Maybe even knock a few heads, if you know what I mean.” He let out a chuckle and looked around the room at my other siblings and my brother-in-law.

  I already knew where Paris stood in all this. She’d made her position clear, but the rest were riddles, sure not to talk about or reveal their true feelings in front of Momma, Pop, or the outsider at the table. All I had were my assumptions, as Rio, Harris, and London took turns sizing me up the rest of the night.

  While they did that, I tried digesting what it was going to mean to head an organization created by the great LC Duncan. What would I do differently once given complete free rein? What I did know was that I had to continue to build the empire my father had worked so hard to establish.

  Finally, Harris walked over, extending his hand. “Congratulations, O. How about we sit down at the house with a cocktail and go over your vision for the future? I’ve got some great ideas for expanding in the South and Midwest.”

  I wasn’t sure what he was up to, but if he was extending an olive branch, I was going to take it. “Sure, Harris, I’d like that. We’re going to take this family to the next level. You wait and see.”

  “We sure are.” He gave me a smile that almost looked like a smirk as he walked back over to my sister. “See you back at the house in, say, an hour?”

  “I’ll be there.” I slipped my BlackBerry from my pocket when I felt it vibrate. I’d received a text.

  Just got some new shit in right off the boat. You were the first one that came to mind. You interested?

  I lifted my head from the phone, then glanced left and right to make sure no one was within eyesight of my BlackBerry screen.

  I glanced over at Harris, who was guiding my sister and niece toward the door, then replied to the text.

  Damn right I’m interested. I was just given a big promotion at work and have a lot to celebrate. Give me about an hour to slip away.

  The return text read, Congratulations. I’ll have my sister set everything up for the exchange.

  I glanced over at Harris again. Sorry, Harris, but our little meeting may have to wait until morning.

  Paris

  4

  I’m sorry, but I couldn’t get with the Kumbaya after hearing Daddy was leaving us—leaving me—for palm trees and sunshine. So, with Trevor in tow, I bolted out of there right after Daddy adjourned the meeting, so I could fucking breathe. There was nothing else to talk about, anyway. At least nothing left for me to talk about.

  I’m sure King Orlando had a lot to say after Trevor and I were in the wind. I just didn’t understand what the hell Momma and Daddy were thinking about by leaving Orlando in charge, anyway. I swear, I loved my brother, but if he tried to put me on an allowance, I was gonna kill his ass.

  “You have quite a family,” Trevor said as he drove me away from the dealership.

  I guess he didn’t notice that I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. And what the fuck did he mean by “quite a family”? I wasn’t sure if he meant that shit as a compliment or sideways-ass insult. Right about now, I didn’t give a damn what he meant by it. I just wished he would shut the fuck up and drive. I needed a drink and some good music, and perhaps, if he was lucky, some dick, so I told him to head to the Jackie Robinson Parkway and good old Brooklyn.

  Orlando in charge? Orlando? I could see Vegas, but all Orlando cared about were his reports and numbers. He couldn’t see the big picture, my picture. Pompous ass. He already thought he ran things, walking around like he owned the dealerships, telling me what I could and couldn’t do. Luckily, Daddy was always there to set him straight. But now? Now it was gonna end, because basically Daddy had confirmed what Orlando had always thought: that he was the king of the world—or the Duncans, anyway. Well, we’d see how much of a king he was when Vegas came home. If he ever came home.

  I rolled my eyes in Trevor’s direction as I opened my phone to read a text that had just come through: You ain’t had to say bye, heifer. Despite how angry I was about everything that went down, I had to laugh at my twin brother’s text. He and Vegas always knew how to bring a smile to my face.

  Sorry, bro. Had to get outta there. Going to BK for some drinks and music. Wanna meet us there? I replied.

  Can’t. Got to work the club, or big bad O may fire me. LOL.

  He ain’t gonna do shit! I replied.

  I know. Just messin’ with you. So what’s up with your boy Trevor? Thought we were into bad boys.

  I know, right? Shit, I’m still trying to decide if he’s on your team or mine.

  Don’t get it twisted, sister. He ain’t on my team. If he was, I would know and would have let you know when he first walked in. I wish he was, though. He’s cute, in a preppy kinda way.

  He’s kinda boring. That’s what he is. The things I do for Daddy. List
en, we need to talk about O when you get home.

  “Paris?” Trevor called just as I hit SEND. From the tone of his voice, you would have thought he read my text.

  “Huh?” I turned to him.

  Dammit, if somebody had told me there was going to be an announcement tonight, I would have never brought Trevor’s preppy ass to the meeting. He made me look like a fool in front of Daddy and the rest of the family. Without him around, Daddy never would have snapped at me and probably would have answered my question.

  Not that I gave a shit about Trevor. Sure, he was cute, and I was a little curious about what he was packing under the Ivy League suit, but he was as boring as watching snow melt. Nah, to be truthful, I think I’d rather watch snow melt than listen to his boring ass. All he ever talked about was his father’s election and what graduate school he planned on attending. God, if he told me one more time about how hard it was to choose between Harvard Law and Princeton, I was going to throw up in my mouth. Why the hell couldn’t he talk to me about something important, like when the hell he was gonna fuck me? This was the third time I’d been out with his ass, and he ain’t even tried to sniff the pussy. I’d basically written him off. Only reason I dragged his ass along today was so I could show Daddy that I could attract the same kind of boring-ass man as London if I wanted to.

  “Why aren’t you talking?” he asked as we entered the Jackie Robinson Parkway.

  “I’m sorry. My brother was texting me,” I answered just as Rio’s reply came in.

  We sure do. Knock on my door when you get home.

  I gave Trevor a fake smile, then texted, K, gotta go. Mr. Boring wants to talk. LOL.

  “Your father surprised you, huh? Mine does that to me all the time, always springing a change in campaign strategy or unscheduled appearances. I know a car dealership—”

  “Ships. Dealerships. Plural. We own many,” I said, correcting him as I held one hand aloft. He was starting to bug me more with each passing minute. Why couldn’t he just sit there and look cute?

  “Oh. Sorry. What I was saying was that car dealerships are different than politics, but some things are the same.”

  “It’s all politics, Trevor.” I swooshed my hand and stared out the window.

  “Yeah. You’re right,” he agreed. “I should’ve learned that when I attended Harvard.... You know, I never asked you this. Where did you go to school, Paris?”

  Damn. Now it was twenty fuckin’ questions. “I didn’t. After high school I attended a very special finishing school in Europe, and then I came home and got involved in the family business.”

  “Oh, wow. I never knew you didn’t go to college.”

  “Why? Is it a problem?” I snapped back with attitude. I knew he wasn’t about to talk shit about my upbringing!

  “No, no, not at all. I just assumed you went, is all. Most people our age who have family like yours have gone to college.” This SOB sounded genuinely disappointed that I hadn’t experienced the richness of an Ivy League life like he had. “Ever thought about college?”

  Blah. Blah. Blah. “Too busy for college.”

  “Too busy? Too busy doing what?”

  “Stuff for my dad. I’m the company troubleshooter. I handle collections.”

  “Collections, huh?” he scoffed. “Sounds like your dad just made up a job for you. You trust fund babies got it made. But I’m not mad at you.”

  “Huh? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Nigga, for your information, ain’t nothing I do for my father made up. I work for a living, and I probably make more than you and your daddy combined, so what the fuck I need with college?” As I pierced him with my eyes, I prayed that he didn’t call me out for lying. The truth was that although I did have a job with the company, I wouldn’t know where to send the check if Orlando handed me my American Express bill.

  “Hey, I’m sorry. I always heard about you and your brother Rio at parties and clubs and stuff. I figured you were living off of some inheritance. I never knew you worked a real job. Poor assumption on my part.”

  That was the problem with men: they could ruin their chance of getting a good piece of ass by opening up their mouths and letting some dumb shit come out.

  “Yeah. Poor assumption, all right. You have no clue, no clue at all how hard I work,” I muttered, looking at my reflection in the car window.

  He changed the subject. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I couldn’t help but notice that you and your siblings are all named after cities. What’s that all about?”

  I wanted to say, “None of your fucking business, and why the fuck do you keep asking me all these dumb-ass questions?” but instead I answered with plenty of attitude, “My mother was real poor when she was growing up, and she always wanted to travel. So, after they named my brother Junior after my father, she named the rest of us after cities she wanted to see. I hope you don’t have a problem with the fact that she was poor.”

  “No, no, I think it’s interesting, really. Truth is, my mom was kinda poor until she met my dad also,” he said, like I was supposed to care. “So, has she had the chance to go to any of those places?”

  “Every damn one of them, and so have I.”

  “Oh yeah? What did you think of Rio? I went down there as part of this National Geographic photography program when I was in high school.”

  “Jesus Christ, can this motherfucker get any more boring?” I muttered under my breath.

  He leaned over in my direction. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

  “Yeah,” I replied, reaching over into his lap. “I said you’re boring me, and I hate to be bored, so let’s try something a little more interesting. You drive while I suck.” I unhooked my seat belt and leaned my head over into his lap to give him a blow job. Shit, maybe if I was lucky, this would finally shut him the fuck up.

  London

  5

  After my dad’s announcement, Harris, Mariah, and I were the first ones headed home to the family compound in Far Rockaway, where my immediate family, my parents, and my siblings lived—or in some cases, kept rooms to appease my mother. I still couldn’t believe how childish Paris had been, bitching and moaning about Daddy and Momma’s decision. Not only that, but what was she thinking by bringing that boy to our board meeting? If that was me, Daddy would have wrung my neck without giving it a second thought. Well, thank God that Orlando was going to be in charge now; he’d make sure she wouldn’t get away with anything like that in the future. I just hoped he’d let Harris have a free hand in things like Daddy did, so my husband wouldn’t lose his mind.

  It was pretty evident from his reaction that, like Paris, Harris was concerned about Orlando being in control. Personally, I didn’t understand what the big deal was. We were all going to get rich no matter who called the shots. Why the heck was everyone so obsessed with the power structure? Besides, none of this was even going to matter if Vegas ever decided to come home.

  I glanced over at Harris, who was fiddling with his phone while he was driving. “Honey, stop texting while you’re driving. It’s dangerous. You could have an accident, and Mariah’s in the car.”

  “Yeah, I know,” he said but still continued what he was doing. He finally slipped the phone on his hip, giving me a fake smile. “Sorry, sweetheart. I was just texting Orlando back. He said he has something to do and can’t meet with me at the house like we’d planned. He wants to meet after breakfast.”

  “So meet with him after breakfast. It’s not like the company’s going to fall apart between now and the time the two of you eat your Raisin Bran.”

  “I guess, but if I’d known that, I could have met with your father. Damn, what could he possibly have to do right now?”

  “I don’t know, Harris.”

  He glanced back and forth between the road and me like I had some hidden answer.

  “I bet you he’s going to meet with some of the boys in the office, or even with Uncle Lou.” He sighed. “This could be bad for us, London. This whole situation co
uld be very bad for us. Did you know anything about this before tonight? Did your mother tell you this was going to happen?” Harris asked, cutting a glance from the road to me. “And stop slouching. It’s not ladylike. What type of example are you setting for my daughter?” He shook his head.

  I sat up in my seat to appease him, because I hated when he took that tone. I hoped this mood didn’t last too long. I hadn’t seen him this uptight since before my father asked him to work for the company full-time right after I got pregnant with Mariah. I guess he was really hurt by Daddy choosing Orlando over him to run the business. He did seem to fancy himself Daddy’s son, despite the fact that he was only a son-in-law. As much as I loved him, he just didn’t get it. He was family, but he wasn’t blood, and to LC Duncan, that meant everything.

  “What about your father? Did he say anything about this?”

  “Honey, we both know you spend more time with him these days than me,” I replied, stifling a yawn as I watched the streetlights roll past. “Home and kids, remember? Suzy Homemaker, that’s me. You make it; I spend it.”

  “And that’s the way you like it. Remember?” he shot back. “Time to shop, do lunch with your girlfriends, get your nails done, and do charity work with your mother. No more worries about the business, which used to stress you out. You got everything you ever wanted, and we only have one kid so far.”

  “But no stress over that, right?” I sighed. “Except when you bring it up.”

  “What do you want from me, London? I come from a big family.”

  I rolled my eyes but kept my mouth shut. I did not want to fight with him. I wasn’t in that type of mood. I’d had a few drinks earlier, and all I really wanted was to get home, put my daughter to bed, and have my husband make love to me. That would be a perfect end to the evening.