The Formidable

40

It didn't look as though Mickey had moved from behind the desk.

"Forget something?" Jase asked after being patted down again. He sat opposite Mickey, not bothering to wait for an invite this time. Manners were not his priority when he could barely keep his eyes open.

"There's a reason I didn't want Madison here earlier. I needed to talk to you. Man to man," Mickey said.

"I'm listening," Jase replied. His worry for his life and where he stood with Mickey was dulled by the alcohol. He also wholeheartedly believed that if he was going to die at the hands of a Kimber there was nothing he could do about it. Plenty of people would love to wipe him out, he considered each second borrowed time. He and Mickey were quite similar in that way, with all their enemies. Another reason Jase had to get out, he didn't want Mia's life put in danger because of his past.

"There's something I need to tell you. I wasn't going to say anything, but if it has anything to do with the situation then you'll find out sooner or later. I didn't want Madison being the one to tell you and have you lash out at her-"

"You killed my dad," Jase finished for him. Cutting to the chase. Mickey closed his mouth and tilted his head back, watching Jase down the bridge of his nose. "She told me. I don't care. Is that all?"

"You don't care?" It was the first reaction Jase had seen from him. Mickey was surprised. No matter how much information he could gather on Jase, he didn't know Jase.

"He was an arsehole in more ways than one. It makes no difference to me what happened to him. And as for lashing out at Madison," he rolled his eyes, "I wouldn't raise a hand to Madison, even when she was in the house. I barely even raised my voice."

Mickey grunted. "Yes. She told me what you were like in the house. I was also told you used to hook your girls on brown to get them to act right, so pardon me if I'm still not your biggest fucking fan. The only reason I'm willing to have you work for me-"

"For you?" Jase interrupted again, shaking his head, "I don't think so. I don't work for anyone. I'll work with you, but I'm not one of your thugs." He looked at Karl stood in the corner, behind Mickey, who smirked. Jase had been respectful earlier because he was never one to be cocky from the offset, he knew Mickey was well-connected and that warranted leeway. At this point, however, he was done with the tiptoeing. He didn't like how much Mickey had control of, how many people fed things back to him and he especially didn't like how he looked at Jase as if he hadn't earned his position. He was unsure whether it was his pride or the alcohol talking, either way, he hadn't been shot so he wouldn't wind his neck in yet. He had rules to lay down as well.

"You look like you have something to get off your chest, Jase," Mickey said calmly, waving for one of the men to fetch another glass.

"Something to get off my chest?" Jase scoffed. "In the space of a month, I've had Madison come back to London, which she wasn't supposed to do. I've had two of my boys accept an outside job and end up dragging Madison back to the house. The same house I swore she would never have to come back to. I find out I'm a dad, which is a bit of a shock to the system to put it fucking lightly. I've had Madison put a bullet in someone's head in my office. I've been followed and watched, I've blowtorched a guy's lips together and then I'm told my daughter's grandad killed my dad, he didn't actually leave. I guess you could say, I'm a bit overwhelmed, Mickey."

Mickey smiled and they were poured a drink.

"I understand your frustration. I didn't intend on coming back to this lifestyle when I got out but that changed when I found out about Mitch. I was no use in prison. You looked after her, in a roundabout way so for that, I thank you. I'm not sure the alternative of Madison being on her own with Mitch looking for a way to get back at me would have ended any better." Jase narrowed his eyes.