Love After War by Cheris Hodges Page B

gritted.
    â€œBe careful who you challenge,” Adrian retorted.
    â€œI don’t know what your game is, Bryant, but this LA double-talk is not going to work. I don’t trust you.”
    â€œThis isn’t about you, Solomon,” Elliot said as he walked into the club.
    Adrian looked from Solomon to Elliot, seeing more of himself in the two men than he wanted to admit. He and Solomon were four months apart in age. They had the same color and eye shape. When Solomon glared at his father and gritted his teeth, Adrian recognized that expression. He found himself doing that when he was angry as well.
    â€œYou don’t think that it’s pretty damned suspicious that Richmond was on his way over to this club and he gets caught with a hooker? You don’t think this son of a bitch had something to do with it? And what are you doing here anyway? If you think you and Richmond can handle this idiotic project and deal with shysters like this assclown, then have at it. He is not to be trusted.”
    â€œWho in the hell do you think you’re talking to, son?” Elliot asked.
    Adrian shuddered inwardly at the word son . Did he even know that he was standing in a room with two of his sons? Did he even care?
    â€œThis is an important project to our company, and if you walk away, you can submit your resignation as CEO. Richmond has been chomping at the bit to do this job.”
    â€œYou’re kidding, right?” Solomon laughed sardonically. “First you come up with this idea to build in an already saturated market, one that Mom was always against, and now you want to give Richmond a job we know he can’t do? Yeah, go ahead and do that. And I’d love to see how you two are going to handle this scandal.” He laughed and for a split second, Adrian was excited. There was already discord in the family, and he wouldn’t have much work to do to create more.
    â€œDo you think I need you to fix any problem that comes up with my company?” Elliot snapped, pointing his bony finger in Solomon’s face. “You don’t have your champion anymore. I’m going to finally do what I want to do with Crawford Hotels.”
    â€œDon’t do that,” Solomon growled. “Don’t pretend that my mother wasn’t the brains of Crawford Hotels. All you did was lend a name.”
    â€œYou arrogant—”
    â€œHey!” Adrian exclaimed. “Why don’t you take your family argument somewhere else. You’re wasting my time.” Inside, Adrian smiled because this little argument was captured on his security cameras. He was going to leak the video to the same gossip columnist who wrote about Richmond’s arrest. He’d even send it to Page Six.
    â€œI came here to talk about partnering with Mr. Bryant. You can join us or you can leave. What I won’t have is you questioning him about your brother’s bad choices.”
    Solomon glared at Adrian and his father. “Somebody has to look out for this company.”
    Adrian rolled his eyes and pointed the men toward his office. This wasn’t the meeting he’d planned, but he’d make it work in his favor.
    â€œWhat’s your vision for the lounge in Crawford Towers?” Elliot asked once they were seated in the office.
    â€œI know LA nightlife and I know people are always looking for the next big thing. You have to think ahead. A few years ago, it was beds in clubs; then it was signature drinks. Now people want to go back to basics, a place where they can drink, see beautiful people, and unwind.”
    â€œWhat’s the difference between that and a regular hotel bar? Hell, we can hire a band on certain nights,” Solomon interjected.
    â€œThis isn’t Atlanta or New York. We’re talking about the entertainment capital of the world. A hotel bar isn’t going to cut it.” Adrian sized Solomon up. He knew of his brother’s reputation as a reformed