A GOLDEN EMPIRE

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

Fuck therapy. Who needs a shrink when he has something useful to soothe his nerves?

James takes another puff from the cigar before extinguishing it on the dead man's lower arm. He looks up at his men and loudly snaps his fingers to get their attention. "Gregory, Joseph, get rid of this body. Afterward, find out his identity and who he worked for. I feel the need to deliver the son of a bitch a message." Gregory and Joseph nod their heads and carry the body away.

"Alright, I assume you can finish up here?" Charles asks although he knows the answer already.

James just regards his elder brother with a knowing smirk. "Indeed I can. You get out of here and go home to that pretty wife of yours. Don't y'all have a date tonight or something?"

"We do. At the house. I need to go home and get ready. If I don't, Jules will have my head. We don't need that. So I'm out. See you later."

Charles walks out and Gregory walks back in with a single document of information.

"Boss, that motherfucker was working with your favorite gang." He said, giving Jesse the document to look over. "Normally, it would've taken longer to find out who it was but just then his phone rang incessantly. " He hands James the phone. "It's those east coast fuckers from New York, Blood Legion or some shit like that. They sent him in to get Intel on our shipment and then used him to steal extra cash. There could be more hiding in our syndicate." Jesse looks at the missed call to find out that it was in fact the leader of Blood Legion. He smiles darkly and turns off the phone. He has not yet met the other man in person, but he has many video calls with a masked individual. He's more than eager to see this man.

NEW YORK CITY-

Home to Blood Legion, one of the most ruthless gangs in the entire eastern seaboard. Blood Legion was once run by a man named Thomas Kane, but since his incarceration, his protege took over. Jay Warren, the youngest to lead at only twenty-one years old.

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AURORA WANDERS AROUND THE hideaway because she can't sleep. Mind you, it's three in the morning. Juliette can't sleep either so she's in the kitchen eating some French vanilla ice cream. Aurora knows her mother's signature scent so she walks into the kitchen.

Juliette smiles at her. "Hi honeybear! What are you doing up?" She raises the spoonful of ice cream towards Aurora who happily takes it into her mouth.

"Hi mommy. I can't sleep so I'm wandering around."

Juliette nods and smiles. "I can't sleep either."

Aurora thinks it's because Justin isn't there. He's her human teddy bear. Also because he's in New York with Jesse learning the ropes for taking over the business when he turns 21. She misses him.

Charles comes downstairs to the kitchen. "This is where you are. Eating ice cream without me." He says which makes both of them giggle.

"Hi daddy." Aurora wanders up to him and gives him a huge hug.

He returns the hug and kisses her on her temple. "Hi honey. Everything okay?"

"I can't sleep."

Odette comes downstairs and in the kitchen. "Not y'all eating ice cream without me. That is so rude." She playfully pouts. "I want some too."

Aurora giggles again and pulls her sister into a bear hug. "Here bubs." She raises the spoonful towards Odette's mouth who cutely takes it.

Juliette looks over at her husband who is recording them. She walks up to him and wraps her slender arms around his middle. He puts his phone down for a moment to embrace her.

"So little sister, are you excited about tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'm mainly excited to be taking my drivers test. I'm hoping I pass."

Charles pulls Odette into a side hug. "Honeybear, you will. You're a Hollingsworth. We never fail." That's right. That name honestly holds a lot of weight in the state of California and beyond. if america had royalty, the Hollingsworths would be it. The family line has been pulsing through the country's history for years.

"I will. I will pass. Just need to keep that mantra in my head until I get there." Odette mutters."Thank you, daddy!"

"You got it, honeybear!"

Aurora eats a few more scoops of ice cream and decides to call it a night. "Alright, I'm done down here. I don't want to eat too much or I might get a brain freeze. Plus Justin is upstairs in my room and I don't want to leave him alone."

"Okay! Goodnight honeybear!"  Charles and Juliette say that in unison.

"Goodnight big sister!"