CHAPTER 38

The both of them are calmed down and I grab the number from Hideo and call it on the burner phone Kori's been holding onto for me. I am done playing in the background with this fucker, time to fire back. It rings a little bit before I hear a pick up, a muffled voice; very much a male voice comes over the line.

"Hey there friend, got your message," I state in the device as my people watch," When are you just going to send that girl you got running your errands around so we can have a formal sit down?"

"You don't know what I'm truly capable of," the voice states as I continue.

"I know you're kinda smart and know more about me than I thought. I also know that you don't have what it takes to actually do something yourself. Sending people around to fuck with my friends, trying to split me from my family and even getting someone to try to ruin my fiancé's night," I tell him, pretty sure it's a him," as for what your capable of you want me off my guard so you can blindside me, like Derek did a few years ago, or hell you might try to lure me into a fight one on one like Kyle and I did last year."

Silence on the other end, the call is still going and I look around. Nobody I can see here but me and mine but with my looking Ben and Vicki are searching fast.

"I'm not there," the voice informs me," but you thought I might be."

"No, not you but probably someone you left yet another burner phone with. Honestly we'll catch up sooner or later but I have a question for you," I state as everyone looks on," How did it feel to get left out last time I went to war. How did it feel to be so unimportant that I didn't even bother to have you taken care of?"

"You tried but you should have….," Is as far as I let the voice talk before hanging up the phone.

"Why did you hang up on him," Hideo asks while taking the phone.

"Because Guy's in charge," Ben states for the record.

"You don't go against us and take control, we run you over," Matty reaffirms as we are thinking now.

"I need to speak with Heather and Kyle soon, for now let's relax cause I have to get ready to make some money tonight," I tell everyone as we disperse.

After dropping Kori off and heading home things are quiet as I shower, dressing my black suit with red tie combo, my favorite of the suits and waiting for my ride. A phone call from Kimiko asks if I'll meet her friend at their house to save time. I figure it'll be fine and it's Liz who drives me over as Katy is once again out studying. Another study group on a Friday evening, and I'm not seeing much of Katy to begin with this year and it's starting to grate on my nerves. I get dropped off and while Kimiko and her husband are there waiting and the conversation is pleasant it's when a very nice Bentley pulls up that I'm told my ride is here. I get in the passenger side of the car and that's where my brain stops for a moment to try to figure out who is next to me as the car is pretty dark inside.

"Well hello there, you must be Guy," the woman greets me," I'm Cassandra."

We leave and I'm sitting in the dark and while I can make out a shape that is very pleasing, or at least I hope I'm seeing the shape right, it's the long drive and quiet of the car that has me off my game.

"So you agreed to a thousand dollar contribution and all I have to do is accompany you to this soiree. I'm not certain I'll get any more donations but I have plenty to speak about if I can get two words in edgewise," I tell her as she drives in the quiet.

"I agreed because according to Kimiko you are more than adept at conversation, you can be a physical force if it came down to it but more so my soon to be ex-husband is a petty and vain shit and I need something to shut him up," She tells me in the darkness of the car.

"So I can punch him a couple times and that will be sufficient," I ask and she chuckles.

"As much as I'd enjoy that, I'd prefer you to humiliate him somehow or at least help people not see me as such a horrible person," Cassandra states, losing her laughter.

I let her explain how he's slandered her, a workaholic which she's not; antisocial as he parties with coworkers, not a team player but he started making the contents of their love life public. Stating she's not able to get a man outside of work and that she's a bit of a dead fish. There are some things you just don't make public, not once when Heather and I were at odds did I comment on how she was the few times we came close to being intimate and she never said anything about me. At that point you're just trying to hurt someone and considering he's the cheater I'm not sure he'll get any real sympathy if I shut him down hard. Our arrival is a non spectacular one; we simply park outside what looks like a rented banquet hall. I exit the car and move around quickly to get the door for Cassandra. I help her out and find I'm staring at a very attractive short haired brunette. Cassandra is wearing high heels that make her my height of six feet tall and a long body hugging black dress with a shawl. She's a little tanned but her body is one that shows a serious level of dedication by both her and her plastic surgeon. She's had work done; I can tell because her breasts at this age shouldn't stare up at me without a bra, a pair of barely C cups are doing just that.

"You are an attractive young man, I can see why Kimiko speaks so 'highly' of you," Cassandra says with a smile.

"Well she told me nothing about you, best money can buy," I ask, forgetting how women get offended when you point out things like that but she smiles.

"Worth every penny, I still do all the basic maintenance to keep it that way but until there is a work out that helps breasts not fall to gravity they will just have to do," She tells me and we laugh as we head inside.

Out of my element being literally the youngest person in the room, a little bit. I keep my confidence, these people have money and I'd like to take some home. Well back to school I mean and as I let Cassandra lead me around so that she can greet some of her coworkers and a couple other business people and bankers. I think this is what they call 'pillars of the community' but I've never seen them holding up shit, I don't think I'll use that as a opener as we start walking around and Cassandra is greeting people and not introducing yet but more than a few women have noticed my age. We find ourselves approaching a few of her bosses and I put on my genuine smile.

"Cassandra we didn't know if you'd make it out to this event," an older man in a nice suit states," Who is your guest?"

"Guy Donnelly, Pine Rivers High School; Mrs. Konklin invited me to ask for donations for my school and I accepted," I state immediately putting her up a little in my book.

"Well we only donate to colleges and to scholarships," the man states when a woman next to him bumps his arm.

"What my husband is trying to say is we'll hear your proposal and pitch like everyone else but until then what do you do at your school," the wife asks, being polite.

"Student Council President, I also help organize several events and do the usual glad handing at sporting events so people remember I can be a nice person," I tell them and get a laugh.

"A budding politician," the wife declares laughing.

"Not really ma'am, I'm too honest for that," I joke and now everyone is laughing.