Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Angus keeps looking at me from across the table. We’ve been going over every bit of information about the three men who own the buildings I want. I know he’s been anxious to say something, and honestly I’m surprised he’s lasted so long.
“Okay, out with it.” I throw my pen down on the table and wave my hands in the air—maybe a little dramatically. “You’ve been sitting over there biting your tongue for the last three hours.”
“Okay, I’m just going to say it, but don’t fire me,” Angus says.
“What?”
“I like him for you.”
“Huh?”
“Alfie Giuliani, I like him for you. I think he might just be the one,” my assistant says with a goofy smile on his face.
“Oh, please. You just want me to keep him around so you can perve on him.”
“Well, yeah. But also, no. I mean it, Mol. I think he’s good for you. He’s different from literally every other guy you’ve dated.”
“Weren’t you the one who told me I need to be careful around the Giulianis because, and I quote: They were mafia? Or some shit like that?” I ask him.
“I still think they are, but he doesn’t look like he wants to feed you to the fishes. He does, however, look at you like he wants to eat you whole, though.” Angus waggles his eyebrows up and down at me.
“Oh, he definitely does.” I laugh. “And he’s really good at it.”
“Okay, so are you sure this project is worth fighting for? Or maybe you should just give it up and let this blossoming relationship have a chance?”
“I am not giving up millions if not billions of dollars for a man, Angus,” I seethe. “Seriously? I can’t even believe you would expect me to do that.”
He laughs. “I was kidding, but good to know your mind is still on the game and you haven’t been completely dickmatized.”
“My mind is firmly on the game. I will convince at least one of these men that it is in their best interests to sell to me tonight,” I say, and then I smile. “And I know who it’s going to be.”
“Who?”
“Right here.” I turn my screen around. I’ve been digging through these files for the last hour to confirm my suspicions.
I don’t know how Angus actually got his hands on the financial files from these families, but I learned a long time ago not to ask questions.
“Levi Brown’s son is embezzling funds,” I explain.
“At first, I thought it might have been Levi himself, but then I kept looking. It’s his son. ”
“Good catch,” Angus says.
“He’ll sell if he wants to avoid jail time.” I smirk. It’s dirty but if it weren’t for these idiots thinking they were untouchable and committing crimes, I wouldn’t have anything like this to use against them in the first place.
“You ready to go find this boyfriend of yours? The stylist will be at his place in an hour.” Angus starts packing away the files that are spread out all over the table. I shut my computer down and put it into my bag. I don’t often go anywhere without it.
“Have you heard from Jerry?” I ask Angus.
“Yeah, he’s pissing himself thinking he’s going to be fired.”
“He will be if he doesn’t fix his fuckup.” I’ve already given that idiot more time than I should have.
“I know. I’m going to fly out there on Sunday. I’ll handle it myself,” Angus tells me.
“You’re leaving me here?”
“You don’t need me here, Molly. You have that pretty thing you’ve been playing with.”
“He’s not a thing, Angus.” I scowl before it shifts into a smirk. “He is pretty, though.”
“So I’ve seen.” Angus waggles his eyebrows up and down like a fool for the second time today.
We walk out of the suite and head to the elevators.
“You want me to message Alfie?” Angus asks.
“Nope. One of those burly guys will know where he is.” I nod my head towards the two men in black suits standing by the elevator doors.
“Hi.” I stop in front of them, and they both look at me uncomfortably.
“I’m on my way to Alfie’s office. He gave me directions, but I cannot for the life of me remember what he said,” I tell them while batting my lashes.
“No problem. We’ll take you, Miss Olive.”
I step into the elevator and give Angus an I told you so look.
Exiting the elevator on the casino floor, I then follow the burly men down a corridor I never noticed before. We stop in front of the door and the sound of Alfie yelling obscenities makes the guy pause his hand midair as he was about to knock.
“You sure he’s expecting you?” the guy asks.
“Why would I lie about that?” I shove in front of him, and without thought, I turn the handle and knock at the same time I’m opening the door.
A glass comes flying in my direction, hitting the wall next to me.
It shatters into pieces and amber liquid spills all over the floor and on my shoes. My very expensive damn shoes.
I look up from my shoes to Alfie. His face is now ashen as he stares at me. “Bad time?” I smile. “Also, these shoes are worth ten-grand and you just ruined them,” I tell him.
He doesn’t say anything, just continues to stare at me with a look of shock and… I think that’s regret or remorse. It’s something I haven’t seen on him before.
“Hi, you must be Molly. I’m Sammie J. This idiot’s cousin.” A man I didn’t notice steps in front of me. “I think you broke him,” he whispers before laughing. Then he looks me over from head to toe. “You okay?”
“I think I’m having a better day than you guys.” I shrug. “It’s nice to meet you, Sammie J.”
Stepping around him, I walk farther into the room.
That’s when I notice the other occupants: Elias Lopez, who I’ve met once before, Hudson, and a few other guys I assume are brothers of Elias by the looks of them.
Yeah, I probably should have let Angus message Alfie before just rocking up to his office.
But I’m here now so I’m just going to go with it.
“I can come back another time… or not,” I tell Alfie.
“Get the fuck out,” Alfie growls.
“Okay, then, guess that’s a not.” I smile, even though I feel like I’m dying on the inside.
“Not you.” Alfie points in my direction. “These idiots.” Then he turns that finger on the rest of the room and repeats, “Get out, now.”
The office clears, each man giving me a sympathetic look as they pass. Except Hudson. He smiles. “Save me a dance tonight, Molly.” He winks and then darts around me and out the door, closing it behind him.
I glance over a shoulder. Where the hell did Angus go?
“Hold on,” I say to Alfie as I head to the door and open it. Angus is standing right outside. “Angus, give me a minute. Go and get a drink at that bar near the exit. I’ll catch up with you.”
“You sure?” He has a worried look on his face.
“Yep.” I close the door and then turn back to Alfie, who hasn’t moved. “So, I guess I should knock and not just open the door then?”
“You don’t need to knock, Molly. Fuck.” Alfie runs his hands through his hair. “I never would have thrown that tumbler if I knew it was you.” He steps closer, slowly, assessing every inch of me. “Did any of the glass hit you?”
“No, but I would have preferred to have been cut than have my shoes ruined,” I tell him.
“I’ll buy you a new pair.” He stops in front of me. His hands are now in his pockets. Why isn’t he touching me?
“Do you want me to leave?”
He shakes his head. “I’m trying to figure out why you haven’t run yet. Why you didn’t turn around and walk out when that glass came flying at your head, Molly.”
“I’m not scared of you, Alfie Giuliani,” I remind him. “And it didn’t hit me. You have shitty aim.”
Alfie laughs. “I flicked my wrist at the last second when I saw your face.”
“You want to talk about it?” I ask him. “Whatever it is that has you in here screaming bloody murder and throwing glasses?”
Alfie’s hands come out of his pockets and then he’s pulling me into his arms, holding me tight against his chest. He buries his face into the crook of my neck. “If I did, I’d be either making you a witness or an accomplice. Neither of which I have any intention of doing.”
“Okay, but you should know I’d never be a witness. I’ve seen movies, Alfie. I know witnesses never survive a crime family. And I intent to survive. Always,” I warn him.
“Good. Make sure you do.”