Chapter 25 #2
I took the paper, also hesitating before stepping away and further toward the window. When I read the contents, the immediate flashback memories were brutal. Every emotion I’d experienced before blasted into me. Yet within seconds, I was very calm. “You’re certain about this?”
“I am.”
“Then what do we propose to do about it?”
“We, huh? I have a plan, but you’ll need to follow it to the letter.”
With my hand completely steady, I returned the paper. “You always do have a plan in that big head of yours. I will be involved and I’ll think about obeying.”
“Yes, you will. It would seem you’re my partner in crime. As well as other more provocative things.”
“Mmmm… I think I like that idea. Now, do you remember when I mentioned I would have a couple codicils to our deal?”
Sinclair groaned. “I remember. What are they?”
“Just what are your plans for the Strathmore property?”
“A resort and upscale shops, a townhouse project. All very classy, I assure you.”
I nodded a few times then inched closer, placing my hand on his chest. “You’re going to make a couple additions to that plan.”
“Oh, yeah?” He brushed his hand down my face, knowing damn good and well he’d create another wave of desire. “What are they?”
“A dog park and a very classy doggy bakery. We don’t have nearly enough dog parks in the city.”
“Let me guess. You will be the owner of the doggy bakery.”
“Well, of course. I do need to utilize my skills on something other than beignets.”
Laughing, he pulled me into his arms. “You drive a hard bargain, Ms. Samuels, but I’ll agree to the deal.”
“You better,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m not the kind of girl to take no for an answer.”
“One last thing,” he said as he pulled out my phone. “You crave revenge regarding Zane?”
I was salivating at the thought. “More than I care to breathe.”
“Here’s your chance, my beautiful wildcat. You had three phone calls from an unknown number. My guess is Zane was determined to put the fear of God into you. I suggest you tell him you’d like to meet.”
“Oh, yeah? Alone?”
He shrugged, the grin on his face positively mischievous. “With supervision, of course.”
“Of course.” I took the phone, accepting that I also had a bad girl streak in me a mile wide. “What if he doesn’t agree?”
“I assure you, he will. You’ll be the icing on the cake of success. Or so he’ll be led to believe. Just trust me.”
Trust. How many times had I wanted to place my trust even in myself? As our fingers collided, a deep breath following, I knew instinctively how Sinclair felt about me.
And how I felt about him.
“Here’s the thing. I do trust you. More than anyone.”
“Good, baby. Because there are more adventures to come.”
I dialed the number, taking a few deep breaths, not surprised in the least when Zane answered.
“Well, hello, my beautiful sister. Are you ready to come home?”
My skin crawled, but I plastered on a smile. “Maybe. But with conditions. You and I need to meet.”
Betrayal.
I knew it well.
The disbelief.
The heartache.
The feeling as if you were the problem or could have changed the outcome even if some portion of your brain told you otherwise.
Sinclair had been quiet throughout the morning, brooding over what had to be done.
We’d gone over the plan, although he’d refused to share the final outcome with me. It wasn’t my place to interject.
In the days I’d spent with the powerful man, I’d come to realize that some things were out of my control.
And possibly his.
His world was scary as well as opulent, exciting in a way that I wouldn’t care to admit to anyone, including Tilly. But his way of doing business had been ingrained in him through generations.
Loyalty and respect being the anchors.
I’d met the other brothers the day before.
Being allowed into their inner sanctum had given me answers to so many questions about Sinclair.
The reasons for his broodiness. His methods.
And I’d been able to gather a sense of family with the four men.
They were dependent on each other. There was love and respect.
Although it was obvious they sparred as often as they worked together.
I missed having a family and they’d gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. Especially their sister Emmeline and Alexander’s wife Catherine, an attorney who advised us while the plan was put into motion.
“Are you ready?” Sinclair asked as he led me into a beautiful all-glass building.
“I will be the best little actress you’ve ever seen.” Only I wouldn’t be acting, other than as if I wasn’t upset with the information and the tragedy that had occurred all those years ago. At least I had answers as to why my perfect Hallmark life had been destroyed.
And partially why my mother had felt forced to surrender to a family she’d tried so desperately to leave.
“You’re alright with improvising?”
“Absolutely. Doesn’t this tell you that I am?” I held out my hand, flexing my fingers.
He laughed. “I wouldn’t want to get you into a court of law, baby. I’m not certain I could handle you.”
“Here’s the thing. You couldn’t.”
His brothers waited in the lobby while we went up to the top floor in the elevator. There was no need to be concerned about safety as the visit was expected.
Yet knowing there were a dozen soldiers who’d accompanied us had created a lump in my throat. What if something went wrong?
The call with Zane had felt damn good. He truly believed that he could yank me back to a life I wanted no part of. And to think I’d badmouthed the Prince Mafia family. The Brotherhood was worse. They made threats that became chains for generations.
As soon as Sinclair opened the door to the suite, the girl behind the desk made pleasantries, both laughing at whatever Sinclair had said in return.
I wasn’t paying any attention.
We both remained quiet as we strolled toward the door at the end of the hallway. Sinclair didn’t bother knocking, ushering me inside immediately.
The man behind the desk was obviously surprised to see that Sinclair had brought a guest. He stood and maybe I wasn’t nearly as observant as Sinclair, but I could swear the man’s hand was trembling.
He recognized me.
“Sinclair. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d have someone with you.”
“Well, Josette is very important to this meeting.” He flashed me a grin.
My cue.
I held out my hand and headed toward the desk.
“Mr. Cornwell. I’ve heard so much about you.
” He was still confused, acting as if he didn’t want to take my hand.
But he finally did. “Josette Samuels, Sinclair’s fiancée.
” I held up my left hand, moving my fingers to flash the huge diamond.
When Jacques continued to act disoriented, I waited until I pulled my hand away. “You might know me as Daniella Dunham.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, his skin awfully pasty.
“You know, Jameson Dunham’s daughter, one of your best friends from college. Along with my stepfather, Walter Emmett. Maybe that will jog your memory.”
He suddenly sat down, concentrating his shocked gaze at Sinclair. Then he placed his head into his hands.
“I need to see it, Jacques,” Sinclair told him. I would need to give him credit later. He was completely relaxed and no one would be able to tell just how enraged he’d been upon learning a man considered completely loyal had betrayed him.
“See what?”
“The necklace. The one given to you when you passed all the tests of becoming an Elite member of the Brotherhood.”
Jacques had obviously been prepared for Sinclair’s accusation, yet he still seemed shell-shocked. That’s what happened when you lived a secretive life. Another difference in the Brotherhood and the Prince family. The crime syndicate didn’t hide who and what they were.
Exhaling, Jacques tugged the necklace from under his shirt collar. “I can explain.”
“The three of you went to college together,” I continued.
“You were friends. Buddies. The only problem was that my father wasn’t considered eligible for the Brotherhood.
However, you remained friends. At least at first. What you didn’t expect was that he’d fall in love with one of the…
what do you call them, anointed women? The chosen ones.
Girls promised to the Elite members of the Brotherhood. Right?”
Jacques acted as he if wasn’t going to answer me.
We’d put the pieces together without confirmation, but Jacques had just provided it.
That’s when Sinclair moved in front of me, planting his hands on the man’s desk and leaning over. “Answer my fiancée’s questions, Jacques. It will be in your best interest to do so.”
“You don’t understand.” Jacques was barely whispering.
“Oh, I think we do. In fact, you all turned the other way, allowing their marriage to remain intact until Jameson betrayed you all. Isn’t that right?” Sinclair’s voice was darker than before.
When Jacques didn’t answer, Sinclair slammed his fist on the man’s desk.
“Isn’t it?”
Jacques leaned back as if he truly believed he could run from his fate. Even I knew better.
“Yes.” Jacques’ voice was barely audible.
Sinclair slowly stood to his full height.
“You betrayed my father, who came to you for help. He told you he was ready to expose the Brotherhood and their acts of corruption. He believed you were a friend. But instead, you contacted Walter Emmett, who had my father killed.” Now I was becoming angry since it was obvious Jacques wasn’t going to be cooperative. “Tell me!”
He acted as if he wasn’t going to give me the time of day.
That’s when Sinclair lost it, moving around the desk with two steps, wrapping his hand around the older man’s throat.
I was constantly amazed at the man’s strength.
He jerked Jacques from his chair, the force of his actions pitching the chair, turning it over several feet away.
Then he slammed Jacques against the wall. “You will tell the lady what she needs to know.”
Folding my arms, I watched as Jacques’ resolve slowly began to unravel. There were tears in his eyes. Did he really think that would buy him forgiveness?
“Yes.” Jacques choked both on tears and because of Sinclair’s fingers digging into his neck.
“And you betrayed our family,” Sinclair continued. “It wasn’t enough that you continued to work with the Brotherhood; you made good on your membership by providing details of the cargo shipment. Two million dollars lost.”
Bubbles had formed on Jacques’ lips. I didn’t feel sorry for the man in the least.
Jacques nodded, now grabbing Sinclair’s arm. My handsome lover responded by lifting Jacques a few inches off the floor. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry isn’t enough, Jacques. You’re going to call Santos and tell him that another shipment, a much larger one is arriving and that we’ll be too busy at a meeting to have the place locked down.”
Jacques tried to shake his head. Sinclair slammed his head against the wall, squeezing his fingers.
From what Sinclair and I learned, my mother had had no choice but to return to the fold.
Whether her life had been threatened or mine, she’d done what she believed to be the right thing.
Only she’d lost her way in the months spent with Walter.
I would never forgive her, but I understood more about the power of the Brotherhood.
Seconds later, Jacques had agreed to make a call. He knew he’d been beaten, with no other recourse but to do as Sinclair directed.
Once the call had been completed, Sinclair moved closer to Jacques, whispering something that was only shared between the two of them.
It was none of my business.
I would have my revenge on Zane.
And my stepfather. My mother would be free from her chains.
So would I.
Free to enjoy the rest of my life without running. While my engagement with Sinclair was part of the plan, the ploy to put the fear of God into members of the Brotherhood, I’d never felt so much a part of a family.
Or so protected.
And in truth, in the last few days, I’d come to realize I was falling in love.
With a very bad man.
The irony was delicious.
When we were finished, Sinclair took my hand as he led me away from the man’s office, even bringing my knuckles to his mouth, rolling his lips across my heated skin.
“You did very well,” he growled.
“Do I get a reward?”
“Mmm… I’m certain I can think of something.”
We passed the other three brothers in the hallway, Alexander offering Sinclair what I’d already learned was a nod of respect. High praise coming from the mafia Don.
Before we’d reached the end of the hallway, I heard a muffled sound.
A shot being fired.
A man’s life ending because of his corruption and betrayal.
As we left the office, a smile slowly slipped across my face.
Sinclair had kept his promise to protect me.
One more stop and we’d be free.
At least for a little while.
“You know what I was thinking,” Sinclair said as soon as we’d stepped into the sunshine.
“Knowing you, it could be anything.”
“I think we need to grab Indiana and head to Indulgence.”
“Are you trying to taunt me with competition coffee?”
His grin was far too enticing. “Not exactly. A new menu item Emmeline insisted on.”
“And what’s that?”
“The most indulgent pup cup in the city.”
“Hmmm…” I said as I linked my arm with his. “I guess we’ll see about that. I am curious. Do I get to keep the ring?”
“I guess we’ll see. Only if you’re a good girl.”
“Oh, you know I’m good. I’m very, very good.”