Chapter 1 ~ Alexander #2
I take my phone out of my pocket to check the time. It’s eleven. I open up my app, pull the feed, and click on her monitor. She is still sitting on the damn couch looking at those flowers. It’s been over an hour and she still hasn’t moved.
I zoom in on her hands. She’s still picking her finger. I sigh and curl my finger over my mouth, resting my elbow on the arm of the chair, watching her. Pick, blink, pick, blink.
I puff out a breath and rub my forehead out of irritation. My chest is heavy like there’s pressure on it, or in it... something’s fucking going on because it’s not getting better. Since our talk this morning, it really hasn’t left, and every time I see her sitting there, it gets worse.
“Go to the back and sleep once we are up in the air. I need you focused. You’re exhausted.” My father’s deep voice shakes me away from my phone. I click it off, putting it back in my pocket.
“Yeah, I could use a few hours.” It had been a long night.
I adjust my seat, leaning back and looking out the window.
The ding for the fasten your seat belt sign blinks on.
As the G’s force me back into my seat, the engine roars and the pull on my chest becomes stronger.
I rub the offending spot on my sternum, but the pressure doesn’t go away.
We level off, and the seatbelt sign goes out. Taking off my seat belt and head to the bedroom. I nod at Carlos, who is typing quickly on his phone, his face as red as a beat, as he nods back. I open the door and remove my tie.
I put my suit jacket on the chair and take a seat at the foot of the bed. I remove my shoes. My shirt and pants are the next and I toss them on top of the chair.
I yank back the covers and face plant on the pillow like a starfish
I’ve never been so exhausted in my life, and I’ve spent quite a few nights partying my ass off for days, but nothing compares to this week. One week with her in my life and I feel like I’m ninety instead of thirty-six.
I close my eyes and the image of her sad green eyes, the constant pick, pick of her thumb against her red, swollen finger, comes back to me.
Clenching my teeth I rub my face against my pillow, attempting to dispel the image.
I need to sleep; once we arrive, I’ll worry about her then.
I’ll deal with them all, Anna, Carlos, Danny. I groan.
Fuck, I’m so tired.
A loud knock on the door slowly brings me out of my coma. Carlos opens the door. “Fifteen minutes till we land. Better get dressed.”
I roll over and look at the ceiling. I needed a nap, but now I feel hungover. Like I partied all night, except this wasn’t the fun kind. I rub my face with my hands, flopping them on the bed, letting them bounce.
Groaning, and rolling over on the side of the bed, sitting up.
I rub my face again and then head to the bathroom.
Splashing some water on my face and finger-combing my bedhead.
I don’t look my best, but there is nothing arranged for tonight other than meeting my father, so I can shower at the hotel.
I get dressed and head out to take my seat across from my father. He is packing up his papers; I feel like shit cause he’s been working while I’ve been sleeping. I’m supposed to be on top of my game; not napping because my fiancé decided to run away, and I had to chase her all night.
“Feel better?” My father asks, not looking up from his window.
I mumbled, “Yeah, sorry about that. It was a long night.”
“I’ve had a few of them myself.” One side of his mouth lifts in a smirk as he buckles his seatbelt.
“Once we reach the hotel, I need you to clean up and meet me in my room. We have a lot to discuss.”
“Agreed. I have quite a bit to tell you myself.” I look out the window.
As the plane begins its descent, I look over at Carlos. He’s watching out the window, his face tense with concern.
I’m sure he has more to say about this morning, as well as last night. Life seems to roll into one very long fuckin’ day that never ends.
We land, taxi over to the hanger and a black limo is waiting.
Carlos and James are at the door, helping Janice open the hatch.
I get up and grab my briefcase, step aside, and wait for my father to go ahead of me.
As we descend the stairs, the driver gets out of the car and opens up the back door.
Robert Gallo steps out with a smug smile on his face.
“What the hell?” My father mutters.
“You didn’t know he was coming to pick us up,” I whisper.
“No.”
Robert approaches us, extending his hand. My father does the same, the two shake.
“Welcome to New York. I thought I’d take the liberty of greeting you both.”
Robert shakes my hand, and it’s all I can do to not squeeze it so tight it breaks.
“Liberties indeed.” My father says.
I smile and let go of Robert's hand. I had prepared myself to handle him at the meeting, not after a full night of chasing his daughter and Sebastian uncovering his dirty little secret.
Prick!
Robert turns and puts his hand on my father’s back.
“Come, I will take us to the hotel. Then this evening I arranged a tour of the port. I have a shipment coming in that I would like for you to see.” His driver opens the back door.
Carlos steps up behind me. “What’s he doing here?”
I tilt my head back at him. “I have no idea. He wasn’t supposed to meet us here. The Family meeting is tomorrow. Tonight, we are going to my father’s room to finalize details.”
I look back at my father getting in the car, Robert chatting away like he’s the big man, instead of overstepping his place and putting us all on edge.
But my father is going along with it, so he must have a reason.
“Do me a favor. Go with James in our car. Meet me in the lobby and we will head up together. I want to stay close to this asshole for now. See what he’s up to.”
Carlos pats my back, grabbing the luggage and tossing it in the trunk.
I climb in the car and settle in beside Robert. Putting the fake charm on, I take the drink he offers and begrudgingly clink my glass to his as he offers a toast to the future.
How long his future will last once my father reads that folder I don’t know.
As we weave our way through the city, Robert talks nonstop about his shipment of diamonds coming in.
How this batch is the best find in a century and the millions in profits they will bring in.
I sit back and just listen and watch the exchange between my father and him.
Mostly, I’m watching my father and learning.
He hasn’t said a word, just nods at the appropriate time in the conversation, never giving away his own thoughts or even reacting in any way. I know he’s absorbing every word Roberts spouts, reading his body language as do I, but the calm exterior my father displays is a lesson I need to learn.
We reach the Four Seasons Hotel, and as we pull up, Robert tells my father he has a car for tonight’s tour and that he will meet us in the lobby at seven.
I raise my eyebrow, ballsy!
My father turns to him as the valet takes our luggage out of the trunk.
“This was not an arranged meeting, Robert. We will resume speaking about this tomorrow in the proper venue. You mistake the marriage of our children to license liberties with my time.”
My father turns away from him and walks towards the doors. Robert’s face is red, his fists gripping tight at his sides as he watches my father's retreating back.
In the words of Marcus; “Mike drop!”
I smile and move past him, catching up to my father just inside the doors.
“Once you shower and change, come to my room. I want to see what you and your brother have for me."
James goes to the desk and checks us in, Carlos and James join us with the luggage cart. James hands Carlos two key cards and we all head to the elevator.
Once inside, James hits our floor and then the penthouse for my father. James hands Carlos an extra card for the penthouse and we ride up in silence. We arrive at our floor and we step off.
“An hour Alexander.” My father speaks just as the elevator door closes
Well, so much for taking a few minutes. I nod and the door closes, leaving me in the hallway. Carlos already has our suite door open and I step inside. Grabbing my duffle and garment bag off the floor, I head to the master bedroom. Carlos follows behind me, heading over to the guest bedroom.
We shower and meet in the living room. I pour myself a finger of whisky. Carlos shakes his head when I tip the bottle at him. I shoot it back in one swallow, taking in the New York skyline.
It’s taking all I have to not bring up Isabella’s room on my phone. It’s been three hours; she should be having her dinner delivered soon. I twist the glass in my hand, watching the ice melt as it slides around the edge.
There is so much I still need to learn, so much I could do better, but my temper gets the better of me and I lose focus.
I turn to look at Carlos; he’s texting on his phone. “Ready?”
He nods, stands up and heads to the door. I put my glass on the coffee table, head out past him, and press the elevator. We stand there in silence as we wait. He still won't speak to me and I smile to myself, I guess he’s still looking for the right words.
The door opens, and he presses the card to the scanner. A minute later, we arrive at my father’s penthouse, and he’s already hard at work. James takes us to his office, files and folders spread out on every surface. His sleeves are rolled up and his suit jacket is off, as well as his tie.
My father points at the two chairs in front of his desk not lifting his head to acknowledge our arrival. “Sit. James, bring us fresh coffee and something to chew on.”
James leaves and we take a seat opposite his desk.
“Show me the folder you and Sebastian compiled.” He holds his hand out.
I dig it out and hand it to him; he flips it open and begins to read. Carlos and I exchange a look.
“Explain the disagreement.” He looks at us from under his eyebrows and then goes back to flipping the pages.