Chapter 14 ~ Alexander
I was such an asshole yesterday. I just wanted to show her the library and give her some place else to work besides her fucking room because she is always in it. And then she had to ask about her damn job. I can’t let her go back to work yet, and I didn’t know how to explain it to her.
What was I going to say to her? Your dad’s a conniving asshole and I have to watch you because I don’t know if I can trust you? Come to think of it, that might have been better than what I did. My damn temper always gets the better of me.
I brought her coffee this morning trying to be nice.
She was asleep on the couch again, and I didn’t have the heart to wake her, so I sat on the coffee table just to watch her.
Her face was all scrunched up; her hand was under her chin, making her lips pucker; one pinkie finger was in the corner of her mouth; and her hair was a mess around her head.
She looked adorable, but then she woke up and was not exactly happy to see me.
I apologized rather well, I thought, and that’s something I would never have done a month ago, to anyone for any reason.
She took my peace offering, drank it, and let me hold her till she realized she was succumbing to my kiss and flipped herself out of my arms and over the couch, retreating to the bathroom.
Now I’m sitting in my office eating lunch alone, waiting for Carlos.
I take another bite of my sandwich and plop it back on the plate.
I just want to get this meeting started and formulate a fucking plan.
This sitting on our asses while Robert makes move after move against us is getting under my skin.
There’s a tap on my door, and Carlos pokes his head in. “Boss.” He comes in and takes the seat across from me.
“How was your weekend?” He waggles his eyebrows.
“Not as exciting as you would think.” I move my plate to the side of my desk.
“What did you do?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Why do you assume it’s my fault?”
Carlos raises his eyebrow. “Because it usually is.”
I sit back in my chair and lock my fingers together over my stomach.
“We had a great night. She was sweet, and I was ‘nice.’ We made it through a meal without killing each other. I had the bright idea of showing her the library. I thought she could use it as an office. Get her out of her room for once.”
“And?”
“She asked if she could return to work.”
“Shit.” He breathes out heavily and sits back in the chair, rubbing his forehead.
“Yeah, and that’s what it was after. It all went to shit. I yelled. She argued back for once, and that just drove me over the edge. It was a shit show that ended up with her locked in her bathroom, telling me to fuck off.”
Carlos bursts out laughing, “She actually said ‘fuck off?”
I lean forward, “Yes, she did, and it’s not funny. This shit between us runs so fucken hot and cold I never know if I’m coming or going.”
He just laughs, and the door opens. My father and brothers' step into the room. I get up and greet them, hugging each one. Christopher points at Carlos and pushes me away.
“What so funny, you two, and who’s coming?” He waggles his eyebrows at me, and I shove him toward the table.
“No one. You’re spending too much time in Silk, Brother.” I point in his face.
My father pulls out a chair. “Let’s get this started, shall we?”
I pass out the drinks and we all take our seats around the large table in the corner.
Carlos tosses the envelope at me, and I open it. A sealed letter and key falls out sliding on the table. My father picks it up and looks it over before setting it down.
“Read it,” He mumbles.
I slip my finger under the seal and pull out the letter.
To the reader of this letter
The key holds all the answers. None of which I can provide for you in this letter, and for that I will apologize. It is too risky if it falls into my son’s hands. I have a family I need to protect. So, if this letter is in your hands, it means you’ve been searching for the truth.
Go to the bank in Redding, California. Ask for Sally Baker at the Union Bank. She has instructions and will be waiting for you.
Angelo Gallo
You could hear a pin drop in this room. No one says anything; we’re just sitting there staring at each other.
Great! Just another fucking piece in this messed-up puzzle that we have to try to figure out.
I look at my father, his face pale, his lips pinched tight, and he has an expression I have never seen.
It almost looks like. Anguish.
My father gets up from the table, walks over to the bar cart, and pours himself a drink. He downs it in one swallow, then pours himself another, and goes to stand behind my desk, looking into the gray ashes of the fireplace.
Carlos blows out a breath and Christopher leans on the table with his elbows. He reaches for the key.
“Well, this is a cluster fuck. Who’s going to California to get the safe deposit box?”
He twists the key in the air and says, “That’s what this is, isn’t it?”
I look away from my father at Carlos, and we exchange a look.
“I will. Carlos will come with me; Danny can stay here and watch Isabella; Sebastian? Are you still on the money trail?”
He clears his throat, “Yeah. The eight accounts belong to one holder. They must be. Every quarter, the papers are signed, and Robert gets his deposit. He bounced the coin around and they all eventually land in that account in the Cayman Islands.”
My father’s voice cuts through the air.
“And the account holder? Did you run a check on Robert’s business and personal accounts to see if he’s receiving any of the paperwork to sign?”
“I did. He’s not. It’s an outside source, but I’m close. The new signatures should be in any day now. And I have them tagged as soon as they get put into the system. I can narrow it down to the city, so that will help.”
“Good.” He looks at us and puts his drink down. Then, with his hands in his pockets, he walks around the desk and sits on the edge to look directly at each of us.
His voice is low. “Everyone in this room needs to be here when that safe deposit box gets here. I have my suspicions, but I need what’s in that box to know for sure.”
He nods at Chris. “Christopher, I know you’re watching the club for Alexander right now, but I need you to get some of your men on Robert.
I need you close and tight, watching every move he makes.
Alexander, you make sure Danny watches Isabella like a hawk.
She can’t make a move without us knowing. ”
My eyebrows lift and that raises my suspicions about why he wants Isabella to be watched so closely. I’m doing that already and have her practically locked up in her bedroom. She refused to take her phone, so if she tried to run, how far can she get with no money and no phone to call anyone?
My tone is tense. “Danny will be here. I’m assuming you have good reason to want her monitored. I have cameras installed over every inch of this house and she hardly leaves her room. Is there something you wish to share with us?”
He pinches his lip with his thumb and forefinger. “Not yet.”
What the fuck? I take a sip of my drink to stop the words from flying out of my mouth.
My father shakes his head and looks at the floor. “I need what’s in that box before I can give any of you answers.”
Christopher nods. “Charles is one of my best. He can blend in, and no one will even know he was there. He is a chameleon. One minute a Kick-Ass leather biker, the next in a business suit. I’ll call him today to see what he’s up to. I’ll get him here before we take the California trip.”
Carlos spreads his hand out. “Okay, we got the money organized, we got the security in place, so when do we actually take this trip to California?”
Sebastian pipes up, “I’d say by Wednesday or Thursday, the paperwork is due any day now. So, if it happens to come in addressed to a California account, at least you guys will be there to check it out. If not, dad and I are here if we need to send people to other locations.”
My father stands up and walks towards us. “So, I guess this meeting is adjourned. We will gather once we have all the information. Sebastian, keep an eye on that money. Christopher, get a hold of me as soon as you know when your asset is coming.”
He points in our faces; “You boys get on a plane by Thursday at the latest. I want this in our hands by Sunday or Monday, not a day longer.”
At that, he turns, and walks out of the room.
Christopher starts to laugh. “Well, I guess that’s done.
” He watches our father leave. Then slaps his hands on the table.
“Anyone else up for a drink outside? The sun is shining, so let’s go sit by the pool and bullshit for a little bit.
I know I don’t know about you guy’s, but I’m stressed the fuck out. Dad is intense, man.”
We all let out a tension-filled laugh and get up, taking our drinks with us as we make our way out through the back door. Christopher slams himself into a lounge chair; Sebastian sits at the end. I sit on one, while Carlos takes the other.
Sebastian is holding his drink, his brow furrowed in concern. Carlos is sitting back in his chair, cleaning his nails with his knife, and Christopher is lying back tanning.
Sebastian breaks the silence. “I don’t know about you guys, but I have a terrible feeling about this.”
Christopher slaps Sebastian on the back. “None of this is what we had expected, brother, so get used to it. Shit can turn south on a dime. Get ready, computer nerd. This is what it’s like when you’re under fire.”
Sebastian shakes off his hand with a roll of his shoulder and says, “Whatever G.I. Joe, I’m serious.”
“So am I.” Christopher leans back, lifting his face to the sun.
Carlos says nothing, but I look back over at him. He knows what I’m thinking. I don’t want Isabella to be involved in this. But the way my father spoke about her, it sounded like she might be deep into it, especially if he asked us to have Danny watch her. My chest hurts and I rub it.