Chapter Fifteen
Amelie
Smalls has disappeared, still pissed at me. Kalen and Chelsea are shopping. All I want to do is relax before they get back and Easter explodes throughout the house. Maybe even get a few phone calls in while Kalen is gone. But Dad and Aadi screaming at each other has me running downstairs.
“What the fuck is going on?” I yell, trying to push them apart.
“Nothing sweetheart,” my father says, taking a step back and trying to compose himself.
“Jesus Dad, you need to give it up. We don’t live here anymore and it’s time Amelie knows the truth. All these damn lies are tearing us apart.”
I turn to Aadi. What the hell is he talking about?!
“That’s because you went to work for your good for nothing grandmother,” Dad snaps. He’s always hated his mother for as long as I can remember. He rarely speaks about her and I didn’t know she even lived close enough for Aadi to work for her.
“So we can’t work for her but Amelie can be in The Order? That’s so fucking typical.”
“You know I had no choice, my hands were tied.” Dad is being sincere. I can see it in his eyes.
“There is always a choice! I said no and the reason I went to Grandmother was to protect Amelie. Both Smalls and I did. At least we tried to do something! You just let her go back to that woman who abused her for so many years.”
I gasp and shoot Aadi a look. He promised me he would never tell Dad! Dad was always working and I never wanted him to feel guilty.
My father looks at me and opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off. I don’t want him to apologise, not when payback is coming really soon.
“Let’s back up a second,” I say, holding up a finger to Dad and turning to Aadi. “You don’t live here anymore? Smalls either?”
He shakes his head.
“No. Dad made us come home when he knew you were coming, so that we could play happy families with you and your energiser bunny boyfriend.”
“So where do you live?” I ask.
“Down by The Lakes.”
“The fancy part of town? How the hell can you afford that?!”
“By being a gang banger, that’s how,” my father adds bitterly.
“Dad always forgot to mention his family is loaded.”
“From selling drugs and weapons and god knows what else,” Dad snaps.
“So no different from what you did in The Order, right? I’m not an idiot Dad, Grandma knows a lot about them, and drugs and weapons are just the tip of the iceberg”
“I’m out, and have been for a long time.”
That catches my attention.
“That's a lie. There is no way out. Once you’re in it’s for life.” Guilt washes over my father’s face.
“It’s more complicated than that. Take a seat and I will explain. Aadi, I think we’re done for today. I would appreciate it if you stayed here until your sister leaves but you’re grown, so do what you want.”
I take a seat and Aadi storms from the room.
“So I need you to explain this to me.”
“I can’t go into too many details until you are sworn in officially.
But you already know The Order works mainly on favours.
” I nod. “When Laura and I fell in love and she was pregnant with Aadi, I wanted out. I made a deal with the entire board. One I knew I would have to cash in eventually, but I figured it would be a vote in favour of them or to try to convince my mother to play nice. When Monty called I knew they had found out about you. I kept mine and Debbie’s relationship a secret because I cheated on Laura and I wasn’t proud of that, but Debbie and I always wanted to be together.
The Order didn’t want that at all because it would have tipped the balance of power if we had a child.
Anyway, when he called he said his father had figured it out and you would be in danger.
They planned on calling in that favour for you. ”
“I don’t understand.”
“Monty and I had a plan. You were supposed to fail the initiation and then he would have found a way to send you home. If Harold got his way and Kalen took over – so that a Knox ruled – you would have been safe. Aadi was supposed to take the Rossi seat on the board when the time came, but he is stubborn and refuses to be part of this.”
“Why did you never tell me about Debbie?”
“Laura made me swear not to at the start, and the older you got the harder it became. I wish things were different but they’re not.”
“Harold isn’t a good person. I knew if he found out about you, he would want you dead. My best bet was to make a deal with Monty to keep you safe and he assured me that you would be, so long as his father got his own way.”
“And did you or Monty read the fine print? It states that, since Kalen doesn’t have blood from both parents within the...whatever it’s called...founder families, the only way he can be the sole ruler of the kingdom is to marry me, knock me up, and take my position because he’s a man.”
“I didn’t know. I can’t speak for Monty. I’m so sorry. I planned to tell you everything as soon as I could. If I went against them, they would have sent in an execution team to take me – and anyone standing in their way – out.”
“What about my grandma?”
“Long story... but when I was a boy, I was sent to what you know now as Knox Academy. Her parents were trying to make a deal. Her twin brother had died and they needed a Rossi. Since she was a female and couldn’t take part in The Order, I was sent when it was my turn.
Basically, she was pissed. It’s information she shouldn’t have known, but in her brother’s journal he told her everything.
She built her own empire here and refuses to work with The Order.
There’s a lot more to it but that’s the gist of it. ”
“I want to meet her.”
“That isn’t a good idea,” he says, shaking his head.
“I’ll take her,” Smalls says, making his presence known.
“Jason…” My father warns.
“I promise, she is safe with me. I will even take her bodyguards.”
My head snaps between my father and Smalls.
“Bodyguards?”
“You really didn’t think those assholes would send you halfway across the globe after an attack on you, and not have you watched?”
My father looks as surprised as I am.
“Your little psycho friend made an impression on your grandmother, so she allowed some of The Order’s men to keep watch over you. Ordinarily, they would have been taken out as soon as they hit Australian soil.”
“Baxter?” I question and Smalls nods.
What the actual fuck is going on?! My head is swimming with information that I’m not yet processing. All I’ve taken from this is my grandmother is a badass gangster and didn’t let a male dominated industry keep her from building an empire. This is a woman I need to meet.
“Amelie...” my father says.
“Yeah?”
“Do not talk about The Order. Your boyfriends can’t save you if you do.”
I nod in understanding. I follow Smalls out to his car and giggle. I may or may not have raided Chelsea’s craft cupboard last night in a bout of anger. Childish? Yes. Funny as fuck? Hell yes.
I jump in the passenger seat as soon as he opens the door, angling the air vents upwards and away from me.
He doesn’t turn on the air straight away, he rolls the windows down to let out the hot air.
We make it down the street and to a set of traffic lights before he leans over and turns the dial.
I snort, trying to hold in my laugh, but it all happens so quickly.
His face turns and is hit with a huge cloud of glitter.
I clutch my stomach as tears roll down my face.
“What the fuck?!” he roars.
I compose myself as the asshole behind us honks his horn. Smalls ignores him and tries to dust the glitter off, making it worse as it sticks to the sweat on his face and hands.
“What the fuck, Amelie?!”
“So you are talking to me? I wasn’t sure. I figured after your jealous bullshit and treating me like A-grade shit, that you must have been talking to someone else.”
He proceeds to drive, giving up on trying to remove the glitter.
He will be finding that in places men don’t want glitter for weeks.
I pull out my phone and snap a picture, uploading it straight to social media and tagging him in it with the caption ‘There is a time and place for glitter...always and everywhere’. That serves him right.
“I’m sorry, okay? I was a jealous asshole. You’ve always been mine in a way, and I liked that. I felt like what we had was slipping away and they were taking you away from me.”
“You’re right, you are an asshole. But we will always be us, just with a clearer line we won’t cross.
And no one will ever take me away from you.
You are, and have always been, my best friend.
I need you in my life. I couldn’t live in a world where we were not friends, it would kill me. You’re my rock.”
“And how do your boyfriends feel about that?”
I shrug.
“Kalen is Kalen and thinks he’s god’s gift, so he is fine. Sawyer knows how much I care about you. Slate, I don’t think has an opinion, and Onyx probably wants to murder you in your sleep.”
“He can try…” Smalls mutters darkly. “Was glitter really necessary?”
I look over at him and laugh again.
“Yep.”
“I hate you,” he moans.
“No, you don’t,” I say as we pull into a huge ass mansion right on the lake. Hence why this area is called The Lakes.
“Shit, you guys live here?” He nods.
“So does your grandmother. And her housekeeper and housekeeper’s daughter. Just wait until you see the daughter and Aadi together, she drives him crazy and it is bloody hilarious.”
“I bet.”
Once the security opens the gate, I gawk out the window. The lawns are mowed to perfection, the shrubs lining the fence are pruned to perfection, and she has a fucking massive ass fountain.
“Pretentious, much?” I snort when we pull up into a parking space and climb out of the car.
“Let’s just say your grandmother has money, and she likes the finer things in life.”
The door flies open and a curvy little Italian woman stands at the top of the stairs. I freeze. She almost looks identical to me, curly hair and all.
“Mia nipote!” she cries and rushes down the stairs with her arms open wide. Wrapping them tight around me, she speaks Italian in between obsessively kissing my face over and over.
“Come, let’s feed you. You are way too skinny!
” She then looks up at Smalls, who dwarfs both of us, and husky laughter falls from her lips.
She hooks her arm in mine and walks us towards the house, Smalls trailing behind us.
Inside we are greeted by a housekeeper who looks less than pleased that Smalls is covered in glitter; her nose scrunches, but she doesn’t voice her opinion.
“Saide, this is my granddaughter Amelie. Could you set up brunch?” The housekeeper nods and informs my grandmother she has a call. Smalls is instructed to take me to the sitting room where we will be eating.
“Ho lee shit boi, what happened to you?” a girl around my age says, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. She’s wearing cargo pants that hang low on her hips, a crop top that shows off her impressive abs, and a hat covering her long chestnut coloured hair. “Looks like a unicorn shit all over you.”
“Ha-ha, don’t you have some cleaning to do or something?” Small’s teases.
“Come upstairs with me and I will clean you, big boi,” she flirts back. She seems to be teasing him too.
“Nope, I don’t need another reason for Aadi to kill me.”
“That wanker doesn’t scare me,” she scoffs.
“That wanker is my brother,” I say. The girl stares at me for a moment and then the recognition slowly dawns on her face. Clearly, she’s only now just recognising me, or noticing me.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m Bexley but you can call me Bex.”
“Amelie,” I say, taking her outstretched hand.
“Sorry about the wanker thing. I don’t have a filter and words just come out, and before I know it, my foot’s in my mouth.”
“Don’t sweat it, he is generally an ass but I have to love him.”
She throws her arm around me and leads us further into the house. I try to take in everything around me but Bex moves us quickly and I only manage to get a glimpse of some impressive artwork on the walls.
“I see you have met Bex,” my grandmother says.
“This grandchild seems way better than the other one. I vote you switch them out and send the other one packing.”
“Get out of here girl, your mother could use some help.”
“See ya round, get my number off the big guy.” She winks at me as she strides out of the room. I look at Smalls and he gives me an ‘I will tell you later’ look.
“Boy, go and do some work while I talk to my granddaughter.”
“Yes, ma'am.” Smalls leaves the room, glitter falling on the floor as he goes. I chuckle.
“You’re so grown up. I haven’t seen you since you were so small. Before we get to know each other, I just want to say be careful of those men, they can all be snakes. My brother…well that's another story, but please be careful.”
“I am, and I have some pretty awesome people watching my back.”
She changes the subject and the food is brought in.
We talk about my new life in England and she tells me all about her travels.
She is very tight lipped about what she does here in Australia, even though she knows I have some idea.
I’m grateful she doesn’t push for any information about The Order, and I respect that by not digging about what she does.
Two hours pass before Smalls waltzes back in, freshly showered and mostly sans glitter, though there are still random spots I can see shimmering and twinkling under the lights.
“Aadi called, we have to head back and play happy families now.”
“We are a happy family, Smalls.”
He smiles but doesn’t reply.
After we say our goodbyes, my grandmother makes me promise to come and visit her again before I leave and to bring Kalen with me.
I’m not so sure about that. Kalen in this big expensive house would be bad enough, but Kalen with taboo topics we’re not meant to speak about? Downright dangerous if you ask me.
Smalls and I ride back to our house in comfortable silence.
I’m grateful we made up; I hate when we fight.
We will get past this stage, especially if I help him find a girl.
Come to think of it, Katie was giving him some serious love eyes at the funeral.
This might be something I need Kalen’s help with.
I’m terrible at the whole romance thing but he, while over the top, seems to understand it.
I smile to myself as we drive, plans slowly beginning to take shape in my mind.