Chapter 10 #3
He shakes his head. ‘Only that which is not your business, chéri,' he says pointedly, and I wonder if I've annoyed him.
'I don't know what to do,' I say.
'There is nothing you can do, ma petite fleur.'
'I can't just sit here while their lives go up in smoke,' I say. ‘No more than they would for me.'
Sauvage sighs, steepling his hands.
'And what would you have me do, chéri? Bankrupt myself to pay your boyfriend's debts?
Finance a pharmaceutical drug? This is not Sauvage's business.
My enterprises are not these. Should I go to court and demand justice for Jack Novelle?
' His laugh makes me wince. 'I am not the United Nations,' he snorts.
'I do not give charitable donations except if it will help with my taxes. You ask too much of me, Marguerite.'
My fists ball at my sides and tears flood my eyes.
I hadn't thought this through, I realize. Why am I asking a gangster for help? Of course he isn’t going to.
But then Sauvage's face softens, and he stands up, comes to me and puts his hand on my shoulder.
'Regardless of my stance on this, I would help you if I could, chéri. But in reality, even some things are past the capabilities of Pierre Sauvage. Your stooges—' He winces—'paramours will have to, as they say, grow the fuck up and fix their own lives.'
'But this isn't any of their faults,' I say.
'Such is life. Ce qui doit arriver arrivera. Who lives, will see.’
I shake my head and turn away, leaving his office before he can say another word, and before I can say anything to my powerful friend that he might make me regret later.
I go down to the lab, mostly because I don't know what else to do.
I stay there making another batch of Envy until late, even though I have a surplus in the safe.
Maybe I could sell it all, I muse, but I'm not sure what Sauvage would say about that, considering I'm making it for him and for my guys.
How much would I have to sell to help Mav, Shade, and Blake anyway?
Too much. It's pocket change compared to their problems. Why does everything have to be so unfair?
I was beginning to see a path forward, but now the men I love… Their lives are turning to shit, and there's nothing I can do.
My fist slams down on the lab table.
'I hate this,' I say out loud with a hiss.
Sauvage says there's nothing I can do. But, I can't accept that. There has to be something.
I go back upstairs and find the guys playing pool and videogames in the suite. I play with Shade for a little while, thinking back to when he showed me how then we were kids.
When we’re done, I go into the bedroom and they follow me. We all fall into the bed together, staying as close as possible to each other and hoping that tomorrow will bring some better news.
I mean, it can’t get much worse…
Shade
The next day, I wake up early and get out of bed, careful not to wake Daisy as I get up.
I watch her for a minute, still angry with myself for how I’ve been acting.
I know how she internalizes. I should have seen the signs that something wasn’t right with her, but I was too busy being a selfish asshole.
The least I can do to make it up to her is to try to use my name to get some information about the lawyers that Stevens told me about, the ones based in New York who were corresponding with my father.
I’ve called them a few times and, so far, they haven't picked up. I’m beginning to wonder if they closed up shop. Maybe they don’t exist anymore.
I leave the room, giving Blake a nod when I see he’s sitting on his laptop at the table by the window. I check the time, past nine, and take out my phone, calling the number I found on their website again.
This time, I get lucky. A woman answers the phone on the third ring.
‘Fussell & Meyer. This is Andrea speaking. How may I direct your call?’
'Good morning,' I drawl, sounding bored on purpose because I’ve found people are more likely to assume I’m entitled to something. 'My name is Jack Novelle. I’m after information regarding some correspondence between you and my lawyer, Marchmont & Co., based in Richmond, Connecticut.'
'Of course, sir. Let me just take a look for you,' the receptionist murmurs over the phone.
I'm put on hold for what seems like an eternity. When she returns, her tone is colder.
'What did you say your name was?' she asks, sounding preoccupied.
'Jack Novelle.'
'I'm sorry, Mr. Novelle, but we aren't allowed to give you any information regarding our other clients.'
'I don't understand,’ I say after a beat. ‘You’ve been sending letters to my father and the Novelle family lawyers for years. I should be able to find out what it’s regarding.'
'I'm afraid I can't disclose private information, Mr. Novelle. Especially not over the—'
I hear someone else in the background and I’m unceremoniously put on hold again. A male voice comes on the phone a moment later.
'Mr. Novelle. This is Charles Meyer. It’s true that my firm has been corresponding with your father and Marchmont & Co., but that's all the information I'm prepared to give you. You understand.'
'No, I don’t understand. John Novelle was my father,' I begin, but Meyer interrupts.
'I understand who you are, Mr. Novelle, and my condolences on the recent death of your father. But this isn't a matter that I can discuss with you. Your brother, Andrew, is the sole beneficiary of your father's estate. You have a good day, sir.'
The line goes dead.
'Fuck,' I mutter.
I grit my teeth and glance at Blake who’s watching me now, not even pretending he wasn’t listening. 'We're gonna have to go up there.'
He smirks. ‘Guess the Novelle name doesn’t open every door, huh?’
Yesterday, a comment like that from him would have pissed me off, but after the revelations of last night, I know why he’s acting like this. He’s trying to protect us. Even me.
'Is there anything I can do?' I ask.
He looks surprised, probably expecting an outburst from me, but then shakes his head on a long sigh. 'They want to meet with me. I have to go.'
‘No other way,’ I agree. ‘Just be careful. I'm pretty sure that you don't want to fuck around with the cartels.'
He nods, looking unsettled. 'Yeah.'
I sit down on the couch nearby, changing the subject. ‘The lawyer in New York won’t tell me anything.’
‘So I heard.’
I sit back, drawing a hand roughly through my light hair. 'This is bullshit. It's got to be about Daisy. What else could it be?’
My phone beeps and I look down.
'Fuck,' I mutter.
'Who is it?' he asks.
'My brother.'
‘What the fuck does he want?’
I open the message, not sure what to expect. Since the will was read, Andy hasn’t given me the time of day and he doesn’t message me.
I know she's with you. Bring her to the house, would you? I need to talk to her.
I show Blake the message and he raises a brow.
'Why does your fucknut of a brother want to speak to Daisy? Maybe your dad left her something?'
I shake my head, doubtful. 'There was nothing in the will. It was pretty succinct, to be honest. Andy gets everything, Jack nothing.’
‘It's weird that he didn't leave you even a part of the company,’ Blake comments, looking back at his screen.
I shrug. 'It's not like he and I ever really saw eye to eye in terms of business. He didn’t think I was willing to get a little blood on me. His words. Andy was always the apple of his eye.’
Blake stands up, stretching high.
‘But there's more going on here, don’t you think?’ he asks. ‘The way that Andy pulled the plug on Mav's research. C’mon, it's barely been, what, two weeks since he officially took over. That was fast work.'
I stand up, pacing a little. ‘Do you think Daisy is safe with my brother?’
Blake snorts. ‘I wouldn’t leave a cricket alone with any Novelle but you, but what can he really do? Your dad and Joseph were the ones who wanted her to marry Joe. All three of them are dead. I guess the question is, does he give enough of a shit about Daisy to make things difficult for her?’
I turn back to him. ‘I have no idea.’
‘Maybe we should ask Daisy what she wants?’ he says, looking past me.
I turn around and see her standing by the bedroom door. She’s dressed and carrying her school bag.
‘I think I should go to campus,’ she announces. ‘I can’t stay in this tower forever.’
‘Andy wants to see you,’ I tell her, and she frowns.
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know, but it’s up to you if you want to go. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I’ll take you to campus if you want.’
She nods, grabbing her blue coat that’s hanging by the door. I do the same. She doesn’t speak to Blake at all. She doesn't even look at him, and I watch his face as he clocks it. She’s ignoring him and he doesn’t like it at all.
'I need to head back to the club later,’ I say, my eyes following her as she steps inside the elevator.
'I'll meet you there,' Blake says, eyes not leaving Daisy. 'Bring our girl. She'll probably want to see the work they've been doing. When's it supposed to open again?’
‘Two weeks from now,' I answer.
He nods. 'Good. At least we'll be able to sell Envy again ourselves. Make some fucking money.'
'We're gonna need it,' I say quietly. 'Now that we’re all up Shit Creek without a paddle.'
Blake makes a non-committal grunt and goes back to what he's doing on his laptop after a final glance at Daisy, who doesn’t return the look.
Daisy and I go down to the parking lot under the hotel and take my Jag. It doesn’t take long to get to Richmond U and, as usual, I park in the Novelle Center.
I consider the building as we get out of the car, with its cutting-edge architecture, glass, and curved lines.
I sort of saw it like a home away from home since my father had it built and I spent so much time there over the past three years or so, but it’s different to me now.
Alien. It’s not mine. It never was, and any sense of security I felt there is long gone. How quickly things have changed.