Chapter Nine
Callie
Driving back toward the garage where I have worked for the past couple of years, I can’t help but smile. Rock music blasts through the speakers inside my car as I allow the engine to carry me the few miles back to where I started this crazy journey just over a week ago.
I take stock of how my life has changed in such a short time, and a feeling of freedom settles over me.
Pulling into the parking lot, I stare at the building before shutting off the engine and climbing out. Gravel crunches beneath my shoes as I make my way across the lot. The little bell tinkles as I push open the door and walk into the front area.
“There you are!” Mitch, my boss—ex boss?—says as he rounds the counter with a glare. “What the fuck have you gotten us into?”
“Excuse me?” I ask, raising a brow.
“I’ve had the goddamned mafia in here the past few days asking questions. This is my business, not some criminal enterprise,” he says loudly, gesturing with his hands.
“Correction,” a voice says from behind me. “It was your business.”
I watch Stefano as he takes in the front area with a sneer. For the first time, I take a moment to really look. Mitch smokes in here so there is a cloud of grey hanging in the air, the chairs are worn, and the paperwork is piled high on the reception desk. Sasha may work in the office, but she isn’t good at her job. It’s after ten and she isn’t even here yet.
“Who the fuck are you?” Mitch asks angrily.
“This is Stefano Cammareri,” I say in introduction.
I watch as Mitch pales, his eyes going large before he takes a step away from us.
“What do you want?” he asks, all the bravado having left him.
Stefano hands a manila envelope to Mitch and I watch as he carefully opens it and reads the paperwork. With each passing moment, his face becomes redder.
“You can’t do this!” he shouts, glaring at us.
“Your debt was too large for you to ever pay off,” Stefano says with a shrug. “It was a stupid thing to put your business up for collateral with a loan shark.”
“I’ll talk to Tony…”
“Tony has already accepted our offer. Be grateful you aren’t being kicked out with nothing.”
Mitch splutters, looking for a solution that isn’t there.
“How am I supposed to survive?” he asks after a moment.
“You are debt free and fifty thousand dollars has been transferred to your account. I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Stefano says. “You can leave now.”
I know Mitch has something to say by the look on his face but for the first time since meeting him, it seems he thinks things through beforehand.
“I have some things—
Stefano cuts him off again. “You have the rest of the day to vacate the premises. The locksmith will be here at the end of the business day to change all the locks.”
With those words, he grips my elbow and steers me in the opposite direction. Leading me through a door that reads, EMPLOYEES ONLY, we enter the work area of the garage. The moment we walk in, the four men inside stop working to stare at us.
“Do you want to keep any of them?” he asks lowly. I nod in reply.
Stefano takes in the men before him. “Do you know who I am?” All four nod their heads. “This business is owned by my family now. Callie is the new manager and would like to keep you all onboard. If you have a problem with any of this, leave now.”
Silence reigns for a long moment before Andrew speaks, “Does that mean we’ll finally be getting a raise?”
I can’t hold back my laughter. The entire past five minutes have been tense, and to hear him just being his normal self helps me relax.
“We will be making some changes,” I say, not committing to what he wants but not saying it won’t happen either.
“Then I’ll stay,” Andrew says with a smile. The other three men smile and nod.
“Take the rest of the day off,” Stefano says. “Tomorrow, we need to get this place in shape before we take in any new customers.”
All four men drop their tools before leaving out the back, not having to be told twice. I stare at the car in front of me trying to think of everything that needs to be done.
“There’s an apartment upstairs,” Stefano says casually. “I know you were living with the asshole before so if you want it, it’s available.”
I can’t hold back my joy any longer. Turning, I grab him tightly and hug his bulky figure for all I am worth before placing a kiss on his cheek. It’s only once I pull away that I see we are not alone. Mancuso glares at us from the doorway leading back to the reception area, his features angry. He stomps away before either of us can say anything.