Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
R are Auctions
Dean
One month later …
I chide myself for the smile that comes to my lips as I lift the glass of champagne to take a sip. I glance around the room and wonder what Ronan is doing as I remember telling him about this auction. I had shared with him on one of our little dates how I wanted to come to bid on one of the rare books in the collection up for sale tonight.
I smile harder as I remember his promise to bring me and purchase the book for me. I quickly shut my thoughts down and settle into my booth. I can buy my own shit and I’m not going to pine after anyone who doesn’t want me.
Maybe all of this is for the best. Ronan doesn’t belong in my life. I have too much going on and too much I would need to explain away.
“It was nice while it lasted,” I mutter to myself.
I couldn’t reveal surface-level details about myself to Ronan, so our conversations often got a little deep. I miss that. He got to know a side of me I don’t share with many. He might know me better than anyone else.
“The sooner you get over him, the better.”
I open the fancy catalog for this evening’s festivities. Flipping through leisurely, I find one or two other items I might bid on. I’m here as Danika Peoples, there’s nothing I can’t afford to buy.
“See something you like? I’d be happy to bid on it for you. Consider it a gift for our first meeting.”
I look up into a pair of gray eyes and I’m struck with a sense of intensity I’ve only known from men like my uncle. My mind wanders back to Ronan. Why didn’t I allow myself to note that same intensity in his eyes?
It’s there, I just ignored the fact every time I was around him. It’s probably because no one in Dean’s world should give off such vibes. Or I could be tripping because the man has me dickmatized.
Shit, I’m going to need to cleanse my body and mind to get my shit together. I clear my throat and focus. This is business.
When I don’t give a reply, he places a fancy blue envelope on the table and puts his pointer finger down on it. I recognize the envelope as the invitation I sent him. It’s the same envelope all the horsemen use to request a private meeting.
I sent this one to get this man’s attention so I can finally offer him my gift. I’m here for more than an auction tonight. I’m here to do business.
“Hello, LaSalle. It’s nice to put a face to the name,” I say and smile at him.
Then I tilt my head to the side. My smile grows. My uncle and his slick ass.
“Although I believe I have seen your face before and have a very different name for it.”
He smoothly takes a seat at my booth, keeping a decent distance, which I respect off jump. I take in his smooth style, from his black-on-black suit and shirt to his neatly combed dark brown hair.
“I could say the same of you. This is not our first meeting, technically. We have crossed paths. This is just our first meet in this capacity.”
“Yes, I believe you are right. Does that make our gift-giving invalid?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I will still bid on whatever you like. Consider it a gift of good faith. I want our relationship to be a lasting one.”
“In that case, Mr. Locatelli, I believe I have a gift for you that will strengthen our connection and give you confidence in what I bring to the table.”
He lifts a brow, showing me I’ve piqued his interest. While his face remains otherwise expressionless, his eyes show a sharpness as if he’s assessing everything about me as I am him. This guy gives me boss of bosses vibes.
“I had a great respect for your uncle. You have my ear.”
“I’m glad you brought up my uncle. He taught me you should always have options, so no one can force your hand at anything. My gift will provide you with options.
“It has come to my attention you have something you want from the Albanians. However, you also want to keep them in this alliance of yours. I have a solution for that. Bujar and Dalmat aren’t needed to get the outcome you want.
“There is a cousin who should have taken over the family before Bujar and Dalmat snaked him out of his spot. Erjon would love nothing more than to take his family back and I’m sure he would be open to this alliance as well.
“I am aware of Erjon. The problem is, no one has seen him since Bujar and Dalmat started calling the shots. I would have preferred to deal with him,” LaSalle says thoughtfully.
“Unfortunately, our world doesn’t have much originality. Erjon has suffered the same fate as your friend in Ireland. I have known Erjon for some years.
“He and I share a mutual friend. We were instrumental in getting him back in the country after orchestrating his release. My friend has been biding his time, waiting for the brothers to leave him an opening.
“This is an opening. I can take the brothers off the board and solve the problems they’ve been causing me, you get a business partner you prefer, and you get whatever it is you’ve been wanting from those assholes as well.”
LaSalle smiles at me. “I like you already. You’re just like him.”
“Does this mean you would like me to set up a meeting with Erjon for you? With your green light, he can come out of hiding and I can make sure it stays that way.”
“Set it up. Is there anything else I can do for you, or am I just bidding on your gift tonight?”
“I have one more request.”
“Go on.”
“I will not come to this Alliance meeting in Ireland. My identity is to remain hidden for now. You will accept Lyric Hughes as my stand-in.
“If you need anything, you will communicate with me directly, no middlemen. Lyric will only be a face. I am the voice and the hand.
“If you can agree to this, I think we’ll be even in terms of gifts tonight. I can get my own things. It was nice seeing you again though.”
He chuckles to himself as I dismiss him. “I will make sure you have all the information and details for Ireland. You can pass them along to Lyric. We can continue with the system your uncle and I used for our partnership.
“Although there are two other business associates whom your uncle dealt with face to face?—”
“No. You and only you. No one else.”
He sits silently for a moment. I keep a stern expression on my face. I don’t want to reveal myself until this alliance is pulled off. This is my one deal-breaker.
If it’s a no and I have to start a war, so be it. He won’t see me coming and he’ll regret it. That I can promise.
“Right,” he says as if answering his own thoughts. “You have a deal.”
“You have the continued support of the horsemen. See you around, LaSalle.”
“See you around, Danika. I look forward to seeing your work.”
With that, he stands and leaves my booth. Not a moment too soon either. They’re starting the bidding, and I can now give the auction my full attention.
I decide to hold out until the book I want is up. When they finally get to my item, I’m more excited than I thought I would be. That is, until someone else becomes as aggressive as I am in the bidding.
“Five hundred thousand.”
I turn to look to see who just outbid me. Not that I can’t go higher. The book just isn’t worth pushing any higher.
I can’t make out the face of the man who called out the bid. I can only see that it’s two men standing together, one a lot taller than the other. I pout and turn back around in my seat.
I really wanted that book. It would have completed my collection. I already acquired the other four volumes, but I never bid emotionally.
“Going twice, sold to the gentlemen in the back.”
Cursing and muttering under my breath, I stand and grab my things to leave. Damn, I guess I’m down real bad. Some dude just bought his boyfriend my book and I can’t even get a call back.
I’m going home to take a bath and stew in my feelings. What a waste of an outfit. This dress put a smile on my face before I left the house, now I’m mad I dressed up.
Heck, LaSalle didn’t look down at my tits once. I might be losing my touch. Maybe I should consider dating Byron so my mom can get her wish.
The way I cackle at myself as I sashay my ass out of the auction hall pulls the attention of others who look at me like I’m crazy. I just might be. Ignoring them all, I keep it moving to take my ass home.
“Ach, I expected a lot of things when I saw ya again. Laughing at me wasn’t one of them.”
I nearly stumble over my own feet as that voice washes over me while ringing in my ear. Much too close for my liking. How didn’t I feel him walk up on me?
* * *
Ronan
I’ve been watching her since I arrived. She looks gorgeous. I wanted to sit with her, but the auction had already started before I arrived. I had something to handle and then I received a call from LaSalle telling me that Brax has the green light to do whatever he needs to Ernest Kline.
His words were … consider Bujar and Dalmat handled . Give your nephew the go-ahead. It wasn’t the time to ask him what made this so, so I grunted and hung up.
I still plan to get my hands on Bujar myself. He wasn’t in California when I arrived. I had decided to keep my word after all and step in for Felix at Black and Lock.
It was good to spend time with my sister and her boys, no matter how brief. My own business called me away sooner than I had planned. I haven’t had a moment to myself.
Dean stopped calling and I thought it best to straighten all my shit out before I came to deal with us in person. I came to this auction to get her that book she wanted. I watched her bid for it—almost outbidding me a few times.
I asked for someone from the auction house to speak for me, but the melter almost made me strangle him. I didn’t care that I was bidding over the value when I told him to go for the half-million bid. I promised her I would buy her that book and I’m a man of my word.
“What are you doing here?” She spins on those killer heels and glares at me when the shock wears off.
I place my hands on her waist and tug her into me. “Is that any kind of way to greet yer man?”
“ Ronan ,” she drags out.
“I was on a plane to Ireland when ya called. Ma wanted me there for Felix when he proposed to Kaye.”
“He proposed?” Her eyes are wide as she looks back at me.
“Aye, ya didn’t hear?”
“No, I’ve sort of had a lot going on in my life in the last few months.”
“Ya want to tell me about it over a bottle of wine?”
“No,” she grumbles and tries to step out of my hold.
“Danny, I can explain. Let me go pay for ya book, and we can have a chat. Ya did run out on me first for the second time, mind ya.”
“I didn’t run out on you … wait a minute. You were the one who outbid me?”
“Aye, I promised ya I would get the book for ya. I always keep my promises.”
A cute little smile touches the corners of her full lips. I can’t help taking her lips in a searing kiss. She moans into my mouth and clenches her fingers in the lapels of my suit jacket.
She melts into me. I find myself relaxed for the first time in months. When she runs her fingers through my hair, I force myself to pull back and break the kiss.
I place my forehead to hers. “We need to get out of here before I take ya right in front of all these people. I’ve missed ya, love. Ya keep running from me, I need to put an end to that.”
“I didn’t run from you. I’m never running from you. My mom?—”
I place my finger over her lips. “Stay right here. I’m going to settle the bill and get ya book. Then we can do all the talking we need.”
“Fine, because I really want to know how you always seem to know how to find me, and how you figured out my name in the first place.”
I peck her lips once more and then turn to collect her book. The sooner we get to my place, the better. She won’t be running off this time.