Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Angelo
Before I can decide if I should go back to the study and kill Remi or kiss Remi, I run into Maks.
“Boss, I got an alert from our IT guy. Forwarding you the link now.”
I click on it, nearly cracking my phone. It’s the local society paper’s community section, with a photo of me and Remi at the charity gala.
Mystery couple seen sharing a passionate kiss at this weekend’s gala. Any guesses who they are?
I switch over to Italian, just in case a curious set of ears is listening. “ Come diavolo è stata scattata questa foto, figuriamoci trapelata ?” How the hell was this photo taken, let alone leaked?
“ Stanno lavorando per ripulirli ed estrarre i dati mentre parliamo .” They’re working to clean this up and extract the data as we spe ak.
I run a hand down my face. “ L’ultima cosa di cui ho bisogno è che Laurie lo veda e che il mio invito alla festa inaugurale venga revocato .” The last thing I need is Laurie seeing this and my invitation to the inaugural party get rescinded.
It’ll complicate the hell out of this situation, but no way I’m allowing Remi to go to the party without me.
My thumbs fly over my phone, a fishing expedition to determine whether Laurie’s seen the online gossip.
Looking forward to attending the inaugural party with you this weekend.
Bubbles appear as I wait impatiently for her reply.
Me too! I only wish I had something to wear…
Laurie’s transparency is laughable.
I’ll send over several gown options for you to choose from.
How thoughtful!
“Make sure this is scrubbed from the web ASAP.”
“Will do,” Maks says, typing on his phone.
Now to put out the next fire, I take the stairs two at a time, reaching Al’s room. “Open up.” I knock insistently on her door.
“Go away.”
“What have I done now?” I call wearily.
“Choose from the laundry list of your sins.”
“I don’t have time to go through that list. I’m coming in.” Using my master key, I open the door. She’s lying on her bed wearing headphones, staring at the ceiling. Nola’s asleep beside her. The cat opens one eye, giving me a warning look, before closing it.
So much for our peace accord from earlier.
“I thought you were afraid of the bobcat?”
“She’s not a bobcat,” Al answers, as if I haven’t been saying that the whole damn time.
“Did you tell Remi about our family?” I ask point-blank.
“No. Did you tell Remi that you’re cheating on her with Laurie?” She shoots daggers at me.
My head falls back on a sigh. Another reason why I don’t spend more time at the weekend house: I don’t have a dedicated office, and there are too many eavesdropping women. “I’m not cheating on Remi.”
“So she knows you’re going to the inaugural party with Laurie,” Al challenges.
I remain silent.
“What I thought,” she says, judgment dripping from each word.
“Why have you been hiding this new boyfriend, Rome?” I deflect.
“Gee, I don’t know. Maybe because I was worried your rabid Ukrainian lap dog would scare him off.” She presses a finger to her cheek. “Oh, wait, that happened.”
“When the time comes, you will need a real man, not a boy who tucks tail at the slightest hint of a threat,” I inform her.
“Excuse me if I don’t take relationship advice from a cheater,” she says dismissively.
My teeth grind back and forth. “I have to go into the city to take care of some business. Please keep an eye on Remi and Nola while I’m gone.”
“Fine, but I’m going to tell Remi about Laurie,” Al threatens. “She’s too sweet for this kind of bullshit.”
Al’s gaze is caught by something behind me, and I turn around to find Remi standing in the doorway, her expression guarded. “Sorry to interrupt. I was looking for Nola.”
“We were just chilling,” Al says, giving Nola a scratch on the head.
Nola huffs, something I didn’t even realize a cat could do. She arches her back in a long stretch before hopping off the bed and sauntering out of the room.
“Sorry. We didn’t mean to interrupt your nap,” Remi calls after her. “She gets a little cranky if you wake her,” she explains to my sister.
“Same,” Al says.
Remi smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Excuse me.” She walks off.
“Way to go.” Al gives me a soft golf clap.
“You’re grounded,” I tell her childishly.
She snorts a laugh. “Whatever. I turn eighteen soon.”
“And what do you think that changes?”
She lifts her chin. “Since I’ll have access to my trust fund, I’d say a hell of a lot.”
“So you’ll burn through your inheritance, and then what?” I challenge. “You have no idea what it costs to run a household with staff and security.”
“‘Then what’ isn’t your concern.” She crosses her arms.
“I’ll make it my concern; tie up your trust in endless litigation if I have to,” I threaten. “Al, don’t fight me on this. You will have a viable plan for your future. If not, I’ll start looking for a marriage contract. I hear Detroit is delightful this time of year.”
She gasps. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
Her bravado falters. “Fabien won’t allow it.”
An acrid laugh escapes me. “Fabien’s conned you into believing he’ll be your white knight when he gets out of prison. I suggest you taper down those expectations. Fabien’s only ever cared about Fabien. You’re a pawn in this game between your brother and me.”
“At least I’m on the game board with Fabien,” she argues weakly.
“Who raised you? Read your bedtime stories? Bandaged your skinned knees? Who showed up, day after day, year after year? I’m not perfect, but at least I fucking tried.
You think your brother would’ve done the same if the roles had been reversed?
” I grit, bitterness coating my tongue. “You’d been shipped to a European boarding school faster than Fabien could line up his next hooker and 8 ball. ”
“He’s not the bad guy you make him out to be,” she argues.
“You don’t know him like I do, Al. How could you? You were eight when he went away.” I tentatively step inside her room and sit on the foot of her bed. Clasping my hands together, I examine them as if they hold the answers. Unfortunately, they do not. “I hate fighting with you.”
She angrily swipes away the tears. “It sure doesn’t seem that way.”
“I only want what’s best for you.”
Al sniffs. “But you act like you’re the only one who knows what that is.”
“Then you tell me what that is. I didn’t get a choice in how my future would play out, but you have one. Think about it.” I give her ankle a squeeze before walking out.
Coming to the end of the hall, I knock on the guest bedroom door. “Remi.”
“Yes, Mr. Calvani?” she answers formally.
I fucking hate it.
“Angelo. You will call me Angelo from here on out. Open the door.”
“No, thank you, Mr. Calvani.”
I bang my forehead against the door, leaving it there. “Please?”
First, this woman has me apologizing. Now, she has me begging.
Remi flings open the door, and before I can mount my defense, her palm connects with my cheek. She slams the door and locks it.
“I’m not sleeping with Laurie,” I call through the door.
“Yes, we had a sexual relationship, but not since I met you. Yes, I will be attending the mayor’s gala with her, because I need the invite.
I vocally and financially backed the losing candidate, and I’m currently persona non grata with the incoming administration.
We will discuss all of this in detail when I get back from family business, aka mob business.
And you’d better fucking believe we will be discussing your eavesdropping on conversations that you shouldn’t. ”
Silence.
“Remi.” I growl.
“Yes, Mr. Calvani.”
I tug at my hair in frustration.
“You’re gonna go bald doing that.” The housekeeper passes me in the hall, carrying a basket of towels.
“Thank you, Corinne,” I say between my teeth.