Chapter 12 Dorian
Dorian
This conference room always reminds me of a tomb.
The walls are too hollow, and no matter how many people are in here, it always feels empty.
I’ve never been able to figure out why.
The big screen at the end of the table shows three men—a father and his two sons—based in Tokyo.
The Yamaguchis have been clients of ours for the last eight years. They were my first million-dollar deal, right out of college.
I’ve taken care of their private equity investments since with Knox alongside me. Now they’re extending their contract and expanding our agreement to include hedge funds, Levi and Locke’s specialty.
This is the last and most important meeting we have today. Clients like the Yamaguchis keep the Global in our name functioning.
I sit at the head of the table. Joining me are all my brothers. They’re in full-on business mode, utterly different from how they were this morning at my house.
We’ve just spent the last hour going over the new investment projections. As much as I value my clients, this meeting has felt just as monotonous as the interviews we held at my home to find my potential wife.
I would have rather spent my day chewing my arm off and eating a year’s supply of pig shit than what I endured today. The crazy thing about it was the plan was a complete success.
Every single one of those women was perfect because I felt nothing for them.
Not even attraction.
They were beautiful, some of the most beautiful women on this side of the globe, but I felt nothing at all when I looked at them.
They knew that right off the bat. They could sense it, and I could tell, but my God, were they eager to please.
I suppose it’s not surprising. Everyone wants to marry into the Vale family.
The money and prestige alone that come with being associated with our family is enough to make it a life goal.
My brothers did well, and now I have fifty women to choose from. I just have to make the choice, or better yet, I’m so uninterested I could get one of my brothers to choose for me.
I sound bitter even to myself.
But this is what I want. Even if I weren’t being forced to get married, this is the path I’d choose.
A marriage no different from a business deal: a contract with terms, conditions, signatures, and mutual benefits. Nothing more.
“We are pleased with the terms you’ve laid out,” Mr. Yamaguchi Senior says, directing his focus to me. “Can we go over the additional equity portfolios before we sign contracts? I just want to make sure I’m clear on every aspect.”
“Certainly.” I nod.
I’m about to give him the breakdown when there’s a knock at the door.
Every head turns.
I can’t imagine who the hell that could be. Most people have gone home by now, and every member of staff knows better than to disturb us in here.
The knock sounds again, more insistent this time, and a prickle of irritation slides down my spine. “Come in,” I call out.
The door opens, and the ashen look on my secretary’s face tells me whatever waits outside this room is about to become my next problem.
“I’m so sorry to disturb you guys,” Elena says. “Dorian, I have a young woman here to see you. It’s quite urgent.”
A heavy weight settles inside my chest, and unease prickles along my spine. There’s only one person I can think of who would need me urgently.
“What’s her name?” I have to check.
“Elodie Harper.”
My shoulders tense at the mention of her name, and I stand as a knot of cold dread forms in my stomach.
Damn it. What happened to her?
On the screen, Mr. Yamaguchi is waiting for my response, and my brothers are looking at each other, then at me.
I school my features, forcing my voice to stay even as I look at Mr. Yamaguchi. “I apologize. I have an emergency I must attend to. My brothers will continue the meeting.”
“That is no problem at all,” he replies with a curt nod.
I nod back, then I’m walking toward the door, ignoring the eyes that follow me.
Elena and I step into the corridor and close the door.
“Where is she?” I ask.
“Your office. Dorian.” She hesitates for a moment. “She’s… hurt real bad.”
The words land wrong, and every part of me goes still, then I run.
Elodie is hurt.
Fuck.
The thought of her hurt sends rage through me.
My office is around the corner. I practically yank the door off its hinges when I reach it.
She’s there, sitting on one of the leather chairs by the window, hands twisted together in her lap. Her coat is crooked over her shoulders like she tried to shrug into it and lost the battle halfway through.
When she looks up at me, I see she’s wrecked.
The sight of her stops me cold.
Her bottom lip is split, swollen and dark. One eye is already puffing up, the skin around it an ugly, blossoming bruise. Blood has dried in a thin line from her nose, streaked where she must’ve wiped it with the back of her hand. There’s a faint shoe print on the front of her top.
Her breathing is shallow, shoulders trembling.
For a moment, fury and guilt blind me, and I see red.
I cross the room in four strides.
“Elodie.”
She stands, weak and shaking. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go,” she whispers, tears streaming down her cheeks.
I ignore the apology and tip her chin up with my fingers, angling her face so I can see the damage. She winces, and another thread of control snaps.
“Who did this to you?” The question tears out of me. “Tell me now.”
“Marcus Reiner, the loan shark.” Her throat works as she swallows.
She told me about him last night. I thought paying such a massive lump sum would get him off her back. “What the hell happened?”
“I told him I’d be late with the payment. But he didn’t care. He took the money as a deposit and reset the loan to the original amount.” She cries harder. “He wants the rest by tomorrow. He wants the full balance or…I think he’s going to kill me.”
I clench my jaw, fire burning through my veins. “Like fuck he is. Where can I find this guy?”
“Dorian, he’s really dangerous.”
I give her a maddening grin. “No more than me.”
Her eyes grow wide.
“Tell me where I can find him.”
“Bellview Offices, Brownsville.”
Behind me, the door opens, and my brothers walk in. I knew they’d follow the moment they heard this was an emergency.
I glance back at them, taking in their shocked faces as they spot Elodie.
I release her, a plan coming together in my mind.
“What’s going on?” Levi asks.
“Levi, Locke, can you take Elodie to my house and get the doctor?” I ask. “I have something I need to do.”
“Of course,” Levi answers, but they both nod.
“Knox—”
“I’m going with you,” Knox cuts me off and gives me a stern look that stops me from protesting.
“Okay, let’s go.”
I glance back at Elodie. Just for a moment.
Rage reignites, and my hands itch for violence.
When I turn and walk away, my control slips and I’m not thinking about right and wrong anymore.
All I want is blood.
* * *
Knox and I pull up at Bellview Offices twenty minutes later. I drove like a maniac despite the traffic.
All I could see was Elodie in my office. Her split lip, swollen eye, and that faint boot print on her top.
I park right there on the sidewalk, and we get out. Two guys in black suits flank the glass door to the building.
They straighten when they see us.
“Building’s closed,” one of them says. “Come back during—”
His voice cuts off when he looks behind me, eyes wide with terror. I know exactly what he sees.
I turn, meeting Salvatore Giordano as he falls in step with Knox and me, accompanied by three of his toughest men.
Knox casts me a glance. Like the guards, he’s fully aware of who Salvatore is.
He’s always warned me to be careful of the friends I keep, but he’s not saying anything now. In fact, he looks pleased.
I messaged Salvatore on my way over. I asked for backup. I didn’t expect him to come himself, but I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been there for him in the past, too. This is what you call gratitude.
“Gentlemen.” Salvatore acknowledges each of us with a quick nod.
“Thanks for coming,” I say.
“Of course.”
He switches his gaze from me and smiles wider at the guards at the door, who look like they’re about to shit themselves. No one wants trouble with the Italian mafia.
“Marcus Reiner?” I demand.
“Upstairs. Third floor,” the first guard answers, pointing inside.
“Good.” I smile without humor.
The two part for us to enter, and we head upstairs.
We reach the third floor and spot the door at the end of the hallway with Marcus’ name on it.
I don’t bother knocking. I just open the door and walk in.
A man with a scar on the side of his face stands by the wall. A burly man sits behind the large desk, counting cash. I take him to be Marcus. He looks like he’s in charge.
The two glare at us as if we have a death wish. Until they see Salvatore. Then their expressions morph into fear.
He recovers fast, pasting on a customer-service smile. “Salvatore Giordano. I didn’t realize we had any business.”
“We do now, Marcus Reiner,” he replies.
“In what ways?”
Salvatore cuts me a glance, signaling for me to take over.
“Does the name Elodie Harper ring a bell?” I walk forward, keeping my eyes on him.
Marcus pales. “She owes me.”
“And now you owe me.”
“Who are you?” He looks me up and down, taking in my suit.
“Dorian Vale.”
Recognition flickers in his eyes.
Scarface pushes off the wall, moving toward me like an idiot who fails to see he’s outnumbered. “Hey, her agreement was between—”
Knox intercepts him, slamming him back into the plaster, forearm across his throat, then two of Salvatore’s men pin him on either side with their guns at his head.
Scarface stares back shocked.
“As we were saying,” I direct the conversation back to Marcus, “you owe me.”
“What do I owe you?”
I smile. “Your life.”
The fucker tries to make a run for it. I’m not sure if I should give him credit for his bravado or pity him for being so stupid.
Did he actually think he’d be able to get past all of us?