Chapter 2 #3
And I think of the one time I’d focused on myself rather than his screwups. And I think about what happened. And then I go back to worrying about Sergio again. Because he’s my blood. And I would do anything for him. And I’m not too manly to admit it.
“I think I need to make a call.” My mind is racing as I look over at Jack and stand up.
My right hand is itching, and my brain is racing.
I’m pissed off that a woman has taken my brother for ten million.
I’m pissed off that he’s so down that he’s avoided me for a week and is fleeing to another country.
I’m pissed off that I can’t control what happens next.
At least, I can’t with Sergio. I may be able to infiltrate this mysterious woman’s life and show her that she made a huge mistake when she messed with a Laurence.
“You want me to order another round, then we’ll play darts?” Jack asks, his eyes narrow as he takes in my cold expression. “You bringing down bombs on someone?”
“I will be.” I nod with a grimace. “Another round sounds good. I’ll be back.
” I head to the periphery of the room, next to some dark crimson velvet curtains, and pull out my phone.
I scroll to Louisa’s number. She’s an old friend of mine who works at the corporation as my investigative assistant.
I realize that the room is quite full, so I head to the corridor.
I don’t want my conversation overheard. I make my way down the corridor and find myself standing near the coat room.
The blonde from earlier is there, looking out of place, staring at something in her hand.
She looks up, sees me, smiles for a moment, but then looks away quickly when I don’t smile back.
There’s a flash of something in her eyes as she glances away.
A fire I’d noticed earlier. She was a spitfire, even if she had no fashion sense.
The phone rings a few more times, and then just as I’m about to hang up, Louisa answers.
“Hey, Sebastian. How are you?” Her voice has that breathy quality it always does on the phone.
I can never tell if she does it deliberately for me, or if it’s just how she answers.
I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. I’ve known her since we were both sixteen.
We met at a movie theater, my friends and her friends mingling.
We’d all gone out for burgers after, and then even later in the evening, she proceeded to give me a blowjob in a side street.
I’d been happy in the moment, but not interested in more.
In those days, guilt and fear of failure consumed my every waking hour.
She flirted with me for a couple of months until she finally realized I wasn’t interested in anything more than hanging out in groups.
I’d been thankful when she’d started dating one of my friends.
And even more grateful that there had been no theatrics involved.
She just moved on with her life. Ever since, we’ve been acquaintances, our social circles often overlapping, but we ourselves were never that close.
When she’d reached out to me for a job, I hired her as a market researcher, and she’d soon worked her way up to investigator.
I trusted her to do the job right and quickly.
And because she’d known me for years, she knew all about my personal life and background.
Which was going to be helpful in this situation.
“Can you look up some information for me?” I ask softly, cutting to the chase. I don’t have time for small talk right now. “I have a special project for you.”
“Sure. What do you want to know?” She’s immediately business-like.
I let out a deep sigh, wondering if I’m doing the right thing. I should just move on with my life. Monitor Sergio and forget about everything. I have so many business projects to work on, yet I can feel that niggling in my stomach. I am not going to be able to let this go.
“That was a deep sigh,” she says, her voice soft now. “What’s wrong? You can talk to me, Sebastian.”
“It’s about Sergio.” I should let it go. “He told me some stuff tonight—”
“Sergio did?” Her voice rises nervously. “What did he say?”
“He’s gone off the deep end again.”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t know that something had—”
“Why would you? Look, he’s been dating some girl—”
“What’s her name?” She cuts in quickly.
“That’s what I want you to find out.”
“Oh. Okay. Sorry. So tell me exactly what’s going on.” Her voice is low again.
“He’s been dating some girl. He gave her ten million dollars. And he’s dropped off the board because of her and his heartache.” I can’t stop the sarcasm in my tone.
“Not the board of the company! You need his vote for the Sunflower merger.”
“Exactly. He’s lost it, Louisa. I’m scared he’s going to spiral out of control. I need information on the woman he’s been seeing, and exactly what went on between them.”
“Of course. I’m on it. Anything else?”
“No, that’s it. Oh, and Louisa.”
“Hmm?”
“I need that information stat.”
“Yes, Doctor,” she teases.
“I’m not joking.”
“I know. If you want, I can see what I can find now. Then I can come over later tonight, and we can go over whatever I—”
“Call me tomorrow morning. I’m at the club with the guys.”
“Oh. Okay. Is Jack there?” She’s always had a thing for Jack, though he’s never been interested.
Maybe because he knows about the blowjob she gave me, or maybe because he just doesn’t care either way.
She’s a pretty woman, and most men are drawn to her.
But Jack, for some reason, doesn’t even like her.
I think she senses that, and maybe that’s why she’s even more drawn to him.
Women always seem to go after the men who don’t want them.
She still flirts with me sometimes, as well, but I don’t take it seriously. I know it’s just her personality. She’s a flirt. A good time girl. She doesn’t take any of it seriously. She likes to have fun, be spoiled, and go out and party.
“I’ll speak to you later, Louisa. Send me what you find in the morning.” I hang up before she can say more. I don’t know what I’m going to do once I have more information, but I know I just can’t let it pass.
Back at the table, Jack raises an eyebrow as I approach with a grim look on my face. “Everything okay? You look like you’re about to go into a boardroom for a hostile takeover.”
I smirk. “Maybe I am. I was just speaking to Louisa.”
“Oh.” He makes a face. He really doesn’t hide the fact that he doesn’t like her. Though he’s never told me why.
“What is with the face?”
“You know she wants you bad.”
“She doesn’t want me. We’ve been friends for ages. She works for me. She knows what’s up between us. Our relationship is strictly professional.”
“I still think she wants you.” He shrugs. “But whatever. What’s she researching for you?”
“I want to know who broke Sergio’s heart. I want to know who the woman is who stole ten million dollars from my trusting younger brother.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know yet. Maybe I can pay her a little visit. Maybe figure out where that money went. See if it was part of a bigger plan. See if it was corporate espionage to break him.” I smile dangerously. “Maybe get a little revenge.”
“Revenge.” His eyes light up, and he leans forward. “Those are the words I’d expect to hear in a mafia movie.” He chuckles. “You’re serious?”
“What can I say? Life’s short. If someone does me or my family wrong, I make sure they pay.”
“I get it.” He nods, though he looks like he wants to add something else to the conversation.
“Too many people think they can get away with no consequence in life. Maybe what this lady did is not actionable in a court of law, but sometimes we have to be prosecutor, judge, and jury.”
“What?” He stares at me. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet.” I shrug. “But I am going to find the woman who broke Sergio’s heart and played him for half his money and do something.”
Jack looks surprised. “Ten million is half of his money? I thought—”
“That’s the only access he has right now.” I laugh. “But in three years, he gets access to half a billion. And I don’t want some manipulative woman coming along and being gifted that for some cheap sex and smooth-talking lies.”
“I get that.” Jack agrees. “No, you don’t.”
“Sergio is an easy touch.” I shake my head. “I can’t believe he’s gone to fucking Thailand because of some pussy. She will be made to pay.”
“You know he’ll be fine, right? He just—”
“Yeah. He’ll be fine. He’s going to Thailand.
He’ll hit the beach. Relax. And eventually, he will get over it.
But he sounded like shit, Jack. He’s not like us.
He takes these things personally. He’s got a good heart.
When he tells a woman he loves her, he believes it.
He doesn’t know women can be just as conniving as the worst con men.
” I run my fingers through my hair. “I don’t want his despair to make him do something stupid, you know? ”
“At least you know he won’t be driving in Thailand.”
“Yeah. I just hope he doesn't make any other stupid decisions.”
“So you’re going to find this woman who lied to him and make her pay? I guess she seduced him and then took off with his money?”
I lean back in my chair, stretch my legs out, and smirk.
“I plan on being the best fucking seductive lying motherfucker to ever exist.” My eyes narrow.
“The woman who stole from my brother doesn’t know it yet, but a fucking tornado is about to rip through her life.
And by the time I’m done, everything she loves dearly will be destroyed.
She’ll wish that her greedy little hands had never met Sergio Laurence. ”
Jack stares at me with wide eyes, and I can tell that he’s shocked by my words. To be honest, so am I. But I am determined to show this anonymous woman what the real definition of heartbreak and betrayal is. She will think twice before ever manipulating another man again.