12. Chapter 12
Chapter twelve
Dax
It had been months since the last time I didn’t show up for a night at Bellissima. Especially a Saturday night. Everyone was probably wondering where the hell I was, but I didn’t have much of a choice except to leave the kitchen in Mateo’s perfectly qualified hands for the dinner service.
For two years straight, I had spent all my time focusing on that restaurant. That was the price one paid when they wanted something to be the best. Not just their money. Their time.
That really was the thing that made the world tick.
Time. Something created by man to make sense of the short space of reality in the universe where one existed.
A person could invent the most important device in history.
He could save the world. Or destroy it. They could do their best to leave a footprint, but in the end it’s the same for everyone.
It is all about what one chooses to do with their time that makes the difference between a life lived and a life well-lived.
Whatever’s left behind is the only reminder that a blink of conscience ever existed.
I’d never thought about it like that until my dad died.
All that time, that love, that effort and work…
gone in seconds from the realm of life and understanding.
The way a candle flame burns strong and alive, meanwhile it absorbs itself into a weakened wick pooled around discarded wax until it fades away.
It was bleak, but a better alternative than blowing out the flame too early.
Or worse, smothering it while only a part of the wick remains, rendering it useless to try to light again.
Yes, time was priceless. Irreplaceable.
It didn’t matter where I was physically because mentally I was there. We had several large party reservations booked tonight, and I hoped my disappearing didn’t get my staff stuck in the weeds. I hoped Lucy was doing okay in the dish-pit. Lucy. A smooth heat curled through my stomach.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her. In the passenger seat of my car, she was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen. When I moved to San Francisco, my time was focused on the restaurant and keeping my past hidden, not on dating.
And that wasn’t something I would be doing with Lucy.
She was my employee, and worse, she was only that because she was trying to find out how to take down the men who assaulted her friend.
She wasn’t there to flirt with me, and it was totally inappropriate that I was so fixated by her.
Even so, a fierce protectiveness came over me when I watched that footage yesterday.
I would never be able to touch her, but I would make damn sure those degenerate bastards never had the chance to either.
That was exactly why I was here. Not in the kitchen of Bellissima, but in the sitting room of my Victorian, across from two men I’d rather avoid.
“Dominic, are you even listening to me?” Emile’s annoyed voice blasted through my train of thought.
I looked up from my daze and focused on him.
I am not the type of man who would be intimidated by anyone else, but if I were, Emile would be a good contender.
His height nearly matched my six-foot-five frame, and his brawny build nearly mirrored Clay’s.
He looked natural in his tailored Armani suit, like he was born with money.
I knew this wasn’t the case, but Emile had always been good at assimilating to his environment.
Today, he looked every bit the billionaire tech mogul he was.
“Yes. You said even with the augmented footage your facial recognition software couldn’t put a trace on those shitbags.
That’s a little embarrassing considering it’s the software you invented, don’t ya think?
” I knew I was being an asshole, but I didn’t care.
If he wanted to be snippy with me then I’d give it right back to him.
Emile cut me a sharp glare. “The augmented footage uses artificial intelligence to clear up the image. You can’t put an ID on AI. Maybe you’d know that if you still gave half a shit about our mission. You know? The one you started almost ten years ago? That we have dedicated our fucking lives to?”
Irritation flicked in my muscles as I shifted my elbows to my knees.
Now that Emile was here to do all the talking, Clay barely had anything to say during this entire meeting.
It had been almost three years since the last time I was in the same room with both at once.
There were reasons for that, and we weren’t here to discuss CIPHER—even though I’d known this meeting would inevitably go there.
“What about the plates?” I asked, steering the conversation back into focus. I wasn’t going to let him guilt-trip me over the decisions I had to make.
“They’re stolen. Traced them back to a Tesla registered to a woman in Mill Valley, so that’s a dead-end unless we can track it down via street cams. We’re working on that now.” Emile sounded bored, but something about that didn’t sit right with me.
“Did you look into the owner of the Tesla?”
I caught Emile rolling his eyes. “Already a couple steps ahead of you, genius.” I knew he was getting pissed off, and I understood why.
Emile had been doing this kind of work for CIPHER since the beginning.
He and his team were meticulous. “She’s divorced.
No kids. Two cats she posts on her socials. No red flags we could find.”
“Get me her number anyway. We need to explore every avenue.” I cracked my neck as I leaned back into the rich leather of the couch behind me.
Emile’s eyes softened but his mouth was set firm.
“Fine. But remember this isn’t just for you.
” He gestured to Clay. “We’re doing this because we took an oath.
All of us did. To you, to Tony.” I winced at the mention of his name.
“And just because you decided to give up, that doesn’t mean the mission ended.
You can’t just wait to pick up the fight when it knocks on your door. ”
I already knew that. This wasn’t just a battle.
This was an endless war I had spent years hiding from.
And for a long time, it seemed like it was working.
It was a facade of peace. One where I could lock my demons in the closet and never open the door.
It seemed the universe was hell-bent on breaking into that glass house and letting them all loose to wreak havoc on my life once again.
I said nothing for a moment, staring at the chandelier above the large maple coffee table between us.
I couldn’t remember the last time I actually sat in this room, especially with guests.
It was a beautiful space, and yet I never had anyone to share it with.
It was so unlike the small house I once shared in New York with the same men sitting next to me.
Back when life was full of hope and action. When we were brothers.
After a few minutes, Clay uncharacteristically broke the silence. “What are you planning to do about the girl? She isn’t exactly sheltering in place. We have no idea what those sick bastards are planning on doing with her. They could already know where she lives.”
I grimaced at this. I should have known Lucy would be too stubborn to just lay low until I could guarantee she was safe.
I was already uneasy about her going to the restaurant, but she was hard to argue with.
Especially when there was this maddening urge inside me to give her whatever she wanted.
When she smiled, it was fused with the light from every star in the galaxy.
When she cried, it was like the San Francisco fog absorbed every drop of brightness in the air around me.
Even though I couldn’t stand myself for it, I wanted to do whatever it took to make her happy.
The only thing I wanted more was to keep her safe.
“What do you think I’m paying you for? Make sure she stays protected, and don’t worry about the rest of it.” My jaw ticked.
Emile raised his eyebrow at this. “Is she aware she’s being overwatched?”
I flashed him an irritated glare. “She knows what she needs to know. And as much as I’d love to sit around and chitchat all night, I need to get back to my restaurant.
Get me the number and let me know if you find anything on the street cams.” I stood up and Clay followed suit.
Emile sat for a moment longer, giving me a scrutinizing look.
I ignored him as I led them to the door.
Frustration had nearly consumed me by the time I finally got to Bellissima. When I made my way through the back door, the kitchen was clean and empty. The stainless steel glimmered mockingly, and the dish machine was silent and still.
I told myself I was just checking to make sure the place was in order. At the same time, I realized lying to myself was a new low I hadn’t expected.
`I turned down the hallway and around the corner into the restaurant.
A jolt of surprise rocked me when I saw her.
She was sitting at a table near the empty bar with Ricky and…
Bianca? I figured finding the two of them seated across from each other yesterday was some kind of fluke.
I was immediately worried Bianca was harassing her somehow, but as I approached the table I heard a bubble of laughter coming from Lucy’s mouth.
It was a sound I wanted to hear on repeat.
The three of them were relaxed around a table, playing cards spread out alongside several empty glasses.
“Oh my god!” Ricky squealed as Bianca took a long, deliberate chug from her glass. “You are a fucking prodigy!”
“I’m in it to win it!” Lucy’s voice chimed in a sing-songy tone that was both charming and a little concerning.
“That’s the fourth game in a row.” Bianca sighed and rubbed her temple.
“Beginner’s luck, I guess!” Lucy’s giggle sent goosebumps scattering across my forearms.
“I think she’s clairvoyant.” Ricky mimicked Bianca’s tone as he took a swig from his own glass.