Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
FRANCESCA
Despite needing to leave the ice in order to make it to the meeting without being late, Alexandra and I stay put for several moments.
I break my gaze from Rhett’s heated stare and turn to face Alexandra.
Her gaze is laser focused on the three guys on the ice, and I can’t tell if she’s curious about hockey or if she’s crushing on one of the players.
I watch her silently, hoping it’s not Rhett that she’s crushing on. When Rhett skates down the ice closer to us, her gaze stays down the ice.
She’s watching Joey from across the ice. It seems like something could be going on with the two of them. They work together here, and I would assume she works with the other side of business.
And from my own experience, it’s important to find someone that knows all about the business and the family.
If not, it will be the driving force between you, like it was for me and Rhett.
Or is she looking at Spencer Reed?
I shake my head as I picture her fitting in with the family. I can imagine her at the house for the holidays. She and Joey would be a cute couple together, but as much as I would root them on, I have bigger problems to focus on right now.
“We really need to head upstairs for the meeting.”
She tears her gaze away from Joey and nods.
We walk side by side toward the extra-wide staircase. Neither one of us speaks as we head to Dad’s office.
His office is the grandest of them all.
It’s a corner office with two walls of solid windows. His large mahogany desk sits in the middle of the room, and his high-back chair looks more like a throne than an office chair.
To the side, nestled near one of the large windows, is a six person meeting table. In the middle of the table is a box of doughnuts from my favorite place in town.
Dad is already sitting at the head of the table. A smile forms on his face and tears form in the corners of my eyes as I rush toward him.
“Daddy, you got my favorite doughnuts. I can’t believe you remembered.”
He stands and wraps his large arms around me, enveloping me in his spicy scent. No matter how long it’s been, I always feel like daddy’s little girl when he hugs me like this. I feel loved and protected in his embrace.
Safe, even.
It’s been too long since I’ve been home.
“Of course I did, Principessa. Welcome home.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” I whisper to keep my tears from falling .
Joey’s voice interrupts our moment. “Are we going to get the meeting started or what? I don’t have all day. Practice has already started.”
I roll my eyes and head toward the seat closest to the box of doughnuts. “Practice may have already started, but I think you will be excused for a little while. Besides, I don’t think anyone has the balls to say something to you or to us with Dad owning the team.”
Dad clears his throat and sits back down.
I glance around the office, expecting to see Alexandra standing nearby, but she’s nowhere to be seen. Does she not sit in on meetings?
I grab a Bavarian Cream doughnut from the box and ask, “Is Alexandra not joining us?”
“No, she never does. This meeting is just for us.” Joey glances toward the door before shaking his head and sitting at the other end of the table opposite from Dad.
I raise my eyebrow. “Then why send her the same text informing her of the meeting?”
“Because she forwards the calls from here to her desk and she makes sure no one interrupts our meetings.”
How long has she worked with Dad and Joey if she already knows what to do during their meetings?
Dad just bought the team last week. That seems too short of a time for him to find and train an assistant.
I turn my attention to Dad. “How long has she been your assistant? ”
Dad thinks for a moment before saying, “Maybe about eight months.”
So she’s been around long enough to know what’s going on, but not long enough to be invited into the meetings.
“So, Dad, what businesses have you acquired over the past two years?”
Dad doesn’t answer, so I turn to look at Joey, who doesn’t even glance my way.
What’s the point of me being here if they aren’t going to answer a simple question?
“I need to know, so I don’t fuck up during interviews. We need to let the community know that we aren’t the hardened criminals they painted us to be.”
Once again, neither of them speaks. I grab another doughnut and try to resist the urge to get up and walk out of this meeting.
Changing tactics, I start with the businesses I know about.
“The shipping business is a legit professional company, and so is the apartment complex. You are trying to better the community and build a life for yourself outside of the one you left behind in New York. Also, you want to leave a successful empire for your children.”
Joey scoffs. “That’s a lie, and you know it.”
“You don’t think Daddy wants to build a life down here? You don’t think Daddy wants to leave his successful companies to you? To us? So that we can have great futures.”
He rolls his eyes. “Well, that part is true, but the rest isn’t. ”
Glaring at him, I say, “Sure, we might dabble in some gray areas, but as a whole, the shipping company does legit business.”
“Maybe a legit criminal business that’s completely illegal.”
Of course, he’s being sarcastic. He always is. I glance toward Dad for answers, since Joey isn’t helping.
“Joseph, keep the jokes to yourself and let her do her job. She’s trying to ease the public’s concerns about our family.”
Dad gestures for me to continue.
Taking a deep breath, I continue. “We provide goods to the community. We deliver food and supplies to the restaurants in town. The apartments are a legal investment, and a way to build team morale.”
It doesn’t matter that part of the shipping business also sells and delivers guns and drugs.
It doesn’t matter that the Sharks are probably going to become part of a large money laundering scheme.
In general, all the businesses conduct legal transactions. The apartment has real renters. The Savannah Sharks employ not only the players but also the staff to run the events. And the shipping company transports cargo both nationally and internationally.
Joey interrupts my thoughts. “There’s also the club downtown.”
I sit up straighter in my chair. “What club?”
They haven’t mentioned a club before now. Is this a new purchase as well or something they acquired a while ago and just happened to forget to fill me in?
Dad narrows his eyes and glares at Joey before turning his glare on me. “You don’t have to worry about that. My name isn’t listed on any of the paperwork for the club, so it won’t come up if reporters search for me.”
That doesn’t sound too convincing. There has to be more to this story.
“But you contribute to the club? Financially, I mean?”
Dad bounces his head from side to side while shrugging. “I guess you could say I contribute in a way, but it’s your Uncle Tony’s place. Let’s not dwell on that.”
Dad only acts like this when something serious is going on.
An awkward silence fills the air. The only sound is Joey chomping down on a doughnut.
They are keeping me out of the loop, again, like they always have. If the club truly belongs to Uncle Tony, then I’ll just ask him. He’s never lied to me before, so I don’t think he’d lie about owning a club.
Uncle Tony let me contribute and be a part of the team. Hell, the few times I came home over the past two years, I worked secret jobs for Uncle Tony.
Dad clears his throat. “There’s actually something I need to share with you, Francesca. There’s been a change in the ranks. We have added someone who has been extremely beneficial to the family since you’ve been gone. ”
“Who?”
Who could they have added? Someone that worked for Uncle Tony? Or someone new that I’ve never met?
“I thought we weren’t adding anyone new unless all three of us and Uncle Tony were present.”
Joey scoffs. “No offense, Fran, but you haven’t exactly been around the past two years.”
I cross my arms in front of my chest and roll my eyes. “Yeah, well, even when I was home, you never wanted me to be involved with the family business. If I recall, you actually locked me in my bedroom so I wouldn’t follow you.”
Joey slams his hands on the table. The smack echoes through the quiet office. “Hell no, I didn’t want you getting involved. I still don’t, and there’s no changing my mind.”
“Why?” I yell back.
“Because it’s dangerous. Every little thing we do is dangerous and could be the last job you go on. There isn’t time to train you when we go on these jobs and patrols. I won’t have your blood on my hands.”
“So that’s it? I’ll never be involved because you think I’m some sort of fucking liability? Well, guess what? I’m a lot smarter and stronger than you think I am. I’m capable of doing what you do.”
Joey pushes his chair back to stand and face me. “Do you really think you can do what I do?”
I nod, not knowing what he is getting at, but feeling confident in my answer. “Yes, I do.”
“Do you think you could teach a guy a lesson about screwing our family over? Rough him up a bit, and then go home at night and not have nightmares?”
“Of course. I’d do anything for the family.”
Hell, I already have, but they don’t know that.
Joey places his hands on the table, leaning closer to me. “Do you think you could kill someone in cold blood and not be affected by it? Do you think you could take another’s life without feeling an ounce of remorse?”
My heart pounds in my chest.
I should tell them everything. I should let all my secrets out in the open. Sure, they might be mad at me, Uncle Tony, and AJ, but maybe they will stop looking at me like I’m a fucking damsel in distress.
“Yes, actually-”
The office door bangs open, causing the three of us to jump to our feet to see who is barging in.
Alexandra steps through the doorway looking flushed. “I’m so sorry for interrupting your family meeting. I wouldn’t have barged in if it wasn’t important.”
Her eyes are wide, and her cheeks are red. She’s struggling to breathe as if she just ran a marathon.
I take a few steps toward her and ask, “What’s going on? Do you need help? An ambulance?”
She shakes her head and glances from me to Joey to Dad. “There’s a huge fight happening downstairs on the ice, and the press is all over it.”
“Fuck.” I mumble as I turn around and look at Dad.
This is not the publicity the team or our family needs right now. What the hell are they thinking? Whomever is responsible better have a good reason.
“Damn it. Those fuckers better have a good explanation for the fighting. It’s one thing when it’s another team, but to fight your own teammates?”
I shake my head. “Yeah, that’s what I was just thinking.”
Dad looks at me. “You’re up.”
My entire body freezes as I try to process what he just said. “I know I said I want to be more involved with business matters, but what am I supposed to do? I can’t stop a fight on the ice.”
Dad waves his hand. “Diffuse and deflect, just like you were doing in the meeting.”
That was different. That was to protect the family name. This is something completely irrelevant to the family name.
“How am I supposed to diffuse the situation between the players when I haven’t even officially met the players? Let alone smooth things over with the press that have probably taken dozens of pictures and video footage?”
Dad shrugs. “You’ll figure it out. You always do, but you better think quickly because we are heading downstairs now and it’s not that far.”