Chapter 2
Two months later
I had been avoiding setting up a formal reading of Dad’s will and trust just so I wouldn’t have to see the Azzaro family again.
Hell, it had only been four months since Don Azzaro and his son, Gavriel, had brought me to the room, still covered in my father’s blood, to tell me that he was dead.
Now, they were coming to the reading. It wasn’t like they didn’t know what Dad had down to every last penny.
Besides, I had been busy fighting with the fucking bank to give me access to his damn bank accounts.
The estate attorney had sent the trust over no fewer than four times.
Seriously, how many signatures did they need to certify it?
Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait any longer to have the will reading.
We’d notified beneficiaries of his death, and since no one had contested the trust, we needed to move on.
It was only a couple minutes until the meeting, and as I walked into Andrea Greene’s office, my father’s estate attorney, I was greeted with a bubbly blonde at the front desk. “Hello, Ms. Perkins. Please follow me.”
We went down a hallway lined with frosted floor-to-ceiling windows with matching doors, each etched with “Conference Room” and then the associated number, until we got to the end of the hall, where she opened the door for me.
Taking a deep breath, I walked in to see Don Azzaro, Gavriel Azzaro, Andrea Greene’s assistant, and a brunette woman, all of whom turned to look at me, and my heart stopped.
“Hello, Elin sweetheart.”
Straightening my back, I crossed my arms over my chest. She needed no introduction. Dad had shown me pictures over the years, not to mention the fact we looked so damn similar. “Why in the fuck are you here, Natalia?”
“I was asked to be by Mrs. Greene. I am a beneficiary after all.” She preened a bit and swiped her hair over her shoulder. As I looked at the woman who’d abandoned us when I’d just been a toddler, I wanted to take a pair of shears and shave off her perfectly quaffed hair and eyebrows.
Not wanting to show any emotion, I forced a deep breath to keep my control and let it out slowly through my nose.
I hadn’t had it in me to read through the distributions, but now I couldn’t help but wonder what Dad would have given her, except for a shit pie.
Ignoring her and the two asshats sitting at the table, I reached over and shook Andrea’s hand. “Thank you for arranging this.”
“You are welcome, ma’am. I will miss your father dearly.” I nodded and took a seat. “Now that we are all here, we can begin. It shouldn’t take too long.”
Don Azzaro and Gavriel leaned forward on the glass table as Andrea started reading. Most of it was common knowledge and boilerplate. I was named the sole trustee, with Mrs. Greene as the successor, if I was unable to fulfill my duties. Before long, she came to the list of distributions.
“Upon the death of the settlor, the trustee shall divide the estate as follows: an amount equal to no more than one dollar to Natalia Perkins-Jones.”
A huge smile grew on my face as the woman who’d given birth to me stood in outrage.
While she was sputtering, I reached into my purse, a little sad that all I had was a five-dollar bill.
Shrugging, I stood and lifting it to her.
“Consider yourself paid, with a bonus of four dollars. Now, if you would, kindly fucking leave and never show your face around me again.”
Even Don Azzaro failed at hiding his smile. I was sure even his son, and my father's best friend, Gavriel, had heard many a rant about the woman and was loving the embarrassment she was being handed.
Scoffing as she threw her nose in the air, she stormed out, snatching the five-dollar bill I held in the air for her.
“Well, that was an easy and satisfying distribution. Please continue, Mrs. Green.” I sat back in my chair and gave her my full attention.
As she continued listing a variety of charities, which included women’s shelters, libraries, and cancer research, that were to receive monetary sums, I started to play with my fingers nervously under the table.
I knew that while my father had made most of his fortune on the backs of druggies and crime, it helped that he was giving it to others to do good.
Rhea Azzaro, daughter of Don Azzaro and my father’s girlfriend, who he’d loved eternally, was bestowed a portfolio he had set up in secret for her worth a few million dollars.
He’d also transferred a number of shell companies that I knew were solely mafia related to either Don Azzaro or Gavriel, who nodded in agreement as they were read off.
Though, when the club and a few other accounts weren’t listed, Gavriel’s gaze met mine in confusion.
“The balance of my estate, itemized in the distribution schedule attached, shall be distributed to Elin Marie Perkins.” I blinked, and the tension that filled Gavriel’s shoulders was clear as he sat up straighter.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Greene. Are you sure that the club goes to her?” He sneered but then covered it up quickly with his usual mask of indifference.
“Yes, sir.” She didn’t halt before stating, “As you know, there is also a no-contest clause in the trust that reads: If any beneficiary under this instrument individually or in combination with any other person or persons directly or indirectly takes any action to challenge the distribution, beneficiary status, or the trust in part or in whole, no asset amount or property shall be distributed to the challenging person or entity. The challenging person or entity can also go kindly fuck themselves and receive the total sum of ten dollars.”
I met Don Azzaro and Gavriel’s hard gazes. I gave them a small smirk, baiting them, but unfortunately, they didn’t take it. When Gavriel growled, Don Azzaro said, “Careful, my talon. We can sort this out another day.”
“Don’t count on it, Ezequiel,” I said casually. A plan for revenge was already forming in my head. I would take down the Azzaro family from the inside.
His focus snapped to mine as he gave me another hard stare. “You will give me the respect I have earned and will address me as Don Azzaro.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I shook my head. “You aren’t my don. You were my father’s. I have no loyalty to you or your family. Should you earn that respect with me, then I will address you otherwise.”
“Careful, child.”
As I turned back toward Mrs. Green, I leaned against the table. “You can continue.”
She slid over piles of papers to the three of us, and I looked over the long list of assets that I was inheriting.
“The top document is a list of the entities and assets you will each individually be receiving. The subsequent filings are for the transfers, which you will each need to execute. Our office will then help facilitate the name changes and finalize those transfers.”
Don Azzaro and his son finished quickly and thanked Mrs. Greene for her time. Before they left, though, Gavriel stopped next to me. “I’ll be in touch regarding the club.”
I simply nodded, but then, before he was out the door, I turned toward him. “Please forward the latest accounting and operations statements for my review.”
I cherished the tightening of his lips as he gave me a curt nod and strode down the hall after his father. As I turned back to the documents before me, Andrea leaned back in her chair.
“Well, that wasn’t stressful at all.”
Signing my name on the last line, I slid everything back toward her and smiled. “He wasn’t happy about not getting the club, but he will deal.”
“I’m not worried about that. I was talking along the lines of having Don Azzaro in my office. Usually, either his wife or Gavriel comes in. He rarely handles the business himself.”
Leaning on the table, I sighed. “Well, I hope Dad knew what he was doing giving me the club. Mr. Azzaro and I have never been on great speaking terms. Not to mention that Dad knew just how much I disapproved of the Azzaros.”
“You could sell it to them for an inflated price.”
I nodded, but that dangerous plan came together more and more. “No. I think I have a better idea.” She lifted an eyebrow in question. “Attorney-client privilege?”
“There is a conflict of interest.” A grin appeared on her face as she chuckled, though. “Oh, fuck it. We’ve known each other for too long, and that family has pissed me off a time or two. Tell me.”
“Lady E, I ask that you review the proposal and allow me to use the funds for this project.”
Flipping through the portfolio my client had given me, I saw it was a solid plan.
Acquisition of a piece of land on the outskirts of town, preliminary sketches of apartments with a center courtyard, including stores for everyone to shop at.
In essence, we’d be creating a mini version of a town for those with dementia to feel as though they had some control over their lives, all while having full oversight by medical professionals.
“What’s in this for me?” I asked, folding the folio, setting it on the little wire table, and leaning on it, all while allowing my chest to be accentuated.
His gaze dropped to my tits as he licked his lips before he looked at me. “Whatever my Mistress wishes, of course. Does she want a new Coach bag?”
Waving my hand, I scoffed. “I don’t need an overpriced purse.”
“How about a vacation to somewhere warm? Alone, so she can truly relax. Fully paid. Cancun? Maldives? Wherever you wish to go.”
I let the corner of my mouth lift as I reached out and ran a single finger over the back of his hand. “This project is truly that important to you?”
I knew it was. His mother and grandmother had both been diagnosed, and he knew firsthand how hard it was for the families and those afflicted with dementia.