Chapter Twenty-Three
Alicia
As soon as I read his message, I'm on high alert. My back is ram rod straight, my muscles are coiled tight, and I can physically feel the sweat trickling down my back.
As I think about what he could possibly want, and how to reply, my phone starts vibrating, and his name lights up my screen with an incoming phone call.
I drop my phone on to the bed, staring at it with wide eyes until the screen turns black again.
Not even a second later, it lights up again.
Picking it up with a slightly trembling hand, I press the green button and lift it to my ear.
"What?"
"I was wondering how many times I'd have to call you," he says in a cheery tone. "Don't you want to know what my proposition is?"
"Not really, no," I deadpan.
He tuts, sighing as if he's disappointed.
"Well, I'm going to bring it up anyway, and I'm highly confident you won't say no to me."
I sit in silence, waiting to hear what he has to say, and I realise I've made a mistake by doing so when he chuckles through the phone.
I should've hung up, but stupidly, I'm curious.
"I need you to do some digging for me. Find out any little bit of information, well, anything of importance, and then I need you to report it back to me."
"No."
"Uh, uh, wait a minute. You haven't even let me finish," he adds quickly, knowing I'm close to hanging up on him, like I should've a minute ago.
"It won't require much on your part. I simply need you to find me the locations of your husband's warehouses, or properties, and the dates and times of shipments.
I know some people who are very interested in the items he has, and when our dear sister, Eliana, was supposed to marry Dominic, I made an arrangement with said people.
Unfortunately, you had to put your foot in things and switch everything up, and now, this is my new plan as to how I get what I want. "
"How is it different now I'm married to him?" I ask, foolishly showing an interest into his dirty little scheme.
"Well, you're much harder to manipulate than Ellie is. So my original plan of getting her to innocently give me the information has gone out the window. Hence why I'm coming to you and asking you to help me."
I scoff, standing from the bed and walking out of Dom's room and into mine, so I can grab some clothes before hopping into the shower, because I don't plan on being a part of this conversation for much longer.
"Ellie's not as stupid as you seem to think she is, Lenny. She never would've given you anything, and I won't either," I spit, yanking clothes from their hangers and stomping into the bathroom.
"You're saying no?"
"Yes, Lenny, that's what I said. Did you not understand? Should I repeat it in Spanish? No te voy a ayudar."
As I pull the phone away from my ear to end the call, I hear something crash on the other end of the line as he screams down the phone, telling me I'll regret it.
Shaking my head, I put my phone on the side, grab a towel from the cupboard, and then strip out of my clothes. I jump in the shower, hurrying through my normal routine so I don't keep Sophia and Kaleb waiting.
"This is my favourite coffee shop near Dom's apartment," Sophia says as Kaleb opens the door to the cute little shop on the corner of a bustling street.
"Obviously, I can't enjoy the delicious substance they sell here anymore, but I do still stop here for pastries, and then I force Kaleb to order a vanilla latte so he can drink it for me. "
I chuckle as she leads me over to a table by the window, sitting down on the cushioned red seats.
"I actually stopped in here yesterday with Leo. He said it was the only place he knew of that allowed pets," I tell her, reaching down to lift Jellybean into my lap.
"She's adorable," Sophia adds, reaching over to stroke her.
"What drink do you want?" Kaleb asks, standing beside the table we're seated at, his eyes scanning across the people inside before he turns his attention to the street outside.
"I'll have a hazelnut mocha, please."
He nods, bends to give Sophia a kiss on the forehead, and then moves over to the counter to place our order.
"Is he always like that?" I ask, watching as he continues to observe everyone around us, his eyes flicking over to Sophia every few seconds as if to make sure she's still exactly where he left her.
"Like what? Overly protective, seemingly moody, and obsessively observant of me?"
I nod, smiling as she rolls her eyes.
"Unfortunately, yes. He's like it all the time, especially since he knocked me up. Rory's friend, Chrissie, told me her husband was the same, but when I mentioned Kaleb's plan of having a tracker installed in every single dummy we buy for our little peanut, she told me he was insane."
My eyes widen in surprise, and I release an amused puff of air through my lips. "That's certainly… extreme, but at least it shows how much he cares."
"Oh god, don't let him hear you say that. He'll be over the moon that someone else thinks his thoughts are reasonable."
I mimic zipping my lips shut as Kaleb walks back over to the table with two mugs in one hand and a bag in the other.
"Oh, I hope you don't mind, but I messaged Jess and Rory while you were getting ready and told them to meet us here. I thought it'd be nice for us all to properly meet."
Surprise rocks through my body, and a spark of warmth heats in my chest.
"I didn't want to bombard you, but I also want to make sure you don't feel alone while you're here. I know it can be a big change, moving country and being in a place where you don't know anyone."
A ghost of a smile appears on my face, and I reach up to the locket around my neck, rubbing my thumb absently over the pattern on the front as I think about my mother and my sister.
"Thank you, I really appreciate that."