Chapter 36
Iscreech into the parking lot of The Alexander and make a run for the conference center, needing to find Gisele. The room is set for a wedding, the decorations perfectly in place. Bar staff are setting up, music plays through the room, but there is no sight of her.
Emerson catches up with me.
“She’s not here.”
“The ceremony’s on the lawn at three. It’s close to that now, I’ll check out there,” she calls in my direction.
I go to follow her, and Victor steps into the room. Every muscle in my body tenses at the sight of him.
“Where’s Lana?” I ask, no time left for fucking around. He knows what’s going on here, I’m sure of it.
His eyes meet mine. “I’m not sure. We had a meeting earlier, then she left for the day.”
I stride closer to him. “Why do the two of you need to conduct so many meetings? She has no role here, unless there is a part of this business you’re hiding from me.” I tilt my head, studying him, my glare icy. “Or is it an employee?”
His eyes shift around the room like he’s looking for an escape from my scrutiny. Even now when he knows I’m on to him, he can’t come clean and just tell me what’s been going on.
“You have five minutes to pack your things and leave the hotel for good,” I tell him, my voice filled with disgust. He was dedicated to my father for all those years, but who knows what he was really doing behind his back.
“Excuse me?” He quirks a brow, clearly taken aback by my request.
I move slowly, stalking toward him. “You’re being dismissed. Did you really think I wouldn’t work out money disappearing right in front of my eyes? That you were paying off his mistress and her bastard son.”
Casually he straightens out his suit, dusting it off. “I was only doing what your father was too pathetic to. He treated this place like his personal playground, and he left the mother of his child in debt up to her eyeballs and a small child to take care of alone, instead of manning up and looking after them. Someone had to step in. The only thing your father cared about was his reputation and this damn hotel. But you already know that. It’s why you ran away from all this.”
I assess him. He’s calm, resigned to his fate. He had to know his days here were numbered, but he still didn’t come to me. He had months to confess what he knew and not a word. “So, you took care of them, made sure they were getting enough out of the business to live off, how chivalrous. What I want to know is how did you get him to sign off on it?”
“I can’t believe you haven’t worked it out by now. Your father had no idea what was going on with his business. Once your grandad passed, there was only ever going to be a downhill trajectory. He’s lucky he had my help to keep it afloat for as long as I did.”
“Why did you stop?”
He drops his head, and I see the defeat. “I’m old, Brody. I’m ready to retire, and once he married Lana, things around here got more complicated than even I could handle. You don’t know her like I do. She won’t stop until she gets what she wants.”
Half of me feels sorry for him. He believed he was cleaning up my father’s mess, doing the right thing for his child. Even to his own detriment. “You should have come to me, explained all of this when I first took over. Things could have ended for you very differently.”
“And what would you have done? Given Mason what he was entitled to? Let him share in the ownership of The Alexander? Come on, Brody, give me some credit. I did what I thought was right. I convinced your father to give in to his threats and just pay him what he was after. Who knows what the two of them would have done if we didn’t. Your father was scared for his life.”
“So, it was Mason threatening him? Was he the one who killed him?”
He pulls a folded-up piece of paper from his suit pants. “All I know is we started getting these notes right after your father married Lana.”
“You came down here prepared.”
“I knew what you and Emerson would find when you went to that house. It’s owned by Lana, but it’s where Mason lives, and there’s no way you wouldn’t have put it all together.”
I nod, agreeing with him, before glancing at the note. Your secrets are no longer safe. Pay the price for your sins or your empire will crumble. We know about the illegitimate child and the debts you’ve left behind. You have five days to comply, or it won’t just be your beloved hotel you need to worry about. We’re coming for you, old man.
For fuck’s sake, these should have been given to the police. There’s one for each day in the lead-up to his death, all stating something similar. Anger radiates through me. Victor knew all of this. “Why didn’t you go to the police?” I demand.
“Your father didn’t want his secrets exposed to the town. He was a very proud man, and we both know if he went to the police, his reputation would have been destroyed. So, he paid them, and we both thought it would be over. He was also worried about the possibility of other people coming forward claiming to be his children.” Victor’s eyes meet mine, and I know it’s a real possibility.
I run a hand through my hair, my skin prickling at the thought. “For fuck’s sake. There are others?”
“Not that we know of, but there were many affairs over the years. It’s possible.”
My stomach rolls. I’m so disgusted at the thought. Our poor mother. What she had to put up with is beyond soul-destroying. “Tell me one thing. Was it you leaking information to the media?”
“I wouldn’t do that to this family, son,” he says sincerely, and I believe him.
I nod, slowly processing. None of this changes Victor’s part in keeping this all from me. I can’t trust him, and now he’ll have to face the consequences. Jim comes through the open door, his eyes meeting mine. “Emerson said you might need me?” he asks, and I nod in reply.
“You served my father for a long time. You will be paid for your efforts in your severance package, and you won’t be charged for what you have stolen from us, because unlike my father, I uphold my family responsibilities. But you have to understand I can no longer have an employee I don’t trust working for me. Jim will help you empty your office and escort you to your car.”
He nods solemnly, and I turn to walk away. I’m disappointed in Victor and disgusted with my father. I need to find Gisele. Emerson should have come back with her by now. Where are they?
“Brody,” Victor calls back to me.
I turn to face him.
“I can admit when I’m wrong. You’re not like your father at all,” he says, and I know he means it with kindness. Somewhere along the way he lost all respect for my father. He has caused so much pain.
I’m not sure how to deal with Lana and Mason. I knew Mason couldn’t be trusted. Blackmailing his own father, a low move to get noticed. Did he kill him in the end? I glance over the handwritten notes again. I’ve seen this handwriting before. The note Gisele got in her office was so similar, it has to be by the same person. It took her a few weeks to show it to me, but she eventually decided it was best if I knew what was going on. And now I’m really glad she showed me. I loosen my tie and unbutton the top of my shirt, feeling like it’s strangling me. Mason was the one stalking her.
I turn back to Jim. “See that he gets off the premises with no drama.”
Jim nods, and I move quickly through the gardens in search of Gisele, calling her name on repeat. She’s still not answering her cell, and now I’m really starting to worry.
Emerson comes running toward me with Noah by her side. “Gisele’s missing. No one has seen her since she was setting up the reception space. She’s supposed to be running the wedding ceremony on the lawn, but she’s just vanished,” she cries.
I break into a cold sweat immediately.
“Mason was seen talking to her right before she disappeared, but according to the security surveillance, they haven’t left the hotel. My guess is that they’re on the fourth floor, and that’s why the surveillance is out up there,” Noah says. “I checked it out earlier when it all first went down, and there was no sign of anyone, but it’s too much of a coincidence.”
“Em, call Detective McAllister. Get him here now.”
“Okay. What are you guys going to do?” she calls after us, her voice shaky, but we’re already moving toward the main hotel.
I glance at Noah. “You got your gun?”
He nods, and we step into the elevator, ready to do whatever we have to.
When the doors open on the fourth floor, we split up, taking one side of the hallway each, and start checking rooms. My heart races in panic. I need to know she’s okay. She’s been gone too long. How did this even happen? “Wait, stop. Did you hear that?” I whisper.
Noah nods and points in the direction of room seven. Just two farther up the hall. The floor is deadly silent now, but there were definitely voices. Her voice and another. “We need to split up, radio for help,” I tell Noah, knowing there is no point in us both walking into this unknown situation. I don’t bother checking the lock. I already know it will be open. He passes me the gun, and I get a running start and slam my shoulder into the door. The thing goes flying, and when the dust settles, I see Gisele tied to a chair, gun pointed at her back. I’m surprised when I see Lana holding it.
“You took your time.” She smirks sardonically. “Ditch the gun, we won’t need it for this little chat.”
Gisele’s scared eyes meet mine and beg me to do what they say. I place the gun in front of me and shove it forward in a show of compliance. My hands ball into fists, ready for a fight. Mason has one hand covering her mouth and the other wrapped around her throat. I want to rip his arms off his body for even touching her.
“Come in. We’ve been waiting for you. Haven’t we, Gisele.” Lana motions toward a table set up in the room, with a stack of papers. Gisele’s eyes fill with fear, and I want to run over there and pull her out of his grip, but I know right now that’s more dangerous than quietly assessing the situation.
“Let her go. She has nothing to do with any of this,” I say calmly.
Mason grins, all teeth. “That’s where you’re wrong, Brother. Gisele is just another thing you took from me. And I want her back.”
She whimpers as he grips her tighter.
My spine straightens. She was never his. He’s delusional. “I’m still not sure why you didn’t feel you could come to me and talk this all over. I’m a reasonable man, and I’m sure we could have come to a compromise that worked for all of us.”
“That’s a bit cute. Your girlfriend was just saying the same thing about you.” Lana smirks.
I glance at Gisele’s scared face and wonder what exactly has been happening while he’s had her locked up here. “What do you want, Lana?”
“The Alexander signed over to Mason,” she says like it’s all that simple.
“You know I can’t just sign it over. I don’t have the legal right. I don’t even own this place until my twelve-month contract runs out. And even then, Emerson would need to sign off on it too.”
She comes at me, a menacing look in her eyes. “I need you to understand the severity of the situation, Brody. You see, when your father died, leaving Mason nothing, he left me with nothing to lose. He made promises to me, lots of them, and they apparently vanished along with him. The Alexander is rightfully ours. We are as much a part of this family as you or Emerson, and I won’t rest until I get what’s owed to us.”
Gisele’s eyes plead with me, silently showing her desperation. I clench my fists, trying to stay composed, knowing it’s the only way I’m going to get us both out of here safely. I turn my attention to Mason, hoping he will be more rational. “Mason, there has to be another way to resolve this. We can find a compromise that doesn’t involve putting Gisele in harm’s way.” I try appealing to his obvious obsession with her, because I can’t tell them what they want to hear. I don’t have the authority to sign this place over.
He runs a hand through his stubble, assessing me. “I agree, Ma. Brody wants to negotiate, no one has to get hurt.” Despite Lanas gun still being aimed at her, he unties the knot on Giseles wrists. “I’ll get her out of here while you two sort out the negotiations,” Mason says, his voice sounding strained, like he’s on the edge of losing his shit completely. There is no way in hell I’m going to let him walk out of here with my girl.
“Whose side are you on, Son? I’m doing all this for you.” She waves the gun between them.
“Yours, Ma, I just don’t see why we can’t have it all. The business and Gisele.”
“Mason, you don’t have me,” Gisele whispers. She looks ill, like she’s about to pass out, and I want desperately to get her out of here and away from these crazy people.
Mason’s grip on her tightens.
Lana shakes her head, moving to shove the gun into Gisele’s back. “I’ve waited long enough, Brody. It’s unfortunate that you have to pay for your father’s mistakes, but you do. Now, you’re going to make a choice. Sign the papers over to us or never see your girl again.”
My mind races, thinking over every possible move. I want to tear this room apart to get to her. There is no way I would ever let anything happen to her, and Lana’s as mad as a cut snake. Just like Victor said, I assume she would do whatever it takes to get what she thinks they’re entitled to. I take a deep breath, trying to keep a clear head. “You can have anything you want. I’ll call my lawyer and have the deed handed over to you. Just let Gisele go now.”
She chuckles darkly. “Now we’re talking. See, that wasn’t too hard, was it? No need to involve your lawyer. I have a perfectly good contract just here.” She taps on the papers on the little table.
I can see Gisele is scared and only just holding it together. I want to help her. I want this ordeal over as quickly as possible. And even though I know this contract can’t ever be legal, Lana seems to think it will be, so I take a seat and look over it. Like I suspected, it would give her everything. Shes delusional if she really believes this is going to go her way in the end. When I read it over again, something twigs. “This has no mention of Mason,” I say, looking between them.
“What? No, that’s not right.” He drops his grip on Gisele and comes to look over my shoulder, furiously reading the contract.
“Mason’s a good boy. He wants his ma to have all her dreams come true. See, when I used to be the one working at reception here, your father used to whisper sweet nothings in my ear. Promises of a life we would have together. He said one day this would all be mine. He thought I was a silly girl he could manipulate into getting what he wanted, but he put the idea in my head, and I have spent years preparing for this. I deserve it for everything he put me through.”
In a sudden move, Mason makes a grab for the weapon Lana is holding, wrestling it out of her hands. “Everyone down on the fucking ground!” Mason yells, his voice booming off the empty walls. She’s just pushed him too far.
Lana looks at him, confusion crossing her features for a second, then she complies, just like me and Gisele.
“You old bitch. This was never about me. All this time, you wanted this all for yourself. You have put me through hell for years trying to get this hotel, and it was all for you.”
“I wanted it for us,” she wails. “But you had to go and mess it all up, blackmailing him. I had it all under control. I killed him for us,” she admits, staring up at him with desperation in her voice. “You just had to wait for it all to be handed over to you. But I couldn’t trust you this time, Mason. You get too crazy about things. If I take over, I will look after you. This can still be your business. This will be a good life, Son,” she tries to convince him.
“Bullshit,” he yells, enraged with his mother, before turning his attention to my girl. “Gisele, sweetheart, come here,” he says warmly, his personality flip-flopping. He’s a madman, possessed with rage and years of hatred.
She looks petrified but complies, getting to her feet shakily and walking to him.
“Good girl.” His attention returns to me. “Taking the hotel will be satisfying but having your girl will fulfill every dark depraved fantasy I have ever had. You know how many times I had to hear about the great Brody Alexander, all your fucking achievements? I was never good enough no matter what I did, not compared to you. But now I will be. I will be the king of her world. The only girl you ever really wanted will worship me.”
He holds her tight, still threatening us with his weapon.
She whimpers, her scared eyes finding me, but I can’t move. If I do, he’s going to shoot. Where the hell is Noah?
“After tonight, I no longer live in the shadow of Brody fucking Alexander.” He drags her out the door, and there is nothing I can do with his gun pointed toward her. If I move, he will shoot her. They disappear down the hallway toward the elevator, and I waste no time snatching up my gun, right as Noah comes through the open window. His gun is drawn, pointing toward Lana. “Don’t try it,” he says, his eyes glued to her as she tries to grab for me.
“Get her under control,” I call to him. I have to go after Gisele. I run down the hall, passing Detective McAllister and Parker on my way. “Lana’s in there, but Mason has Gisele,” I call to them, shoving my way past.
Detective McAllister calls after me, “The elevators have been disabled, and we didn’t pass them on the stairs. They’re still on this floor somewhere.” Parker comes with me, and we rush down the hall, checking doors, my heart in my throat. I have to get to her in time. There is no way he’s leaving the hotel with her. I can’t lose her. Not now.