Chapter 7 | Bianca
Bianca
Victor’s funeral was held on a brisk October day. I was thankful for the stinging breeze since it made my eyes water and made the tears that much easier to fake. They rolled down my cheeks as onlookers sent me sympathetic glances, and I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Alexis’s emotion was more genuine, and I did my best to comfort her as we watched her father’s casket being lowered into the ground. Once the service was over, we turned to walk across the short grass and head home.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a lone figure standing underneath a tree, a stray whisp of his thick hair blowing in the breeze. His dark eyes were trained on me, following me as I approached the row of cars, and I whispered his name without even realizing it.
“You okay, Mom?” Alexis asked beside me. “Did you say ‘Michael?’”
“I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile as my eyes darted back to him. His hands rested in the pockets of his long black coat, and I noticed the hair above his ears had turned gray. It should’ve made him look old. Instead, it just made him more handsome...more distinguished.
“Bastard,” I murmured.
“Seriously, Mom,” Alexis said, turning to face me at the open car door. “Are you okay?”
“Fine. Get in so we can get out of the cold.”
Once in the car, I gazed out the window, unable to look away from the man who’d once offered to marry me.
How different would my life have been if we’d ended up together?
Would he have saved me from the pain of the life I’d led?
Annoyed at the ridiculous thoughts, I shook my head rapidly to clear it.
When we returned home, there were several agents in FBI jackets roaming the perimeter of the house. Frustrated, I exited the car and marched toward Leo.
“What the hell is this?” I asked, stomping my heel on the granite front porch. “Where’s the warrant?”
“They presented it to Randy, who’s inside preparing the reading of the will. The agents are just looking for any traces of future trafficking or drug shipments that Victor logged. They’ll be done searching soon. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, Bianca.”
Narrowing my eyes, I leaned forward and lowered my voice.
“I know you work for the Carusos too, Leo. I’m not an idiot and I have eyes.
I see you for the two-faced snake you are.
But you’d better get these men out of my house.
I know my rights, and I’m the owner of this house, not Randy,” I finished, frustration evident in my tone.
Clearing his throat, the man had the nerve to look chagrined. “Can we speak privately? Over there?” he pointed to a nearby tree away from the commotion.
“I can speak just fine here—”
“Please, Bianca,” he said softly.
Something about the plea in his tone urged me to follow, and when we were secluded, he spoke quietly so no one else could hear.
“I have to speak quickly so I can’t give you pleasantries, unfortunately. The bastard left the house and all of his possessions and investments to a trust, with Randy as the executor.”
My mouth fell open as I gaped at him. “That’s not correct. He named me as his executor and left me the house. Alexis will inherit everything else.”
“I’m very sorry, Bianca,” Leo said, shaking his head. “He changed his will without you knowing. Very shortly, you’ll have to vacate the property, and so will Alexis.”
Tears stung my eyes at my husband’s last cruel act. I knew he hated me, but to deny Alexis of her inheritance was despicable. If he weren’t already dead, I would murder the bastard with my bare hands.
“There’s more,” Leo said, inching closer as he spoke with haste.
“Alexis erased Victor’s files as you instructed, but not before copying them onto a flash drive.
John and Simon have access to a secret camera in Victor’s study and observed her making the flash drive.
I need to know where it is. That information will get her killed, and she needs to turn it over to me so I can make sure she’s protected. ”
Fear for my daughter surged up my spine as I shook my head. “We’ll give you nothing, do you hear me? If your dirty agents want to know my husband’s business, they can do some actual police work and figure it out.”
Pivoting, I began to walk away, but Leo grabbed my arm.
“Bianca, you can’t trust anyone—”
“I know that,” I said, yanking my arm away. “Least of all you.”
Disgusted at the entire situation, I marched toward the front door and drew Alexis inside to the bathroom, closing the door behind us and locking it.
“We don’t have much time,” I said, urgency in my tone. “Did you make a flash drive of your father’s upcoming shipments?”
Alexis swallowed thickly. “Yes.”
“Why, Alexis? Why would you do that?”
“I felt we needed leverage!” she said, extending her hands in a frustrated shake. “We have no protection now, Mom.”
“Less than you realize,” I said, harshly rubbing my forehead. “Your father cut us both out of the will.”
Her eyes grew wide. “He wouldn’t do that to me...”
“The fucking bastard did. Randy will read the will shortly, and I’ll maneuver some time for us.
I think I can get him to allow us to live here for a short while.
After that, we’ll have to make other arrangements and figure out how to make some money.
Jesus,” I breathed, shaking my head. “What a fucking asshole. Even in death, he’s a bastard. ”
“I can turn the flash drive over to John and Simon, but...” Alexis nervously bit her lip.
“But what?”
“It’s encrypted,” she said softly. “And I’m the only one who can break the encryption.”
“Alexis!” I hissed, furious that she would put herself in such danger. “Your father’s men will use the future shipments to continue to grow his empire and try to take power. They’ll kill you for that information—”
“If it’s that valuable, it gives us a bargaining chip,” she said, lifting her chin. “And I’ll never give up what remaining leverage we have.”
We both jumped as loud knocks sounded on the door. “Ma’am?” John called. “It’s time for the reading of the will.”
“We’ll discuss the flash drive later. John and Simon are crooked. They recorded you on a hidden camera in your father’s study.”
Alexis gasped. “Those fucking creepy bastards!”
“Yes, but we don’t have time to deal with that now. We’ve got to play the grieving widow and daughter.” Pulling her close, I kissed her forehead. “We’ll figure this out. You’ve got your whole life in front of you, and you’re going to live it so much differently than me. I promise.”
Releasing her, I steeled myself and opened the door.
Several minutes later, as Randy read the will, I kept my face expressionless as Alexis frowned beside me.
Once it was over, I addressed Randy.
“I’ll need a few weeks to get movers here,” I said, my tone firm and business-like. “And to find a new home.”
“Of course,” Randy said, fake sympathy plastered over his clammy face. “How about a month. That should give you both enough time, right?”
“Yes, that will be sufficient.” Rising, I extended my hand to Alexis. “Come, dear. We need to start packing.”
I led her upstairs and lifted my finger to my lips, gaining her acknowledgment that she would remain quiet now that we likely knew most rooms in the house were bugged.
When we entered her room, Alexis gasped. “Those fucking bastards! They trashed my room!”
I glanced around at the carelessness with which her bedroom had been tossed.
“Where is the flash drive?”
Alexis bit her thumbnail as the seriousness of the situation washed over her. “I hid it in a locker in Penn Station.”
Sighing, I lowered to her bed, pressing my fingers into the space underneath my eyebrows to ward of the impending headache.
“Okay, we’ve got to pivot. We’re not safe here, but I don’t want to alarm anyone, and if we leave, it’s going to be suspicious.”
Alexis gnawed her lip before asking, “What do we do?”
“Come on,” I said, rising and beckoning for her to follow me to my room.
Once we were inside, I walked to the closet and opened the safe.
Feeling around, I found the flap that lifted to reveal a false bottom.
Pulling out the revolver, I opened the cylinder to confirm it was fully loaded before popping it back into place.
“You have a gun?” Alexis whispered, her eyes wide.
“Your grandfather gave it to me when I turned sixteen,” I said, placing it in the waist of my pants before taking her hand. “Come on.”
We walked into the hallway to find John approaching. “Ma’am, we need to ask Alexis some questions about some documents on Victor’s office computer—”
“My husband is barely in his grave, and we need to mourn,” I said, my voice firm although my insides were quaking with fear. “We’ll be spending the night in Victor’s room so we can mourn and share memories. Would you deny us this one night to grieve?”
John’s eyes narrowed as he contemplated, seeming torn between duty and not wanting to trample over Victor’s remaining family’s wishes.
“Fine,” he said, his voice emotionless. “Tomorrow, Simon and I need to meet with you both, but I’ll give you tonight to mourn. Please meet us in Victor’s study at ten a.m.”
“We will,” I said, dragging Alexis down the hallway before closing Victor’s bedroom door and locking it behind us.
“I’ve bought us one night in the only room that probably isn’t bugged, so I need to think quickly.
” Lifting my phone from my pocket, I called the man I knew I couldn’t trust, but who was my only option.
“Bianca,” Leo’s deep voice said on the other side of the line.
Closing my eyes, I held my hand to my throat and sealed my fate. “Alexis and I are in danger. Can you set up a meeting for me with Michael Caruso?”
Silence crackled as my pulse pounded underneath my palm.
“I know you work for him too, Leo. Please set up the meeting. I’ll plan to go on my usual five a.m. jog in the morning, so if he wants to meet me along the path, that works. Clear your throat if you agree to help me.”
Leo cleared his throat and I expelled a long breath.
“Thank you.”
Clicking off the phone, I tossed it on the bed before removing the gun and placing it on the nightstand. Turning to face Alexis, I observed her shocked expression.
“You’re calling the man who killed dad? His arch rival?”
Striding toward her, I cupped her face and spoke with the seriousness of a woman who had no other choice.
“I’m taking a chance that I can trust him.”
“I don’t see how that’s possible—”
“One day, I’ll explain everything to you. For now, we need to work quickly. Go through all of your father’s drawers and closets. Remove anything valuable—cufflinks and such—and put them in a bag. We’re going to be cut off and need things we can pawn.”
Alexis’s eyes welled with tears. “This is all my fault. I’m so sorry, Mom.”
“Tears won’t help us now, baby girl. I need you to be strong, okay?”
She nodded and got to work while I sat down on the king-sized bed and planned what I was going to say to Michael Caruso after all these years...