36. Chapter 36
Victor
“Bellamy, please send Liliana and Grace into my office when you see them,” I say as she stands to begin setting up the formal dining room and turn it into a conference room.
“Yes, Master Victor,” she says with a nod of her head. “Oh, I spoke with Trinity Novak about your idea for Grace, and she’s on board.”
I wink at her as she reaches the door. “Thank you, Bellamy.”
The summit begins today, and I’m nervous. Something I’m not used to experiencing.
Ten minutes later, Grace and Lili are at my door. I usher them both in, kissing each of them on the cheek. “Sit, please.”
They drop onto the couch and look at me expectantly. “What’s wrong, Vic?” Lili asks. “You look stressed.”
I let out a short laugh. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“How do we help, Master?” Grace asks softly.
I give her a small smile. “That’s why you’re here, butterfly. I do need help, but not the way you’re thinking. I need both of you to listen very carefully.”
She nods, but Lili folds her arms as if she’s preparing to get defensive. Exactly what I don’t need.
“We’re about to be inundated with some extremely dangerous people.
People who are looking for reasons to turn this into a bloodbath.
It’s important that both of you do exactly as you’re told during this summit.
Stay invisible as much as possible but also observe everything.
You’re not familiar faces, none of the women are.
That’s going to put some of our friends on edge. ”
“Friends?” Lili questions with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s a term I use loosely. Are you hearing what I’m saying right now?”
“Yes, Victor. You need us to be quiet little women who serve you drinks and don’t speak our minds.”
I sigh and look at Grace. “Is that how you see it?”
She shakes her head then shrugs. “I mean kind of, but I also understand why it’s that way. Doesn’t mean I like it, but I’ll obey.”
“Good. I’m not saying you’re wrong about the way women are treated in my world.
Nor am I saying that’s how it should be.
But I am telling you that’s how it is for many of the people who will be in that room, and I would rather you be pissed and safe, instead of dead because you wanted to run your mouth. ”
I’m looking directly at Lili when I speak, and she rolls her eyes, holding her hands up, palms out. “OK, I get it. I’m a smart ass and I’m too blunt. But I’m with Grace. I don’t like it, but for reasons that cannot be fathomed, I like you, so I’ll obey.”
I smile and try to relax my shoulders. “Thank you. Both of you.”
“Is there anything else we can do to help?”
“Go find Bellamy. I’m sure she can put you to work setting up the meeting room for everyone.”
Grace stands to do as I instruct, but Lili stays sitting, as if she wants to talk.
“I’ll be with Bellamy,” Grace says, slipping out.
“Spit it out, Spitfire,” I demand when I’m alone with her.
“What good is this summit going to do? It feels like you’re asking for trouble when you’re still dealing with Phineas and Grace’s stalker has gone quiet.”
“Phineas is somehow connected to the Russians. The Russians are why we’re having this summit. It’s all linked. The hope is to keep Las Vegas neutral and prevent a turf war. Does that make sense?”
She nods. “It does. But I still don’t like it. I don’t like seeing you this stressed out.”
“The stress is temporary.” I try to reassure her with a smile, but it’s clear she doesn’t buy it.
Still, I have a lot to do to prepare for the arrival of the first few guests, so I stand and round the desk.
When I’m in front of her, I bend and press a long kiss to her mouth, letting my hand rest at the base of her skull.
“That helps,” I murmur against her lips when I pull away. “Now go find Grace and stay out of trouble.”
She stands and offers a mock salute as she backs out the door.
I shake my head and settle in at my desk to review the arrival plans Luke put into place since he was providing transportation for most of the attendees.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t have used the warehouse for this?” Matteo asks when he pokes his head into my office a few minutes later.
“We have Phineas there. That wouldn’t have worked.”
Matteo drags a hand through his hair and leans against the doorframe. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“You look like shit.”
Matteo glares at me. “Thanks. Skylar said the same thing. I’m just worried about Danny being in the same room with your family. Is Amarjit still planning to be here?”
When the summit was first organized, Danny was going to send an emissary in his stead.
But something happened in Chicago, and Danny will now be attending himself.
It threw off the arrangements we’d been making, but we are adjusting as best we can.
It certainly fucked up Bellamy’s seating chart, and Danny isn’t the only one throwing a wrench in things.
At least Danny informed us beforehand. My brother arrived in town a few hours ago and didn’t tell anyone until he was on the ground.
“Yes, the good doctor should be arriving any moment. She’s going to be on standby in one of the offices. Hopefully, we don’t need her.”
Owen enters then looking much calmer than Matteo or me. “What’s got the two of you so stressed?”
“My brother is joining us.”
Owen whistles. “That’s fun. Both Serrano brothers in the same room. How long has it been since that happened?”
I scoff. “Aside from the occasional visit to Mexico, not since I left for college. And when I visited, I kept it to family events. This is the first time we’ve really conducted business together. And he’s doing it just to be an asshole.”
“So, he takes after your father,” Owen quips. “I get it. And Danny showing up isn’t doing us any favors either.”
Bellamy pokes her head in the door before I can respond. “The conference area is ready, Sir. And it looks like the first of the SUVs just pulled into the lot, but I haven’t heard from Luke. I thought he was coordinating all the transit.”
“Thank you, love.” Owen pulls a tablet out of the inside of his jacket and swipes and taps a few times until the parking lot camera feeds pop up onto his screen.
I lean over his shoulder so I can see better.
The SUV Bellamy referenced is parked a few spaces down from the front door.
The back passenger door opens, and I groan.
“Leave it to the Serranos to break the rules we agreed on,” Owen mutters. “It’s a good thing we like you, mate. How do you want to handle this?”
“I don’t want to handle it. You do whatever you want,” I huff as I stare at my brother standing outside the car adjusting the buttons on his jacket.
Owen chuckles and crosses the room to Bellamy. He kisses her softly and puts a hand on her shoulder. “Call Luke and tell him that the Serranos broke protocol and are in the parking lot, so he will need to revamp the plan a bit and if possible, avoid pissing anyone off.”
Bellamy nods. “Yes, Sir. I’ll let you know when I’ve heard something.”
“Thank you, love.”
I’ve always enjoyed watching Bellamy and Owen together, and Tobias just adds to their dynamic.
It’s full of respect and playfulness, but Bellamy would never disobey Owen unless she had a damn good reason.
That’s the relationship they’ve built. To Bellamy, Owen is her God, and she worships him freely.
Tobias gives her a more playful way to explore her kinky side, and he seems to enjoy getting her in trouble with Owen.
It takes forty-five minutes, but thanks to Matteo’s ability to soothe people, we settle everyone into the conference room without bloodshed.
Bellamy collects all cellphones and weapons and stores them in lockers usually reserved for club members to keep purses and phones during parties.
My brother grumbles about giving up his weapons, and I order our security to pat him down extra well.
Sure enough, we find a hidden pistol inside his boot.
“Really, Andres?” I say with a glare.
“You can’t blame me for not wanting to be unarmed around a Trentini. And the Bowdens would put a bullet in my head too.”
Jamie Bowden, who surprised all of us by saying yes to joining the summit just so he could see his daughter-in-law, Zara, pipes up with a grin. “No, we wouldn’t lad, but we might feed you to the dogs if given half a chance.”
Luke glares at his father, but the old Irishman seems to have smoothed my brother’s ruffled feathers with his sarcasm.
We’re waiting for Owen to arrive with Hunter Novak, as well as the itinerary for the meeting, at which point Bellamy will close the doors and wait nearby with a walkie talkie for one of us to summon her. Not even the four club owners could keep their phones. Which I hate.
Skylar and Zara are happy to not be part of this meeting, but Lili is a little put out that the only woman involved is Bellamy. But Bellamy has the added benefit of being from one of the principal families. Her cousin is here to represent the Harper family’s interests.
It takes another ten minutes for Owen to arrive with Hunter, and something tells me that was Hunter’s doing. Making an entrance has always been something he prides himself on. I just hope he knows how close these people are to killing each other.
He strides in ahead of Owen and doesn’t say a word as he settles into his designated chair, unbuttoning his expensive gray suit jacket as he sits.
Owen sets paper copies of the itinerary in front of each of the fifteen men sitting around the table, before placing a tablet down at his spot near the head of the table.
And now the summit has officially begun. So far, so good. I let out a slow breath as Owen speaks. We opted to let him take the lead because his family is on the friendliest terms with the rest of the attendees.
“Gentlemen, thank you for being willing to set differences aside to join us today to discuss a faction that impacts us all.”
“I don’t understand why Novak is here,” Andres grumbles.