Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Do we need to call the police?” Calista asked.
Why? Because Melody’s stepbrother had looked as if he wanted to commit murder? “I want to talk to him first.” Talk, not have the bastard scream at him. Victor needed to know what the hell new confession Dario thought that Sebastian had made.
Hell. The web just kept getting more and more twisted.
But, regardless of Sebastian’s new confession…
He slanted a glance at Melody. The truth has come out. At least, part of it had, anyway.
His phone rang. Melody was still staring at the closed elevator doors. She seemed a bit dazed. Not that he could blame her. Dario had come charging out of that elevator like a maddened bull.
He checked his phone’s screen, and sighing, he put the phone to his ear. “The tip-off call could have come earlier, Amaya.”
“Did he come to you? I’m so sorry, Victor!
” Her words rushed out. “The man was pounding on my door, waking up my kids. I wasn’t even thinking clearly and when he started demanding that we transfer property into his name, I just—I slipped up.
Said there was nothing to transfer. That everything had been handled.
I thought…Hell, I thought you were going to tell him this weekend.
That was why you agreed to go out to the estate for the meeting, wasn’t it? ”
One of the reasons. But then Melody had come back.
Everything had changed.
Melody’s gaze left the elevator. Came to him.
Don’t hate me, baby. Please. “It’s all right,” he told Amaya. “I’ll handle things.”
“Where are you? Do I need to come and meet you?”
“I’m at Mage Industries. Dario is here, too.”
“Dammit. Okay, okay, I can fix this. We can fix it. I’ll be there as fast as possible.”
There was nothing to fix. “I’ll handle Dario.”
“Victor…”
“Stay with your kids, Amaya.” She had five-year-old twin boys who needed her. He could handle Dario. “I’ve got this.”
“But—but what about what he was saying regarding Sebastian? He claimed Sebastian murdered Melody’s mother. Dario swore he’d go to the cops. Victor, we can’t cover up a murder.”
No, they couldn’t. “I’ll handle everything.” He ended the call. With a hard, jerking motion, Victor shoved the phone back into his pocket.
Melody edged closer to him. Her hand lifted and touched his arm. “What’s happening?”
Just the past, trying to drag him under. “We’ll go upstairs and talk about things.” He looked over her shoulder. “Jenner, stay down here, would you?” He wanted eyes on the ground floor, just in case. Sure, there was a Mage guard at the parking garage’s gate, but he needed extra security.
Jenner had never let him down.
Jenner nodded. “Yes, sir,”
“Calista and Luis, come up with us.” They could stay close by while Victor and Melody talked. Then when he had his face-off with Dario.
Dario. The guy had been a pain in his ass for years.
The group headed for the elevator bank. A press of the button had the elevator on the left opening.
Victor and Melody went in first, followed by the two guards.
Instrumental Christmas music played through the speaker as the elevator rose.
Heading straight to the top floor. And damn if that Christmas music wasn’t an instrumental version of “Last Christmas” playing.
Hell.
Last Christmas had been a fucking nightmare that he never intended to repeat.
He reached out, took Melody’s hand, and curled his fingers around hers. He’d had plans for this Christmas. Presents, magic, new memories that he’d wanted to give her. He wanted to take away all of her pain and make every wish she had come true.
Instead…
His head turned toward her. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
He could feel the guards watching them. “For being a bastard.”
The elevator chimed. The doors opened.
Calista went out first, checking the scene.
Victor followed, still keeping his hold on Melody.
He was afraid to let go. Luis followed up as the caboose of their group.
The top level—the executive level—of Mage Industries should have been dead silent.
It wasn’t. He could hear Dario’s shouts coming from down the hallway.
But before he went to face-off with Dario, he needed to talk with Melody. Alone. He glanced over at Calista. “You’ll stay out here in the lobby area?”
She nodded.
“Thanks. Luis, will you make sure the guards don’t need help with Dario?” And by help, he meant make sure those guys have him under control.
“On it.” Luis spun on his heel. The bulge of his weapon could barely be seen beneath his jacket. Victor had a gun tucked beneath his own coat, too.
Victor guided Melody to his office. He caught her glancing around, taking in all the decorations as they traveled down the thick carpet in the hallway.
As always, Mage Industries was decorated to the hilt for the holiday season.
Trees everywhere. Glowing lights. Wreaths.
Red and gold banners. The company hadn’t held the big annual Christmas party this year, though.
Without Melody, he just couldn’t.
The door to his office hung open, and Victor frowned. With his left hand, he pushed the door all the way in, and…hell. Files were scattered. Paperwork littered the floor.
The guards downstairs had said that Dario broke in. They’d neglected to say that he’d trashed Victor’s office.
“Sorry, sir.” Another guard stood behind the big, mahogany desk, trying to pick up some of the chaos. “Dario got in here and wrecked the place. Tried to claim he was searching for some file, but he was just throwing paperwork everywhere.”
“Leave everything as it is.” That paperwork was confidential. “Get any and all access keys that Dario has to Mage Industries. After I talk with him, he will be escorted from the building.” A pause. “He will not be coming back.”
The guard—Hayward Young—straightened. “Yes, sir.” He hurried from the room, but not before staring, wide-eyed, at Melody. “Good to see you, Ms. Mage,” he murmured. He exited, leaving the door open.
Victor glared at the mess.
“Victor.” Melody’s hand turned in his grip. “I want to know what’s happening, and I want to know right now.”
He opened his mouth to tell her.
“I couldn’t stop him!” A yell from the hallway. A woman’s yell.
Victor turned, letting go of Melody’s hand and automatically moving to stand in front of her. Olivia barreled down the hallway. Her intent was clearly to reach his open office. Where in the world had she been? None of the guards had mentioned her.
Tear tracks glistened on her cheeks. Hayward moved into her path, but Calista had already beat him to the interception. “You need to stop.” Calista’s hand shoved back her coat to reveal her holster. “Right the hell now.”
Olivia screamed and scrambled back. “What in the hell? No, no! Don’t shoot me!”
“I don’t plan to do so,” Calista informed her. “Unless you pose a serious threat.”
“Victor!” Melody pushed at his back. “Why is Olivia here?”
“Dario must have brought her.” Dario had keycards and access materials. Olivia didn’t.
“I need to talk to Melody!” Olivia stretched around Calista.
“Melody, I have to tell you about your mother. I have to tell you what is happening!” She pointed at Victor.
“You’re being lied to by him! He’s manipulating you.
Victor has just been using you all along!
Victor knows what your father did, and I think he blackmailed Sebastian into giving him control of the company. ”
Melody stepped to Victor’s side. She peered down the hallway.
Olivia’s eyes locked on her. Desperation filled her expression.
“Victor never came here to save Mage Industries. Never. He came to destroy it. He wants to destroy the whole family! That’s why Dario and I are here now—we were looking for proof!
We have to stop him!” More tears poured from Olivia’s eyes.
“I am your best friend. I have been friends with you since the sixth grade when Mary Hodgins called me fat and you told her to kiss both of our fat asses. You have always had my back, and I’ve got yours.
I’m telling you—Victor is lying! He’s trying to hurt you! ”
“You’re leaving,” Calista said, voice sharp. “Now.”
Hayward took a cautious step forward.
“No!” A desperate screech from Olivia. “Melody, listen to me! Listen! When the guards were hauling Dario downstairs, I called Detective Clinton! Told him everything. He’s coming here.”
Great. Just what Victor didn’t need. Another damn interrogation with the dick detective.
“I know you don’t have your memory, Melody! I know! The detective told me—he called Dario after he met with you at the station. He told us that you didn’t remember anything. Said he was worried about you. That he didn’t trust Victor.”
The detective had always suspected him. Angus had stonewalled the investigation and suspected Victor and done jack shit to truly find Melody.
Fresh tears trickled down Olivia’s cheeks. “That’s why Dario and I had to act! Why we had to search Victor’s office. To find evidence for the detective. Melody, please, believe me! Victor is using you. He’s been using you all along. Playing some sick game to get revenge.”
So they’d both searched his office? To find evidence for the damn detective? What. The. Hell?
“Victor?” Melody’s hesitant voice. “What is she talking about? What revenge?” Her hands twisted in front of her. “Why would you want to get revenge on me? What did I do?”
Not a damn thing. “Hayward, escort Olivia from the building.”
The guard snapped his gaping mouth closed. Nodded. “Yes, sir.” He shuffled forward.
A door opened down the hallway. Luis poked his head out. “Everything all right?” he demanded.
No, things were pretty fucked sideways.
Calista and Hayward reached for Olivia.