Chapter 10
HUNTER
“Anyone Joan Venturi has her sights set on is in a world of danger.” Aiden sinks into the living room chair. “I don’t know how we’re going to get Dori out of this mess.”
News that my mother has been moving around the city for well over a year isn’t surprising, but it does nothing to soothe my nerves.
Has she been watching Jonah, or just me?
Has my dad been in contact with her and not told us about it?
Every possible scenario spins in my mind.
Jamison buries his face in his palms as Melanie tries to console him. They’re sitting at the kitchen island as far away from Aiden as they can be in the situation. I can’t say I blame them, but being divided won’t help us right now.
I gaze out the window and take in the world below. “If the FBI was able to uncover information about my mother’s whereabouts for the past year, I have to hope they’ve found clues as to where Dorothy is.”
Aiden joins me at my side. “I don’t know. They won’t tell me anything other than they're working on it.”
I turn to Aiden. “Did they say where my mother was staying? ”
“No. From the information I got, they spotted her on videos from various businesses around the city. Where she was staying is still a mystery.”
“Hopefully, they’ll be able to pin that down soon. Maybe it will lead us to where your sister is.”
There’s a knock on my door.
“That must be Jonah.” I jog to let him in and open the door. “Jonah, thanks for coming over.”
“I would’ve been here earlier, but my conversation with Dad took longer than expected.” Jonah enters the foyer and scans the apartment. “I never would’ve imagined this group gathering in your place.”
“Yeah, me either.” I stay where I am for some privacy. “What did Dad have to say?”
“Nothing. He swears up and down he hasn’t seen or spoken with our mom in over fourteen years.” Jonah motions to Jamison. “How’s he holding up?”
“Considering he tried to kill Aiden, I’d say he’s hanging by a thread.”
“And what about you?”
I shake my head. “I’m doing about as good as Jamison. Our mother is a terror. She’s got me feeling out of my league.”
“You are out of her league. She’s a mobster’s wife, so I’m sure she’s learned a few things along the way.” Jonah starts leaving the foyer. “Let’s join everyone and see what we can figure out.”
I nod and follow him. Melanie turns and notices Jonah. She shifts away from Jamison like she was doing something wrong.
He tenses as he approaches her. “Hey, Mel. How are you?”
She jumps off the stool and gives him a hug. “I’m fine. I just want Dori home.”
Jonah holds her in his arms. I swear he takes a whiff of her hair. Their relationship confuses the fuck out of me. They both seem to have lingering feelings for one another but are too stubborn to admit it.
Jonah breaks away from Melanie. “We all want Dori home. What’s the news about her?”
Aiden steps into the kitchen with concern in his eyes. “Nothing new on her whereabouts, but we’re going to find her.”
Jonah holds his hand out to Aiden. “I’m Jonah Efron. You must be Dori’s brother.”
Aiden shakes Jonah’s hand. “That’s me. It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you over the years.”
“That’s nice to hear.” Jonah turns a shade of pink. “You never know if your employees truly like you or if they pretend to.”
“Dori thought highly of you.” Aiden glances down.
Jamison spins around. “Dori thinks highly of him. She’s not dead.”
I jump in before they go after each other again. “Jamison, I’m sure it was just a reference because Dorothy’s moving to Miami and won’t work for us anymore.”
Aiden growls under his breath. “Mel, can I talk to you in private for a minute?”
“Sure. Anything you need.” She lowers her head in a submissive gesture, and it isn’t subtle.
Jonah cocks a brow and folds his arms over his chest. He studies them as they huddle in the corner of the formal dining room.
This gathering just keeps getting odder by the second.
Jamison spins off the stool. “We should’ve told Dori about being reinstated with Efron Worldwide.”
I point to the bar. “Let’s speak about that over there.”
“What’s left to discuss?” Jamison places his hands on his hips .
“The reason I didn’t tell her.” My throat tightens as I lead us to the other room. “There’s something I need to explain.”
“What?” Jamison gestures to Jonah. “Does he need to hear this too?”
I glance at him. He’s in the kitchen picking at the food but keeping an eye on Melanie and Aiden.
I pull out a stool at the bar and get seated. “No. He already knows what I’m about to share.”
Jamison sits next to me. “We’ve got to find her, Hunter.”
“I know.” I swallow. “When Dorothy and I went out to lunch the other day, I realized I can’t tell her about her job.”
“Wow. I thought you would in order to get her to stay here with you.” Jamison runs a hand over the back of his neck. “Why?”
“As much as I hate admitting this, she’s meant to be with you. If I tell her about being reinstated, she’ll come back to work at Efron Worldwide.”
“And that’s bad for you, how?”
“I’ll never get over her if she stays, and we’ll keep circling around this pattern of her with me and then with you. It’s got to stop. You let her go once because we were tearing her apart, and you were right. Everything that has happened falls back on us.”
“What’s in it for you?”
My chest squeezes since I already long for her. “Getting over her and seeing her happy. Through my therapy, I’ve come to realize a lot of my fears, hopes, and hang-ups about my mother I transferred to Dorothy. I need to untangle everything and set myself up for a healthy relationship.”
He pulls back, knitting his eyebrows together. “That’s pretty insightful, but you can’t blame me for being suspicious.”
“I’m giving you my word, Jamison. I’ve got a son to focus on, and if we’re right and Isabella is a part of Dorothy’s abduction, then I’ve got to fight to protect him from her.”
His expression softens. “It’s a boy, huh? ”
An unexplained warmth fills my blood. “It is.”
“Congratulations.” He rubs his hand over his heart. “I’ve always wanted a son.”
“And once we find Dorothy, maybe you’ll get that wish.”
From the kitchen, Jonah roars, “Do you think I could go to one place, namely my brother’s house, without running into someone else you’ve fucked?”
Jonah’s hands are in fists by his sides. Aiden’s got his arm draped around Melanie’s shoulders.
She brushes away from him and steps to Jonah. “You have no right to speak to me that way.”
“Really? No right?” Jonah’s face turns beet red. “We just discussed trying out a long-distance relationship. Unless you were just saying that to humor me.”
I didn’t see that coming, little brother.
“No, Jonah. I wasn’t doing anything like that.” Melanie points at Aiden. “He needed a friend.”
“A friend with benefits?” Jonah raises his brows.
“Hey, man. She’s not like that.” Aiden slides around Melanie.
“No? So you’re saying you two haven’t fucked?” Jonah squares his shoulders.
Damn, this could end in another fist fight with Aiden.
“Jonah, stop!” Mel pushes Aiden aside. “This is completely inappropriate.”
“Answer the question, Mel. Have you been with him?” Jonah gestures to Aiden.
She slaps his hand away. “So what if I have? What difference does it make?”
“All the goddamn difference. I don’t want to be with someone who I have to worry about sleeping with every man she knows.” Jonah hikes a thumb at Jamison. “Have you fucked him too?”
This day has got to be the most crazed day in history. Everyone’s fighting and tense. I have to believe it’s the stress of not knowing where Dorothy is.
I hurry to Jonah. “Knock it off. This isn’t the time or the place.”
Jonah breathes heavy, quick puffs of air as he stares Melanie down. She glares at him with tears pooling in her eyes.
I take Jonah by the shoulders. “You need to cool off. Take a break in one of my rooms and figure yourself out.”
His jaw clinches, then he scrunches up his face. “Fine.”
He spins away and storms off down the hall to my bedroom.
I turn to Melanie. “Sorry. He’s probably taking his worries out on you.”
“That’s no excuse.” A tear rolls down her cheek, and she bats it away. “This is the second time he’s tried to start a fight with someone I’m talking to. What’s his problem?”
I grimace. “He’s never had a girlfriend, so maybe he doesn’t know how to act properly.”
“Well, I’m not going to be his punching bag while he figures out how to treat a woman, especially one he claims to care about.” She turns to Jamison. “I need some space and want to go on a walk. Would you come with me?”
Aiden cuts in. “I’ll go with?—”
“No.” She spins to him. “You’re the last person I’m leaving here with.”
“What did I do?” His brow furrows.
“Nothing, but I’m not going to make this shitty day worse by going somewhere with you.” She faces Jamison again. “Jami, do you mind?”
He checks his phone, then glances at Mel. “Sure. I could use some fresh air, but I don’t want to be gone long.”
“Thank you. We’ll be back soon. I just need a break from all the stress.” She gathers her belongings from the kitchen, and they leave a few moments later .
I round the island and stand across from Aiden. “Try not to provoke Jonah when he comes out. This day is already bad enough.”
Aiden sits on a stool. “Agreed, but I wasn’t trying to instigate anything. I was just leaning on Mel for support. She’s closer to Dori than anyone here.”
“Melanie and Dori are best friends, but I’m not sure she’s the closest one to your sister.”
Aiden pulls back as his expression bunches up. “Then who is? You?”
“No. Jamison is. They’ve been together since the day he was shot. She practically lived with him over the last couple of months. I wouldn’t be surprised if they spent every night together before he moved.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be okay with that. They’ll only end up hurting each other, and if my dad is being straight with me, she’s in danger just being with him.” Aiden pushes off his chair and stalks to the window in the living room.
I follow. “Have you considered that your dad threatened that in order to manipulate you so you would stay in line with what he wanted and needed you to do?”
Aiden takes a moment of silence. “No, but I believe his threats.”
“Why? You see what his motives are.”
“That’s the point. He’s been fine coming after me all these years so I’ll help him, which makes me believe he’s willing to go after Dori if needed.”
“Understood, but it might do you justice to look at things between Jamison and your sister differently.” I laugh to myself because I’m starting to sound like my therapist.
Who would’ve thought I’d be sitting here with Aiden Fisher, trying to get him to accept his sister’s and Jamison’s relationship?
I let that sink in. My lungs empty, and my body hollows out. As helpless as I feel, I know if we find Dorothy, I’ve got to let her go.
I twist away to escape the finality of it all and retreat to relax on the couch. “My advice is to work toward a resolution with them. No matter how upset you are about them being together, the fact remains they love each other.”
“That’s going to be hard to do. My dad trained me to think this way, and I’ve spent years trying to keep them apart. It’s hard to see it any other way.”
“I can only imagine.”
“How can you just give up? Don’t you want to make it work with her?” Aiden sits in the spot Dorothy usually does. “Our plan was to get your mom arrested and you to tell Dori about her job. Once that was in place, you would get her back.”
“I know, but I’ve got a lot to consider going forward.” I bend over and rest my forearms on my legs, glancing at him. “Have you forgotten that Isabella’s pregnant with my son?”
He rolls his eyes. “Way to fuck this entire plan up. And why didn’t you tell me about it before today? It could’ve helped.”
“I’ve been trying to get used to the idea. But one thing is for sure, and that’s Dorothy doesn’t deserve to have to sit and watch Isabella carry my son. Not after she’s lost two babies of her own.” I want to rewind my sentence instantly.
“What do you mean she’s lost two babies?” He dials in on me. “Did you get Dori pregnant?”
Fuck me.
“The stress is getting to me. Forget I said anything.”
“Answer the question, Hunter.”
“No. It wasn’t mine.” I tense, knowing all hell is going to break loose now that Aiden knows that probably means it was Jamison’s child.
Before that happens, Jonah treks into the room. “Where’s Melanie? ”
“You scared her off with your possessive bullshit.” I stand to be on his level and slap his chest with the back of my hand. “Why didn’t you tell me you two were working out a long-distance relationship?”
He rakes a hand through his hair. “Because it was still up in the air, and I didn’t want to get a lecture from you.”
“Like I have any room to lay into you about your choices with women.” I glance at Aiden right as his phone goes off.
A snap of adrenaline smacks me in the heart.
Aiden pulls out his phone. His face turns white, and he looks up at us. “It’s your mom. We haven’t come up with a plan, and now I’m fucked.”