CHAPTER 46 - RED
CHAPTER
Red
M Y RESENTMENT for offering this bastard a glass of whiskey is high. I resent even more that each time he sips it, his face wears a slight sneer, as if my spirits aren’t quite good enough.
But what I resent most of all is making out I’m considering his demands.
However, I give nothing away. My face portrays nothing of what’s really going on inside my head, and that won’t change, despite being desperate to rip this piece of shit out of the chair and throw him from my building to lie with the trade bins.
Instead, I steeple my fingers under my chin and study the man on the other side of my desk as he continues outlining his wishes.
And they are wishes. Emiliano Galvatore believes he’s issuing demands, but he can think what he fucking wants. Anything I grant will be on my decision alone.
“It would have been more appropriate had you approached me regarding this... association with my daughter,” Emiliano Galvatore continues, his dark, bushy eyebrows a sharp contrast with his silvery hair.
“What occurred has proved somewhat awkward and, as I’m sure you’re aware, not a choice I would sanction. ”
“Hmm,” I murmur, making no effort to hide my indifference. “But, like you said, it would not be sanctioned, therefore there was little point in approaching you to discuss it.” Placing my hands flat on my desk, I lean forward. I’ve listened to enough of this flowery bullshit.
We both know he’s skirting around the issue, so why doesn’t he just get on with what he’s really here for?
To accuse me of killing Roberto and taking his daughter.
He wants Arianna back, but he’s not having her.
She’s mine now. “Mr Galvatore, I’m well aware we are what others would class as ‘enemies’, so why don’t you get to the point. ”
Galvatore’s thin lips inch into a cold smile. “Perhaps I should respect your directness, Mr Bateman, but I do not. In your pretentious newspaper article, you went to significant efforts to underline there is no bad blood between us. I do not understand why you would do this.”
“Because I have no personal issues with you, Mr Galvatore,” I lie, returning his icy smile.
“Although I am aware of the history between your business and mine during my father’s time, that doesn’t mean any feuds need to continue.
” Oh, but it does because I’m going to finish you and your fucking sidekick, Bristoni, for what I’m sure you both did.
“Yes... it was a shame about your parents.” Galvatore raises an eyebrow. “A most unfortunate incident. My sincere condolences.”
My nails draw blood in my palms underneath the cover of the desk.
I need the pain to keep me from killing this man.
It’s not like he doesn’t know exactly what happened to my parents, but I won’t rise to the bait.
I will not bite. My family is not up for discussion and never has been.
“Shall we get to the point of what you actually want, Mr Galvatore?” My voice is as icy as my smile. “We’re both busy men.”
Why hasn’t he demanded Arianna back yet? I’d expected a gun to my head by now. There would be no conversation if the boot was on the other foot, so when will this cunt get around to accusing me of Roberto’s murder and snatching his daughter?
That’s what he thinks, so it’s what I’ll let him believe. However, I’m getting bored now. Bored that he’s laying ridiculous demands on my table, underlining he’s even more of a mercenary bastard than I thought.
In all truth, this only exacerbates my hatred for this creature who Arianna blindly believes has her best interests at heart.
Regardless, I will not expose my opinion. I’ll play this exactly as he expects.
Emiliano Galvatore pulls a thick cigar from the breast pocket of his exquisitely tailored suit and bites the end off. “The bottom line, Mr Bateman, is that you helped yourself to my daughter the second she ‘conveniently’ became available, yet you brought nothing to the table for that transaction.”
I watch in disgust as he spits the end of his cigar onto my clean floor. Is the dig about Arianna’s “availability” the closest he’ll get in pulling me up for murdering the Bristoni prick? And where is Edoardo Bristoni? Surely they’ve schemed my demise between them, or is this part of it?
Galvatore smooths his hand over his impeccably neat hair. “My daughter is worth vast amounts, yet you have her for free. With this in mind, I expect generous recompense.”
I take a swig of my whiskey to stop myself from laughing at this joker’s front. Taking Arianna for free? If only he knew the only reason she’s here is to save his ungrateful ass. It’s also painfully obvious he doesn’t realize I’ve worked out his connection to Lorna and what they did.
That I must honor what I’ve promised Arianna is the sole reason this cunt still has his head attached.
My teeth grate and my veins bubble, the sensation fueling my hatred.
I’m already regretting the promise I’ve made.
“You’ve already sold your daughter once.
” I raise an eyebrow myself, enjoying the resentment flitting across the old man’s ravaged face, and decide Arianna inherited her looks from her mother because she certainly didn’t get her beauty from him .
But now I get it. Now I understand why he’s playing this hand. Why didn’t I work it out sooner?
Oh, the sad, sad fuck!
The Bristonis have turned against him! What a classic!
I fold my arms across my chest and smile coldly. “Mr Galvatore - that you’re here at all and alone, shows me your allegiance with the Bristonis is over.”
To my surprise, Galvatore laughs and blows a thick plume of pungent cigar smoke in my direction. It smells disgusting and makes me feel sick, but I don’t bat an eyelid. I won’t give him the satisfaction. I have to play the game.
“Mr Bateman, we Italians have different ways of doing things than you do in...” Galvatore theatrically sweeps his arm around the room, “...your culture. You see our way of a marriage as ‘meat trade’, whereas we see it as ‘business’. The business union between my daughter and Roberto is now no longer an ongoing concern, for reasons I suspect you’re well aware of, therefore the arranged tie with the Bristonis is no longer apparent.
This is of substantial loss to me, both financially and significantly. ”
He pauses, letting the acknowledgement of my alleged part in Roberto’s murder bounce around the room. “I’m an experienced man, Mr Bateman, and like I said, marriage is a ‘business’, so like all matters in business, we move on when contracts end.”
Galvatore leans forward, his red silk tie slithering across the glass of my desk. “With that in mind, I strongly suggest you agree to my more than generous offer: provide a relevant recompense, plus a cut of your business going forward. In return, you will be left alone to enjoy my daughter.”
“Are you threatening me?” I say, my eyes dark enough with fury to kill a saint on sight.
“Not a threat, Mr Bateman. Merely an observation...”
“What if I don’t agree?” The twitch in Galvatore’s left cheek increases in intensity. He wasn’t expecting that.
“Then I’m afraid I cannot guarantee anything, Mr Bateman. Not all links have been severed between my business and Bristoni. Others can be quickly reinstated by returning the ‘goods’ you have been testing out, freeing them up for new interested parties.”
Galavatore watches me with cold interest. I have tested nothing out, and that he should have so little respect for his own daughter, not only boils my blood, but riles me that he still commands Arianna’s guilt and loyalty.
Again, I wonder if he suspects I think him involved with my parents’ death, and it’s becoming harder not to rip the cunt to bits because of it.
I must bide my time. All good things come to those who wait, so they say.
But it’s fucking difficult.
Okay, so he recovered himself from what I said acceptably enough, but if he thinks I’ll hand Arianna back so he can “resell” her elsewhere, he’ll be sorely disappointed.
Keeping my eyes locked on his, I wait. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...
Leaving the required ten seconds of “consideration” time, I pick up my crystal tumbler of whiskey. “Items I have ‘acquired’ will not be returned, Mr Galvatore. Arianna is mine, and I’m keeping her.”
A slow, snide smile creeps over Emiliano Galvatore’s face. It’s one that I want to slice off with the knife within my inside pocket. I’ll save the gun for amusement value when the time comes.
“If that is your decision, Mr Bateman, I will hear out your proposed settlement offer and percentage.”
Slowly taking a drink, I nod like his demands are reasonable and something to consider. I’ll hint at what he needs to hear, but Galvatore will get none of what he wants - not one. He’ll receive plenty - just not in the vein he believes. Sorry, Arianna. Your cunt of a Papà is a dead man walking.
There’s no doubt about that now, but I’ll let Galvatore think otherwise.
For now, at least.
Regardless of anything, I can do nothing at the moment but sit tight because, as per my instructions, reception has summoned Arianna, and she’ll arrive any minute.
With that in mind, I force myself to smile at this sly old bastard. “I’m sure we can reach an agreement, Mr Galvatore, but I need time to work out the details.”