“So, I guess dropping you off at home before I go to Carrie’s to discuss the embezzlement scheme is out of the question, then?”
“That is absolutely out of the question. I’m the one who found every bit of that information. You’re not cutting me out now.”
Later that evening, we pulled into Carrie’s driveway for our working session, but Damon grabbed my arm when I started to reach for the car door handle.
“Babe, seriously, I can open the door for myself. I’m pregnant—not helpless.”
One side of his mouth quirked up in the sexiest smirk. He tilted his head to the side and arched one eyebrow. “Believe me, I know how capable you are, doll. But something is off, I can feel it. Indulge me for a minute and sit right here while I check it out. When I’m sure the coast is clear, I’ll let you know.”
“Okay. We’ll wait right here until you signal it’s safe.” I patted my stomach then watched him exit the car.
The truth was I didn’t like Damon being in the line of fire any more than he liked the idea of me being a target. But since he had more experience in that area than I did, I heeded his warning while I held my breath. He walked around the car, appearing nonchalant when he approached my side, but I knew better. His keen eyes scanned our surroundings, homing in on any potential danger with pinpoint accuracy.
When he opened my door, I knew he’d spotted what had raised his hackles.
“Want to fill me in on what you know, Damon?”
“It seems Lorenzo has volunteered as Carrie’s personal security detail. I wonder if she knows.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s sitting in his car over there.” Without moving his head, Damon indicated the direction with his eyes. “From the look of him, he’s been there for a while. I’d almost think he was on a stakeout if I didn’t already know he’s not a Fed.”
“He worries about Carrie the same way you worry about me. You should cut them some slack, you know. I don’t even know him, and I can tell he’s crazy about her. If he makes her happy, where’s the harm in supporting their relationship?”
“Maybe you’re right, I don’t know. All I know is I was the last one to find out about it, and that didn’t sit well with me. We’ll see. I’m not the Boss yet.”
I laughed out loud before I caught myself. “Damon, you may not have the official title yet, but that doesn’t mean you accept anything less. I mean, your approval of Carrie’s boyfriend holds more weight than anyone else’s.”
“You have a solid argument there, doll. But there’s a reason why they look to me for the final say-so. That’s because my reputation proceeds me, and they’re more afraid to cross me than anyone else.”
“Thank you for further making my point, Damon.”
Carrie met us at the door, and we followed her into the command center in her basement. True to her word, she’d been doing her homework on the accounts and money transfers we believed Geno had made.
“This whole plot just took a new twist.” The excitement in her voice immediately conjured a vision of her rubbing her hands together in an evil madman fashion. “I may have broken in to the offshore account where the money is being deposited and found other deposits. I also may have backtracked those funds to their origins…and found the money that has been trickling out of Lorenzo’s account—the Ponzi scheme account.”
“So, who is behind this—Lorenzo or Geno?” Damon’s expression hardened, and I knew exactly where his thoughts went. If Lorenzo was behind the scheme, his presence outside Carrie’s house might not be benevolent, after all.
“My opinion is this has Geno written all over it. The funds transfers started before the showdown at his garbage station. He wanted his son to take the fall for the money and for Jillian’s mother. He wanted you to kill Lorenzo that night, then while a war raged between the families, he’d take the money for himself and run.” Carrie clicked between screens, showing us the dates and amounts deposited into the offshore account.
“But you don’t know that for sure, right?”
“No, I don’t know for sure, Damon, but I can make an educated guess.”
“You know I don’t work off guesses. I want confirmation.”
“Well, let’s just call up Geno and ask him ourselves. I’m sure he’ll be forthcoming with us about all of his plans.”
“Smartass. I have a better idea. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
Carrie looked at me with raised eyebrows when Damon rushed out of the room. That was one battle I wasn’t interested in getting caught in the middle of, so I shrugged my shoulders. “You know how your brother is. Give him a minute, and you’ll have more questions than answers.”
“You just summed up my life with him in one sentence.”
The front door slammed shut just before we heard the sound of heavy footfalls on the stairs—from more than one set of feet. I didn’t have to turn around to see what had so completely caught Carrie’s attention. Or, more accurately, who caught her attention.
“Lorenzo.” She scrunched her eyebrows together while her eyes darted between the two men. “What are you doing here?”
“So you didn’t know, after all.” Damon took his seat next to me and pointed to an empty chair. “Have a seat, Lorenzo.”
“I didn’t know what?” Carrie was still trying to catch up.
“Lorenzo has been parked outside your house for what appears to be a while now. I wasn’t sure if you didn’t know or if you’d hired him as your new security detail.”
“Why have you been sitting outside my house? Has something happened?”
“I don’t trust my dad. He’s still around here somewhere, moving frequently so he doesn’t get caught in one place too long. He’s still in the area for a reason. I don’t want that reason to be you.”
“As it turns out, your presence outside my sister’s house today is very fortunate. If you’re the one running this scheme, we’ll back off and let you have at it. If not, we have other plans for the money. I just need you to be upfront with me either way. Are you running money through the Blaine Financial accounts into an offshore bank?”
“No. I stopped everything when I quit working there soon after Jillian went back to Louisiana. I left my offshore account in place, but that’s the extent of my activities right now. My mind has been otherwise preoccupied.” Lorenzo cut his eyes to Carrie for a split second before meeting Damon’s gaze again. “Who do you think is behind it?”
“We’re almost one hundred percent sure it’s Geno’s operation. You should also know it’s set up to trickle money out of your offshore account. Looks like your father plans to bleed you dry.” Damon kept his eyes locked on to Lorenzo’s, gauging his reaction to the news. Deciding if Lorenzo was telling the truth or not.
When Damon realized Lorenzo honestly didn’t know anything about it, Damon’s facial features relaxed and a shadow of empathy passed across his eyes. He understood how a close family member’s betrayal shook the very core of a man.
“Carrie, can you put Lorenzo’s money back and stop any future transfers?”
“Sure. It’ll take a little time to make the money route through different accounts and different countries before it deposits into his account so nothing can be traced back to me. But I can stop the future transfers right now with no problem.”
Damon nodded, giving Carrie the green light, and she turned back to her computer, her fingers began flying across the keyboard while she worked her hacker coding magic.
“Listen, Lorenzo. After we put your money back, we’re taking the rest of the money Geno stole and giving it to Maria. She hasn’t been around since Leo died, but we’re not going to leave her out in the cold for something she didn’t know was happening. The thing is, I want Geno to know it was me. I want him to come after me so I can end this once and for all. Any suggestions how I can accomplish that?”
“Cryptic clues are always an option, but I prefer the direct approach. I’ll be glad to give you his cell number. Text him an
d tell him. Send him a picture of his account balance. Sign your name. He’ll eventually figure it out.” The grin on Lorenzo’s face left no doubt he liked the idea of helping plot revenge against his father.
“Great idea. That could give you away too, though. He’ll assume you gave me his number.”
“Let him assume whatever he wants. I don’t give a fuck what he thinks. I’m ready for him if he wants to come after me, too.”
We talked while Carrie worked for several hours straight, routing money transfers through several shell corporations, across oceans, and finally back into Lorenzo’s account. When it came time to transfer the money from Geno to Maria, she wasn’t as careful. She found his IP address and cloned it so it appeared the money was transferred directly from him. When the transaction was complete, she took a screenshot of Geno’s zero balance and sent it to Damon.
“The Marchetti Family would like to thank you for your generous donation to Maria Marchetti in her hour of need. She will live comfortably for the rest of her years on the millions you gifted her. From my family to you, thank you. –Damon”
He hit send with a smile and waited for the message to be delivered.
“Did you hear that? It’s funny, but I swear I just heard my name being cursed all the way from Brooklyn.”
Funny wasn’t the word I’d use to describe it. I felt the same sensation, only it felt more like a warning of what was to come.
18
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Damon
After sending the text to Geno, I sent an update to Dad and my brothers so they weren’t blindsided by any sudden move from the opposition. After all the shit Geno had caused my family, I wanted him to bring the fight to me. The time to end all the bullshit passed long ago. He’d already taken way too much of my time and energy as it stood.
He didn’t reply to my text, but then, I didn’t think he would. Texting wasn’t really his thing. But he’d make a move soon enough. He’d verify the screenshot I sent him was accurate, then he’d be out for blood. In the meantime, I just had to make sure Jillian was far out of his line of sight.
Surprisingly, weeks went by without a word from Geno or even a sighting of him. Our men had their ears to the ground, but there weren’t even any rumors floating around about him. I would’ve liked to have believed he’d vanished into thin air, but the warning in the back of my mind told me to remain on guard. I’d humiliated him and bankrupted him in one fatal swoop. We were cut from similar cloths, and there was no way I would ever let something like that go unanswered.
The contract on the house Jillian and I wanted was accepted as soon as we submitted it. The previous owners had already moved out and were anxious to close. As soon as we were given a set of keys to the place, Jillian dragged me out shopping for furniture on a daily basis despite my best attempts to pawn that task off on my mother and sister. Not that I didn’t want to spend every waking minute with my fiancée, but I’d rather that time be when we were naked and writhing in the bed or against the wall or the floor behind the couch. Shopping for one room at a time was killing me.
We’d been to Mama’s every weekend for our standing family dinner, and every weekend Mama and Jillian spent more time planning our wedding. Watching Jillian get so excited over every little detail thrilled me more than I let show. My chest swelled with pride knowing she wanted to be mine for all eternity. Truth was, I didn’t care how big or small the wedding was. All I cared was that it happened and that it happened soon.
The fourth week after taunting Geno, we walked into Mama’s dining room and found Aunt Maria sitting in her usual spot at the table. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me for a minute until she spoke. I could hear a smile in her thick Italian accent, though it was still mixed with a hint of sadness. She was happy to be back in the fold, even if she was without Leo for the first time since they were teenagers.
Beside me, I felt Jillian’s entire body tense when she saw Maria. Even if my aunt didn’t know the truth of what happened, facing her again would be hard for Jillian. Her soft heart and tender nature just didn’t lend to the characteristics of a hardened hit man. Even though she saved my life and avenged her mother, Jillian would look at Maria and only think about what she’d taken from her.
“Who have we here?” I asked loudly when we entered the room. “Have we met?”
Aunt Maria jumped from her chair and rushed toward me with tears in her eyes and a small smile on her face. She wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed me tightly. “Damon, thank you so much for what you did. Lina told me the money came from you, Jillian, and Carrie.”
“It was actually Jillian’s idea. She found all the accounts, she came up with the plan to redirect the money to you, and she worked with Carrie to make sure it could be done. I’m not taking any credit for this plan. My only part was to sanction it.”
She turned to Jillian and only held eye contact with her for a couple of seconds before Maria’s eyes dropped to the floor. “Jillian, you helped me after what my Leo did to you and your mother?”
Jillian’s eyes flew up to Marco’s, looking for direction on what she should say. He shook his head from side to side then she looked at me for confirmation. When she saw I agreed with Marco, she closed her eyes for a second and steadied her breath.
“I don’t blame you for what Leo did, Maria. None of this is your fault, and you shouldn’t be punished for someone else’s crimes.”
After Maria and Jillian finished their reconciliation hug, and Maria spent a few minutes rubbing Jillian’s growing belly, we all took our seats at the table for dinner. Any remaining discomfort dissipated when the platters of food were passed from person to person. Soon the clatter of silverware and the chatter of multiple conversations filled the room, and we fell back into our old comfortable routine.
“Jillian, cara.” Mama’s voice cut through the clamor of the multiple conversations, getting everyone’s attention at once. “Since we only have four weeks until the wedding, we’re having your bridal shower here tomorrow at four. Damon, you make sure she’s here on time.”
“I have a great idea. You two could go furniture shopping tomorrow morning, then she can come back here with you tomorrow afternoon for the shower.”
If looks could kill, I would’ve been dead at that moment.
“I would love to go shopping with my cara, but I’ll be very busy tomorrow getting everything ready for the shower. We’ll go one day this week, yes?”
“Sure, Mama Lina. I’d love that.”
After dinner, the ladies moved to the den while the men went into Dad’s office. The topic of Geno’s location was always first on the list.
“We’ve gone weeks without hearing anything about Geno. All of a sudden, a rumor surfaced last night. After losing all his money and his alliances, he has left the Tri-State area and moved to Las Vegas. While it’s true he has family there, I think this story was concocted to throw us off. Keep your eyes and ears open—he’ll resurface somewhere nearby, mark my words. He’s trying to catch us off guard.” Dad didn’t normally share rumors, even with his top tiers. He thought rumors were nothing more than made-up tales meant to scare people, and he didn’t scare easily. For him to share a rumor with us meant his gut was strongly warning him.
“Do you have an extra burner phone here, Dad?” My gut said to follow my dad’s instincts.
“I’m fairly certain I do.” He rifled through his desk drawers until he found it. I took it from his outstretched hand and slipped it into my pocket. “What’s on your mind, son?”
“Just a bad feeling. Rather be safe than sorry.”
Mama cracked the door open wide enough to stick her head inside. “You boys come have some dessert and coffee with us. We’re testing wedding cake flavors and want to use your taste buds.”
“Cake? You don’t have to ask me twice.” Marco jumped up and rushed out of the office, my other brothers close on his heels.
Carrie was standing at the dining table, slicing the differe
nt types of cake for the taste test. I slid up next to her and took one of the prepared plates. “Can you pinpoint the location of a burner phone if it’s on?”
“Sure. It won’t be as precise as a smartphone location, but it’ll still ping off the two closest towers. Why do you ask?”
“Checking for security reasons.”
She didn’t buy my excuse, but she didn’t have to. All I needed to know was if she’d be able to find it in case of an emergency.
After we’d devoured all the cake and drank all the coffee, I finally convinced Jillian it was time to drive home. After two full weeks in our new house, we still hadn’t christened all the rooms, and I had big plans to rectify that oversight. When we pulled into the garage, I glanced over at her and was immediately enraptured with her beauty. The most peaceful, contented expression covered her face. She seemed to glow with happiness.
As the automatic garage door lowered, I turned off the car and remained in my seat, staring at her. “I love you, Jillian.”
My words jarred her from her inner thoughts. She jerked her head to the side, meeting my stare, and searched my eyes. “I love you too, babe. What’s on your mind?”
“You mesmerized me. You looked so happy just now, I couldn’t resist watching your expressions.”
“I’m incredibly happy, Damon. I love our home—that’s why I’m taking my time and finishing one room at a time. I want everything to be perfect for you and our babies. I love our life together. I love planning our wedding and knowing we’ll be official very soon. I love being pregnant and feeling these two little lives growing inside me. And, most of all, I love you. I couldn’t wish for a better husband-to-be.”
She certainly knew how to make me feel ten feet tall. After I got out of the car, I walked around to her side and opened her door. That small act had been the source of many discussions between the two of us. She reminded me she was fully capable of opening her own door, and I assured her I was well aware of that fact, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to spoil her, so she should let me do the little things.
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