One of my maids looked at me with a forlorn look. “You have a visitor.”
I knew that look. It was a look of panic and worry. A look of pain and helplessness. And only one person struck that fear and worry into the hearts of the people I employed at my beach house.
Rosana.
I turned to face Charlotte. “Enjoy the rest of your breakfast. We can discuss this more over dinner.”
She shook her head. “Nothing to discuss if there’s no room to negotiate.”
“Not your living quarters, no. Everything else? Yes.”
“Including my freedom?”
I glared at her. “When I know you’re no longer a risk, we can discuss that.”
She snickered. “You offer me a job even though you believe I’m still a risk? Doesn't sound like smart business to me. Maybe I don’t want to parter with someone willing to make such a fatal decision.”
I slid my hands into my pockets. “I’ll see you for dinner. We’ll discuss this more, then.”
“And if I refuse?”
I walked through the bedroom door. “I’m sure the dungeon will suit you just fine.”
She paused. “Wait, you have a what!?”
I snapped my fingers and the maid closed the bedroom door. I took a second and braced myself, preparing for the onslaught that was my wife. Damn it, the woman kept popping up at the worst times.
And I wondered if her constantly popping up was what had Charlotte so hesitant about my job offer.
12
Mateo
Rosana’s visit was nothing short of gut-wrenching. I watched the way she barked at my staff to get her a Coke in a cold glass bottle with a red-colored straw stuck in the top. I watched the way she snapped her fingers, as if this were her own home, and then berated the person who came running to her aid. It was as if all she did was come over here to flex the power she still had in my life.
It made me want to wring her neck.
With every passing day, I hated that woman more and more. Everyone was aware of the fact that mine and Rosana’s marriage was nothing but a marriage of convenience. A marriage formulated based on a plan, and not on emotion. Combining our families balanced everything out. Between our two families, we had just as much manpower, firepower, and willpower as the Luccheses, which was necessary in order to take them down.
But stomaching Rosana?
I would have almost rather thrown myself to the sharks.
Still, once I finally got her out of the house, it was time to turn my sights to dinner. I wanted this to be a special dinner. One I had input in from the very beginning. Because if I was going to convince Charlotte to play on my side of the fence, things had to be perfect.
I walked into the kitchen. “Chef.”
He peeked up. “Yes, Mr. Emiliano?”
“What’s on the menu for tonight?”
He dabbed at his brow. “A bit of surf and turf, sir. Filet mignon with a buttery shrimp sauce, jumbo shrimp skewered with fresh vegetables, a fluffy rice pilaf, and an exotic fruit salad. I’m also going to whip up a german chocolate cake for dessert.”
I nodded. “Axe the cake and make tiramisu instead. And make sure there’s a rich bottle of red wine aerating in the crystal decanter before dinner. We’ll be taking it on the roof again.”
“Of course, sir. Is there anything else?”
I paused. “Can you whip up one of your basmati bread rolls and some of that whipped butter for an appetizer?”
He smiled. “Coming right now.”
I patted his shoulder. “Wonderful. I appreciate the effort. And with the changes, if dinner doesn’t hit the table right on time, I won’t hold it against you.”
“I appreciate that, sir. I’ll work as diligently as I can. Reshard!”
Chef whistled at the top of his lungs and his staff rushed to his side. I backed my way out of the kitchen to give them space to work and I started back upstairs. I wanted things to be perfect for tonight. I wanted the scene to be set and the ambiance to be something that shook Charlotte to her knees with weakness. I wanted her to be swept off her feet so quickly and so swiftly that she had no choice but to say ‘yes’ to my every whim for the evening.
Then, he happened.
As I stood by the dinner table with my staff stocking it with all of the food the chef and his crew prepared, I watched as Charlotte emerged into the room. I grinned with delight at the black dress she picked up, shimmering in the setting sun as the colors backdropped her beautiful presence. Her hair was pulled back into a low-lying bun, with softly-curled whisps framing her face. Her diamond jewelry set twinkled with the colors rushing against the sky as she sauntered toward me, swaying those hips of hers in a delectable fashion.
I watched her eyes rake over my all-black suit as a smile spread across her face.
But, I didn’t even get to tell her how beautiful she looked before I heard his voice.
“Something smells nice,” Lorenzo said.
My eyes whipped over toward the door as Charlotte turned around, cool as a cucumber.
“I didn’t realize we were having company for dinner,” she said.
My eyes locked with Lorenzo’s. “Neither did I.”
He slid his hands down his suit. “It looks like you two have enough for three. Mind if I join?”
“Yes,” I said flatly.
But, Charlotte tossed me a look. “Oh, don’t toss the stray out, Teo. Have a heart.”
Lorenzo chuckled. “Teo, huh? Guess you two have gotten pretty close.”
Charlotte smirked. “You could say that.”
Lorenzo stopped in front of her. “This dress you have on is delicious, by the way. Did you wear it just for me?”
Anger bubbled in my gut. “You know damn good and well--.”
Charlotte giggled. “If I knew you were coming, I would’ve put on something with a bit more color. Teo here is all black and brooding. But, this cream-colored suit tells me you’re a man with many more tastes.”
What the fuck is she doing? “Lorenzo.”
He didn’t look over at me. “Yep?”
I walked over and fisted his shirt, forcing his eyes to mine. “You look at me when I’m talking to you.”
Charlotte gingerly placed her hand against my forearm. “You really shouldn't jerk the strays around. They might get the wrong idea about you.”
I clenched my teeth. “I really hope so.”
She sighed heavily. “Come. Let’s get a chair for him. I’m sure he’s here for a reason.”
Lorenzo smiled mockingly. “Yeah, Teo. Let’s get me a chair, since I’m here for a reason.”
I shoved him away before turning on my feet and snapping my fingers. At once, my staff hiding in the corners of the darkness leapt to attention, preparing a third sitting place at the table for two. It boiled my blood that Charlotte was actually advocating this man to stay. But, it infuriated me that she was flirting with him just as shamelessly as he was flirting with her.
Maybe offering her that job was a mistake after all.
I watched Lorenzo pull out Charlotte’s chair and my trigger finger itched to have a gun against it. They kept smiling at one another and making little quips that only served to rob me of my appetite. What the fuck was this woman doing? Why the hell was she flirting with the one man on this island that wanted to kill her? Had she learned nothing from my warnings?
“Mr. Emiliano?” one of my staff asked.
I growled. “What now?”
I turned my eyes up to him and watched him flinch. “You have a phone call.”
My face fell. “You’re fucking kidding me. Who the hell is it?”
Lorenzo and Charlotte were giggling up a storm together, and I was ready to shoot them both and toss them off the roof.
The staffer dipped next to my ear. “It’s the person you always take calls from, sir.”
The chair shot up from behind me as I rose to my feet and I didn't bother registering the quizzical looks Lorenzo and Charlotte were giving me
. If Charlotte wanted to throw herself at anyone’s feet to get out of here, then I couldn't stop her. If she wanted to go with Lorenzo, I’d let him take her, just to let her have a taste of the other side. One night with that torturous, heartless asshole and she’d be begging me to save her.
Maybe she’s someone that learns the hard way.
While I didn’t want to leave the two of them alone, I had no choice. The person on the other end of this phone call was much too dangerous to ignore, and I needed to take it. I needed to know what the fuck was so important that we needed to talk in the middle of the island’s goddamn dinner time.
So, I charged off the roof and didn’t stop until I picked up the phone call in my office.
“This is Mateo,” I said hotly.
The man on the other end of the line chuckled. “Hello, Matty.”
I closed my eyes. “Hello, Dad.”
“There’s a lot of talk going around the islands about you lately.”
I leaned against my desk. “Not to be hasty, but I am in the middle of a very important dinner.”
“I take it Lorenzo showed up as planned?”
The hairs on the nape of my neck stood on end. “What are you talking about?”
“Son, there are things happening around you that are plain as day, and yet you haven't caught on yet. Is that woman really distracting you that much?”
Rosana. “Dad, there are much bigger plans in place than you could ever imagine.”
“Oh, I know. You plan on taking down the Luccheses so you can have this island all to yourself, right?”
I clicked my tongue. “I need to get back to dinner.”
“Lorenzo is there though, isn’t he? Just a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ is fine.”
I paused. “Yes.”
“Good. At least my people aren’t lying to me. You know what happens when people lie to me, right, Matty?”
I snickered. “Yes, Dad. I’m aware.”
“Wonderful. So, tell me son, is this woman you have at your beach house distracting you?”
I chose my words carefully. “She’s part of a bigger plan, I can assure you.”
“You’ve always been good at talking around the finer points.”
“Is there something you need? Because I really need to get back to dinner.”
He chuckled. “Enjoy your dinner, son. And remember, someone’s always watching.”
A shiver crept up my spine as the line went dead and I eased my office phone back into its holster. It was never good when my father got involved with things, and knowing that he was openly keeping tabs on me was just about the worst thing that could happen. And now that he had Charlotte on his radar, she’d never be safe.
Not until all of this got resolved.
With a growl and a string of curses beneath my breath, I locked up my office. I made a beeline for the stairs, heading straight back up to the rooftop. But, just as I got to the bottom of the last set of stairs, I saw the door open up top.
Before Lorenzo appeared with a smile on his face.
“Ah, Mateo. I was wondering when you’d return.”
I blinked. “Where’s Charlotte?”
He came down the stairs. “Enjoying her third glass of wine and picking at her fruit salad.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why do you look so happy?”
He grinned. “What? A man can’t be happy to be alone and in the presence of a beautiful woman?”
I shoved him against the wall. “If you so much as laid a finger on her--.”
He held up his hands. “You really don’t know much about how a woman like her works, do you?”
I wrapped my hand around his throat. “Is this where you educate me?”
He started gagging. “Not if you kill me, no.”
I released my grip. “I don’t need your education on Miss Pettigrew. I’ve got her right where I want her, and nothing you say or do can--.”
“Gloria.”
I paused. “What?”
He slipped away from me. “You really should ask her about her mother sometime. I think you’ll learn a lot more than you bargained for.”
I hated how pleased this man seemed with himself. “If you come over unannounced again, my men will have orders to shoot!”
He waved at me. “Have a good evening, Mr. Emiliano!”
I looked back up the stairs before I took them two by two, sprinting up to the rooftop. And I found Charlotte standing by the edge of the house. With a glass of red wine in her hand and her eyes turned out toward the darkening sea waters, she seemed deep in thought. As if in some sort of a trance.
I walked up to her side and studied her, trying to see if Lorenzo had put his hands on her anywhere.
But, all I got was the silence of her presence and an outstretched hand clutching tightly to a note.
“He said to give this to you,” Charlotte said softly.
I blinked. “Lorenzo?”
She nodded. “Mhm.”
I took the note from her. “What does it say?”
She snickered. “I know better than to open your mail.”
Her words punched me in my gut as she threw back the rest of her wine. Without even gracing me with her eyes, she turned and walked back to the dinner table. But, me? I stayed facing the ocean as I opened the letter and slipped the thin piece of paper out.
Only to find Lorenzo’s handwriting greeting me.
Mateo,
My brother is about to move against you. He’s been making massive plans for the docks for weeks now. You’re more than welcome to the information I have, but you’re not going to like the cost. Call me sometime.
Lorenzo.
And in that moment, I actually debated throwing myself off the top of my fucking roof.
13
Charlotte
I needed to keep myself occupied. Teo had been stomping around like a toddler who was refused on ice cream cone, and the last thing I wanted to be was the person that received the brunt of his anger.
“Mr. Emiliano, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened, I just--.”
“You do understand this is a seven-thousand dollar suit, right, Miss Claudia?”
I heard her voice quivering from around the corner. “No, sir. I didn’t. But, I promise I’ll pay for the dry cleaning. I just--.”
I heard him stand from the table so quickly that a glass went crashing to the floor. Shattering itself into a million pieces.
“You’re correct, Miss Claudia. I will take the dry-cleaning bill right out of your pay. And if you so much as stumble over your words in my presence again, I’ll toss you out on your ass without pay. You are to never be heard or seen. Got it?”
Her sniffles broke my heart. “Y-Y-yes, sir. I mean, Mr. Emiliano. I’m so sorry.”
I backed myself into a darkened corner as he came out of the kitchen and stormed down the hallway. The man had been angry for days, and I hadn’t seen much of him at all. He hadn’t come to visit, or hound me about that job again. He hadn’t come to question me on what happened over dinner with Lorenzo, or anything I expected him to do.
He’d been keeping his distance.
And I wondered why.
I watched as he stormed down the main floor hallway, his shoulders hunched and his lips murmuring to himself. The man was spiraling. Something had him on edge. And part of me wanted to be brave enough to ask. But, it was refreshing, not being underneath his thumb and his watchful eye all hours of the day.
However, when I saw him staring at the wall at the end of the hallway, my brow furrowed.
What is he doing?
To my shock, I watched him press something on the wall. And like a present being opened, the cream-colored wall slid to the side. I squinted my eyes to see what was behind it, and I was pretty sure it was a metal door.
I heard the faint beeping of what sounded like a keypad, and I decided to get a little closer.
Be careful, Charlotte. You’re treading on thin ice.
I heard the pop and hiss of
a door and I realized what it was. My mother actually had one in her own home. There was a panic room behind that wall, and I ducked into one of the empty bedrooms before peeking out of the corner. I watched as Teo walked into the room, and I rushed across the hallway to a room that was just a little closer to the panic room behind that wall.
And when I finally saw what was inside of it, I smiled to myself.
So that’s where he keeps his office.
I heard him murmuring and whispering to himself, but I wasn’t sure what he was saying. I tried to catch a glimpse at what he was doing in there, but all too soon he got up to leave. I pressed my back against the darkened wall of the empty bedroom I was trapped inside, hoping and praying he didn’t know I was here.
I heard the metal door clang shut before the wall slid itself back into place.
Then, Teo strode up the hallway.
“I’m going out! Don’t expect me back anytime soon!” he bellowed.
It was as if the whole of the house stopped to receive his message before the pitter patter of feet started scurrying everywhere. All of this was so new and strange to me, so I took it in as I could. Bodyguards pouring out of every corner and following him to the front door. Maids and butlers alike lining up to see him out, as if he were some sort of king. The display was very unnecessary, yet so much like Teo at the same time.
And when the house fell silent again, I slipped back out into the hallway.
“All right,” I whispered to myself, “let’s figure this out.”
I felt around on the wall to my left, since that’s where I saw Teo press his hand. But, it took me a while to find the part of the wall that moved. I pressed the small square in that was no larger than the palm of my own hand and the wall popped open before sliding off to the side. The shining metal door beckoned to me. Taunted me, almost.
And when the keypad flipped out, I found myself staring at an eight-digit code I needed to get this damn thing open.
Oh, boy.
I peeked over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching, then I pulled my cell out of my bra. I turned on the flashlight and shined it against the keypad, using one of those little snippets of information I’d retained from one of my mother’s clients. I scanned the bright light over the numbers, clocking which numbers had smudges of fingerprints on them and which didn’t.
Liar : An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance (Sold to The Don Book 2) Page 7
