“So who can fill us in on the progress of the investigation?” Flynn asked.
Just then the doctor entered the room. Cash and Zane could go and see Chiara now.
But one look at Heather, Emanuel, and Keith, and Zane knew that they felt they had just as much of a right to see her first as Cash and Zane had.
The doctor had no qualms about it, so the small group headed down to her room.
* * * *
“B.F., what the fuck did Cane do? I told him not to make a move. I wanted to wait to see what we could do next, since Marvin went all self-centered on me and fucked everything up. Now Cane hurt Chiara. It’s all over the fucking news.” Angelo Gessati raised his voice as he held the cell phone to his ear. He was pacing the room and felt like a caged animal. He didn’t want Chiara hurt. As much as he hated Robert, he didn’t want anything to happen to Chiara.
“I don’t know, sir. Cane is a fucking crazy guy. He’s gotten worse and worse over the years, and I thought he could handle this job for you because he needed something a little less violent,” B.F. told Angelo.
“I don’t think this asshole knows how to not be violent. He sure as shit doesn’t know how to take any orders. I want him out of this. Call him and tell him his job is over.”
“I can’t get in touch with him. I haven’t been able to for the past two days. He doesn’t answer his phone.”
“Well fucking send someone to his home. Have them try to see what sparked his craziness. I don’t know. And call fucking Marvin and tell him the fucking deal is off. He tried to force himself into Chiara’s life demanding marriage. What the fuck was that all about?”
“His jealousy over Chiara being involved with Zane and Cash.”
“This is not what I wanted. Yes, I want to cause Robert pain. I want to take from him everything and then some of what he stole from me years ago. But, I don’t want any blood on my hands. Can you find out how Chiara is and what her injuries are? The description on television of bits and pieces of what happened are pretty upsetting. She’s a beautiful woman, and I do not want her harmed.”
“Yes, sir, I understand. I’ll get the details to you immediately. I’ll make some calls and I’ll send some people to locate Cane and search his residence.”
“Good. Get back to me quickly.”
Angelo disconnected the call, and then stood by the window looking out of the city.
Obviously, I need to handle Robert myself. There just doesn’t seem like anyone can get the job done like I would.
He looked out the window.
Chiara was right at the hospital, just blocks away from where he lived now. For months, he’d watched her, watched Robert, and learned their habits. He wanted what belonged to him. He had planned this for twenty-five years. Twenty-five years as he rotted in prison in Italy for a crime he didn’t commit, but that Robert committed. He and Robert were best friends. They had done everything together. They made their first bit of fortune together, and their future seemed so bright and prosperous. But Robert got greedy. He let the money, the power rule him, and in the end, he set Angelo up to destroy his future and his life. Robert probably counted on the Italian judge to give him a life sentence. Robert probably paid someone to make his paperwork get lost and fucked up, then extended his time, hoping Angelo would die in prison. But Angelo had been determined to survive. He was determined to get revenge, and ultimately, he had been determined to see the woman he loved, once again.
Patricia. God, baby, I missed you so much. Why did you have to die before I could see you again, hold you again, and love you? Why, Patricia?
Angelo felt the tears sting his eyes. She was gone, but Chiara wasn’t. She looked identical to her mother. A gorgeous, vibrant, strong-willed woman, with vision and dreams.
Robert had corrupted those dreams, and controlled her destiny. Patricia died probably thinking that Angelo didn’t love her, and nothing between them mattered. But it mattered more than she would ever know.
I am not able to tell you the truth, Patricia, and set the record clear, but I can tell Chiara. And maybe, just maybe, Chiara will let me be part of her life. She’s all I have left of you, Patricia. All I have left.
* * * *
When they entered the room, Chiara was waiting there. The moment she saw her lovers and her best friends she cried.
“Oh, baby, Jesus,” Cash said as he rushed to her side. Zane went to her other side. They each kissed her, caressed her cheeks, and whispered how much they loved her and were glad that she was safe.
“I love you, too. I was so scared,” she said as they slowly stood up and looked over her injuries. Zane held her gaze as he moved the hospital gown to the side a little.
She placed her hand over his and their fingers locked.
“I got scraped up pretty badly.”
“Oh God, Chiara. I can’t believe someone tried to take you, and that you had to throw yourself out of a moving vehicle to get away. You are fucking crazy, woman,” Heather said as she placed her hand over Chiara’s leg and squeezed it through the covers.
“I’ve never been so scared,” she whispered as she fought the tears to remain away.
Emanuel and Keith looked at her.
Zane and Cash didn’t look too happy about moving away from her for a moment for Emanuel and Keith to kiss her and hug her next.
Emanuel held her face between his hands. “Never scare me like that again,” he whispered, and she saw the tears in his eyes. He kissed her nose and then her cheek. Zane and Cash cleared their throats. This was torture for them, Chiara could tell.
Emanuel released her and smiled, then winked. Then Keith kissed her cheek and brushed his thumb lightly across her lower lip.
“You take care of yourself, and let your men pamper you. You’re going to need a lot of rest, and no going anywhere until this asshole is caught.” He smiled.
“They’re going to help us out. We asked them to go along with Heather back to your office to the safe. We don’t want Heather going there herself with Marvin and this asshole on the loose,” Cash told her as Heather looked at Chiara and gave her a wink. It seemed that Heather was hoping to finally snag Emanuel and Keith’s attention. Both men placed a hand to her lower back, and Chiara thought that they made a nice little ménage trio. She smiled.
“Take care of her, guys. She can be a bit recalcitrant, and bossy, and mouthy,” Chiara told them.
Emanuel moved his hand up behind Heather’s head and hair. It appeared like he held her very snugly, and by the blush that appeared on Heather’s cheeks, she liked the Dom in Emanuel. Chiara had failed to let Heather know that Keith and Emanuel were Doms, and they expected respect in a very unique way. She had been shocked when Emanuel and Keith told her, but they were happy, and that was what mattered to Chiara.
“Don’t worry about that. Keith and I are experts in handling a woman like Heather.” Emanuel guided her toward the door.
“Yeah, she’s in good hands, Chiara. You know that right?” Keith winked. Chiara smiled.
“We’ll keep in touch,” Keith said and the three of them exited the room, with Heather appearing out of sorts and already more aroused than she probably ever had been. Heather might have finally met her matches.
Chiara looked at Zane and Cash. “They said that my ribs are fine. There is a lot of bruising on the outside of the skin. It’s already black and blue and red. It’s all scratched up. Oh God, I can’t believe this happened to me. I don’t get it.” She ran her fingers through her hair. The move made her cringe.
“Hey, stop moving around so much. You need to rest this body, and heal. We have to go over some things with you, too,” Cash told her as he gently caressed her hair. He leaned down and stared into her eyes again.
“Thank God that you’re safe,” he whispered then kissed her.
They then asked Chiara about everything that had happened from the time she went to her father’s house until the attempted abduction. Zane had his cell phone on speaker, so that his security team could
record her and start moving on finding this guy. When he ended the call, Chiara was twisting her fingers together and she felt about ready to cry.
“Baby, what is it?” Zane asked.
She looked up at him and then at Cash. “Did…did my father show up, or call or anything?”
Zane had his fists clenched and Cash covered her hands with his. She could tell that they were angry. They blamed her father for this, and for all she knew, he could have been behind this. After all, Marvin said that if she didn’t cooperate, bad things would happen. He had been awfully confident.
“No, honey, he didn’t come here or contact us. Your cell phone was damaged from when you were attacked. Zane has someone in our security team replacing it,” Cash told her.
She tilted her chin up and tried to act tough and unaffected by this. But it was difficult.
“Then I guess it’s true. I guess he doesn’t love me anymore. Maybe he never did love me.” She leaned back against the pillow. “When can I go home to my apartment? When will they release me?”
“You’re not going there. You’re coming home with us, and we’re going to protect you and care for you and figure all this out. We’ll get through this. We love you, and we’re in this thing together,” Cash told her then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She reached up and cupped his cheek with her palm, then felt the tear roll down her cheek.
“I need you both. I’m scared, Cash. I’m scared.” She pulled him down closer to her face and neck so she could absorb the scent of his cologne and the feel of manliness against her bosom. She loved him and Zane, and prayed that they would all be safe from whoever was out to hurt her.
Chapter 9
Cane was standing by the building, near the hospital. He knew that she was in there. How could he have been so stupid? He should have locked the doors. But he hadn’t expected those two fuck heads to show up and screw up his plan. He was so angry. He wanted to kill them. And they would die. They wouldn’t stand between him and his prize.
He thought about Chiara. As he sat in her apartment, lay on her bed, and inhaled her perfume, he knew she was his destiny. There would be no more stupid fucking jobs. No more beating people up or knocking them off so that other people could get what they wanted. No. He was done with that. The moment he’d seen her face, and watched her hips sway, he knew she would belong to him. She had class and style. She was shy and didn’t date anyone. Not until those two men had shown up and corrupted her mind. They seduced Chiara. They charmed her with their money, their fancy cars, their penthouse and big business deals. Didn’t she know what they were doing? Didn’t she understand that they wanted her sexy body and to ruin her for other men for life?
It made him sick, and it changed his views of her. Cane knew what he had to do. She’d escaped from his grasp, fought him to get to them. She chose them over him? How could she do that when he had been watching over her, waiting for her to notice him? She never did. Not even at her father’s party when he’d bumped into her by accident. He’d gotten to touch her, to hold her shoulders with his hands to steady her. She felt so delicate and soft. A feminine beauty that he vowed would be his. But she’d stared at him and shivered. She actually fucking shivered.
Well, she’d made her choice. She gave in to those sick fucks that fucked women as frequently as they made money. They were done. Chiara was done. And now, he needed to send a message to her.
Let’s see if she likes losing someone she loves. Maybe as I take all the men out of her life, one at a time, she’ll get the message and she’ll come to me?
You’ll be mine, Chiara. Get ready for me. I will have you.
* * * *
Zane and Cash were in their home office going over the updated information they’d received. Between the police department detectives and their own staff, some information was surfacing.
“Why don’t we have Al and the guys go question this man B.F.? He’s a lawyer of that firm uptown. The one that represents a lot of longtime businesses in the area,” Cash suggested.
“Yeah, Benson Fortworth has been in the business for thirty years. He knows people. He’s also connected with a few known mafiosos in the area as well. Sounds like a guy that might help the leader of this little operation,” Zane added.
“I don’t like the way this is looking at all. However, if he is connected to the mafia, and they were behind the attempted abduction—”
“Chiara wouldn’t be here right now.” Zane completed Cash’s sentence.
“Exactly. I think we need Flynn and Jett on this. They have family involved with that. They could get us info.”
“Yeah, let’s call them.”
A few hours later, around dinnertime, Zane was on the phone with Flynn.
“Are you serious?” Zane asked.
“Dead serious. My contacts say that this psycho named Cane gets hired out for everything from bodyguard, roughing people up who owe money, to killing people. The word is, he’s been acting off the last couple of years. Most of the big shots running the ‘specialty businesses’ won’t use him anymore. They think he lost it. But a guy who knows a guy—and I’ll leave it at that—said the man is dangerous. Zane, I got a picture of him, and he matches your description. If this is the guy, then you’re going to need more than just your security detail and the detectives on this. Jett and I can help. Jett already has a few guys on standby.”
“Holy shit, Flynn. Who the hell hired this guy? What the fuck does he want from Chiara?”
“Maybe it’s not Chiara the main guy is after? Maybe it’s her father? I kind of have some feelers out on Robert Costiano’s background. If there is something fishy there, we’ll find out.”
“Great. Did you send me the picture of this asshole?”
“Sent it through. Check your e-mail and let me know.”
Zane opened up the e-mail on the other computer and Cash looked, too.
“Yep, that’s him,” Cash stated, and with the phone on speaker Flynn could hear him.
“Fuck. I was kind of hoping that it wasn’t. Get that picture out to your team that’s working the area.”
“Oh we are, Flynn. Our security company provides the majority of security cameras for the buildings surrounding the hospital, Costiano’s, here, where Chiara lives, and her route to work. We can send this image through the system and see if the fucker shows up.”
“I don’t know how you two came up with such awesome security shit. All IT stuff. I love it. Keep me posted and I will do the same. Be safe and take care of that special woman of yours,” Flynn stated.
“We will,” Zane said then disconnected the call. Next to him, Cash was already sending out the photo of the guy named Cane.
Cash was typing away and then leaned back in his chair.
“You see this shit Flynn and Jett got on this guy Cane? He’s a sick fuck.”
Zane just stared at Cash. “I can’t sit here and go over this now. There’s nothing more we can do. We have everyone we can working on this thing.”
“I know. Let’s go be with Chiara. I want to check her bandages,” Cash said, and they got up and headed to the bedroom.
* * * *
Chiara had the robe wrapped around her. She had taken a shower earlier, and then Cash and Zane helped her apply new ointment to the scratches and bandages to her arm. Everywhere else was bruised.
Zane and Cash were so upset, seeing her bruises. They looked so angry and Cash had turned away, walked out of the room, and hit the wall. She’d heard him. Cash had told her that they were both so scared, and worried, but happy that she was with them, where they could protect her. She loved them for it. But right now she was shaking, feeling as if something bad was about to happen. She thought about her father, and wondered why he hadn’t contacted her. It was difficult to face the fact that he obviously didn’t care.
Should she really feel this hurt? He had basically stopped showing any care or love for her once her mother died. Could he have been putting on an act for her mother? But why w
ouldn’t he care about me? I’m his daughter.
She should have known that he would never give her the company or offer her shares in it. She should have questioned his love to her back then. But she was too scared. She refused to give up her heart, or show emotions like that to anyone, especially her father. It was like she was always alone, except when her mom was there. It seemed like something was missing, and she feared making the wrong decisions or losing her way. It was part of why she had asked Emanuel to take her virginity. She wanted to lose it to someone she loved and cared about and someone who reciprocated those same feelings.
She had always been guarded. She wasn’t sure where that came from, but knowing what she knew now, there was a reason. She figured that gut instincts really must have kicked in. But that still didn’t make the facts easier to digest.
My father doesn’t love me. Maybe he never did.
“Chiara?”
Chiara turned to the sound of Cash’s voice. The sight of him and Zane entering the bedroom made her feel instantly safer. That feeling of dread, and worry that something bad was going to happen, minimized slightly. She loved these two men so much. She had never loved like this before.
Cash pulled her into his arms and she hugged him tight.
“What is it, baby? You’re upset,” he whispered as he kissed the top if her head.
“I just need you to hold me. I fear that something bad is about to happen. I can’t get the feeling out of me.” He caressed her back and slowly walked backward toward the bed. He sat down and held her between his legs.
“It’s probably trauma from the event. That’s why the doctor gave you some pills to help you rest.”
She shook her head as she looked down into his dark brown eyes. She absorbed the feel of his hands caressing her ass, her thighs and hips.
“I need you. I need you and Zane to make love to me.”
Zane moved behind her and gently caressed the back of his hand against her cheek. She tilted her head up toward him and locked gazes with his dark blue eyes.
A Billion to One [Power Surge: The Billionaire Club 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 13
