“Stop it,” Antoinette stated, pulling away from Tina and preparing to stand. She wobbled a moment and Emerson grabbed her arm.
“Why didn’t you go to the hospital? What the hell happened?” Stone asked her.
“She was attacked. Where the fuck were you two?” Vince asked with an attitude again.
“Who did you say you were?” Stone asked him.
“I’m the guy that was there when she needed me. I wasn’t knocking some naked chick up in my penthouse and lying about being a fucking billionaire who buys companies and stores for a living,” Vince retorted.
“What?” Antoinette asked. “What are you talking about, Vince?”
“This is the asshole ex-boyfriend? The one who threatened you and bruised your wrist?” Stone asked as he grabbed for Vince. One of the other guys who came in with Stone and Emerson stopped Stone from hitting Vince. They pulled him away from Vince.
“You’re billionaires? You buy businesses?” Antoinette asked.
“We were going to tell you tonight. We wanted to let you know about the penthouse and the money. We wanted to ask you to move in with us.”
“They want Bliss, Toni. Don’t believe their lies. They buy businesses to turn into franchises. He’s a fucking billionaire. They both are. They just want your company,” Vince stated.
“That’s a lie. We aren’t interested in owning Bliss,” Emerson said.
“What do you mean her company? Bliss belongs to Antoinette?” Stone asked.
“Yes. It’s my business. I’m the owner,” Antoinette stated.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Emerson asked.
“Probably the same reason why you didn’t tell me about being billionaires and wanting to take Bliss from me. I’ve been threatened before. People have been trying to buy me out for years. I wasn’t ready to trust you, and rightfully so.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean Olivia. Your pregnant lover.”
“Don’t talk to them anymore, Toni. Come on. I’ll take you home,” Vince said as he held his hand out for Antoinette to take.
“Not so fast Vince. I’m not going anywhere with you. Or them,” Toni stated.
“I think we all need to calm down and take a step back.”
“Who the hell are you?” Vince asked the guy who spoke.
“I’m a good friend of Stone’s and Emerson’s. The name is Cash Corbin. This is Zane Heston and over there are Jett and Flynn Greyson. We’re trying to get to the bottom of this situation.”
“Olivia was arrested. We pressed charges for breaking and entering. She’ll be out in a couple of days, but at least she’ll get the message that we’re though,” Stone stated.
“She’s going to have your baby!” Toni exclaimed.
“She lied about that. It was all a story to get you jealous and to make you leave us,” Emerson told her.
“Don’t believe them. They lie for a living, Toni. They want Bliss. They’re going to trick you.”
Toni pressed her hands against her ears as the men argued. She felt Tina’s hand on her shoulder.
“Stop it. Everyone stop talking. I’m not going home with anyone. I don’t want to talk with any of you. I’m through. I’ve had it. Charlie, can you give me a ride home please? I don’t think I can make the walk tonight.”
“No problem, boss. Tina, you and the girls lock up,” he told them.
“Toni, I want to make sure that you’re safe.” Vince took her hand. Toni could practically see the fumes coming out of Stone and Emerson.
“I’ll be fine. Charlie will check the apartment. Thanks for being there, Vince.”
He leaned closer and kissed her cheek.
She thought she heard Emerson and Stone mumble something, but their friends stopped them. Toni headed out the door with Charlie as her escort.
Chapter 11
“We can’t let this asshole get away with this. What are we going to do? How can we stop this Vince guy and his mafia family from going after Antoinette?” Stone asked Jett and Flynn. They were all gathered around the poker table at The Phantom nightclub. Cash and Zane were there, going over some files. Nash and Riker were willing and ready to assist, and then Hudson and Jagger arrived, and they were ready for a rumble if necessary.
“We can take Marty Mollicone out no problem. And Butch fucking Saggaretti, he’s been pissing a lot of people off in Brooklyn,” Hudson stated as he chewed on a toothpick.
“How the hell do you guys know these people?” Stone asked.
“We know a lot of people,” Jagger stated smugly.
“Hey, I know Antoinette’s uncle, Vincenzo DeLuca. And Flynn knows her cousin, Leo. He’s a detective in the South Bronx,” Jett informed them.
“Oh shit, I know Leo, too. How come Antoinette didn’t contact her uncle or her cousin when this Vince guy was harassing her and when his uncle was threatening her to sell?” Cash asked.
Stone and Emerson shrugged their shoulders. “We don’t know. She could have told us, and we would have contacted the right people,” Emerson said.
“She did have her cousin get the order of protection. She probably didn’t tell him everything about the threats to her store,” Stone added in anger.
“She didn’t because of the bad blood already between the DeLucas and the Saggarettis,” Jett stated.
“What bad blood?” Emerson asked.
“It was never proven, but about ten years ago, Antoinette’s grandfather, DeLuca was gunned down in the street and killed. It appeared as a drive-by shooting, but apparently the Mollicones had threatened him. They felt that the storefront should have been split between the two families, the DeLuca’s and Mollicone’s after a deal was made the year before. The word is that there was a territory disagreement between the two families. The west side belonged to Saggarettis, and Molicones and the east side, DeLuca. Bliss is stationed in the middle, and during negotiations they discussed an even split. Then one crazy guy, that the Saggarettis used for muscling people who owed them money, had forced himself on one of DeLuca’s granddaughters in the family. That was it. The deal was off and DeLuca took complete ownership. From there on out they argued and then Toni’s grandfather was knocked off,” Flynn explained.
“How do you know all this stuff?” Stone asked.
“Does it matter? We know people. We have family and friends in numerous walks of life. The bottom line is that the Mollicones and the Saggarettis want Bliss or at least the storefront location. Apparently, they’ll stop at nothing to get it. Vince is setting her up,” Flynn told them.
“We need to talk with her. We need to explain all of this,” Emerson said.
“That motherfucker probably knew about the mugging before it happened. He planned on being there to save her. He knew we would come, and he used it as an opportunity to make us look like liars. I can’t wait to kick that guy’s ass,” Stone stated.
“You’ll get your chance, but first we need to talk with your girlfriend. Let us make some calls and get some people working on this,” Cash told them.
“We need your help, guys. She’s important to us,” Emerson stated, and then ran his fingers through his hair.
“We kind of figured as much. The two of you haven’t exactly picked the right women. But I could tell that Toni is different,” Zane said.
“Why didn’t you guys just tell her about being billionaires and about your professions from the start?” Hudson asked.
“One word,” Stone stated.
“Olivia,” Emerson replied, and no one said a word. She had turned out to be their worst nightmare ever.
* * * *
Antoinette didn’t want to show up for this meeting. But when uncle Vincenzo called and asked to meet her somewhere, she didn’t make an excuse to not show up. She knew he was going to lecture her. He had found out about the Mollicones and the Saggarettis threatening her, and Vince’s involvement. Despite Vince’s lame attempts at tricking her into believing that he loved her and had saved her. Toni’s cousin Le
o, along with Emerson and Stone’s friends, had found out that he was behind the attempted assault as well as the threatening phone calls. He even went as far as threatening Stone and Emerson with her death.
Antoinette smoothed out her designer dress as she got into the elevator and headed up to her uncle’s suite. She was accompanied by one of his guards, and she knew enough to not make conversation with him. Being part of a family with mafia ties was quite a secret to play ignorance to. But she had done it, just as her father and grandfather had done. God rest their souls.
When the door opened, her uncle was there, smoking a cigar, dressed in the latest fashion, and looking confident and handsome as always. She smiled and so did he, before they embraced. He reminded her of her father and her grandfather. All were DeLuca’s and all shared similar characteristics.
“That shiner is a good one. You iced it?” he asked and she nodded.
“You’re too beautiful to get knocked around. That asshole Vince is done. Finished and out of New York. You won’t have to worry about him again,” Uncle Vincenzo stated very nonchalantly. As if he were discussing the weather.
“I don’t think he’ll bother me again, Uncle.”
“Of course not. He won’t be able to,” he said, and she swallowed hard. God, she hoped he didn’t knock Vince off. How could she live with herself, knowing that she had something to do with his death?
“Get that fearful expression off your face. I didn’t get rid of him. I helped to see that relocating was a necessity to his health.”
She released a sigh of relief.
“So how is Bliss doing now? No problems? No threats?” he asked.
“No, Uncle. Everything has been great.”
“Really? And your heart? You still angry and upset with those two billionaires who hurt you?”
She looked toward the window and the clear view of the city.
She hadn’t stopped thinking about them. Not even after they had their friends investigate Vince and his family and prove that they were behind the threats. She even ignored their friends’ calls and insistence that Stone and Emerson never cheated on her with Olivia St. James. She didn’t want to hear it. It had been enough, facing her family, arguing with Vince about his lies and deceit, and needing her uncle to intervene before Mollicone and Saggaretti did something drastic. No, she decided a new clean slate was necessary, and a much-needed vacation as well. Her flight to Hawaii was booked, compliments of Uncle Vincenzo. Two weeks of relaxation, and then back to Bliss. By then, Stone and Emerson would have moved on to another venture.
She felt her uncle’s hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her. She closed her eyes and absorbed the strength of the man who reminded her so much of her father and grandfather. If her father hadn’t gotten caught up in gambling his life savings away and pissing off a loan shark, she’d have him to lean on now and to help her to run Bliss. But he was gone. Mistakes were made everywhere and she wanted to be different.
“You love them, don’t you, Antoinette?” he asked.
“What do I know about love, Uncle Vincenzo?”
He turned her around to face him. He was tall, about five feet nine, and he had an amazing smile.
“You know more than you think, and more than you’ve allowed yourself, because of fear. I feel partially to blame for this. I should have guided you further, but of all the nieces and nephews and my own kids, you have always been the one to be so independent and leap into things. It is why you own and operate Bliss. It is why you showcase some of your relatives’ famous family recipes, with your added touch. You succeeded on your own. But, there is more to life than money and success.”
She turned away from him.
“I know this. I’m tired of feeling hurt. I’m tired of not knowing who to trust and who might try to manipulate my mind. It seems like such a waste of time.”
“But Emerson and Stone complete you. They adore you and went to great measures to prove their love and commitment to you. Why have you turned them away?”
She was silent a moment, and the realization hit her. She knew why from the start. “I’m afraid.”
“You, afraid? Bahh. I do not believe this to be true. You were hurt. You were being lied to. You feared losing your business and trusting two men. It is not a traditional relationship, but I know people with whom ménage relationships worked perfectly. They were always happy. Do not let fear hold you back from happiness, Toni.”
“I wouldn’t even know what to say to them. I feel like we need to start over.”
“Then do it. Start over.”
“I wish it were that simple. But it isn’t. So tell me. How did you resolve the whole business with Mollicone and Saggaretti?” she asked, purposely changing the subject.
“Actually, I didn’t. In the days to follow the attempted assault on you, your men and their friends used their own connections to prove that Vince’s family and Vince were behind the threats and the drive-by. Whatever they did, your men and their friends got Saggaretti, Vince, and Mollicone to confess. Then I was called in.”
“What? You mean Emerson and Stone called you?”
“Their friends did. They have some balls, those guys. Let me tell you. But that story is for another day. You’re headed to the New York Chocolate Show today, right?”
She smiled. “How did you know?”
“I know that you attend every year with a new chocolate item to showcase with hopes of winning accreditation for Bliss.”
“I hope to win again this year. I’m entering the raspberry chocolate brownie bites with fudge center.”
“I love those. I ordered a bunch last month.”
“Uncle Vincenzo, why didn’t you just call me?”
“And not get the true effect of your work? You might have tried to impress me.”
She chuckled. He pulled her into a hug and then released her.
“Have fun, and be sure to call me before you leave in a few weeks for Hawaii.”
“I promise. Thank you.”
Chapter 12
The aromas were to die for. Chocolate concoctions were on display as far as the eyes could see. Stone and Emerson had started to panic the moment they realized just how many hundreds of people were exploring the festival, and how many displays were there. There were chocolate fountains, flowing into streams of more chocolate on creative displays. It reminded them of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, with every decoration made from candies and chocolate right down to the trees, the roadways, and the little villages. The work and craftsmanship were amazing. There were competitions for chocolate houses and communities, as well as individual items.
They passed by the many machines making homemade fudge, and then the ones hand rolled and cut into squares, ready to be boxed and taken home. They headed toward the awards area where the latest award was being given out to the best individual recipe in hopes that they would find Toni.
Emerson and Stone walked through the chocolate festival in time to see Antoinette win first prize for her raspberry brownie bites. As she accepted her trophy and award, she smiled wide and waved at the adoring crowd. As she stepped offstage, they noticed the many people who shook her hand and congratulated her. It took a lot of patience, but Emerson gave Stone a nudge as she made her way toward them.
She didn’t seem shocked to see them. In fact, it appeared that she wasn’t affected by their presence at all.
“Antoinette?” Stone stated.
She looked at both of them. Her cheeks turned a shade of pink, and she gave a small smile.
“I’m sorry. Have we met before?”
“What?” Emerson asked.
“My name is Antoinette DeLuca, but my friends call me Toni,” she said, and Emerson got it. She wanted to start anew. She was giving them an opportunity to start over.
“I’m Emerson Pierce, and this is my business partner and best friend, Stone Ryder.” Stone shook her hand next.
Emerson thought she smelled incredible. Like chocolate and sweetness all pa
ckaged into a petite and perfect package.
“Congratulations on the win,” Stone offered, and Antoinette started walking back toward her table. They followed, discussing the event and chitchatting. But all Emerson wanted to do was to hold her in his arms and kiss her breathless.
“Hey, where did you two come from? Long time no see,” Tina stated and then Charlie gave them the once-over, before smiling, slightly.
“How are you, Tina?” Stone asked and shook her hand. But Tina pulled him and then Emerson into an embrace. She whispered in Emerson’s ear, “Go get her, tiger. She’s miserable without the two of you.”
Emerson smiled and so did Stone.
“How long do you have to stick around?” Stone asked.
“Oh, we’re all done. This was the last announcement, the biggest of the day, and Bliss came in first with Toni’s brownie bites,” Tina said.
“It was a great day,” Toni added.
“There’s so much to see. They even have tents up outside with more displays.” Emerson added.
“It’s a huge event, and seems to grow bigger each year. We had a chance to look around this morning. I think I like the chocolate fountains the best,” Toni told them.
“Yeah, a lot of ideas were whirling through my head when I saw them,” Stone whispered, as he looked her over. She blushed and the others chuckled.
“Hey, we’ll take care of this stuff. Why don’t the three of you catch up. We have it covered,” Tina told Toni.
Toni thanked them, hugged Tina and Charlie, then grabbed her bag. She started walking out, and Emerson and Stone followed. The moment they were by the small empty enclave by the stairs, Stone pulled her into his arms.
“I missed you so much, baby. So fucking much.” He kissed her and she hugged him back. The moment their lips parted, Emerson took his turn kissing Antoinette. She hugged him tight, and when she pulled back, after he released her lips, she had tears in her eyes.
“I missed you both, too.”
“How about we grab some takeout and talk at our place?” Stone suggested.
Their Sweet Desire [Power Surge: The Billionaire Club 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 13
