by Stacy-Deanne
“As for Osana, your free ride’s ending.” Shad pointed to him. “I’m gonna get you out of all our lives if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Fuck you and fuck Gloria.” Max huffed. “I wouldn’t waste my time even worrying about her insignificant ass. But, it sure is funny how you run to her defense when you claim you don’t care anymore.”
“That’s what a real man does, Max.” Shad straightened his blazer. “Now you know what one looks like.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
A Month and a Half Later
“Mr. Sidney?” Abby walked out to Shad’s patio with the house phone. “It’s Lily.”
He set his glass of lemonade down and took the phone. “Thanks, Abby.”
She nodded and left.
Shad answered the phone, “Lily, I hope you have something.”
“I sure do,” the investigator said. “I tracked down a woman from Max’s past. Marta Fajardo. She lives in Miami.”
Shad sipped lemonade. “Someone he dated?”
“Shad, she’s Max’s wife.”
He sprung out the chair. “What did you say?”
“Marta Fajardo is Max’s wife.”
“Wait, a minute.” He shook his head to make sure he heard her right. “Max is married?”
“Yep.”
“Hold on.” He stood from the lounge chair. “How can he be married if he’s married to Osana?”
“That’s the point.” Lily chuckled. “He can’t be legally married to them both.”
“I’ll be damned.”
“I haven’t contacted Marta but spoke with a relative of hers and she told me that Marta left Max years ago but they’re still married.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, but I got Marta’s information and I’ll text it to you.”
“I don’t believe this. Shit, I’d be jumping up and down if I wasn’t so shocked.”
She laughed. “Glad I could help. What are you gonna do now?”
“Osana’s not married!” He cackled. “This is great.”
“You gonna tell her the big news?”
“I’m gonna talk to Marta first. Knowing Max he’s up to more than I can imagine.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just because they’re not really married doesn’t mean he’ll let Osana go. He’s holding something over her and I gotta get him out of her life.” He paced, rubbing his brow. “I need more ammunition and Marta can give me that.”
“Good luck if you contact her. From what her cousin says Marta can’t even stand to talk about the man.”
“Hm.” Shad sat. “I can use that to my advantage. I’ll do whatever I have to, to free Osana from Max.” He stared out into the yard. “Anything.”
****
A Week Later
“Mr. Crandon, everything will be fine,” Osana said as she and Teddy followed the shaken bank manager to the room full of safety deposit boxes. “You’ve known my family for years.”
“And we value your family’s business.” Crandon maneuvered his pudgy frame to the deposit drawers. “But, I could get in trouble.”
“I wouldn’t put you in a bad situation.” Osana winked. “Do me this favor.”
“But it’s illegal.” He took out the key and opened a drawer. “I’m not supposed to do this without Mr. Ace here.”
“She’s his wife,” Teddy said. “Besides, you’d be doing Osana a big favor.”
She smiled at Crandon, batting her eyes. “You’ve known me since I was a child.”
He fidgeted. “Yeah, but—”
“I need Max’s box.”
“Is something wrong?” Sweat stroked Crandon’s pink, fat cheeks. “Maybe I can help.”
“The only way you can help is letting me see Max’s box or I could leave.” She pointed to the door. “And take all my millions with me—”
“Okay, okay.” Crandon gestured to a door in the corner. “Let’s go in here.” He set the box on the long table in the little room. “You’ve got to promise you won’t tell anyone I did this for you. I could lose my job.”
“We promise,” Teddy said. “We don’t want anyone to find out any more than you do.”
“Well, there it is.” Crandon swallowed. “Tell me when you’re finished.” He left the room.
Osana stared at the box. “Something’s gotta be in here to get me off the hook, right?”
Teddy shrugged, lowering himself into a chair. “Let’s hope.”
Osana took a deep breath and opened the box. “He made a copy of the deed to my place.” She scoffed, reading it. “No surprise there.”
“What’s that?” Teddy dug under documents and pulled out a wide envelope.
Osana opened it and three blank DVDs fell out. “Holy shit.”
“What?”
“I bet these are Preston’s DVD’s. The footage from his security camera.” She held them to her bosom, exhaling. “If so then they prove Preston was still alive when I left. They might even show Max murdering him.” She stuffed the DVDs into her purse. “Ooh, I could kiss you.”
He laughed as he stood. “I bet that’s not something you thought you’d say.”
“I mean it.” She touched his hand. “If you hadn’t agreed to investigate Max, I wouldn’t have found out about this box.” She kissed his cheek.
“You don’t even know what’s on those DVDs yet.”
“It’s gotta be the footage. I can feel it.”
“Hey, after all the screwing up I’ve done I guess I can at least do something right.”
She smiled. “I appreciate it.”
“I know.” He rushed to the door. “Now let’s get outta here before poor Crandon has a heart attack.”
****
Max checked out Abby’s apple-shaped ass as she led him through the third floor of Shad’s mansion.
“You have any idea why he called me over here?” he asked.
Abby glanced at him over her shoulder. “Mr. Sidney doesn’t tell me his personal business.”
“Oh?”
Her knit skirt stuck to the imprint of her glorious buttocks.
“What does he tell you?”
She stopped at a large doorway with double doors. “Please wait in the study.”
“Hold on.” Max touched her wrist. “I wanna apologize for how I acted the last time I was here.”
She shifted the gaze of her sparkling, green eyes away from him as if embarrassed. “I appreciate that.”
“I wasn’t myself.”
She nodded in a bashful way as Max entered the study. “Mr. Sidney will be in soon.”
“Hey, eh…” Max tilted his head. “We should get together sometime.”
She made a pitiful attempt at a smile. “Have a nice day, Mr. Ace.”
“What’s this about though?” He stood in the middle of the spacious room, outlined in luxurious brown walls and leather furniture. “Hey, wait.”
Abby shut the doors.
He scoffed. “Well, fuck you too.” He sat on the leather futon with the red, velvet pillows. “What the hell?”
Max wasn’t a reader but the cluster of hardback books and hand-carved wooden furniture enraptured him. The abstract portraits and smell of dark chocolate and Chardonnay produced a stiff yet cozy atmosphere, which reminded him of Shad’s personality.
The double doors opened and Shad popped his head in with a smile that gave Max the creeps. “Max, glad you could make it.” He waltzed in wearing dark, scraped indigo skinny jeans and a button-down, white shirt with quarter-length sleeves.
Jeez, does this dude ever dress casual?
“Thank you for coming.” Shad’s pecks squeezed against the super-tight shirt.
“Can you breathe, man?” Max pointed. “If that shirt were any tighter I’d see your heart beating.”
Shad’s expression remained oddly pleasant. “How are you today?”
“I’d be doing better if I knew what was going on.” Max clicked his jaw. “I hate you and you hate me so get this s
how on the road.”
“I’d rather get you on the road.” Shad showed a cunning smile.
“You’re wasting your breath, Sidney.” He scooted up in the chair. “Osana and I are married, so it’s not that easy to get rid of me.”
“You want a drink or snack?”
“I want you to drop the bullshit act and tell me why I’m here.” Max stood. “Let me guess. You wanna buy me off?” He chuckled. “Would be up your alley, huh?”
“I admit I’ve thought about it.”
“Save your time. Nothing will get me outta this marriage until I’m ready to leave.”
“I can see right through you.” Shad clasped his hands behind his back. “It’s a relief to see you care about more than money.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re not as hard to figure out as you think.” Shad got a bag of chocolates from inside the desk. “Want one?”
Max glared at him.
“Guess not.” Shad unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth. “I was saying you’re easy to figure out. You like Osana don’t you?”
Max exhaled.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” Shad sat on the edge of the desk, chewing. “She’s a fascinating woman who’d rope any man in.”
“I don’t have time for this shit.” Max went to the door. “Not gonna watch you gloat.”
“Who’s gloating?”
“She loves you and not me.” Max pointed to him. “I’m not gonna step over your toes, Sidney. I’m not going after Osana’s heart so you can relax.”
Shad laughed. “As if Osana would want you.”
“Believe me, brother.” Max sauntered to the desk, head rocking. “If I wanted to put in the effort I’d get her.”
Shad’s cockiness disappeared. “What the fuck you been smoking?”
“How do you know she hasn’t fallen for my charms already? You don’t know what happens when we’re alone and behind closed doors.”
“Boy you’re more of an idiot than I thought if you think this sad attempt of manipulation would work on me.” Shad sucked the candy, obnoxiously. “Try again.”
“If I had time to put into Osana, she’d want me,” Max declared, his shoulders erect. “But, she’s more trouble than she’s worth, and I don’t need the headache. Once the marriage is over, she’s yours.”
“Why did she marry you?”
“Osana’s yours, right? Ask her.”
“I can’t pay you off?”
“Nope.” Max wiped a lint ball from his Armani shirt. “I’m not ready to walk away.”
“Until you get the money.”
“That’s right.”
Shad chewed with a sarcastic grin. “Isn’t my money any good?”
“I want Osana’s money.”
“I knew you’d be a tough nut to crack.” Shad slid off the desk. “If I can’t persuade you to walk away, then maybe someone else can.”
“No one can.”
Shad stepped into the hallway. “You can come in now.”
Max braced himself but nothing in the world could’ve prepared him for this surprise.
She entered the room, lovelier than ever.
“Wait, a minute.” He wobbled, pointing at her. “What the fuck is going on here?”
The woman lifted her head and one look at those round cheeks and curved neckline nearly killed Max.
“Hello, Max,” she said with that heavy Spanish accent he cherished. “Long time no see.”
“Jesus Christ.” Max walked in a circle, rubbing the back of his neck. “This isn’t real. You’re not standing here in front of me.”
“It’s me, Max.”
He stared at her full lips, the bottom one much thicker than the top. “Marta,” he whispered.
“Max, your face is telling the whole story,” Shad said. “Do you wanna reach out and grab her and never let her go? Has your heart been in constant pain because you’ve missed her all these years?”
Max panted. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes,” she said. “It has.”
“Too long,” Max said. “And it shouldn’t have been.”
“Do you feel empty and helpless whenever you think about her?” Shad stood behind Max, grabbing his shoulders. “You’d do all you can to protect her? Love her like no man ever would?”
Marta flicked her honey-brown hair off her shoulder, drawing attention to her neckline.
“I understand,” Shad said. “That’s exactly how I feel about Osana.”
“You think this shit is funny?” Max knocked Shad’s hands away. “You’ve gone too far, Sidney. Marta has nothing to do with this!”
“She’s your weak spot, and I told you I’d do anything to get you out of Osana’s life.”
“Well you’re wasting your time.” Max turned his back to them, finding it impossible to stare at Marta another moment. “The money is all I want.”
“No, what you want is right here,” Shad said. “Until you face it you’re gonna continue to be miserable and make everyone else around you the same.”
“Why are you here?” Max asked Marta without facing her.
“Because it’s the right thing to do. We need to talk, Max.”
“Now you wanna talk?” He swung in her direction. “What about when you left me and I begged you to talk but you cut me out like I didn’t matter? What about all these years when I wanted to see Jeremy?” He punched his chest, the sound louder than the impact. “You kept me away from my son.”
“You kept yourself away from your son.” She raised her thin eyebrows. “When are you gonna stop blaming everyone else for what you’ve done wrong?”
“What is this supposed to prove?” he shouted. “I’m not backing off on this deal with Osana so forget it.”
“You’re already married to Marta so you can’t legally be married to Osana,” Shad said. “Give it up.”
“Fuck you.”
“Can we talk, Max?” Marta asked. “I came all this way from Florida. If anyone should be upset it’s me.”
Max closed his eyes, exhaling. “I have nothing to say.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Shad backed up to the doors. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
“That sneaky son of a bitch.” Max held his waist, staring at the closed doors. “Guess this is why he’s so successful in business. Pulling stunts like this. How did he find out about you?”
“Through a private investigator.”
“Figures.” He walked to the window and pulled at the curtain. “How long has it been since we last saw each other?”
“Ten years.”
“That’s too damn long, Marta.” He pushed his head into the curtain. “I don’t know what hurts worse. You banishing me from your life or you showing up like this?”
“I hate myself.” She sniffled. “I hate I blame myself for how you’ve turned out and I hate that I still care about you. Max, it breaks my heart to see you like this. I don’t know why you’re blackmailing this woman but this isn’t you.” She sobbed. “It isn’t you.”
“And how did I get like this?” He let the curtain go. “Because the one person who meant the world left me. Do you understand how horrible it felt, Marta? I’d always been alone and when we met, I thought I’d never have to be alone again.” He made his way to Shad’s desk. “You said you’d never leave me and you did. I’m tired of people leaving me. I couldn’t keep dealing with that pain.”
“So you close your emotions off and hurt people?”
“Money is the only guarantee in this world. It doesn’t disappoint you and it makes you damn happy if you get enough of it.”
“You don’t seem happy. Is this the life you want, blackmailing people and cooking up schemes? You’re better than this, Max.”
He slumped to the couch and sat down.
“You don’t show love by telling people you love them,” she said. “You do it with action.”
“I never loved anyone like I loved
you.” He fought tears but forbad himself to cry. “I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Remember, us, Marta? Do you? Remember when we got married in Madrid? God, you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.”
She lowered her head.
“All the money in the world couldn’t have made me as happy as you did. Then we had Jeremy.” He looked at the chandelier above his head. “And when I saw his tiny face for the first time I thought I’d made it. I thought all the ugliness, and the struggles were behind me.”
“You became more attracted to money than us.” She wiped a tear. “Simple as that.”
“It wasn’t about the money.” He stood. “I wanted you to be proud of me, and I wanted to give you and Jeremy the lives you deserve. I wasn’t making ends meet on the few jobs I could get when someone would hire me.”
“It’s no one’s fault you have a record, Max. Stop blaming others for the consequences of what you’ve done.”
“I’m not blaming anyone but telling the truth. See?” He pointed, squinting. “Every time I would say something you claimed it was an excuse.”
“Because most times you were giving excuses.” Her spicy accent made even a lecture sound sexy. “It gets tiring.”
“My point is I tried my best. You guys didn’t deserve to be in some crummy apartment and driving that old Volkswagen.” He rushed to her, placing his hands on her cheeks. “You’re a goddess, Marta. You should be dripping in diamonds and pearls. Should be living in a mansion like this and having everything you want. I wanted to give you that world, baby. Is that so bad?”
She touched his hands that still held her face. “I never wanted anything but you, Max. I didn’t care if we lived out of a paper box. As long as we were together that was enough.”
He dropped his hands.
“When you got money is when the problems started. You always want more and you’ll do anything to get it. God,” she shouted. “You left us, Max. You left us to chase money and what did it get you? You lost your family.”
He closed his eyes, sobbing.
“You lost your family!” She hit his arm. “You sold us out and yet you play the victim. I left because you changed. You weren’t the man I fell in love with anymore, and I wasn’t gonna put my son in danger. I can’t have him brought up by a man who only sees value in what you spend and not in the people he loves.”
