by Unknown
“I swear this stuff only happens in the movies.” Alinna sighed dreamily. “Didn’t I tell you he was the one?”
“Yes you told me, and my mom told me. You both were right, and I’m glad I listened. He’s the best thing to happen to me and I can’t wait to be his wife.”
Satra meant that with all of her heart. No matter what happened in Shane’s past, all she cared about was the man he is today. It was in that moment that she decided that the only fair thing to do was to allow Shane to explain whatever it is that Di Amato is accusing him of in that file.
“We’ve got to go wedding dress shopping and bridesmaids dress shopping. And color - have you decided on a color for the wedding? There’s so much we have to do Satra!” Alinna said excitedly.
“First things first. Will you do me the honor of being my maid of honor Alinna?”
“Girl please. You don’t even have to ask! Of course I’ll be your maid of honor, boo!”
Alinna reached over and hugged her friend again. Sighing Satra said, “And yes, there is a lot to do, especially since we plan on getting married in three weeks.”
“Three weeks? Are you serious?” Alinna squealed.
“Very serious. We want a small, intimate wedding with only family and close friends. And we’re getting married back home in Milwaukee. We haven’t told my parents yet but we’re flying out there next Friday, and I’ll be meeting his family this Thursday. So between you and my mom, I’m going to need you both to help me pull this off. Simple and elegant. That’s what I want.”
“Say no more. I’m going to clear my calendar for the next couple of weeks so we can get this done. I’m so excited!! And look at that gorgeous ring girl. That man did GOOD! It’s so simple yet elegant, just like you.”
“Awww thanks girl. I love it too. He knows that I don’t like big, gaudy stuff. This is a bit big, but I’ll get used to it girl!” Satra and Alinna laughed as they both high fived each other.
“I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of it since he gave it to me,” Satra said softly.
For the rest of their lunch they discussed wedding plans and color options, and that put Satra in a much better mood. Shane called her to check up on her and Satra excused herself before going outside to speak with him privately.
“Hey sweetie, how are you?” she asked.
Shane could hear that she missed him, but he could also sense that something else was bothering her.
“I’m better now that I hear your voice. Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah…..well no. I don’t want to talk about it over the phone though. I’m having lunch with Alinna right now. Why don’t you come by my place tonight after work? Let’s say six-ish?”
“Okay. I’ll be there at six,” Shane said hesitantly.
“I love you Bella.”
“I love you too honey,” Satra said sweetly.
****
When Satra got home from work she quickly showered and changed into an off shoulder oversized shirt and black leggings. She put her hair into a mess ponytail on top of her head and was putting moisturizer on her face when she heard the doorbell ring. True to his word Shane was there at 6pm on the dot. Smiling she ran down stairs and waited for Sterling to open the door. Shane came in and pulled her into his arms for a long, lingering kiss that made her wet and tingling.
“I missed you so much today.” He mumbled against her lips as he massaged her booty.
“I missed you too.” Satra purred in return.
She pulled away from him and led him by the hand to her couch.
“You want anything to drink?” she asked before she sat down beside him.
“No, I’m good. Thank you.”
Sitting down and tucking one leg under her she faced Shane and covered his hands with her own. Shane watched her and waited patiently to tell him what was wrong. He loved it when she was fresh faced with no makeup on. She looked so beautiful.
“Di Amato came to my office today.”
“He did what?” Shane yelled.
“Calm down baby. This is why I didn’t want to tell you this over the phone earlier.”
Shane gave Satra a look, but she continued.
“He said that there were things about you that I didn’t know, things that would change how I felt about you. He said that you aren’t the man I think you are.”
Shane’s heart fell to his feet. He knew what Di Amato shared with Satra without her going any further.
“I told him that I didn’t care if you were a serial killer that I’d still love you and be with you,” Satra said defiantly. “He gave me this file and told me to read it.”
Satra picked up the file from her coffee table and handed it to Shane.
Looking at the file and then at her he asked, “Did you read it?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because Shane, I don’t care what it says. Besides, I thought it would only be fair to give you the chance to explain whatever is in there before I draw any conclusions either way.”
Taking a deep breath Shane opened the file. Just as he suspected, it was a file on a business deal that took place early in his career that he would give anything to forget. It even detailed what happened to the parties involved years afterward.
Slamming the file shut in disgust he rubbed his head in anger and frustration.
“That son of a bitch.” He spat out.
Satra could feel the anger radiating off of Shane, but she waited patiently for him to explain.
Looking her in the eyes he said, “You can read this if you want Bella. I have nothing to hide.”
“I’m not reading anything that I know is an attempt to tear us apart, and that’s clearly what that sick bastard is trying to do.”
“That’s sweet of you to say Bella…….”
“No, it’s not sweet Shane. I mean it.”
“Ok, well let me explain. This, he said as he pointed to the file, is part of my past that I’d love to forget. It was very early in my career, and the Patterson acquisition was one of the biggest and most sought after during the time. Many have tried to get that company and they all failed. I was young, cocky, and ruthless. If you wanted to be the best you had to have ice in your veins. You couldn’t care about people’s feelings; you didn’t have time to worry about people’s families, or employees being affected by you buying them out and them losing their jobs. With this particular account, the owner was old. He was sickly, and he begged me not to do this. He wanted to die still being the owner of Patterson Corp. He wanted his employees to enjoy their Christmas holiday before pink slips were handed out. Initially I felt sorry for him and was going to grant him that much. I’m not an evil person; at least I don’t think I am. But my boss and few other ruthless partners wouldn’t hear of it. I had to either close the deal before Christmas or be demoted. Being demoted would mean nothing but failure, and that was the last thing I wanted, especially when it came to proving to my father that I could make it on my own in the business world.”
“So what did you do?” Satra asked in barely a whisper. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach what happened next.
“I went ahead with the buyout, I let go of hundreds of his employees before the holiday, and Mr. Patterson was so upset that he had a stroke and died a few days later.”
“Oh no, Shane.” Satra gasped as she held his hands.
“It’s something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life. I never go a day without thinking about it, regretting it. I sat and watched how my boss and the partners laughed and celebrated over this man’s death and congratulate me on the nearly billion dollars I made for myself and the rest of them. I was sick to my stomach. I immediately reached out to his family, who naturally didn’t want to hear anything I had to say. Eventually his widow agreed to meet with me and I apologized profusely to her and her family. I promised her that I wouldn’t rest until I made things right by her and her family. I gave all the money I made from that deal to her and her family
and more. I helped all of the employees that lost their jobs find new, better jobs and I held a Christmas party for all of the employees and their kids and gave them everything their hearts could desire. The one thing I couldn’t do was bring Mr. Patterson back, and that’s what I regret the most.”
“But you did what you could. You felt regret and remorse and you took action to try to make things right for everyone that was affected. You can’t bring Mr. Patterson back, but I’m sure if he had lived he would have appreciated everything you did to make things right.”
Satra scooted closer to Shane and gently kissed his lips and cheek before hugging him. Shane hugged her tightly and closed his eyes, saying a small prayer of thanks to God for giving him Satra.
Pulling back he said, “I was going to tell you about this sweetheart, it was just hard figuring out the best time to do so. It was the lowest point in my life and career, and it’s something I’m still very ashamed of.”
Taking his face into her hands Satra looked Shane in his eyes and asked, “Do you trust me?”
“With all my heart.” He answered with a small smile, remembering when he asked her the same thing before he went after Cole.”
“Then trust me when I say that I love you and the man you are today. Unless you’re a serial killer or puppy killer, nothing will ever change that.”
“I thought you said you’d love me even if I was a serial killer?” Shane asked with a sexy smile on his lips.
“I lied.” Satra smiled before taking his lips in loving kiss.
Slowly pulling back from her lips Shane said, “I have to go baby. I something to take care of still.”
Pouting Satra said, “Okay…”
Chuckling Shane said, “Don’t do the pouty mouth. You look so adorable and sexy,” he said as he stole another kiss from her.
“I promise I’ll make it up to you. I’ll call you when I’m home, okay?”
Standing up he pulled her up with him and held her in his arms. “I love you more than anything in this world. Never forget that.”
“I know you do,” Satra said as she got lost in his beautiful brown eyes.
Walking to the door Shane gave her one final kiss and left.
Once Shane left Satra’s condo his focus and demeanor shifted. He wanted Di Amato’s head on a silver platter, and tonight he would get it. Getting in his car he headed for Di Amato’s home.
Shane knew Di Amato was home because his investigator staked out his house and watched Di Amato when he pulled up and went inside. Shane was now parking in front of his home and walking up to the front door. Di Amato’s housekeeper answered the door.
“Mr. Evans, so nice to see you,” she said warmly. “Please, come in.”
“Thank you Rosa,” Shane said as he walked in.
“Please wait here while I get Mr. Di Amato.”
Shane waited in the lavish foyer with Italian marble floors.
He heard Di Amato’s raised, angry voice. Shane smiled. Just as he thought, Di Amato was upset with his housekeeper for allowing Shane inside.
Di Amato marched out to the foyer in his wine colored cashmere robe and slippers with a cigar in his hand and an angry scowl on his face.
“What do you want? Why are you at my home?” He yelled.
“Really Frank? You show up at my fiancé’s job and drop off files on me and think I won’t react? You know me better than that,” Shane said smoothly.
“If she has any sense she’ll leave you. A woman that beautiful and smart shouldn’t be with a coward like you.” Di Amato spat.
“Just like a woman as beautiful and smart as Alice would never be with you.”
Di Amato’s eyes bulged out of his head and his face turned beet red.
“You leave her out of this you little shit! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” He yelled.
Shane smirked.
“I know enough to know that you live in this castle alone and miserable because you can’t have the one woman you love more than anything in this world. You’d give your left eye to have Alice, but she won’t have you will she? I wonder if it’s because she realized that you’re a sick, pathetic, heartless man.” Shane said between clenched teeth.
“But no need to worry old man, she’s working for me now and she’ll be well taken care of now that you’re finished.
Di Amato had a crazed look in his eyes before he lunged at Shane, but Shane quickly stepped to the side, causing the older man to stumble to his knees and slide on the slick marble floor. Slowly he got back up with rage in his eyes.
Shane could smell the alcohol on his breath, but it didn’t stop him from getting in the old man’s face.
“You were on a mission to take away everything I loved, to destroy my life but look at you now. You’re done! The life you knew is a thing of the past. I don’t know why you have this vendetta against me and my family and I really don’t care, but your lies and games end today. If you ever come near Satra or anyone else I care about again, I will kill you. Do you understand me old man?”
Breathing hard Di Amato said, “Alice is MINE! She will always be mine! You leave her alone, she has nothing to do with this.”
“Oh she has everything to do with this. Unlike you, I’m not using her. I’m not treating her like she’s something to be owned. I like Alice a lot. She’s a wonderful, kind woman and she deserves to be treated as such. That’s why she’s working for me now. I don’t know what kind of sick hold you have on her, but it’s over with.”
“That’s right, you don’t know! You’ll never know because she’ll never tell you. She’ll never tell another soul because that’s how much she loves me!”
Shane smirked. “She doesn’t love you, she pities you. You’re just too delusional to see it.”
“Shut up! You shut your lying mouth! I will make sure you pay. I will make sure your threats on my life get reported! I have connections all over the world!”
“Oh those weren’t just threats, they are promises that I will personally fulfill. So go ahead and test me if you like.” Shane smiled with venom in his eyes.
“Oh, and you might want to put some clothes on. The feds should be arriving to arrest you and put you away for the rest of your pathetic life any minute now. And don’t bother trying to transfer any money out of your secret Swiss accounts either. They’ve been frozen and seized by the feds as well. I’m sure if you ask your mob friends they’ll help you…...or kill you.”
Shane laughed at the look of horror on Frank Di Amato’s face.
“You son of a BITCH! You spineless coward! I’ll kill you! I’ll destroy you!! You haven’t seen the last of me!”
His outburst only made Shane laugh more as he walked out of the house. About eight black federal agent cars pulled up as Shane was walking out.
“He’s a tad bit upset at the moment. You’ll probably want to taze him a few times to calm him down,” Shane said to the agents as they rushed inside of Di Amato’s home. Shane was still laughing as he got inside his car.
Frank Di Amato was never heard from again from that day forward. The federal agents did have to taze Di Amato because he continued to resist arrest and tried to fight the agents. His company folded which meant his deal with Mitchell Daniels and the buyout of Vandalay was null and void. Mitchell Daniels retired and sold his shares to Grayson. They never spoke to one another again since the argument they had in Grayson’s office. Mitchell tried many times to reach out to Grayson, but Grayson wasn’t interested in anything he had to say. He would never forgive or understand his betrayal. With the money from Mitchell’s shares, Grayson bought Vandalay and merged the company with Lucas & Daniels, keeping the South Carolina office open and making Davis Gordon his second in command. Eli Johnson and Charlene Walker were fired immediately, along with a few others.
That Thursday Shane brought Satra to his parents’ home to meet them. His mother, in typical Audrey Evans fashion, went all out with the dinner and desserts. Shane told her how much Satra loved chocolate so she
made a huge German Chocolate cake just for Satra. Satra had two huge slices of it - it was that good. Shane’s sister Abbey and her husband and their kids were all there to welcome Satra into the family, and just as Shane suspected, they all loved Satra immediately. Satra spent a lot of time with Shane’s mother, getting to know her and finding that they had a lot of common. Satra found her to be very sweet, caring, and down to earth. Shane was definitely the apple of his mother’s eye, and she made it abundantly clear to Satra that she wanted lots of grandbabies.
When Satra first laid eyes on Shane’s father it was like getting glimpse into the future. Shane was the spitting image of his father, both men equally handsome and tall with the same build. The only difference was Shane’s father had a full head of silver wavy hair. When he greeted Satra he said, “You’re more beautiful in person. I’m so glad to finally meet the woman who has made my son so happy. Welcome to the family my dear.”
Satra was almost moved to tears. He kissed her on both cheeks and then hugged her tightly. Before she knew it she was being whisked away by Shane’s mom and sister. They wanted to ohh and ahh over her ring and hear about how Shane proposed. She kept the story as discreet as possible and told them that he proposed at dinner instead of the next morning after a night full of mind-blowing lovemaking.
“Who knew my boy could be so romantic? He’s just like his father.” Audrey Evans gushed.
“Don’t make me gag mom.” Abbey moaned.
Satra laughed. She already felt like a member of their family. Shane looked at her from across the room with the biggest smile on his face. Satra met his eyes and smiled back just as happily.
The following weekend Shane and Satra flew on his private jet to Milwaukee to meet her family. Satra didn’t know that Shane had spoken to her father weeks ago to ask for her hand in marriage. Her parents welcomed Shane into their family with open arms, as did Satra’s brothers. They told Satra how much they liked Shane and how cool and down to earth they felt he was. Shane was alone with Satra’s father in his man cave watching the Bucks play the Bulls. Sharon Sinclair walked in smiling.
