Billion Dollar Hearts (Inconguity Series Book 3)

by Thandiwe Mpofu

  “Which Black and what does that have to do with anything?” Harvey questions after a pause, inclining his head to the left, silently studying Giovanni.

  I hold my breath, waiting for the answer.

  “That asshole, Samuel. Don’t worry, I have plans for his prized grandson. He’s smart that one but I can handle that.” Giovanni states with an evil rumble in his voice that makes anger churn in my blood, demanding to be unleashed.

  I could take the bastard down right now where he stands, my fingers itching to let loose the entire magazine of bullets into Giovanni large head.

  “Should I take him out?” Max questions as if reading my thoughts. I know Max probably has a clean shot to take out Giovanni and his men within a split second. I know he has one the best top of the line long-range precision guns and knows how to use it, but for some reason, killing him now doesn’t appeal to me.

  “Not yet.” I mutter.

  “You sure, because you just hesitated, man.”

  “Positive.” I say with finality as I watch Giovanni take another step closer to Harvey who stands there, barely containing his curiosity.

  “Why do you want to know about the Blacks and what are you planning?” Harvey questions, his voice void of any emotion. It almost seems like he is used to this dance with his ‘old friend.’

  “What and why are not your concern my old friend, I just need you to get me the information I need with sufficient evidence and all will be right in the world.” Giovanni says as he lights a cigar.

  “I won’t do anything unless you tell me what you are planning.” Harvey states, with finality in his voice.

  “Really? You want to know huh?” Giovanni taunts but Harvey doesn’t say anything.

  “To finish what I started all those years ago of course, it just so happens that two roads have intermixed now.” Giovanni says with a dramatic flair of his hands, waving them like he is casting a spell in the Harry Potter movies.

  “What do you mean by that?” Harvey questions and I inch closer.

  “Did you know Hamilton has a grandchild?” Giovanni questions with a sick, twisted gleeful expression on his face, clapping his hands together excitedly like a child. The man is a few screws loose in the head alright.

  “Is he high?” Max questions in my ear.

  “High on the prospect of evil, yes.” I mutter back.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Harvey asks after a long pause, but I don’t miss the way he swallows and shuffles his feet just slightly.

  “Oh, but it changes everything! It means my chance to destroy him is here finally and guess what?!” He steps closer to Harvey once more. What’s with the stepping? It’s like he has a spring up his ass.

  “Guess my old friend. This game is so much fun now!” Giovanni prompts but Harvey remains impassive, watching the short stout man move up and down. . .

  “He doesn’t even know he has a grandchild! And you just wait when I let him know of her existence by sending him her head on a platter! That young Black will learn a valuable lesson in the process as well.”

  And a sinister laugh breaks the silence of the night

  Chapter 12

  Chloe

  I’m wringing my fingers together in the car, looking out the window but not seeing anything. My nerves are eating at me and I just know that I’m sweating but I don’t want to account where exactly.

  “Stop that, Chloe.” Sam chides as she grabs my hands to stop my nervous action. I look at her and though there is reassurance in her gaze, it’s not her that I want to be reassured that everything is going to be alright.

  He was gone by the time I woke, his side of the bed long cold as if he was never there. It almost feels like I slept by myself. If it wasn’t for the faint scent of sex in the room, I would have thought he was never there with me.

  “It’s going to be okay, just relax.” Sam says again, giving me a sweet smile which I do my best to return. I can’t afford to have my wits scattered today. I need to be sharp, alert and ready for any outcome.

  It almost feels like we are stepping on a minefield and don’t know if each step is safe or not and then there is the anticipation that at any moment, we might be blown sky high into little dog bits.

  “I know, it’s just, things are different now.” I quietly look at her, letting my best friend in the whole world see the fear in me. I’ve gone through life like a badass, knowing that I don’t have much to lose. All I wanted was to get to serve justice for my murdered parents whose murder mystery was never solved as the case grew cold. Almost as if they don’t matter.

  “You got that right, but we’ll still come up on top.” Sam gives me a firm squeeze then lets go of my hands as we come to a stop in front of her hospital where she has a long shift since she wasn’t in yesterday and the day before due to my almost kidnap.

  “Thank you, Sammy, for everything.” I say to her as the heavily tinted car, with thick, bulletproof windows comes to a stop. I turn to give her a big hug and just melt in my best friend’s arms. After keeping a huge part of me away from her, I can’t express the relief I feel now that she knows everything. Not just about my thirst for vengeance but also about the man who makes me dream and yearn to be better.

  “Oh, you are welcome. I know you would do the same for me.” She mutters.

  “In a heartbeat.”

  And it’s true. I would drop everything for her, to be there for her in any way she needs me. Because we go through things in life but true, authentic friendship is as rare as true understanding. So, when you find it, you hold on and I will hold on and be grateful that she forgave me for lying to her all these years.

  We pull apart and just look at each other for a second until Max opens the backdoor for Sam to exit the car.

  “Come on ladies, enough of all that sappy shit. You are late doc.” Max says as he sends me a wink while Sam flips her hair and turns to glare at Max.

  Yep, something is going on between them, I guess I will ask later.

  “Listen here Maxwell, just because you are going to be my freaking bodyguard or shadow or whatever, doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do and when to do it!”

  Max looks down at her and I watch as his expression changes and looks at Sam but he doesn’t respond but I watch as she closes her mouth and seems like she just dropped her attitude, until she turns around and picks up her bags and sends me a wink.

  Tug of war I guess. Well then.

  “See you later, Chloe.” Sam says and soon, the car door is closed and Tom is driving me towards my place of work, a place that I don’t want to be. For one, I really don’t know what to expect but Tom and Gideon reassured me that everything is as normal as can be and that no one will question where I was because of the gala and how I ran around to get it going. It’s a plausible excuse but I doubt my boss will take that.

  Other than that, something else has been bothering me since the night I was almost kidnapped. Something that asshole, Caleb said that has been at the back of my mind and I feel like I’m missing something, as if there is something that I should be aware of but I can’t seem to be able to put a finger on it.

  How did Caleb know about my father? How did he know what happened to my parents at all?

  I need something, but I don’t know if I should voice it but whatever, I can’t wait anymore. Looking up from my fingers, I catch Tom‘s gaze in the rearview mirror and decide to just go for it.

  “Tom?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “Oh, please just call me Chloe. I’m too young and definitely not interested to be a ma’am.” I smile and he chuckles.

  “Of course, Miss Chloe.” He says with a hint of a smile on his otherwise stoic face. I guess Gideon still doesn’t like his people becoming too familiar with me. I miss Fred and John. I feel a large prick in my heart just thinking of them and each night, I still hear that loud banging of a gunshot, repeating itself over and over and I feel like I’m falling and no one will catch me.

 
“Miss. Chloe?” Tom calls my name softly, bringing me back to the present.

  “Oh yes, sorry.” I say, swallowing before I continue. “I was wondering if you could help me get some files. Documents if you will”

  “I’m guessing these are hard to get kind of documents?” He inquires as he turns left and comes to a stop in front of the large, intimidating office building that houses the offices of none other than Stefan Demetri himself.

  “Well, yes. Sort of illegal.” I shyly admit.

  “You might want to call Mr. Black. He will be able to help with that.” He informs, softly wording his advice cautiously as he turns around to look at me.

  It’s still early enough that I don’t have to worry about people gawking at the sleek SUV parked in front of the building and me stepping out of it.

  “Is this you telling me that you can’t help me without the knowledge of Mr. Black?” I question, raising an eyebrow at him, but he only chuckles.

  “No, this is me trying to help you. He really does know a lot and has enough pull to get you anything you need while also keeping you safe.” He says with a knowing look. Why do I feel like Tom is trying to tell me something without actually saying it out loud?

  “Have you ever been in love Tom?” I question him. Somehow, I know he is older than Max and Gideon. He probably worked for Gideon’s father.

  “I have and still am. My wife and I have been married for sixteen years now.”

  “What? You are a husband?” I gasp and he smiles.

  “And a father of two.” He adds, chuckling lightly as he takes in my facial expression.

  “Get out!” I’m still shocked. Tom literally doesn’t look like a man who is married nor does he look like a soccer dad. Instead, he looks lethal and just downright scary as if one look from him could maim anyone who stares at him too long.

  “I’m sorry, you just don’t look like the type.” I confess after a beat. At first, I think he is joking but my mind catches up and I realize a man like Tom has too much honor and integrity to be joking about matters of the heart.

  “It’s alright. God knows in the years I have been married to Maddy, I’ve learnt how to pick my battles with her and for her. It’s one of the things that make a relationship of any kind, sail smoothly. Communication.” He informs.

  I’m dumbfounded and just stare at him for a beat, until he smiles again and opens his car door to leave the car. He closes his door and stands right outside my door and faces the building as if to give me a moment to myself. Or a moment to call Gideon?

  Hmm, communication. Picking battles with and for. I have no idea what that means nor will I pretend to understand so I’ll just take his initial advice and call.

  Grabbing my phone before I can change my mind. I dial Gideon’s number, having memorized it by heart now. I don’t even think while dialing and he picks up on the first ring.

  “Baby.”

  His deep, cultured timbered voice gets me every time, making my insides melt every time I hear him speak and that term of endearment, so largely used but coming from him, I know it means something.

  “Hey.” I whisper, unable to raise my voice the way I need it to be.

  “You okay?” He asks after a pause and I nod my head. I don’t know why I’m feeling so emotional all of a sudden, just from hearing his voice.

  “I’m alright.” I say after a beat, realizing that he can’t see me.

  “I have a favor to ask you before I get into work.” I say quietly.

  “Anything.”

  “Okay. I need, erm, I need to see the police files of my parent’s murder. I need to read them. The last time I looked for them, they were supposedly sealed and I don’t know if that’s normal so, I was wondering. . .”

  “Of course, I will get them as soon as possible.” He interjects, saving me from my rambling.

  I’m not so good with asking other people for help, most times my pride doesn’t allow it. Having to fend for myself all my life, I became dependent on myself for anything I needed so this, this is huge for me.

  “Thank you” I whisper again, hiding my blush as I look down.

  “You’re welcome, baby.” His voice is now low, so intimate and for my ears only.

  “Am I disturbing you?” I suddenly as I look down at my watch, seeing that it’s almost nine now.

  “Well, I have a web conference with seven people all looking at me wondering who I’m talking to.” He says with a hint of a smile in his voice but I gasp.

  “Oh my, I’ll let you go then. I can’t believe you answered my call in the middle of a meeting.” I’m appalled and more than a tad bit embarrassed.

  “I’ll talk to you later then. Lunch with me?” He questions.

  “Yes, yes, Bye!” I quickly agree and hang up the phone. I can’t believe he just allowed our entire conversation to be heard by some stuck up, high profile business people.

  He infuriates me at times, but he also just brought a smile to my face and a spring to my step that Tom notices as we make our way into Demetri Holdings. My worst nightmare of all time.

  I should have known that the war I was fearing had already started and that come lunchtime, I was going to be tossed in the heart of it.

  Chapter 13

  Chloe

  It’s obvious that my dear boss is not in the office and has been absent for the past two days, judging of course by the pure looks of relief adorned by many of my work colleagues. I mean, the air around here is somewhat free, a whole less tense and even though I know I should be relieved myself, I can’t help but tense up.

  Not in anticipation, but in anxiety.

  Why isn’t Demetri in his lair today? Where is he? What is he up to?

  The knowledge that the man who murdered my parents in cold blood and may somehow be working with the worst, most vile syndicate I have ever heard of, doesn’t really bring me any sense of comfort because now, now I feel like there is something else in the air. Like something is about to happen.

  Maybe I’m being paranoid, but my senses have never failed me yet.

  “He sends his most profound apologies but something came up. Mr. Black won’t be able to join you for lunch.” Tom announces after a while.

  It’s lunchtime and as soon as the clock struck midafternoon, I made a mad dash for the elevator and was out of there, couldn’t handle one more second of pretending like everything is alright and that I’m not aware that my boss’s absence from work has everything to do with the war we ae currently in. And something tells me he now knows exactly who I am. The thought should bring me some semblance of fear, but for some reason, I smile. Finally. He knows I’m coming for him.

  “Why? What is he doing?” I ask. I was really looking forward to talking to Gideon, to be around him and get his thoughts on what’s happening. Since the gala, he has been forthcoming about a lot of things, but also a bit controlled—censored—in the information he gives me.

  “An emergency, Miss. Chloe. He couldn’t get out of it.”

  “Oh.” I mumble, feeling an unreasonable sting of rejection, which makes absolutely no sense to me. He isn’t my boyfriend, we don’t have a commitment to each other where I expect him to drop everything to have lunch with me. I mean, he runs one of the largest, if not the largest, conglomerates that the world has seen.

  “He did, however, send over the documents you were looking for. Would you like to select a restaurant to have lunch so you could look over them?” He questions, catching my gaze in the mirror.

  I think it over and well, why the heck not?

  “Yeah sure, there is a little vegan restaurant at Bryant Park, let me call Sam and ask if she can meet me there.” I inform as I dig around my purse to find the miscellaneous object that I hardly touched for the past few days.

  Dialing her number, I wait for a few seconds and her chirper voice comes through.

  “Girl! Let’s do lunch. I need to get away from Max, he is literally breathing down my neck. Talk about taking his ‘duty’ seriously.” She
rushes out.

  “Ha, getting on your nerves, is he?” I laugh.

  “It’s not funny. I’m going to ditch him and catch a cab.” I hear shuffling in the background as if she is gathering her stuff.

  “Sammy, you are going to escape his watch?” I gasp, somehow, I think that isn’t a good idea, making my gut churn but no, what can possibly happen. She is, after all, coming to meet me.

  “Chloe, I need a break. Just now, I had a mom come in to get an ultrasound and she came in with her brother and guess what Maxwell did?” Her voice comes out in short, fast staccato. I guess she is indeed pissed off.

  “What?” I question with a smile.

  “He literally searched the man, from head to toe. And then as if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, he goes ahead and glares at the poor man, I bet he was regretting every second of that visit.”

  “Sammy, come over at Bryant Park, that little vegan spot is where I’m headed now.” I inform her and then we hang up. I guess she needs some foodgasm to get her together. But something tells me she really doesn’t mind having Max go all alpha-protective on her but, it’s none of my business.

  TAKING A SEAT AT THE back of the small restaurant, I take out the tablet that Tom gave me. I assume the documents I needed have been scanned onto it.

  Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself to read the report. I don’t really know what to expect but whatever it is, I’m going to take it in and hopefully I can find what I need.

  Bringing the screen to life, I swipe to the left and the police report stares up at me. My palms suddenly become sweaty, I can’t take in enough breaths and I feel like my tummy just took a nose dive, in the ugliest manner.

  Official Police Report

  Pennsylvania State Police Department

  Case Number: HM5623789P

  Date: August 5 2004

  Reporting Officers: T. Hall and A. McGuire