by E. M. Gayle
"Of course you couldn't," she laughed. "But this show is one hundred percent about you and your gorgeous designs. I hope whatever else is going on, you can put it aside for a few minutes and just absorb the significance of this. You need to savor this. Here maybe this will help." Before I could hug her or tell her how much I loved her, Trina produced a bottle of champagne from behind her back and thrust it towards me.
"You are so right. I need this. But only if you share in this moment with me. In fact..." I turned in the direction of the catering table and yelled at all the girls gathered in the area, still wearing my designs. "Everyone grab some glasses and more champagne. It's time for a toast!"
A series of delighted squeals and shouts of joy erupted throughout the room as the women scurried to grab their supplies and gather around us. Next thing I knew, corks were popped and glasses were filled with the bubbly champagne. But it was the smiles on their faces and the pure joy each and every one emitted from being here that made me lose the fight to the tears threatening to fall.
"You can't cry," Trina handed her glass to the model next to her and dug through her fanny pack for tissues, which she then used to dab at my face. "There are going to be a million more pictures taken tonight, so you can't mess up your makeup now."
She was right and I was grateful she looked out for me. I owed her in more ways than one. "Thank you," I whispered."
"Okay now?" she asked.
I nodded and all the women crowded around us cheered. When I didn't think they were going to settle down, I made a quieting motion with my hand so I could make a proper toast. "I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for being here and for all of your hard work. Without each and every one of you, this night would not have been possible. Creating a show like this is an enormous effort, and well, I owe the success to everyone involved. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much." I raised my glass higher and toasted every glass I could reach.
I drank deeply, appreciating the quality of the champagne The Sinclair had provided. One of the smartest things I'd done was in getting to know Gabe and Nina. I needed to find them and thank them personally, but the backstage area was more chaotic than when we'd began.
"To Nova," one of the girls in the back yelled and the rest of the women followed suit. Glasses were raised and clinked again, more champagne got consumed and if I squinted my eyes narrow enough and shut out all the extra noise in my head, I could only see the level of success in front of me. And it looked really really good.
"Congratulations, Nova."
Oh God, that voice, just behind me. It reminded me of that night on my balcony when I'd been waiting for him. My nipples tightened, butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I desperately wanted to go back to that night and repeat it all over again. I may not have known his name, but in hindsight I'm glad I didn't. If he had told me who he was before we gotten involved, none of that would have ever happened and I would have missed out on what were the best parts of my life so far.
I turned, taking in the gorgeousness of Rock Reed dressed in his trademark black suit, black shirt and black tie. Standing there with a smirking grin on his face, he looked good enough to eat. Or beg. I wanted to plead with him.
If we left right this minute, maybe we could get far enough away that neither my father or Ronin could create any more trouble for us. The ache in my chest deepened. I wasn't supposed to fall in love in the midst of my life falling apart. But I did.
He must have sensed something in me because he stepped forward and gathered me in his arms. "I know this wasn't exactly how you wanted this night to go, but despite everything, it's still clear to everyone here what a gorgeous, talented woman you are."
"I love you," I blurted, my eyes going wide and covering my mouth as soon as the words were out. There was no way that was the right time to say that. I started to say as much when he swooped in and kissed me, his tongue parting my lips and devouring me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the desperation and feeling I couldn't hold back. If he wasn't ready to hear the words, I would worry about that later. We still had a lot to talk about.
"Holy shit. That's hot." The women still gathered shrieked and cheered. It was more than a little scandalous for me to be kissing a man not my fiancé at this point, but either these women didn't know or they didn't care. I was past the point of caring. In the grand scheme of things, being with him for even a moment more was more important than my reputation.
"You two really should get a room."
I reluctantly pulled from the kiss, probably looking as stunned as I felt, to find many of the MC gathered around us. They'd traded their jeans and T-shirts for black slacks and black button-down shirts, but they still wore the vests with the patches on them making them look even more badass if that were possible. Was there some kind of badass brotherhood dress code I wasn't aware of? It made me itch with the idea of creating a new men’s line for men just like these because if all men dressed like this...
"What's going on, Nova? Did you forget to tell us you made some new friends." Trina had sidled up to me and she was eyeing Axel from head to toe.
I opted to ignore her question. What the hell was I supposed to say anyways? Thankfully, Axel stole that moment to introduce himself to Trina, and the next thing I knew he was being drawn into the group of women as well as many of the others.
"Uhm. Do I need to rescue them?"
Rock eyed me carefully. "Nah. They can handle themselves."
"But what about—?"
"If they're needed, they will be available. Trust me. They may look preoccupied, but I guarantee you each one has complete situational awareness and can respond to anything that comes up suddenly."
I wasn't sure I had that same level of confidence, but I did trust Rock and he seemed to know these men very well. Despite the falling out he'd had with the MC all those years ago, he sure seemed to fall right back in with them like they were family. It was an interesting dynamic I hoped I'd have more time to observe.
"So, what's next?" he asked. "Are you still down with the plan? I know this Homeland Security thing has thrown you for a loop. But since you don't have the diamonds anymore, it's going to be a huge waste of time for them. They'll realize that soon and then they'll move on."
I clenched at his mention of the diamonds. I started to tell him the truth when Nina interrupted. "I guess now I understand why your supposed fiancé left at the end of the show, and why your engagement never made sense. But why the fake fiancé if you and Rock were already a thing?"
Oh shit.
Wait.
"Did you say Ronin left?" Both Rock and I asked.
She nodded. "Yeah, right before the final curtain. I thought maybe he was with those other two men he seemed to follow, but I guess he had a different reason to leave."
Well, hell. Rock and I looked at each other.
Rock leaned in and whispered in my ear. "I've got to go. Stay here, and take care of business. We'll do this another way."
I gave him a slight nod, but my frustration ratcheted another one hundred degrees. He disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, and the men who'd been flirting with the models followed suit, all disappearing instantly in the crowd.
So much for a plan...
Chapter 20
Nova
* * *
Ten minutes later, I didn't think I could answer another question. I needed some air. I wound my way past the backstage area, ignoring the warnings from Homeland Security for me to not go far, and headed down the hall to the more private offices. I couldn't understand anything. Why would Ronin leave, and who had he been following? My father? If so, what the hell were they up to?
Had I missed something? Or had he gone to kill my—
I heard a muffled shout from down the hall. Not knowing what to do next, I cursed the fact I didn't have my phone or my tablet having left both behind before I went down the runway. Screw it. I ran in the direction of the noise. If nothing else, I still had the diamonds my fathe
r wanted and maybe they would save me after all. Or buy me some time before Rock found me.
The shouting had stopped, but I could still hear someone the faint sounds of someone talking. I pressed my ear to one door after another until I found one that seemed like I would be it. On a deep breath and a prayer, I pushed it open and did my best to see without being seen.
Dammit. I could not stop walking into trouble.
"Not the best timing, Nova, dear." Ronin spoke to me without taking his eyes or his gun off my father. "Why aren't you at the show?"
"Because I figured out you set me up. Show or no show. Enough is enough. I'm tired of playing games with you both, and it's time to end this once and for all. What do you want? Tell me what I can do to end this?"
"That's fair enough. Since you're here, I can break it to you now that I'm not going to marry you. Although if it makes you feel better, I did seriously consider it. Watching you have sex with Agent Reed was one of the highlights of this trip. In another time and place, I believe the two of us could have had some fun together."
"What the fuck?" My father cut in, turning to look at me. "You're disgusting. I don't know how you turned into such a little whore. That is not how we raised you."
"That's because I raised myself. I might have lived in a house that you paid for, but that's about the extent of what you did. Even mother couldn't be bothered with me. You both treated me like dirt on your shoe."
"Ungrateful little bitch," he rasped, his face an angry shade of red.
"Hey." Ronin waved his gun back and forth to get Anthony's attention. “How dare you talk to your daughter that way. What the hell is wrong with you? Jesus. This is exactly why someone like me is here right now. You don't deserve to breathe her air, let alone speak to her."
"Screw you. You think you know what happened that night. But you don't. She is not the innocent you seem to think she is."
My blood froze at my father's words. His lack of honor shocked me even now, after everything. He was about to throw me under the bus to save himself.
"He's right," I admitted. "I didn't know that man was your grandfather. Not that it would have made a difference back then. I was young and scared and hurt." Tears I desperately didn't want to shed burned behind my eyes at the memories. "I didn't know what else to do."
"See. She is the one who killed him. She betrayed your family and mine."
Ronin seemed to ponder this information, while looking as unsurprised as ever. Once again, I got the feeling he was several steps ahead of all of us.
"So you are innocent?" he asked, looking at Anthony. "You had nothing to do with his death? The plan to lure him to Vegas with the promise of a marriage to an unwilling virgin wasn't your idea at all?”
I blinked, not sure I was comprehending what he was getting at.
"Of course not. Arnald and I had a business arrangement plain and simple. We were going to create one of the greatest alliances this country has ever seen. Together, our families would have ruled this country.”
Ronin barked out a laugh. "My grandfather was a sick old bastard. He usually preferred his women even younger than eighteen. The only way she would have interested him is if you promised him something more. And we both know it wasn't some bullshit alliance. Our organization was on the verge of crushing yours. We were days away from a complete takeover of your organization and she was your Hail Mary."
My mouth dropped open at this new information. What the hell was happening?
"That's ridiculous."
"Is it? His disappearance threw our family into chaos, and it took us years to recover. In the meantime, with us out of the way, your business flourished. You stole deals that were ours, attempted alliances with our allies, and kept us in turmoil. We couldn't even retaliate because no one knew for sure what happened and no one dared risk a war with an outside family when we had an internal fight to deal with."
My father was shaking his head, while mine was exploding. I should have kept my mouth closed, but I couldn't think straight. "But he didn't kill, Mr. Onofrio. I did. My memories may be hazy, but I do still remember."
Ronin turned to me again. "Have you ever wondered why your memories of that night are so murky? Or why your father sprung that marriage on you with no warning or preparation whatsoever?"
I shook my head, utterly speechless. I definitely didn't understand.
"He set you up. You were nothing more than a pawn, in case his plan backfired. He had you drugged, faked a wedding ceremony, and then invited my grandfather to rape you."
"That's not—"
"It is, and your man Luca turned on you like the rat you both are. I got every last juicy detail out of him before he choked on his own blood. Although he did give me this nice gun with his fingerprints all over it after he tried to shoot me."
My hand flew up and covered my mouth to contain my cry. Not because I had any love lost for Luca, but because it was all beginning to ring too true. The celebratory drink my mother had given me just before I went to my father's office, the rushed ceremony, the forced consummation, it all fell heinously into place.
"You motherfucker!" I reached for my father, but Ronin grabbed my hands and swiftly twisted them and locked them behind my back while pulling me against his back.
"Nope. We can't have that. Not that you don't deserve your revenge, but this one is mine."
"What do you want?"
"There is nothing you could give me that would change the outcome. You, Anthony Cullotta, have betrayed your family, my family and have threatened to ruin our business. You are a disgusting pig of a man, who deserves much worse than a bullet to the brain. But I've grown tired of this game, and it's time to move on."
"No, I—please."
The sound of a muffled gunshot filled my ears and there was suddenly a hole in my father's forehead. His mouth was still open and his eyes stared my way for a moment before he crumpled to the ground. A cold wave of sorrow washed over me as I stood in horror and watched blood ooze from his wound. My father was dead just like that.
“They always beg. It’s disgusting.”
Before I could recover my wits or figure out what he was talking about, Ronin released my hands and pushed me gently to the other side of the room. "I can't really say I'm sorry you had to see that, but it wasn't my intent. Like I said. Bad timing, babe."
"What happens now? Are you going to kill me too?" I was too numb for the fear to sink in. But it seemed rather logical. I was now a witness to murder. He was never going to let me go.
"I don't think that's necessary, do you? Even if you tell the Boy Scout I did it, the evidence tells a different story, and you've got as much motive as I do. I think he's too far gone for you to risk you ending up in jail."
I wasn't sure what to think. "You set up Luca for this? Is he still alive?"
Ronin shrugged and I didn't know how to take that. I might also be better off if I didn't have any more details. I didn't want to lie any more than I had to. "I figure you got the short end of the straw with that one as your father. He's had that coming for a long time, and you're better off without him.
I nodded. I was still reeling at how far he'd gone to hurt me, even as I continued to stare at his lifeless body on the floor.
"The way I look at it, I did you a favor. There's going to be a power struggle your eldest brother is going to have to face, but let's hope he's less of a dick than your father. Otherwise, I'll be right back out here doing this shit again."
"I doubt that's going to be necessary. My brother is a bit of a jerk, but he's a lot smarter than him."
"Look at me, Nova." I slowly tore my gaze from the body on the floor and turned to look at Ronin. "You owe me now. You wanted your freedom and now you have it."
"But this isn't what—"
"It's done. Go back to lover-boy, and enjoy your life. But one day, I will be back and need something from you, no questions asked. Those are my terms, take them or leave them."
Fuck. I was so tired of making deals. But
what choice did I have? "Fine, but—"
"No buts. One favor. That's the deal."
I nodded. He wasn't going to give me any other choice. As he stepped around me to leave, he stopped and turned back, pointing at my stomach. “And I'd dump those diamonds while you can. You don't want to get caught by Homeland Security with those.
I grabbed at the medallion still at my waist. "How did you know?"
He smirked. "I'm not stupid, babe. Don't pretend you are either."
"Why the hell did you put those diamonds in my office and call Homeland Security in the first place? I nearly got caught red-handed thanks to you."
He shrugged. "I needed a diversion, and it was the easiest to create. I figured lover-boy would swoop in and save you. Glad to see you saved yourself."
I absolutely should not have felt a puff of pride at his praise. The jerk had just killed my father in front of me. I shuddered to think of the amount of therapy it would take to forget all of this.
"You seriously do not deserve any favors," I snarled at him. "How the hell am I going to explain all of this to Rock?"
He lifted his shoulders again and smiled as he disappeared through the door. "See you in the future, Nova."
I looked down at the medallion on my dress to see a splatter of blood covering a few of the diamonds. My stomach churned and a gag clenched my throat. I had to get out of here, but he was right about these. I finagled my fingers underneath the medal and struggled with the clasp holding it to the material. I couldn't quite get a hold of the clasp so that I could turn the lever loose.
I was trying not to panic, but every second that ticked by, I expected someone to burst through the door and catch me with my father's dead body. As my fingers continued to refuse to work properly, a scream surged in my chest.
Frustrated and desperate, I tried to rip it free, but it wouldn't come loose. Oh. My. God.
"This is ridiculous."
I forced myself to stop fighting it and take a breath before trying it again. Moving slowly this time, I slid my finger behind the medallion, felt for the clasp and gently rolled it to free the pin, nearly screaming in relief when it slid open.