“Hear me, and hear me well,” Alex said, his voice calm but stern. “You will not, I repeat, you will not go the way that my other children went.”
Alex’s only son, Jonathan Drakos, committed suicide after teaming with Alex’s only daughter Cate to embezzle millions of dollars from their father. Alex, a man who was not going to take anybody’s bullshit, phoned the FBI on his own children. Just when the Feds had cornered them, Jonathan killed himself right in front of Alex, and Cate was carted off to prison. Cate was eventually released, but her whereabouts were unclear. She was last known to be in Greece.
“You will not run with gangs. You will not bully or mistreat anybody to get in with the cool kids. You are going to get your education, go to college, and eventually take over for me as the CEO of Drakos Capital. You are my heir. My son! You had better act like it, or I’ll tear you apart limb by limb, Jordan. You will not fuck up your life with foolishness the way they did. You didn’t pull this shit when it was just you and your mother. You aren’t pulling this shit with me. Do I make myself clear?”
Jordan nodded vigorously. “Yes, sir,” he said. Tears were in Jordan’s eyes. “I’m sorry, sir. I was just trying to . . . fit in. I didn’t mean to hurt him.”
“But you did hurt him. And I’m certain I’ll have to settle a lawsuit.”
Jordan’s already big eyes went bigger. “A lawsuit?” he asked as he pushed his glasses further up on his face.
Alex frowned. “Yes, a lawsuit. What do you think, Jordan, that somebody is going to let the son of Alex Drakos break their kid’s nose and not expect a hefty payday? You have a bullseye on your back now that you’re mine. People will be pulling all kinds of tricks to get you to do something dumb. But they didn’t have to pull shit. You did all the work for them. And because of what you did, yes, that family will be compensated. I wouldn’t be surprised if my lawyers get a call from their lawyers before the day is done.”
Jordan was floored. He never dreamed that his actions could be so far-reaching. He was just trying to fit in! “How much money could they sue you for?” he asked Alex.
Alex was dismissive of even discussing any figure, but he knew Jordan had a right to know. “Probably a million or two,” he said.
Jordan’s mouth gaped open. “A million dollars? For a fight?”
“They’ll manage to get some quack doctor to say the kid’s warped for life because of that fight you seem so dismissive of. Yes a million dollars at least!”
Jordan sat stunned. He didn’t know what to say!
“How’s that just trying to fit-in working out for you, Jordan?” Alex asked him. “Not working out for me so well.”
Heavy tears dropped from Jordan’s beautiful eyes. He removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. “I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t realize!”
Alex’s heart went out to the boy because he knew he was telling the truth. He had no clue what his actions could cause, and for that Alex blamed himself. Being the son of a rich man was new to him. It was new to Kari too. And he hadn’t schooled either one of them properly.
Alex actually wanted to hug Jordan. He was that good a kid. But he couldn’t, in any way, condone what he’d done today. “Go wash your face,” Alex said, instead, and Jordan, always an obedient boy, stood and began heading for the bathroom adjacent to his room. He was still reeling about what he’d done.
Alex turned to head out of the room, too, but then he turned back. “And Jordan?”
Jordan looked at him, his eyes still filled with regret and disappointment. Was he going to tell him he was just messing with him and there was no way he was going to have to pay out a million dollars to that kid’s family? Was he going to tell him it was all just a joke? “Yes, sir?”
“I’m going to order that your bedroom, with all its technology, be locked, effective immediately. You will sleep in one of our guest rooms with no television, no telephone, no technology of any kind. You will go to school and come home. No visitors will be allowed to visit you. No friends will be allowed to talk to you. Your just trying to fit-in ass is grounded for thirty days,” Alex added, and headed out of the door.
Jordan was stunned again. Thirty days?
Alex, he realized then, if he had not before, was no joke.
Kari sat at the bar, in the back of the living room, and was sipping on a glass of wine and thumbing through her cell phone. But Alex could tell she wasn’t into it. She was worried about Jordan.
When he walked up, he kissed her on her neck, and then sat on the stool beside her.
“How did it go?” she asked him, her big, beautiful eyes looking as distressed as Jordan’s had.
“He’ll be okay.”
“What did you say to him?”
“I made clear his behavior is unacceptable. He didn’t behave that way when it was just you and him, he’s not going to behave that way because I’m in the picture now. I made that clear too.”
Alex’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out and looked at the Caller ID. It was Tino Castellano.
He placed the phone on Speaker. “I’m heading for the airfield now. I’ve been delayed.”
“You may want to delay a little longer,” Tino said. “Paddy Jupe was spotted in Florida. In Pensacola.”
Alex was surprised. “That close? He’s still there?”
“Nope. But we suspect he’ll be back.”
“Why you suspect that?”
“He’s been meeting with Harold Rivven of Rivven Construction. And he’s been meeting with him very regularly.”
“How regularly?”
“Every night.”
That got Alex’s attention. “Including tonight?”
“Rivven stays late, after all of his employees are gone, and Paddy Jupe shows up. And it’s been happening every night for a couple weeks.”
“Good. I’ll be showing up tonight to find out once and for all what his ass is up to. But that name Harold Rivven. That name sounds familiar.”
“He’s a businessman,” Tino said. “His people were trying to get you to unload some real estate not that long ago.”
“Real estate?”
“All in West Florida near The Drakos. They want to be a part of the so-called miracle. But you won’t sell.”
“Because I’m not stupid. And this Rivven is the one having nightly meetings with Paddy Jupe?”
“Yes, sir. Which isn’t that surprising. Like Paddy, he’s said to be crooked as crooked can get.”
“And he operates out of Pensacola?”
“Yes, sir. Do you want me to get over there and see what I can find out?”
“No. I’ll handle it.”
“Paddy Jupe is a rough character. And he hates your guts. You may need some serious backup, sir.”
“Yes, I know. And I’ll have it. I’m taking my brother with me. That is, if I can find his ass,” Alex added.
Tino laughed. “I understand, sir,” he said. “I’ll get you Rivven’s address. And hopefully, Paddy Jupe will make an appearance.”
Alex ended the call.
Kari was confused. “Patti who?”
“Paddy Jupalani.”
“Who’s she?”
“It’s a he,” Alex said, “and he’s an old enemy of mine.”
“Why is he an enemy? What happened?”
“There was a takeover of a company he ran. A hostile takeover, orchestrated by me. His company was dying. He was trying to unload it to the highest bidder, but he had no takers. Nobody wanted to have anything to do with his dirty ass. But I took it over. He was able to sell his shares for a good profit. A damn good profit. He didn’t lose any money, not a dime. He made money, which would not have been the case should he have unloaded it. And for a long time I heard not a peep out of him. Until I turned that struggling company around, infusing it with my own capital, and it became one of the premier flagship companies in my conglomerate.”
“And he suddenly felt you stole that goldmine from him,” Kari said.
Alex nodded. “A goldmine th
at was bleeding cash before I took it over, and that was doomed to fail if I hadn’t turned it around. And he knew it. But that’s how perverted that piece of shit thinks. He sued me to get his company back, citing fraud, but the judge tossed that lawsuit out as soon as it hit his docket. He had no case.”
“Now he’s out for revenge?” Kari asked. “Why now?”
Alex rose to his feet. He had no idea. “But I’m going to drive over to Pensacola and check it out.”
“With Oz. Please take Oz with you. I don’t know why you insist on doing all of that dirty work yourself.”
“Less is best. The less people involved in my business, the less people in my business. Especially when it involves this kind of shit.”
“And you’re concerned?”
Alex stood there, and then nodded. “Yes.”
“Because?”
“Because Paddy Jupe is up to something. Because suddenly the Feds raid your department, citing some source who claims you’re trafficking drugs out of my hotel. Suddenly one of your maids gets raped in my hotel and the rapist fingers Paddy. Suddenly this Maggio character hits the scene. And even that Dez shit doesn’t sit right with me. Like it’s connected too.”
“You think Dez is involved?”
“Not Dez, no. But that man of hers. That Hector Estrada. I’ve got my men looking for him. He can’t be found. Why’s that? She’s forgiven him. The charges were dropped. Why did he suddenly disappear?”
“But what’s the connection in all of this?” Kari asked. “Me?”
“As a proxy for me, yes,” Alex responded. “Especially if Paddy’s involved.”
“You think he’s trying to destroy The Drakos because of what happened with his company?”
Alex was nodding. “Could be. Or it could be more complicated than that. You can never tell with Paddy. But I’m going to go and see what this Harold Rivven knows, and why he’s suddenly so chummy with Paddy.”
Kari got up and placed her arms around Alex. She laid her head on his thick chest.
Alex felt a surge of warmth in his body as Kari held him. He knew how deeply she loved him. Not as deeply as he loved her. That wasn’t possible. But he had a true soul mate in Kari.
She looked up at him. “Did you listen to that song I put on your playlist? It’s at the top.”
“A song?”
“Yes, Alex! I told you about it.”
It was late at night, and they both were nearly asleep, but he remembered she did say something to that effect. “Why?”
“I want you to listen to it when you drive to Pensacola. It’s an oldie but goodie I ran across, and I thought about you the whole time it was playing.”
Alex could only imagine what that could be about! “Okay,” he said. “I’ll listen to it.”
Kari smiled, held him tighter, and laid her head back on his chest.
“And I’ll be careful,” he said, and held her too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Lee McCrae sat behind her nice desk in her nice office and ate her sandwich as she flipped through an Essence magazine. When her door opened, she assumed it was one of the guards turning in his end-of-shift logs. She didn’t bother to look up.
But when she saw a large shadow come over her desk, she did look up. When she saw it wasn’t one of her guards, but was Alex Drakos himself, she jumped up. “Mr. Drakos,” she said.
“You’re having lunch.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Sit back down.”
Lee, feeling stupid for being so reactionary, sat back down.
“I have an assignment for you.”
Lee was eager to please, but anxious to know just what the assignment would entail. “Yes, sir?”
“You are the head of my hotel’s security. My family, my wife and my son, currently lives in the penthouse of this hotel.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m going to be out of town.”
“Yes, sir, I’m aware that you go back and forth between New York and here.”
“Right. And other points in between.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Whenever I’m not here, or my brother is otherwise engaged, you are in charge of my family’s security while they are inside of this hotel. I have security for them when they leave this building. Your employees are their security while they are in this building.”
“Yes, sir.”
Alex exhaled and placed his hands inside the pockets of his pants. He looked kind of distressed to her. “It’s a fine line, Lee,” he said to her. “I don’t want your team smothering them. Especially my wife. She’ll cuss your ass out.”
Lee smiled. “Yes, sir.”
“And don’t think for her, either. She’s can handle herself. But make sure she’s okay. It’s a fine line. But I’ve reviewed your credentials and I’ve spoken with each and every one of your former employees. You come highly recommended. All of them, and I personally know quite a few of them, says that you are, in their view, the absolute best in the field.”
Lee smiled. “I appreciate that, sir.”
“I do too,” Alex said. “I’m pleased to have you. But if you fuck up, I’ll show my displeasure. And it won’t be pretty. Got it?”
Lee nodded. She’d heard about how warm he could be, and also how cold. “Yes, sir,” she said.
“Oz and I are going to make a run. Heighten security around my family.”
“Will do, sir. Right away, sir,” Lee said, and then Alex left her office.
When he left, she let out a hard exhale. Her heart was hammering the entire time he was in front of her.
And then she got busy.
“What are you doing?”
Alex was leaned over fumbling with the knobs in his Mercedes-Maybach.
“What are you doing, Alexio?” Oz, driving his brother’s car, asked him again.
“I’m going to play this song Kari put on my playlist,” Alex said.
“What’s it called?” Oz asked. “I may know it.”
Alex found it. He’d never heard of it himself. “It’s called Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” he said. “Written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callender, and sung by Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods.”
“The Heywho?” Oz said and laughed. “And what kind of song is that anyway? Kari doesn’t want you to be a hero? Damn, Alexio, what have you done to the woman?”
Alex pressed the button.
“The marching band came down along Main Street,
the soldier blues fell in behind.
I looked across and there I saw Billy,
waiting to go and join the line.”
Oz laughed again. He was still new to America, and the references in the song made little sense to him. “The marching band? Main Street? What?”
“It’s a parade for the soldiers about to go off to war,” Alex said.
“Oh,” Oz replied, and wanted to know more.
But Alex, knowing Kari wouldn’t give him a bullshit song to listen to, continued to listen.
“And with her head upon his shoulder,
his young and lovely fiancée.
From where I stood, I saw she was crying,
and through her tears I heard her say:
‘Billy, don't be a hero,
Don't be a fool with your life.
Billy, don't be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife.’
And as he started to go, she said,
"Billy, keep your head low.
Billy, don't be a hero,
come back to me. . .’"
Now Oz was listening too. Especially when it got to the last stanza, later in the long song:
“I heard his fiancée got a letter,
that told how Billy died that day.
The letter said that he was a hero.
She should be proud he died that way.
I heard she threw the letter away!
‘Billy, don't be a hero,
Don't be a fool with your life.
Billy, don't be a hero,
Come back and make me your wife.’
And as he started to go, she said,
‘Billy, keep your head low.
Billy, don't be a hero
Come back to me!’"
When the song ended, Oz and Alex both were quiet. “Wow,” Oz finally said. “She really loves you.”
Alex nodded, staring straight at the road in front of them. “Yes.”
“She knows you’re as boneheaded as Billy.”
Alex nodded on that too. “Yes,” he said.
Oz exhaled. “I wish I had a woman to love me like that.”
“Try treating one right,” Alex said.
“I leave every woman I’m with. Given the mess of a man I am, by leaving them, I treat them all right,” Oz said, and laughed.
But his laughter faded quickly, and they rode on in silence.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
They had been there long before nightfall, and watched the twenty-two story building go from busy to quiet. Employees were gone and all of the office lights had been turned off, except for one, on the top floor. Alex and Oz got out of their parked car nearly a block away, and made their way along the side path that led to the back of the building. They were both dressed in tailored suits as if they could have worked in that building, too.
Inside the building, on the top floor, Harold Rivven was seated behind his desk reviewing inventory sheets. But when he heard the elevator button beep, and the doors open, he was surprised. Paddy Jupe wasn’t due there for another couple hours, just in case there were employees still milling about, and he was strict with that timeframe. But he was there already?
Harold looked up, ready to set him straight. Paddy worked for him, not the other way around, he was going to tell him.
But he didn’t tell him anything.
Because it wasn’t him.
To his shock, it was Alex Drakos and his brother, Oz.
And Harold knew instinctively that it wasn’t a friendly visit. He stood up quickly. “Mr. Drakos, hello,” he said.
Alex and Oz walked up to his desk with a pace that alarmed him.
“How can I help you?” he nervously asked them.
But they kept walking around his desk, one man on either side, until they were behind his desk.
Alex Drakos: For My Lover Page 14