“She sounds really lovely.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, going back into the catalog of his memories. When he opened his lids, they weren’t angry anymore but filled with fondness. “I was five when she surprised me with a swing set. It was huge. One with a slide on the end of it. She’d push me on that swing for as long as I wanted, even sometimes in the snow. She had this laugh—” He paused to clear his throat, his eyes shining, but he blinked and composed himself just like that. “Even when there wasn’t a reason to, she smiled. Until she died, I had no idea we didn’t have the perfect life. She protected me from everything. From him. At least she didn’t have to see him lose the home that had been in her family for four generations.”
“Was there a time when you were close to your father?”
The hardness was back with a vengeance. “No. He never wanted anything to do with me. I was my mother’s dream, not his.”
“Were they ever in love?”
“My father was a professional con man,” he started, the words clearly leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. “He was charming, one of those easy-to-like guys you wanted to invite to your dinner party because he was entertaining. I can’t blame my mother for falling for him. She was a romantic, and I know he promised her a lifetime of wine and roses, but he didn’t mean any of it.”
I was heartbroken on behalf of a woman I’d never meet, and furious with his father. “So why marry her?”
“My mother came from money. Her parents died in car crash when she was nineteen, and she had a trust fund. That’s what my father fell in love with. The house we had, the food on the table, the clothes on our backs all came from her. Once he got access to the money, he changed, and once he blew through all of it, he was an absolute monster. I was only old enough to remember that version of him.”
Daniel stopped talking for a minute and stared straight ahead, though I doubted he saw anything. It was like watching him being physically sucked back into the past. His features hardened, his body was rigid, and his grip on me tightened. I leaned forward and touched his arm. His eyes closed as if he drew strength from that. When he opened them, they were hard, emotionless.
“Did he pass away when you were sixteen?”
“I was seventeen when he died. The last time I saw him he rubbed it in my face that I was just like him. That I couldn’t change my genes any more than I could change my destiny. The last thing I ever said to him was that he could go fuck himself, and he laughed. There was no funeral because there was no one to arrange it, no one to attend. The kicker was that the state made me pay to have him disposed of because I was the next of kin. After I wrote the check and they gave me the ashes, I took him to the garbage dump, where he belonged.” I swallowed hard, my eyes rounding with sympathy as my chest ached for him. “Don’t look at me like that.” He released my feet and stood, stalking inside without another word.
I sat there for a long while, processing what he’d told me, trying to fill in the gaps. His hate for his father was apparent, but I only knew part of the reason for it.
I picked up our wine glasses and my phone and went back inside, occupying myself with tidying up and doing a bit of laundry. The temptation to go to him was strong, but I respected his need to be alone. I let him be.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Daniel
Present
“I want lead on the jaune,” Vinny said when he stopped pacing. “I know where it is.”
That caught my attention. Donato and I had kept the yellow diamond’s location between us, the rest of the team only getting information as necessary.
“Congratulations,” was the only reply I gave, and his expression turned murderous. He wasn’t going to get a confirmation or denial from me. “Now that you’ve wasted my time…” I waved dismissively.
Vinny had called me three hours ago, insistent we meet. Considering Donato had said he was going to cut him out of the business, warning bells had gone off in my head. I’d agreed to see Vinny, but on my timetable and at my warehouse in Hunts Point. This place made me angry, and though I needed to keep my head on straight, I also wanted some of that rage to fuel me against him. He was up to something, and I halfway hoped he was looking for a fight. In my state of mind, I was game.
I turned to go, not willing to give him another minute of my time. A hand landed on my shoulder after I’d only taken a few steps. I twisted my head toward Vinny. He dropped the hand immediately, going so far as to take a couple of steps back.
“Let me handle the diamond, and I’ll tell you what I know about your father’s death,” he said, and my jaw clenched.
What the fuck was he up to? “If you want to negotiate with someone, you have to bring something to the table they actually want,” I said, walking away again.
“And what my older brother had to do with it,” he finished, stopping me in my tracks.
“Whatever shit you’re trying to stir, stop it,” I warned with a low rumble.
His eyes glittered in triumph, and now I was nervous around Vinny for a brand new reason. Normally, it was his careless mistakes that set me on edge, but now I could tell he knew something. It was in his eyes.
“Suit yourself,” Vinny returned with a shrug. He brushed past me, bumping my shoulder like a fucking juvenile punk. “But remember, Daniel. You’ve got rose-colored glasses on when it comes to my brother. He wants to make sure you keep them on so he can continue using you as his puppet.”
The metal door slammed shut with his exit, and I searched the room, wild-eyed, for something to punch. There was nothing but empty space. My temper boiling, I snatched my phone out of my pocket and dialed Donato.
“Does Vinny know where the jaune is?” I asked, surprised at how calm I sounded.
“I don’t know,” he answered. Donato was a master manipulator when the circumstances called for it. Vinny had rattled me, and I questioned if I was being lied to. Blood thicker than water, and all that shit.
“He claims he does. I’m curious as to how that’s possible,” I said coldly, struggling to keep the accusation out of my tone.
“You know how resourceful he can be when he chooses,” Donato said smoothly, successfully evading the question.
“I thought he was out.”
“That takes time, Daniel. If I tell him he’s done, that will only make him more volatile. We’ll have to wait until he’s made as a rat.”
That made sense but did nothing to calm my nerves. “I didn’t confirm or deny anything, since I wasn’t sure what you’d told him. If he’s involved, I’m not,” I said firmly. I meant it. I was done with Vinny Salvatore.
“Don’t let your temper guide you. Know your enemy. If you refuse to deal with him, you can’t know what he’s up to and you lose,” Donato reasoned, and my teeth clenched.
“So we proceed as planned?” I gritted out.
“Yes.”
“What does he know of the other situation?”
Silence was the only sound in my ear for what felt like an eternity.
“Nothing.” Donato’s voice was deadly quiet, but it held an undercurrent reserved for when he was especially pissed.
“Are you sure about that? Because he seems to think he has information on that front.”
“What kind of information?” he asked in a clipped tone.
“I acted like I don’t give a fuck. You know how he is when he thinks he has something you want.” I paced in a circle, the click of my shoes echoing off of the metal walls. “Any idea how much time we have now?”
Donato let out a frustrated sigh. “My source doesn’t know. He’s dragging his feet, so a couple of weeks maybe.”
“I haven’t heard anything on my end, either. Let me know before anything happens.”
I ended the call, uneasy. Donato had never given me a reason to question him, but my inability to trust completely was fucking with me. I felt like a pawn in a long-ass game of chess, and as much as I hated it, Vinny’s comments had shaken me. There was probably some pa
rtial truth in them.
I did have rose-colored glasses on when it came to Donato. That tended to happen when someone always had your back or at least made you think they did. Now that a seed of doubt had been planted, it was amazing how quickly it took root.
I’d been betrayed by my own flesh and blood. Donato could easily do the same to Vinny. Or he could do it to me. He’d said he wanted to give me a way out. I wanted that too. But what we wanted didn’t matter. Questioning Donato’s motives today didn’t change what I had to do. I owed it to him to see this through.
I stood in the center of the warehouse, the past flooding my mind as a reminder of why I could trust no one before I could stop it.
“Son, I have somewhere I want to take you.” My father used that smile he wore right before he conned someone. It was cunning, enticing, and I knew better than to fall for it. But what if this time it was genuine? He never called me son. Maybe today things were going to change. Maybe we’d be like a real father and son should be.
“Where are we going?”
“To take care of a little business. Thought you’d like to see what your old man does. You’re grown,” he said, slinging an arm over my shoulders, his eyes shining with what looked like pride. I’d never seen that before from him. “Maybe you’ll want to follow in my footsteps.”
“Sure,” I said, and he squeezed my shoulder, his grin widening. If I worked with him, we could be closer. He wouldn’t ignore me. And he’d look at me with pride all the time.
We climbed into his car and drove toward the city. He asked me about school. We talked about sports. He said he’d seen how I threw a pitch, and if I kept that up, I’d be headed for the major leagues. I couldn’t hide my surprise, and a warm spot began to grow in my chest. It had never been like this between us, not in all my fifteen years. This was what I’d always wanted. Just to hang out. Talk. Have him pay attention to me.
When we arrived in a seedy-looking area of the Bronx down by the docks, unease slithered down my spine. I didn’t like it here, but my dad wore an expression that said we’d just arrived at Coney Island for a day of fun.
“You ready?” he asked. I nodded, but I had no idea what to be ready for. We got out of the car and walked toward what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse.
He pulled on a metal door, sliding it back. I hesitated, fighting the urge to run. I told myself this was what I had to do to be closer to my dad. I stepped inside, and the door closed behind me with a loud creak.
In the center of the room, a single light hung from the ceiling. My eyes adjusted to the darkness, but I couldn’t see the periphery of the building. I didn’t like it. It felt like there were people watching from the shadows. It’s not like that, I convinced myself. This was business. My father wouldn’t bring me into harm’s way.
A man stood under the light. He had on a suit that looked expensive, which he filled out with muscle. Despite his salt and pepper hair, and the wrinkles around his mouth and eyes, he was no old man. There was a presence about him. He demanded respect and instilled fear. I stayed rooted in the doorway, shivering when his gold tooth glinted in the light. I’d never met anyone like him, and I hoped never to again. My father shoved me forward. I shuffled my feet until we stood right in front of the man. He towered over me, and I wasn’t short. I tilted my head back, the hairs on my nape standing when our eyes met.
My father stepped back. I clenched my hands into fists at my sides to hide their trembling. The man didn’t speak, appeared to inspect me, though for what, I didn’t know. I swallowed hard, uncomfortable under his microscopic gaze. The man seemed content to keep me under it for as long as he pleased.
My instincts screamed for me to get away. My brain knew that it was too late.
“Do you know who I am?” he finally asked, and I shook my head, unable to speak. “I’m the man who owns you.”
I roared as I recalled the words spoken to me in this very spot. “No one owns me!” I shouted to the emptiness, the sound bouncing off the walls. Except her.
Vivian.
God, I needed her right now. She’d calm me. Settle the turbulence. I needed to feel her around me.
You can’t have her.
I roared again in frustration. I’d had to give up my safe place in her. Deep down, I’d always known the life I’d lived would take her away from me, but I was having a harder time accepting it than I’d anticipated. I needed to see her, but I had to stay away. Be the man she needed me to be. One strong enough to let her go.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Vivian
Present
At six-thirty the morning after our joyride, Stone met me in the lobby of the Four Seasons wearing a baseball cap, and we snuck out the back entrance to his waiting SUV. I hadn’t considered that he couldn’t go anywhere anonymously when I arranged a place to meet up, but he was a good sport about it. We made it out unnoticed.
“Where are we off to at this early hour?” he asked once we were settled in the back seat. I gave the driver the Warren Street address of Muriella’s apartment, but if Stone recognized it, he didn’t say anything.
“You’ll see,” I said. “Any bold ideas on how to fix my problem?”
“That’s why I’m really here?” he said gravely, pretending to be wounded by putting a hand over his heart.
“In about twenty-five minutes you’ll find out why you’re here,” I corrected, and he grinned. Stone had a killer smile and was handsome as hell. He was built like a cowboy, and damn if he didn’t look good in a pair of jeans. The ones he had on that morning fit him like a glove. I was going to be mopping up Muriella’s drool.
Stone was a salt-of-the-earth kinda guy, didn’t disrespect women. “I got nothing, Vivian.” He sounded genuinely regretful. “If we could figure out what triggered this, then I think we’d have a better shot at getting you back where you belong.”
“That may be impossible,” I said, feeling defeated. “And just in case, you might want to watch your mouth. Cursing doesn’t bother me, but it’s rude to do in front of a lady,” I warned as we pulled up to the apartment building.
Light dawned in his eyes when the car came to a stop. “My mama raised a gentleman,” he informed me before climbing out and offering me a hand.
“Thank you, sir,” I said on the sidewalk beside him. If I couldn’t fix my own relationship, I hoped I could at least prod along one that needed a little shove. When I’d arranged this breakfast, I’d kept both of them in the dark. The element of surprise could be more fun, or it could royally suck.
Arms linked, we walked toward the building. Paul stepped in front of the door, shifting from one foot to the other nervously. “I’m sorry, Miss Vivian, but I’m not allowed to let you inside.”
“I’m here to see Muriella, not Mr. Elliott.”
He looked apologetic, like he hated having to do this. He should. The three of us had always treated him like a person, not a servant. “I have strict orders.”
“We both know he’s not here. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, and you can’t keep me from Muriella,” I said firmly but not unkindly. Muriella had texted to tell me he was gone for real this time.
Paul looked uncertain, and I cursed Daniel for dragging yet another person into our drama. “I could be fired, Miss Vivian.”
“I won’t let that happen,” I promised.
He considered for a moment and then opened the door. “Go on in, but please keep it low-key.”
I patted his arm as we walked inside. “Thank you, Paul.”
“You know I’ve got a soft spot for you, Miss Vivian.”
I smiled at him, and Stone shook Paul’s hand before we made our way to the elevators. Every time I stepped into this building, it was odd being back in a place where I’d lived for so many years. In a way, I felt like a stranger, but mostly, it only intensified my longing for home.
“M ,” I called as I opened the front door.
“In the kitchen,” she yelled back.
Stone followed m
e from the foyer to the kitchen, which was the showpiece of this apartment.
I hugged her from behind. “Something smells good. I’m starving.”
She grinned without taking her eyes off the bacon she was frying. “That’s a big surprise.”
I swatted her playfully, and she laughed as I moved to the Sub-Zero refrigerator. “What would you like to drink, Stone?” The tongs Muriella held clattered on the counter before she whipped around in surprise.
“Hello, Muriella. I swear you get more beautiful every time I see you,” he greeted.
Her cheeks turned a deep pink. Stone never tried to hide his interest in her, but he kept it subtle for the most part.
She appeared frozen in place, and I stifled a smile. “Aren’t you going to say hello to your guest?” She shot me a dirty look as the fridge door shut behind me.
“This is a surprise.” Another look in my direction. “It’s been a long time, Stone.” She sounded miffed. “Seems like you’ve been busy. ”
I wanted to shout with glee that she was finally showing some sort of emotion toward him.
“Wasn’t sure anybody cared if I came to the city or not. I ran into Vivian last night, and she reminded me someone does.” He elbowed me in the ribs.
“Did you forget how to pick up a phone?”
Whoa . Muriella’s claws were out. She wasn’t one to put up with any bullshit, but this was a rare side of her.
He looked pleased as punch by her obvious irritation that he was only here because I’d run into him. “I would have last night, actually, but Vivian kept me out late. You’re stuck with me for a while, though. I’m here for the next couple of months on a shoot.” She looked like she wanted to pass out, and Stone’s grin widened. “Well, damn. You don’t have to look so excited, Muriella.”
It's Not Over Page 18