Jesse's Brother

by Wendy Ely

  “It’s time,” she said, pulling clothes out of her dresser. She knew there were more issues to deal with. She needed to accept her mother’s death and actually grieve, but that would happen in time.

  “For what?”

  “To go home.”

  Also from Wendy Ely:

  Dangerous Flames

  Chapter 1

  Energy buzzed through the crowded coffee house and swirled around with the vast quantity of people. Some of the people were decked out in designer labels; others were content in touristy wear while sipping their drinks. Gabrielle had chosen to meet her father here because they wouldn’t need to worry about mixing in with the crowd. This wasn’t an issue for her, but something her father cared about.

  She’d selected the coffee shop for the much needed conversation to have with her father because it was located a few doors down from her boutique. She’d be able to have the chat with her father and then get into her shop to have it opened for business in a half hour. Ordering ahead of time, she handed him the drink before taking a seat across the small wooden table from him.

  “I could’ve ordered for myself,” he said with a twist of his mouth. “Black coffee is all I ever drink.” His sipped the chocolate-flavored liquid in the white and green colored cup while taking a quick scan of the people seated around him. His face formed into a grimace. “Gabi, I hate this poor excuse for coffee and the establishment you’ve picked.”

  “I’m sorry, Dad. It’s been a while since we’ve had coffee together and I automatically ordered this. I’ll remember next time though.” Her hands started to shake while the realization of her screw-up sunk in. If she couldn’t get a stupid drink order correct, how could she work for him?

  For Gabrielle Medini, it was simple. She wanted excitement and glamour, but her life had changed from country hopping as a teen to boring at age twenty-five and she longed to recapture that sizzle again. Everything had become clear, letting her believe that her father held the answers. She needed this discussion to be perfect, but their talk had quickly slid in the opposite direction so far.

  “Why did you request this meeting?”

  She tapped the toe of her Dior pump against the tiled floor as she glanced down at the red lipstick print on her straw. Uncertainty swirled through her as she twisted the straw around in the dark creamy liquid. Just ask him. But his answer would certainly be no. She slowly inhaled and then let the breath exhale slowly to calm her nerves. The trembling in her hands stopped. Yes, she could do this.

  “Okay, Dad, since we both have a full work day, I’ll cut to the chase so we can get out of here.”

  “Is something wrong, Gabi? Are you in trouble?” His voice softened a bit, which was rare.

  “Nothing is wrong.” She took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled. “I think it’s time you tell me about the business.”

  Her father’s jaw dropped in concert with his cup, spewing hot liquid all over. “Damn it!” He jumped up from the table, then rushed over to grab paper napkins from the counter to dab the splotches from his silk suit.

  A quick glance at the long line of customers waiting for service, she decided to wipe the mess from the table herself instead of waiting on an employee to help. She sighed. With so many interruptions, she’d be lucky if the discussion ever took place, let alone they come to an agreement.

  “They provide lids for those cups for a reason, you know,” she snapped as she wiped the table. She stalked over to the trash can and threw away the soggy napkins.

  “I don’t like lids.”

  “They prevent drinks from spilling and now I don’t have time to grab you another coffee.”

  She pulled her chair closer to the table as she sat down and eyed her father’s posture. His crossed arms and the deepened frown told her he wasn’t happy but she couldn’t let this go. “I’ve noticed some things about our family and it’s time for you to be honest with me.”

  “Why are you wasting my time?” He shot back and glanced at the people nearby. Why did he have to be so paranoid? It wasn’t like anyone would recognize him. Her father looked like an ordinary man with his glasses, sun-induced wrinkly skin, and thinning hair.

  “Thanks, Dad. So having coffee with your daughter is a waste of time?” She tapped her foot again, and glanced down at her watch, her impatience growing with each second. Even though she had only been back in town for a year, knowing her father didn’t trust her created pinpricks of hurt in her heart. Sending her away for several years didn’t erase the fact that she was his daughter.

  “You’re wasting my time by talking about stuff you shouldn’t be. You should learn to let sleeping dogs lie.” He took his ringing cell phone out of his jacket pocket and instead of answering, set it on the table.

  “You can answer the call.” She didn’t have the time to wait while he had a conversation over the phone but curiosity voided that fact.

  “I can handle the matter later. Let’s finish so I can get on with my day.”

  “Please stop hiding things from me, Daddy.”

  The frown on his face deepened. “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”

  “I’m not the princess you think I am. I’ve grown up and can face the truth now.” She sipped her drink.

  He shook his head again. “There’s nothing for you to know.”

  “Do you think I’m stupid? Tell me how your rental warehouse and cabin in the mountains brings in enough money to finance a million dollar home? Or the expense of sending me overseas to an exclusive boarding school.” She took a long drink, savoring the taste of her caramel-chocolate coffee mixed with the satisfaction of being right. She’d overheard him talking to her mother about sending her away when she had been younger to keep her away from the mess. At the time she hadn’t understood what he had been referring to, but she had grown up. Even having dinner each Friday with the members of the business rang warning bells for her, but the men kept it all hush-hush while in her company. Up until now, she hadn’t asked questions. The passive part of Gabrielle had left and she would be demanding answers until she got them.

  “This isn’t the place to talk about it.” He crossed his arms over his chest. Shaking his head as if she’d failed a test, he said, “Besides, Gabrielle Felice Medini, you need to learn the meaning of trust instead of worrying about my private affairs.”

  Her chest tightened, but did her best to force the sensation away. She must accomplish what she’d set out to do. Looking around the coffee shop, she forced out a laugh. “Do you actually think these people care what we’re talking about? Everyone has their nose pressed to their laptop screens, listening to IPODs, or chatting with friends about last night’s date. Nobody is listening to us, Enrico Medini.”

  He kept his eyes on her as if he contemplated telling her the truth. “Stop pressing the issue.”

  Anger welled up in her and she did nothing to hold it back. She knew how far she could push her father to get her way and intended on doing it now. “I want to know.” She pointed at her father. “You talk about trust? Try trusting your daughter for a minute. I have never given you a reason to not have faith in me. I never questioned a single decision you’ve made for me which includes sending me away.”

  “That’s enough.” He leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowed into slits focused on her face, but he didn’t scare her.

  Refusing to turn away from the burning glare of her father, she asked, “And you say there’s nothing to know? Do you actually think I wouldn’t read the papers? Or see your face under the headlines? Don’t underestimate my intelligence, Father.”

  He looked around as if checking to see if she’d been right about the people not caring. Leaning forward, he whispered, “Fine.”

  Her heart stopped in her chest as she waited for him to say the words. She’d finally convinced him to tell her. Things would now change in her life. The spark of excitement would burn out of control once he exposed the truth.

  Just as her dad opened his mouth to sp
eak, Gabrielle heard someone at a nearby table whispered to his friend, “See that guy behind me? I swear its Enrico Medini.”

  “Yeah? So?” the guy’s companion asked, not even trying to keep his voice down. “I don’t know him.”

  “The Mafia boss? My dad follows all that shit.” The guy had to be only a few years younger than Gabriel and wore a University of Nevada T-shirt. “When we get up, take his picture with your phone. I gotta show my dad.”

  “See what I mean?” Dad hissed. “Stay out of this, Gabi. I don’t want to see your picture in the papers next to mine.” He swung his gaze to the wall while placing his hand up to avoid having his picture taken as the guys passed.

  “Did you get it?” The guy’s friend asked.

  “Good enough for him to tell who I had seen,” the college guy answered as he pushed the door open.

  She had enough sense to wait until the guys left before whispering, “I want to be involved with the business. Give me a job.”

  “This discussion is over.”

  Gabrielle glanced at her watch. Almost time for the boutique to open. “How about we continue this conversation over dinner?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?” She tapped her foot again. His stubborn refusal annoyed her and she couldn’t help the nervous gesture. Unfortunately her father managed to get her nerves coiled up tighter than a ball of yarn and he didn’t seem to care one bit. “Daddy, why won’t you let me work for you? Don’t I seem competent enough in running my own business to do a job for you?”

  “You have a good life with the best boutique in town, plus a fancy house. Be satisfied with those things.”

  Why couldn’t he see her as more than his little princess? She could do so much beyond selling designer clothes and looking pretty. Now that she had returned home, she wanted to be part of it all. The Mafia lifestyle ran in her blood and the desire to be part of her father’s empire pumped through her so strong she could almost taste it.

  “Why won’t you let me do something small? Maybe collect money or something?” Excitement bubbled inside of her.

  “I will not talk to you about this again.” He picked up his cell out and dialed a number but before sending the call through he took another look at Gabrielle. “You’ll be at dinner, correct?”

  “Yes, Daddy,” Gabrielle said even though avoiding the weekly event might help prove her point. Pushing her chair back and standing, she mumbled, “See you at dinner.”

  She spun on her heel and walked out of the coffee shop knowing she had go to the dinner instead of miss out on a moment to talk with her father. He’d almost told her today so there had to be a way to get her father to share some of the limelight with her. If she found an opportunity to get him alone later, she might be granted the opportunity pressure him a bit and then he’d tell her the truth.

  As she rushed down the sidewalk in the direction of the shop, she tried to ignore the cold swirling around in the Las Vegas air. She’d left her coat at home since it usually warmed up by early spring. But today the cold outside matched the chilly conversation she’d just had with her father.

  Some day she’d get him to change his mind, but how long would it take? She let out a sigh. Who knew how long her father would take to come around to Gabrielle’s way of thinking. She had inherited his stubborn streak for sure.

  She could always ask one of the guys. Of course they kept her in the dark about the business, but she could try to get one of them to open up. She might not know a lot about the Mafia Family her father controlled, but one thing she had figured out where everyone ranked in the family. She shook her head in defeat. Even if she got them to agree at first, her father would quickly put an end to her job once he found out.

  What would Mikolas say if she approached him about it? He had to be in on workings of the crime family since he’d been around her entire life. After all, their fathers were best friends. If she had an opportunity to talk to Mik, she would bring up the subject. With any luck, if Mik sided with her, they might be able to convince her father to trust her.

  She flipped the open sign on the boutique window and greeted her first customer while she tried to come up with a plan.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Wendy Ely is a contemporary romance author. She writes some romantic suspense, really hot stories, and the wonderful happily-ever-after. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

  Wendy loves to hear from readers: authorwendyely@gmail.com