“I know many of these people,” Robert said as I came back with the tray.
“Every one of their companies does the same thing, buys a business, strips it and sells off the pieces. This Rogers is on a one man crusade to highlight that.”
“What they do, what you did, that’s perfectly legal isn’t it?”
“Yes, sometimes a company is not viable. Its value is in the assets, the land and buildings,” he told me.
“Is there any date order to this? Did he start with you and is there a connection between you and those guys?” I asked.
“I’ve met one or two but no business dealings, I don’t think, anyway. Trav, see if there is any connection.”
Robert looked at Mack. “Still got Tony’s number? I want to know his connection to Joey.”
“Yes, I thought about that myself,” Mack replied.
“Give him a call, let’s see what we can find.”
As Mack left the office, I asked, “Who’s Tony?”
“An associate, that’s all,” Robert replied. I didn’t push any further.
“What did the lawyers say?” I asked.
“Going to issue a restraining order against Irene for the moment, nothing more,” he replied.
“Do we have to?”
“Yes, she’s unstable, Brooke. Something has to be put in place. I don’t want her harassing you or smashing up my fucking cars for that matter.”
“I had an interesting journey in. I was stressed about the Joey connection and Travis told me to think about him and Caroline. We made a deal, he’s going to call her Monday. Should I still meet her?” I said.
“She’s bound to tell him that you’ve arranged to meet but I’d leave it as is for the moment. I’ve had enough for today, let’s head home.”
We called for Travis then headed down to the car. It had started to rain, dark foreboding clouds were rolling in, a storm was on the way. The journey home took longer as rain lashed against the windscreen and slowed the traffic. My shoulders started to relax as the surrounding area became greener the closer we got to home. Once the car had pulled outside the house, Robert ran to open the door before I climbed out. The rain was pelting down, the sky dark and I saw a flash of lightning as I ran. We laughed at my white shirt, already soaked through. As I walked into the bedroom, a clap of thunder so loud that the windows rattled made me jump. Robert handed me a towel as I stripped off my wet clothing and replaced them with my usual lounging clothes of joggers and a T-shirt.
We had planned to dine out but with the weather as it was, I was happy to snuggle on the sofa. I loved storms. I’d loved to sit at the window when I was a kid and watch the lightning streak, hear the clap of thunder and count the seconds in between to see if I could judge whether it was moving away. I found Robert already on the sofa reading one of the books I had bought him for Christmas. I’d had to nag him a little, he’d never read a book which I thought was a terrible thing.
“Shall we stay in? I can cook us something,” I asked as I opened the fridge.
“Sure, I’m not hungry yet, but I’ll have a glass of wine.”
I poured two glasses and finding my own book, settled next to him. I took a peek at the cover of his, it was a biography I had bought that I thought might interest him. Buying him a crime book would probably be very boring compared to the colourful life Robert had already led. I chuckled as I opened my book. I was engrossed in my story that when the next clap of thunder came it startled me. I stared out of the floor to ceiling windows waiting for a streak of light. When it came, so close, it plunged the whole house into darkness. I let out a small scream.
“It’s okay, I bet the power lines are down. Stay here,” Robert said.
Using his phone for light he made his way to the kitchen, rummaging around before making his way back. His face was illuminated by the lighter that he held as he lit the candles he had found. A warm glow spread around the room. He called Evelyn to check she was okay then settled back on the sofa. I snuggled into his side.
“Want to hear a ghost story?” he said.
“Do you know any?” I replied.
“No,” he said, laughing.
“Do you think Travis will call Caroline?” I asked.
“I hope so, he’s had a week now to get over the shock. I was thinking about what you said, about building something. If they get it together, I’ll put it to him.”
I took one of the candles and headed to the kitchen, although I was not going to be able to cook a meal, my tummy grumbled so I raided the fridge. I put together some cold meats, cheese and bread and we sat at the bar and ate. The claps of thunder were becoming distant and the time between them longer, the storm was moving on. As we ate, Robert took a call.
“Yeah, great. The storm’s a perfect cover. Call me when it’s done,” he said before disconnecting.
He didn’t volunteer any information on his call so I didn’t ask. The power stayed off for the rest of the evening. We took a candle downstairs and made love under its flickering glow, the smell of vanilla wafting through the room.
***
I was woken with a kiss from an already showered and dressed Robert. His wet hair tickled my face as his lips covered mine. I slowly opened my eyes to see him dressed in his biker leathers and my stomach clenched at the sight.
“Mmmm, now that’s a lovely vision to wake up to,” I said.
He laughed. “Up and get dressed, I’ve got a surprise for you. You can shower later.”
“Five minutes?” I asked, running my tongue over my lip. “You look edible dressed like that.”
“Edible, huh?”
That did the trick, Robert peeled off the bedcovers, exposing my naked body. He trailed his fingers up one thigh as he stood beside the bed. I reached out and cupped his tight, leather-clad arse with one hand. While he stood over me, his fingers wiped over my opening spreading my juices to my clitoris. I moaned as he teased me. When he inserted one, then two fingers inside I arched my back off the bed wanting him as deep as he could go. It wasn’t long before the butterflies in my stomach were dancing, before a heat crept over me as my breath quickened and I came. I opened my eyes to see him place his two fingers in his mouth, suck and lick them. He lent in for a kiss letting me taste myself on his lips, in his mouth.
“That was four minutes, ten-seconds. Now up and dressed,” he said as he pulled away.
Laughing, I rolled off the bed and made my way to the bathroom for a quick clean up and to drag a brush through my tangled hair. I dressed in jeans and a warm jumper, thick socks and my boots before following Robert to the front door. Two identical black Ducati motorbikes stood outside gleaming in the weak sunlight. It wasn’t often the bikes came out in the winter and I squealed with delight. I loved being on the back of it. We climbed on one and Travis strode from the garage, helmet in hand for the other. The roar of the engines as the boys revved was immense, I was glad there were no neighbours to disturb.
We headed off down the drive and out into the parkland. Because of the narrow width of the lanes we kept to a steady speed, often riding side by side with Travis until we came to one stretch of road. Robert opened the throttle and the surge forwards nearly had me falling off the back. I clung to his jacket and screamed. It was thrilling, a fantastic way to blow away the cobwebs and see the countryside. We pulled up outside a cafe, small metal bistro tables were occupied outside, mainly by men and most of whom were smoking and drinking coffee.
Robert helped me off the bike and secured the helmets to the handlebars. As we strode towards the entrance, one of the men jumped from his chair and with his arms held out, practically ran into Robert’s arms. I laughed at the exuberance of the greeting.
“Roberto, Roberto, I haven’t seen you in ages. And Travis, welcome, welcome,” he gushed.
Robert introduced me to Fredrico, the owner of the, well, back home I guess this was the Italian version of a greasy spoon, the back street cafe. He shook my hand careful to keep his lit cigarette from burning me b
efore ushering his friends from the table he had just vacated. With a dirty dish cloth he wiped away the cigarette ash.
“Nice,” I said quietly and looking around.
“Best Italian breakfast outside of Italy,” Travis explained.
We sat on the wobbly metal chairs and three cappuccinos were placed in front of us by a young girl trying desperately not to have the boys see her blushing. I smiled as I took a sip of my coffee. Fredrico fussed around, putting plates of pastries and sweet looking bread rolls on the table before gesturing to a chair. Robert nodded and he joined us. I watched as he heaped teaspoon after teaspoon of sugar into his espresso. He started to chat, switching between English and Italian and asking after Evelyn. Every now and again he would jump from his chair, attend to someone and then be back. Despite what looked like small flakes of cigarette ash on the pastries, they were delicious and the sweet rolls melted in my mouth. The young waitress hovered, asking in a shy voice if we wanted more coffee and her face turned the colour of beetroot when Travis gave her one of his killer smiles.
“How did you find this place?” I asked when we had a moment to ourselves.
“We used to come here a lot, years ago. Especially late at night when everywhere else was closed. You could always get a coffee or something to eat,” Travis answered.
“Not a place for their women though,” I replied, looking over at the tables.
“At church I would imagine. Those men are probably here every evening as well, sitting and catching up over a glass of wine.”
Although there was a nip in the air, the sun was shining. It was a beautiful morning, spring was certainly on its way. The cafe was in a quiet road, to one side a barber shop and to the other a delicatessen, both were open. I watched as men would have a haircut or a shave, sit for a coffee before heading into the deli and emerge with paper wrapped parcels of food. It didn’t seem possible that I was only a few miles away from the capital of America, the busy Washington, DC.
We had eaten all the pastries, drank our coffees and as Robert stood and took out his wallet, Fredrico waved his hand.
“No, no, you are my guests today, on the house,” he said in broken English.
We thanked him and headed for the bikes. I watched as the young girl peered from the window, trying to conceal herself behind a curtain. I smiled at her as she pulled back, obviously embarrassed at being caught staring. Helmets on, we headed off. We drove for a while, weaving our way through Great Falls, stopping every now and again to admire the scenery. It was wonderful to explore the area, especially with the freedom the bike offered. An hour or so later we found ourselves back at the house, the gates opened as we arrived.
As much as I loved being on the back of that bike, I always ached when I climbed off. I guessed I wasn’t a confident passenger, always gripping with my thighs a little too tight. The three of us headed into the house. Robert went to the bedroom to peel off his leathers and I was a little disappointed not to be able to help him. Travis and I headed upstairs. I put on the coffee machine and made myself a cup of tea. My nerves were already jangling from the early morning cappuccinos.
“How are you doing today, Trav?” I asked.
“Better, starting to think a bit clearer. I’m going to call Caroline tomorrow, she’s on nights this weekend.”
I knew from my conversation with her that she wasn’t but didn’t correct him, he would know I had spoken to her.
“Good, the least you need to do is tell her how you feel. How many times did you say the same thing to Robert?”
“Yeah, I know. Giving advice and taking it are two different things,” he said with a chuckle.
“Did I hear my name?” Robert said as he strode across the room.
“I was just telling Trav how many times had he told you to let your feelings out to me, now he needs to do the same,” I answered.
I poured them a coffee, black for Robert, white with sugar for Travis. We heard a car pull in front of the garages and looking through the window, saw that Evelyn had returned. There was no point in me banging on the glass or waving, she wouldn’t hear nor see me so I sent her a quick text. I asked if she wanted to join us for coffee. I watched as she fished around in her pocket, look at her phone and then glance up at the window before heading our way. This time I had a cup ready for her as she climbed the stairs.
I told Evelyn of our trip out, breakfast at Fredrico’s and she laughed.
“Didn’t know he was still alive. You watch you don’t get sick, Brooke, I’ve seen his kitchen,” she said.
“I did have to pick out cigarette ash from my pastries.”
We chatted back and forth, the guys reminiscing about Fredrico and the many nights they had spent sobering up there with coffees.
“I had one of my first dates there, it was much nicer then of course,” Evelyn said.
“Oh, tell us?” I asked.
“It was a long time ago, Brooke. I was young and very much in love. This was before these two came along,” she replied.
I noticed the sadness cross her face and pressed no further. Whoever she had been in love with must have broken her heart. Coffees finished, Evelyn and Travis headed back to their apartments. I washed the cups while Robert settled on the sofa to flip through a newspaper. He only ever read the financial pages, the rest would end up in a little box ready to light the fire.
“Shame you went and got changed, I was looking forward to getting those leathers off you,” I said as I snuggled down.
“I can always go and change back into them,” he replied.
“No, too late now,” I said with a pretend huff.
I remembered the day I first saw Robert in his biker clothes. He wore a white T-shirt that accentuated every muscle, his black leathers and boots. It was the day I realised I had fallen in love with him. I think deep down, I knew I loved him from the minute I saw him, or rather, felt the connection we had.
Thankfully that connection was still there stronger than ever. I had to make a conscious effort not to be close to him. My body needed to feel his, even if it was just a brush of his arm or a linking of one finger. If we were in a crowded room, if I concentrated on finding him, all I had to do was close my eyes. I could hear his body call for me and when I opened them he would be in my line of vision, looking back at me. I never wanted to get used to that. I wanted it to surprise me every time and I hoped that connection didn’t fade.
Chapter Seven
Robert wanted to leave a little earlier the following morning for work, and as Richard and Pete were heading off to New York, I joined him. The brochures for the development had arrived the previous week and I had promotional packs made up, ready for Richard to give out at his meetings. There were one or two people already seated when I walked across my office. Each gave me a greeting, asked how my weekend was and I offered to make coffee. I had noticed a change in how people treated me over the previous few weeks, they had finally started to accept and view me as one of the team.
I headed to Richard’s office, made sure he had all the brochures he needed before he and Pete headed off and then settled at my desk. I was meeting Caroline that evening and hoped that, should Travis speak to her, he wasn’t upset at finding out.
Just after lunch I received a text.
“Can we meet a little earlier? Something has come up. How about five thirty? Caroline x”
I replied that was okay with me and wondered what had caused the change. If she was meeting Travis, I assumed she would have cancelled our dinner. In fairness, it was a better time. The club was a few minutes from work, I wouldn’t have to drive past it to go home then come all the way back again. I called Gina to ask her to rearrange my diary. Robert would still have been in his meeting and I didn’t want to disturb him.
As half four approached, I packed up my desk and headed to the restroom to freshen up. After, I made my way up to Robert’s office. I hadn’t heard from him all day and wanted to see him before my meeting with Caroline. As the lift doors opened, Gin
a waved while on the phone. I looked through the glass into Robert’s office, he too was on the phone but motioned for me to join him. While he was listening to his caller I walked behind him, wrapped my arms around his chest and kissed his neck.
“Tony, my wife is here, I’ll call you back,” he said before disconnecting his call.
“You didn’t need to do that,” I said.
“Yes I did, I haven’t spoken to you all day.”
“Did you get my message? I’m meeting Caroline earlier.”
“Yes, Gina said. Gary’s waiting next door. You had a good day?” he asked.
“Yes, packed off Richard and Pete. And a few people talked to me today,” I said, with a grin.
“If they’re mean, tell me. I’ll fire them.”
I laughed. “I wanted to see you before I left. How’s your day been?”
“Boring, but just got better,” he said pulling me onto his lap.
“Did Travis call Caroline?”
“Don’t know, he hasn’t said. You’d better go, I’ll see you when you get home.”
We kissed and his teeth nipped my lip. I needed that quick fix of him before I left. Gary was in reception waiting for me. I waved goodbye to Gina, still on the phone and we headed down to the car park. On the journey I sent a text to Sam, I hadn’t heard from him for a couple of days and was worried about him.
As usual, that black gloss door was opened before I got to it and I was shown to my normal table. I ordered a glass of wine while I waited. I saw Caroline enter, I also noticed the dark circles under her eyes, the stress showing on her face as she was shown over. I rose and kissed her on her cheek.
“How are you?” I asked.
“What can I say, Brooke? I feel like shit,” she replied.
“Have you heard from him?” No need to mention his name, she knew who I meant.
“Nope and to be honest, I’m starting to get real pissed now. I’ve called him, sent him texts and he hasn’t the decency to reply. I didn’t get pregnant on purpose. Believe me, it’s the last thing I wanted right now.”
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