Ruthless (A Lawless Novel)

by Lexi Blake

  He was really going to play this for everything it’s worth. “Steven, I suggest we delay the buyout. Obviously it’s not in your best interest for me to buy you out now. We wait until the price comes back up. I know you’re eager to start your retirement, but I’m not trying to cheat you.”

  Riley had gone still beside her. “I don’t like the accusations you’re making, Castalano.”

  “Then you really won’t like this.” He nodded to his assistant, who turned on her laptop. With a few keystrokes, she threw the feed up onto the media screen.

  Ellie was confused. Had he planned a multimedia campaign to humiliate her? She felt her skin heat. If someone had caught them getting physical and put it on tape, she was going to sue the shit out of them.

  The camera came into focus. She leaned in, trying to figure out exactly what she was seeing. It looked like someone had left the camera on their computer on. The shot was very narrow, but she could see the wide tables that they used in R&D. Everyone had a desk, but the middle of the “lab,” as they called it, was a grouping of big tables with the testing engines on it along with the machines they used to measure the function of the coolant engine.

  The lights were low, only every third one on, so it was likely late at night or early in the morning. The building was never dark, but the lights were on a timer to go to one-third power after eleven for conservation’s sake. That told her even the cleaning staff had gone home when this was taken.

  “I want to know what’s going on.” Riley turned to Castalano.

  “I think you know,” came the smug reply. “This was taken over a week ago. The night before the testing was done.”

  “Before the tests that were improperly measured? Is this about the calibrations? Because I was told it was an intern mistake,” Ellie said.

  Steven’s head shook. “There was no mistake, Eleanor. The only mistake that was made was that you thought I wouldn’t find out. One of your interns left his camera on. He’d been using company equipment to video chat with his parents. He caught this. He likely would have gone to you, but he was well aware of your relationship by then and came to me instead.”

  “What does my relationship have to do with any of this?” But then she understood because a familiar figure moved into camera range.

  Riley had his jacket off, shirtsleeves rolled up. He was obviously unaware the camera was on him. He looked around and then a smile crossed his face as he found what he needed. He pulled out his phone and seemed to be speaking to someone. He picked up the first of the testing devices and popped off the back to get to the inside of the machine.

  The whole room went cold.

  “Ellie, I can explain.”

  She heard Riley, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the screen. He seemed to be talking to someone. Likely he’d placed his phone on speaker. It was sitting on the table as he reworked the calibration machines. All three of them. He seemed very intent on what he was doing and he’d come prepared. When he needed a screwdriver to get inside the system, he pulled one out of his pocket.

  He’d waited until everyone had gone home and then made his way down to the department and deliberately changed the calibrations so her tests would fail.

  So she would fail.

  A numbness wound through her system, like someone was pouring ice through her veins. It was good because that meant she couldn’t feel the pain.

  “Ellie, there’s an explanation for all of this.” Riley put a hand on her arm.

  She very calmly pulled away. She wasn’t going to make a further fool of herself over this man. He was playing some kind of game and she wasn’t sure what it was. She only knew she’d lost.

  She had to keep whatever dignity she had left intact. In a low monotone, she spoke to her former lover. “Mr. Lang, you’re fired. I’ll have security escort you out. You’ll find there was a criminal clause in your contract. Had you managed to stay more than a year, I would be forced to purchase your stock at current value.”

  Riley turned her chair around. His face had gone tight. “Ellie, I need to talk to you.”

  She had very little left to say. “As that is not the case, your stock reverts back to me. I’ll let you know if I decide to file criminal charges against you.”

  A low chuckle made her turn. Castalano applauded lightly. “Is that how you’re playing it, then? He must not have been too good in bed if you’re willing to throw him to the wolves at the first chance. As it happens, no criminal charges will be brought against Mr. Lang. You know that the press would be all over that kind of thing. It wouldn’t look good. I’ll let Mr. Lang go with the warning that he really should know his enemies from now on. I can’t say the same for you, dear.”

  The door opened and suddenly there were two police officers standing there.

  What the hell was going on? He’d just said he wasn’t going to prosecute Riley, though he damn straight should have talked to her about that. That should be a decision between them, security, legal, and PR.

  “Having security escort Riley out is enough. I scarcely think he’s going to require a police escort.” She turned to him, looking at Riley for the first time. “Or are you going to humiliate me further by causing a scene?”

  His eyes were on Castalano. “Ellie, baby, I don’t think this is about me. Whatever he’s done, know that I’m going to get you out of this.”

  He was so serious it caused Ellie to look around. Everyone was looking directly at her. And the man and woman in business suits had stood up.

  “Ms. Stratton, my name is Special Agent Charles Cooper. It is my duty to inform you that you are being placed under arrest,” the gentleman said.

  So this was what it felt like when a person was stuck in a dream, figured out it was a dream, and still couldn’t wake up.

  “Arrested for what?” It was ludicrous.

  Castalano stood, buttoning his suit jacket. “We discovered how you and your father managed to embezzle ten million dollars. Did you think we wouldn’t figure it out eventually? The holding companies were cleverly hidden, but they’re all in your name. We can’t find the actual money, but I suspect that’s the bureau’s job. You will also be charged with fraud for manipulating the company stock for personal gain.”

  This was a dream. It had to be. Nightmare, really. Except she felt really awake.

  Riley’s hand found hers and he leaned in close. “You hold your head up. I’m not letting you go down for this. I swear to God, Ellie, I will get you out of this.”

  For a second, she held on. She threaded her fingers through his because she so needed his warmth. The whole world seemed to have gone cold.

  The words the officers were saying didn’t quite process. She knew them. Anyone who watched television knew their rights. Miranda rights. She was being Mirandized because the FBI had decided she was the one who’d stolen from the company.

  And they would book her for fraud as well. For attempting to manipulate the stock market because they had proof her right-hand man had screwed with those machines.

  Had Riley been the one to give the press the reports? Had he been the one to tank StratCast stock?

  There was a hand on her elbow, hauling her up. Her fingers slipped from his.

  “Do you have to do that? She’s going with you willingly.” Riley’s voice sounded like it was coming from far away. It was muffled by a roaring sound in her ears.

  She felt like a rag doll. She was there, but she wasn’t. This couldn’t be happening to her. Her feet felt wobbly under her, but somehow she was upright and the police officer was pulling her hands behind her back, cold metal snapping against her skin.

  “You’re lucky we’re not bringing you in, too,” she heard the cop say.

  “Eleanor, I’m sorry it’s come to this.”

  She turned at the sound of Castalano’s voice. He was standing there, a smug look on his face. He certain
ly didn’t look sorry. He looked triumphant.

  Why was he doing this to her? Why was he standing there in his thousand-dollar suit? All he’d wanted to do was retire.

  Or had she been a fool all along? He’d never planned to do anything but this. She knew what her contract stated. She knew what would happen now. She would lose everything.

  If something looks too good to be true, it always is. Always. She should have remembered that lesson from her father, too.

  Riley had been too perfect for her because he’d never been here for her. She’d been a pawn in this game.

  Steven Castalano’s game.

  “You son of a bitch,” she said, finally figuring it out. “You never intended to let me buy you out. This was your play to get rid of me and take it all for yourself.”

  He shook his head. “Not at all. I was so looking forward to the golf course, my dear. Please escort her off the property. Let me know what you need to ensure she’s prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

  “Ellie, I’ll be right behind you,” Riley promised.

  She looked at him. He’d been too beautiful. Too sexy. Too good. Too perfect. “Don’t ever talk to me again.”

  It was almost a relief when they led her out. At least she wouldn’t have to see him again.

  —

  Riley felt like the ceiling and the floor had flipped places. What the hell had happened? They were taking Ellie out in handcuffs. They were leading her to some goddamn detention cell like she was a criminal.

  All around him people were shaking hands and encouraging each other that it was all for the best. That getting rid of Ellie solved their problems.

  He turned on Castalano. What a fool he’d been. He’d fallen into a trap. How had that happened? He’d been the one laying the trap.

  He didn’t believe for a single second that Ellie was the one behind the embezzlement scheme. His gut told him there was no way Ellie was involved. His brain was still working though. When he really thought about it, they had zero proof it was Steven Castalano. They’d simply seen what they’d wanted to see. They’d known Castalano was a criminal and seen criminal activity and ascribed it to him.

  If he had half a brain, he would look into the situation. He would withhold judgment until he had absolute proof that Ellie was innocent.

  He didn’t need a brain. He had a fucking heart and he knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that Ellie hadn’t done this. He could walk into a room and find her knee-deep in cash and ask her where she’d gotten it. He would never question her integrity. He knew that woman inside and out, and she was rock solid.

  It was sad that everyone around her was such a deceiving prick. Including himself.

  His mind worked, seeing the con from the other side now that it had played out. Oh, that he’d had some foresight. It would have saved them all.

  He stared at Castalano. “You did this so you could purchase Ellie’s stock cheap.”

  Castalano sighed. “Gentlemen, I think I could use a moment with Mr. Lang. He doesn’t understand how the world works and I need to explain a few things to him. If you wouldn’t mind going to my office. I believe you’ll find a very nice bottle of Scotch for us to work our way through this afternoon. My son is waiting there for all of you.”

  To celebrate his victory over sweet, smart, save-the-world Ellie. She had crazy ideas about justice and what was right and how the world should work.

  The world had just taken a nice chunk out of her flesh.

  He was supposed to be the one to protect her. He was supposed to be the white fucking knight who took all the hits so she never had to know how shitty the world really was. He’d failed her utterly. He was the reason her world had crumbled.

  How could he have missed that camera? He’d been on the phone with Bran that night. He’d needed his brother to explain how to fuck with the calibration on the testing machines. He’d actually been talking about Ellie at the time. Like he wasn’t messing with her company, her livelihood, her life. He’d been talking about how he’d had dinner with her and then sneaked back into the building to grab some contracts. He hadn’t noticed the open laptop and camera.

  All his fault. It was all coming down around them, and it was his fault. Everything—the plan to avenge their father, all of Ellie’s hopes and dreams—they were dying because he’d been a dumb fuck.

  Where would they take her? Which precinct? The feds had allowed the police to arrest her so she would go to a local jail. They often did that to give local authorities the arrest on their docket. They would likely question her and then move her to a federal facility.

  They might leave her in a city jail until she’d made bail.

  God, they were going to put Ellie in jail. Pure panic began to thrum through his system.

  Castalano was going to try to put her in jail for years, and all so he could take the company from her.

  “So this was all about a cheap stock buyout?” The door closed behind the men Castalano had brought in to witness Ellie’s downfall. Riley would have run after her, but they wouldn’t let him go with her. They likely wouldn’t allow him anywhere near her.

  Castalano smiled. “Oh, I think we both know it’s more than that. You know, the funny thing is I thought I would only get her on the embezzlement charges.”

  She’d had nothing to do with those charges, but it brought into question some of Castalano’s recent actions. “What the hell was the request for two million dollars about? You tried to blackmail her.”

  He couldn’t go into why. He knew Castalano owed millions to a mobster, but he wasn’t going to give up his cover at this point. He needed every advantage he had.

  “What? Me? Why would I ask Ellie for two million? I was about to retire. She was going to buy me out. Now, had I gone to her in order to confront her about the embezzlement, I likely would have requested that she begin to make some restitution on her part. Twenty percent would have been an excellent start.”

  That told him everything he needed to know. That check would have sealed her fate if he hadn’t. To the feds, it would have been an admission of guilt. To Castalano, it was a down payment.

  “Holy shit, you intended to buy her out with her own fucking cash. You son of a bitch.” They’d walked into one long setup. Castalano had never intended to retire. He’d played the elderly gentleman. Talked up his doctor’s appointments. He’d done the rounds so everyone knew how happy he was to be leaving it all to the next generation.

  He’d even had his son tip Ellie off to the accounting issues.

  He hadn’t had the money to buy her out. So he’d waited patiently, telling her they would get the deal done.

  “And you put the clause in the contract,” Riley surmised. “I should have seen it. I should have known no one would be that stupid.”

  Complexity. His brother-in-law had talked about it. Case had told him they were ignoring the fact that any situation they walked into was complex and fluid. He’d been so right. They’d been arrogant to think they could stalk in as the only predators in the game.

  Castalano had that smile on his face. It made Riley want to cut it off his fucking body. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I do know that the anger and confusion from it being there likely set us back by weeks. I feel for Ellie. I really do. I’ve known the girl all her life. In some ways she was like a daughter to me. If only it had simply been the issue of money, I would have bought her out and we could have moved on. I would have done that for her father’s sake. Nasty bastard, but he was my partner. He couldn’t have known she was taking all that money from the company.”

  “The embezzlement began when she was seventeen. Are you telling me she formed holding companies and managed to steal from StratCast without being caught when she was a teenaged intern?” The idea was ridiculous.

  “Well, everyone knows Ellie was a business prodigy. She was practic
ally running R&D in high school. Certainly she had some people on the inside. If we find out who they are, we’ll send them to jail as well. It was really your perfidy that did her in. I was willing to settle for the stock at a reasonable price.”

  “You were going to force her to pay you so she could stay out of jail.” It was so obvious now.

  “Now I’ll get both. You gave me the means to make a true power play. Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited to take true control of my company?” He gestured to the door where two uniformed guards were now standing. “I believe your escort is here, Mr. Lang.”

  “I am not going to let you get away with this. You took that money.” And Castalano’s company was built on his father’s murder. He wasn’t going to get away with that, either.

  “That is not what the evidence proves.” Castalano was cool as a cucumber. “It clearly proves that Ellie was behind everything.”

  “You faked it. I’ll prove that and I swear when I’m done, you’ll be the one left with nothing.” He felt a beefy hand wrap around his elbow.

  They weren’t leaving anything to chance. The other guard was right beside him.

  “We need you to leave now, Mr. Lang,” a deep, gruff voice said. “Don’t make us call the police back.”

  “They’ll be back here one day. Count on it.” He couldn’t take his eyes off Castalano. The snake.

  The guard to his right pulled on his arm and he found himself being hauled out of the conference room.

  “I will sue every single one of you.” He knew it was a douchebag lawyer thing to say, but at that moment, he meant it. He would burn this place down. He would cover it in kerosene and light the match to make them pay for what they’d done to Ellie.

  He would never forget the blank look on her face when she’d looked at him.

  Don’t ever talk to me again.

  He had so much work to do. He let them lead him out because his mind was whirling.

  She had to feel so alone. They would be putting her in a squad car. It would have been kinder to have the feds arrest her. They would have likely given her some dignity. The fact that they’d allowed the police to take her into custody meant they thought she was a big fish. They were allowing the locals to take credit. They would eventually move her to a federal facility, or they might allow a local judge to oversee her bail hearing.