Dangerous Beauty: Part One: Destiny

by Michelle Hardin

  Nathan crossed one leg over the other, rolled his eyes and sighed. “I wasn’t aware that you all were going to be here for this meeting,” he said looking at the five men sitting near his father’s desk. None of them responded to him, they just continued to look at him.

  Nathan knew that his father wanted to meet Carter, what he didn’t know was that Mitchell, Bruno, Cesare, and his uncle Alessandro would be in the room to meet her as well.

  When Nathan had first arrived they began the meeting with business Nathan needed to attend to, aka problems they wanted him to handle. There was an entire list ranging from issues with men within the family to associates from other families in New York and Italy, the biggest issue on the list being Reeves’ plan for retaliation. Nathan had no idea who Reeves was asking to help him in his quest for revenge, but if they were smart they would come to Nathan and tell him what Reeves was up to so that they can remain in his good graces. If they didn’t, they would suffer the same fate that Reeves will if he doesn’t back the fuck down.

  “So you’re saying you found her in this Hope Beach place?” Bruno asked with a crooked smile and a thick eyebrow raised.

  Dante really looked just like his dad, Nathan thought.

  He nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying,” Nathan replied wondering why Bruno wasn’t back in Las Vegas. “Is there any more business you all would like to discuss?”

  “No son, that can wait for now. We would like to hear more of how it is that you found Spook Steele’s daughter in housewife land,” Angelo joked. “Now, tell us again what you were doing there.”

  Nathan shrugged. “Slacking off like I do all the time around this time of year.”

  Angelo nodded. “And you all stayed in Kyle’s beach house?”

  “Yes.”

  “You, Kyle, Mikilo, Dante, and Lucca all went together?”

  Nathan let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes, papa. What is your point?”

  “I’m just getting the story straight. So when exactly did you find out whom she was?”

  Nathan rolled his eyes, they were all looking at him waiting for him to answer all of these questions, and Nathan fucking hated being questioned.

  “I first figured out who she was when her and I,” Nathan sighed, “went to the beach.”

  “Why were you at the beach?” Alessandro asked

  Nathan heard Mickey snort from the corner. “Because he wanted to finish what they had started,” he muttered smugly.

  Nathan turned to him abruptly. “Shut the hell up, Mick,” he said, glaring at the asshole.

  Mickey crossed his arms over his chest and placed his fist over his mouth, frowning and nodding his understanding, but Nathan knew he was just trying not to laugh.

  Cesare sat back in his seat and looked at his son with a crooked smile. It was like they could read each other’s fucking minds and Nathan wanted to punch both of the blue eyed assholes. All three of the Valente men were the same.

  “How did you find out who she was at the beach?” Angelo asked. “Did she mention his name, did she recognize your last name? What?”

  Nathan had to think about how to answer this one. Pretty much everything that happened on the beach that night was personal, between him and Carter only.

  “Before the beach, before everything, I saw Carter at the Hope Garden—”

  “He held up traffic for twenty fucking minutes staring at her,” Mickey interjected through a chuckle.

  Nathan calmly pointed at the stapler on his father desk. “Pop, could you kindly pass me that stapler off your desk so that I can staple Mickey’s mouth shut!” he yelled turning a deadly glare on Mickey.

  Mickey turned his back to Nathan to hide his smile.

  “Alright now. Get back to telling us how this happened, Nathan,” Angelo said calmly. He was used to the boys’ behavior.

  “Like I was saying, I saw her at the Hope Garden and she kissed a yellow rose like mama used to do. On the beach I asked her about it and she told me the story of the day we spent together when we were kids.”

  “Aww, how sweet,” Mitchell said in a mocking tone.

  Nathan looked over at the son of a bitch with cold gray eyes and gripped the arms of the chair tight to keep from breaking off the leg of the chair and shoving it down the fucker’s throat. Nathan reigned in his temper, but he couldn’t say the same for Lucca who was also in the room.

  “Say one more fucking thing and I’ll come over there and shove my fist down your throat, bitch,” Lucca growled narrowing cold gray eyes on Mitchell.

  “Easy,” Angelo said in a low tone knowing that with Lucca’s temper he would actually do it.

  Mitchell shot up from his seat. “I am so sick of your disrespect, Lucca! You can’t keep speaking to me like that. I deserve more respect.”

  “You don’t deserve shit but my foot up your fat ass. I suggest you squeeze your ass back in that chair before I toss you out the fucking window,” Lucca yelled.

  Nathan knew his cousin was close to seeing red, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to save Mitchell this time. His dad could do it because there was nothing Nathan would love to see more than Mitchell’s dumbass flying out the window.

  “How dare you—”

  “Shut the fuck up, you fat son or a—”

  “Lucca Salerno!” Angelo yelled standing up from his chair. He turned to Mitchell. “Sit down, Mitchell,” he ordered and Mitchell took his seat. Angelo looked at Nathan knowing why he didn’t get up and calm his cousin. Angelo pursed his lips and looked at Lucca who was staring daggers at Mitchell, “Gesù Cristo nipote. How many times do we all have to remind you to control that temper of yours?”

  “Go get some air, son,” Alessandro said nodding his head toward the door.

  Lucca nodded, a scowl still on his face. “Nate, I’ll be downstairs waiting for Carter and Kyle to get here.” Then he looked back at Mitchell. “You think that was bad, you bitch? Mock Carter to her face,” he said with a smirk then he walked out the door.

  Nathan and Mickey chuckled.

  “It’s funny because it’s true,” Mickey said through a chuckle.

  Angelo put his hands over his face and sighed. “Jesus Christ,” he sighed then sat back up. “Nathan, did she tell you how she made it out?”

  “Made it out?” Nathan asked.

  “Yeah, how did she escape?” Bruno said.

  Nathan swallowed.

  “Yeah, the papers said there were six bodies found in the house. Five men and one women, African American and unidentifiable. They said her face was cut off and they couldn’t trace her DNA. We just figured Jane Doe was Spook’s daughter,” Cesare said.

  Nathan cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “That woman wasn’t Carter. It was Chrissy, her nanny.”

  “She was seventeen with a nanny?” Mitchell asked.

  Nathan’s jaw clenched and he gritted his teeth. He didn’t even look at Mitchell, he just spoke to his dad. “Chrissy stayed with her because of how often Spook was away on business.”

  “But how did she get away? I know she told you, Nathan,” Angelo asked.

  “I’m sure it was easier for her to run once Spook took out four of the men,” Bruno said looking at Angelo.

  “But how did Spook have time to do what the papers said happened upstairs in his bedroom. That was some crazy shit. It didn’t seem like Spook’s style at all,” Cesare said.

  All the men seemed to stop and think. Nathan frowned and sat back in his chair hoping they wouldn’t ask any more questions. He and Carter hadn’t shared that part of the story with anyone and he wouldn’t say anything about it. If Carter wanted them to know she would tell them and unless that happened, Nathan would feign ignorance.

  “How long have you known who she was, son?” Angelo asked

  “A few weeks,” Nathan replied.

  “And you didn’t see fit to tell me until yesterday? Well, you didn’t tell me then either, you just forgot I was on the phone,” Angelo said narrowing his eyes on Nathan.
>
  Nathan shifted in his seat. “I told you I was sorry about that, Papa. I’ve been occupied the last few weeks.”

  “And you, Mikilo? You didn’t see fit to say anything either?” Angelo asked

  “Mickey didn’t say anything because I asked him not to. I asked them all not to say anything.”

  “Why?”

  “For her safety. I wanted to make sure she was protected before word got around that she had survived. Her safety was my main concern, it still is. We don’t even know who put out a hit on Spook or why, but I plan to find out,” Nathan said firmly.

  Angelo tensed. “I thought I told you that the situation was too unpredictable to get involved, Nathan. Spook was my dear friend but he’s gone now and there’s no reason to dig up the past.”

  “I know that Spook’s gone, but Carter is still here and word has already spread about her survival. I don’t know if the asshole that sent six men to kill Spook won’t come for his daughter because she survived it. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen. Carter doesn’t deserve to live her entire life hiding,” Nathan argued.

  Mitchell shook his head. “Let your father deal with this, Nathan. You can’t risk your life for some girl,” Mitchell said, once again giving his unwelcome opinion on the matter.

  Nathan let out a long frustrated sigh and straightened out the front of his suit. “Some girl” he repeated. Unable to ignore Mitchell’s presence any longer Nathan turned a cold gaze on the man. “Mr. Romano.” He said idiots name with menacing smile. “Be. Silent.” he commanded.

  Those two words combined with the tone of Nathan’s voice and the deadly look in his eyes was enough to silence Mitchell.

  Satisfied with Mitchell’s silence, Nathan turned his gaze beck to his father. “I understand your concern Pop, I do. But you of all people should know not to underestimate me. If I say I will take care of Carter, then I will. She’s not just here, she’s here with me. She and I will be cohabitating.”

  “Cohabitating?” His father asked.

  Nathan nodded. “Yes. She’s moving in with me.”

  “With you?”

  Nathan took in a sharp exasperated breath, beginning to become irritated with the questioning. “Yes” he answered his father in a clipped tone. “Why is that hard to believe?” When all the men in the room began to answer the question Nathan silenced them, much to their amusement. “I get it. But it’s…different with Carter. I…” Nathan cleared his throat uncomfortably, “enjoy being with her very much” he said looking at his father.

  After a moment a wide smile spread across Angelo’s face and he laughed joyously. “My, son. You all should have seen when the two first met when they were just little tiny things. They were attached at the hip the entire day, my boy wouldn’t let anyone near little Carter. Spook didn’t think they’d ever be able to go home.” Angelo smiled at the memory. “So I take it she is what’s been keeping you busy these past few weeks?”

  Nathan nodded. “Yes, she is” Nathan replied with a smile as he recalled the past three weeks. He smiled slyly. Carter sure did keep him busy.

  Angelo chuckled. “I see. She must be an amazing woman. You’re glowing” he joked.

  Smartass.

  “Yes, I agree. Angelo, your son is very relaxed, not as tense as he usually is. I’m sure he had a very nice vacation,” Cesare added with a sly smile.

  Angelo laughed at his best friend and nodded in agreement. Nathan definitely wasn’t as snappy as he usually was, and he actually sat through them questioning him without telling any of them to fuck-off or breaking Mitchell’s neck.

  Mickey chuckled at his dad. “Wait until you meet her. She’s cool as hell and hot as fuck.”

  Angelo smiled and nodded. “She was a beautiful little girl, I’m sure that she is a stunning woman. She must be if she caught my son’s eye, and kept Kyle in a friendship with her for a year,” Angelo said in a teasing tone. He still couldn’t believe that Kyle had a friendship with a woman, the kid was just like his father. A string of girlfriends and cold to all of them, yet they still come back for more.

  Cesare laughed. “She must be something.”

  Mickey let out a long loud exaggerated breath shaking his head.

  “That nice huh, son?” Cesare asked through a laugh.

  Mickey smirked and nodded. All the men, except for Mitchell, chuckled.

  “Alright, enough of that, you damn Valentes,” Nathan said looking at his phone. “Kyle just texted me. They’re in the lobby with Dante and Lucca on their way up.

  ***

  Carter was more nervous than she had ever been in her entire life, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying the beautiful day in Manhattan. She had only gotten to see a little so far, but she already loved it. Manhattan was beautiful, and full of life and energy. Carter knew she was going to love it here.

  Even now, walking down a sidewalk full of people to The Salerno Organization high rise building, Carter couldn’t help but bask in the energy of beautiful Manhattan. It was so bright and fast, and people didn’t know how to say excuse me, but Carter didn’t care she just held on tight to Kyle’s hand as he led her through the crowded sidewalk. He pulled her in closer as the crowd became thicker at the crossing point, and she held on tighter to his arm as they crossed the street, three of Kyle’s men following closely behind him.

  She took a deep breath and Kyle’s scent filled her nostrils. He smelled so damn good, and he looked good too in that incredibly sexy navy blue Armani suit. Visions of Nathan and Kyle stripping those suits off for her had her fantasizing about some very naughty things in the shower. She couldn’t prevent the orgasm inducing fantasy, she lain in Kyle’s arms for an hour while he held and comforted her while she was vulnerable. She’s only a woman for goodness sakes, and Kyle and Nathan are fine as hell. She couldn’t deny that she had strong feelings for Kyle either. Damn Jenna for saying Kyle had feelings for her. It forced her to think about the feelings she had for him. But Carter knew her feelings for Kyle could never rival her love for Nathan, he had her whole heart, Carter was his and she knew that with everything in her.

  The thought of seeing Nathan made her want to tell Kyle to hurry up and walk faster. She missed him like crazy and she gave herself a good pep talk so that she wouldn’t embarrass herself in front of his father. She was going to keep her emotions in check, not get upset when they ask her questions about herself, and be as honest as she could be. Yep. That was her plan, and it was going to work. Carter usually didn’t make plans but she would do her best for Nathan. She knows how important his father’s opinion is to him, and she would do everything she could today to make Nathan proud that she was his.

  It took her forever to pick out what to wear. She had too many short dresses and she didn’t want to look like a hoe, as Jenna would say, so she decided to wear a casual purple flower print, Louis Vuitton dress. It was mid-thigh length with black satin straps, a belted waist, and low neckline. At first she thought it pushed her breasts up too much, but she decided it wasn’t that bad. The dress kept her neck and shoulders bare which was perfect because she wanted the summer look. She decided to pair the dress with a pair of black peep toe pumps, and she definitely couldn’t forget the jewelry her incredible boyfriend surprised her with a couple of days earlier. The low neckline of her dress showcased her diamond necklace perfectly, and she tucked her now wavy black hair behind her ears so she wouldn’t hide the earrings. Once she had gotten the long look of approval from Kyle she knew that she had chosen the right attire for the meeting.

  As they neared The Salerno Organization, Carter couldn’t help but stare at the high rise building in awe. Kyle had told her that Angelo Salerno was a master at hiding in plain sight. He hid all of his criminal activity by building an empire as Angelo Salerno, business mogul. The Salerno’s practically owned New York City. They owned numerous department stores full of designers from all around the world, jewelry stores filled with rare diamonds worth a fortune, and Carter was also surprised to find out
about the amount of real estate they owned. The Salerno Organization owned many of the luxury apartment buildings in Manhattan including the one her and Nathan lived in.

  Kyle also told her about the many properties they own in Las Vegas, such as hotels, casinos, resorts, and Carter was shocked. The Salerno empire was massive, no wonder they’re so powerful.

  “Kyle, are you sure my boobs aren’t showing too much?” Carter asked adjusting her dress and worrying her bottom lip. They were getting closer to this little meet and great, and she was starting to doubt her entire outfit choice.

  Kyle looked at her with a sly smile. “Carter, you have beautiful breasts. Why the hell would you hide them with clothes?” Kyle answered honestly, and he laughed when Carter hit him on his arm.

  The inside of the building was huge. Carter held tight to Kyle’s hand, trying to keep up with his long strides as her heels clicked against that shiny black marble floor. She was still nervous, but she felt her nerves ease when she saw two familiar smiling faces in the lobby. Carter’s mood brightened and she smiled wide as her and Kyle approached Dante and Lucca.

  “Hey there, sweetheart,” Lucca said as he, leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “You look stunning.”

  “Yes you do. My goodness, honey,” Dante said placing a loud kiss on her forehead.

  Carter blushed and lowered her eyes shyly. They were all being so sweet, she knew it was because she had been so nervous.

  “See, I told you look beautiful,” Kyle said looking down at her with a smile. “She wanted to change.”

  “You guys are just being sweet, thank you though,” she said with a shy smile. These guys always made her blush like a damn school girl.

  “You ready to go up? They’re ready for you now,” Dante asked.

  Carter frowned. “They’re? How many people want to meet me?” she asked feeling her nerves now renewed.

  “Don’t worry, it’s only our father’s, they all knew Spook too,” Lucca assured. “They don’t bite, I promise,” he teased and Carter gave him a playful punch in the arm.

  “I’m sure they don’t. If you all are any indication of their personalities I think I’ll be able to get through it,” Carter said wondering if the guys’ fathers were just older versions of their sons. If they were, than this was going to be fun.