Princess: Ridgeview Prep Book 2

by Quinn, Londyn

  Xander

  I ease my foot off the gas, turning into one of the parking lots of Hawthorne Enterprises. The interconnected office buildings house divisions of all of Charles’s businesses...businesses that have put him and his family on the radar for some pretty fucking bad people. I shut off the engine and step out of my car, staring up at the tallest building in the cluster.

  Charles’s lair.

  I’m about to step inside of it, and there’s a chance I might not make it out alive.

  My family would castrate me if they knew I was here, and this whole play can really backfire on me, but I need to find out what Charles knows.

  If he knows that one of his partners is in bed with my enemies.

  Something I strongly suspect to be true.

  I thought about it after Jase and I left the club, and his reaction is what made me realize we might be dealing with something bigger than I imagined. I’d always figured Charles was a dirty, crooked bastard, but I never thought he’d ever put his family in harm’s way.

  But the pieces of this puzzle are falling together fast and the picture isn’t pretty at all.

  Jase knows it, so does Phoenix. And so does my Dad.

  That’s why they didn’t want me to go after him. They don’t want me to shake shit up and tip him off. They’d rather me stick a thumb up my ass while we wait for Moretti and whoever he’s working with to confirm they’re about to bulldoze us instead of actually doing something to stop it.

  Well, I don’t like that plan.

  I’m not the type to sit on the sidelines and just take the loss because we waited too long to make the plays.

  I’m the type who’s suiting up and is ready to close with a win.

  He’s supposed to be making some big investment announcement at the gala thing Char invited me to this evening, and the timing just happens to coincide with Lorenzo telling us about Carl Montrose and his dealings with Moretti.

  And if I’m right...if he’s about to sign a deal with the devil, all hell will break loose.

  It will be a fucking war of epic proportions with Charlotte dead center.

  I check in with security once I walk through the revolving doors. They eye me like I’m a bug, but they’d be kissing my ass if they knew what I could do to them with nothing more than the pens in their hands. With one final and judgmental glare, they wave me toward the elevator bank. I smirk, staring down at my clothes.

  A little more scumbag than is really necessary, but I didn’t have a chance to change after making a visit to the auto shop. I eye a few splatters of blood on my shirt.

  Yeah, it wasn’t a friendly visit either. I had to have a little chat with Philly about his nephew Manny. I’d spared him once because Philly is a good friend of the family.

  But this time, he crossed the line.

  This time, he had to pay.

  I grit my teeth. People never fucking think about consequences, whether they do something stupid or nothing at all.

  The elevator doors open and I step inside the car, leaning back against the wall as the car travels up to the twentieth floor. It comes to a stop and the doors slide open. I run a hand through my hair and walk into the reception area. A cute blonde looks up with a big smile.

  “Can I help you?”

  “Xander Iazetti to see Charles Hawthorne,” I say, returning the smile.

  She pops up from her chair and puffs out her chest as far as it will go. Her big blue eyes rake over me and she bites down on her lower lip as she lifts the handset to call Charles’s assistant. “I have a Xander Iazetti here for Mr. Hawthorne. Okay, sure. I’ll walk him back.” She puts the phone in the cradle and practically trips over herself to get out from behind the desk. “Follow me, please.”

  She struts ahead of me, swinging her hips with purpose and invitation. It’s a nice ass, one that back before Char, I’d have loved to tap. But this isn’t a social call.

  For anyone.

  Blondie knocks on a door and I hear Charles’ signature abrupt voice say, “Come in.”

  She pushes open the door and gives me one last look of longing before turning that luscious body in the opposite direction.

  That ass is primed for the taking.

  Jase would have been all in, pun intended.

  If only he’d have listened to me instead of trying to stuff me in a goddamn box so I don’t screw up their plans...plans that remain to be seen.

  Whatever. This is up to me to figure out.

  And I know there are consequences.

  I’m just not willing to let them keep me from crushing our enemies.

  I walk into the office, facing off with Charles. He’s standing against his desk, his back to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Early afternoon sunshine streams into the bright and airy space. Taupe walls, tan-colored hardwood floors, ivory leather upholstery, tall, lush green plants lining each corner. Looking at this place, at the calm and tranquil color scheme, it’s a wonder why he’s always got his dick in a twist.

  Maybe because, for as much light that surrounds him on a daily basis within these walls, he’s consumed by a perpetual darkness he can’t seem to escape.

  That’s my bet.

  “Xander.” Just the way Charles says my name is enough to make my skin prickle and my fist twitch. “I’m glad to see you. Did Charlotte ask you to drop by?”

  Glad to see me? Is he drunk? I furrow my brow. “No. I haven’t spoken to her today.”

  He nods and lets out a deep sigh. “Please sit. I have something important to discuss with you.”

  “I’m actually here to talk to you about an issue that has potential impact to your business, Mr. Hawthorne. It’s about one of your business partners and some of his extracurricular activities.”

  Charles’s expression goes blank for a second. “What does this have to do with Charlotte?”

  “Nothing.” Something is definitely off here. Why is he so focused on Charlotte? “This is about one of your associates working with a known drug and sex trafficker who is trying to buy up real estate in the area so he can conduct his business within our borders.”

  “Thus compromising your family’s businesses and the perception of their strength?” he asks with a quirk of his brow.

  I grit my teeth. “This isn’t about risks to my family. This is about safety and security. This guy, Marco Moretti, is bad news. If he gets a chance to break into this area, it will be the beginning of the end. Women go missing when he shows up in a town. He has no regard for human life. He treats women like objects, buying and selling them as if they are possessions. My family has worked hard to keep shady ass businesses like Moretti’s away from Ridgeview and the surrounding areas. And their efforts have paid off well for you because it keeps competition out of your backyard.”

  “This sounds like something the authorities need to focus on, Xander. Why are you coming to me with this?”

  I pull my phone out and hold it up in front of him so he can see Carl in all his naked glory, pounding the stripper’s ass. “Because I don’t think you want your name and reputation associated with someone who is in bed with Moretti and is ready to sell out so he can make a quick buck.”

  Charles grabs the phone, peering at the screen. “Where did you get this?”

  I snatch it back. “He was in the back room of one of our clubs the other night after we’d found out he is meeting with Moretti about some investment deal. Turns out he’s funding Moretti’s plan to create a real estate empire which he’ll use for smuggling dope and women. A legitimate shell with an illicit core.”

  The color fades from Charles’s cheeks. “I don’t believe it. Carl and I have worked together for years and he never mentioned anything about this deal.”

  I fold my arms over my chest, staring him down. He looks genuinely surprised.

  Sounds pretty shaken.

  I still don’t trust him.

  I still don’t believe a word that is coming out of his mouth.

  “What kind of announcement are you planni
ng to make at this gala tonight?” I ask. “You might want to second think the guest list because if Carl is about to pull the rug out from under you, you don’t want to have the whole world there to witness it.”

  Charles gets off the couch, scrubbing a hand down the front of his face. “We were going to announce a new venture to gentrify the run-down waterfront areas outside of Ridgeview.”

  “And who’s funding that whole project?”

  “The new company we just jointly incorporated,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “This has to be the reason…” he mutters to himself.

  “Reason for what?”

  Charles looks up at me. “The reason why Charlotte has been followed and threatened. Someone has been stalking her. She said the same man approached her in the city yesterday while she was dress shopping.”

  “What did he say?” I choke, my mind spinning out of control.

  “Something about my company not moving fast enough on a deal for their liking.”

  “Do you know who the guy is?”

  He shakes his head. “She described him, but I’ve never seen someone with that description before. I have to believe he’s some hired thug.” He purses his lips. “No offense.”

  I roll my eyes. “None taken.”

  “I deal with people like him all the time because not all of my investors are upstanding citizens. There’s always a lot of dirty money behind these deals, money that the investors need laundered until it’s squeaky clean. I don’t always know the source of the funds, and they don’t like there to be any delays in making their deals. I just wanted you to keep an eye on Lottie until I can work things through.” He lets out a frustrated sigh. “Xander, what if that man is working for this Moretti person? What if Carl really is behind all of this...the assault, the threats? All because he went behind my back and tried to sell me out?” He slams a fist on his desk. “Goddammit! I’d wanted to talk to you because I need you to keep Charlotte safe until I can get to the bottom of this. But now…” His face twists into a grimace. “Who knows how far down it actually goes? And those things he said to her about Andrew…” His voice cracks, and I have to remind myself that he’s still a vicious snake underneath it all. He’ll find a way to slither out of the mess Montrose created.

  Chuckie is no fucking saint.

  He looks up at me, a pinched expression on his face. “Just keep Charlotte away from Blaine Montrose. And don’t let her out of your sight, Xander. It’s obvious to me that Carl has been doing more than just fucking strippers. He’s been screwing me left, right, and sideways if what you say is true.”

  “What are you going to do about the gala?” I ask.

  “The gala is still very much on. But that’s more than I can say about the partnership between us,” he grunts. “I don’t know who these people are or what they want, but they’ve hit much too close to home this time. I’ve already lost so much. I can’t bear to lose anyone else.”

  * * *

  I squint my eyes at the bright sun as I walk across the parking lot to my car. It doesn’t take long before a sense of impending dread crashes over me...right about the time when I see my brothers standing in front of my car.

  Fuck. Did they follow me here?

  “Don’t you guys have better things to do than track me?” I ask, pulling out my keys and seeing I have no chance of escape since Jase’s car is strategically blocking mine.

  “Yes. We do,” Jase hisses. “Plenty of important things, things that you should be just as focused on.”

  “Look, I came here because you guys are fucking pussies who don’t want to address a threat to our livelihoods. I’m the guy who’s gonna take control of it, not let it control us.”

  “Shut the fuck up and get in the car,” Phoenix nods his head toward Jase’s SUV and I get into the backseat, shutting the door just as Jase zooms out of the parking lot.

  I barely get the door closed before the attack commences.

  “You were told to stay away from Hawthorne!” Phoenix yells.

  “I needed to hear what he had to say about Montrose!” I shout back. “You guys never want to make a move anymore! What in the fuck are we turning into? We’re losing guys, losing respect, possibly losing our fucking businesses! How is sitting around on our asses going to show strength? Oh, that’s right. It’s not! Action shows strength! Why don’t you get that?”

  “You don’t have any of the answers, Xander,” Phoenix seethes. “Do you realize that by going in there you may have just completely ruined our chance to take out whoever is working with Moretti? You just tipped off the head of the beast. You think he’s gonna sit on that information and play dead? Fuck no! He’s gonna protect his own, you asshole. He’ll bury any loose ends you just flagged so he can avoid being fingered in this whole deal. He’s a seedy sonofabitch, don’t you realize that?” Phoenix clenches his teeth. “And the only reason you came here was because of Charlotte, not because of us. You’re worried about her when you should be worried about your fucking self and your own family.”

  “She’s been targeted by Rossi. Assaulted by him. Threatened by him. Charles wouldn’t put his own kid in the line of fire. He’s a dickhead, but he’s not that sadistic. He needed to know about Carl because he has to protect his daughter.”

  “Oh yeah? And how’s he gonna do that, exactly?”

  I clear my throat and stare out the window. “He asked me to keep an eye on her.”

  “How fucking convenient,” Jase drawls.

  “He knows I care about her and knows I can protect her.”

  “Great, and who’s keeping an eye on you, bro?” Jase growls. “Because I’m done with babysitting your ass.”

  “I don’t need any of this bullshit! I’m tired of being the only one who cares about the future of this family! Phoenix, I thought I could trust you. I thought you were the guy to look up to and to model myself after. But you’re not. You’re just like Dad and Jase. All sitting fucking ducks!” I shout. “Well, guess what? I’m so done with this life! I’m walking away for good. I’m taking my fucking life back!”

  Chapter 21

  Charlotte

  “Special delivery!” I hear my mom sing out as she walks into my bedroom where I am trying to study for my French exam. I wasn’t nearly as prepared for it as I wanted to be. Monday was coming up quickly and I needed to get back on track with everything. School hasn’t been enough of a priority in my shit storm of a life, but that needs to change immediately.

  Throwing my pencil down into my book to hold my place, I slam it shut and jump up to meet my smiling mother in the middle of the plush carpeting. She’s holding a huge white dress box with a beautiful blue ribbon wrapped around it.

  “I can’t believe they were able to get it here in time,” I elate, taking the package to unwrap it on my bed.

  “With the amount of money our family has spent in that store over the years, I am surprised it didn’t show up last night,” she giggles a little, watching as I pull the navy garment out. “That’s stunning.”

  I eye the elegant dress gripped in my hands for a few seconds. “It really is, isn’t it?”

  “You’re going to be the most beautiful woman in that library tonight.” Her hand lands on my shoulder making my skin ignite. After talking to my father the night before, I shut down. I turned off my phone and let my mind get lost for the fifth time on the Pequod in search of a white whale. It was a nice escape, but it was fleeting. Standing there with my mother, everything flooded back and I knew that I couldn’t keep anything from her any longer.

  As my face twists from a bright smile into a furrow of complete terror, my mother eyes me up and down.

  “Honey? What is it?” Sinking onto the bed, she pats the luxurious comforter to her right.

  I push the box back and lay out the dress at the head of my bed. Taking my seat next to her, I sigh. “I’m worried about tonight,” I admit, not able to meet my mother’s concerned gaze.

  “Worried? Why? It’s going to be wonderful. I
t’s about time this family threw a function. I have really missed having them.”

  “Has dad talked to you at all?” My voice cracks as I try to find the words to actually explain what in the hell is going on. Even though I don’t know everything. I know enough to be worried as fuck about even breathing right now.

  “Talked to me about what? Char, what is going on?”

  As her dainty fingers grab around my wrist, I finally look at her. “Someone has been following me. He has shown up a bunch of times. He was at my accident. He told me that Andrew was murdered. Dad said that he is just trying to scare me to get to him and mess with our heads because of some kind of business deal. I am just so scared, Mom. I really don’t know what to think about any of this.”

  My head falls onto her shoulder as tears spring from my eyes. She pulls me close, holding me for a moment. As the back of her fingers brush over my cheek, I feel her shudder a bit. She sucks in a deep breath, forcing it out slowly.

  “You know that you have nothing to worry about. Your father will protect you.” Her voice is shaky as she tries to comfort me.

  “Is it true? Was Andrew’s accident not really an accident?” I pull away, looking into my mother’s eyes as they grow wide. Her lips tremble a little as tears fill her eyes.

  “Your brother was killed in a car accident and that is the truth. There was no conspiracy, no murderous plot. You have to trust your father on this one. This man is just trying to scare you. Don’t let it work. Horrible men are all around us. They are jealous of our success and money. It is something that this family is no stranger to, but mark my words, they never win. The bad guys always get theirs in the end.” Pushing a long strand behind my ear, my mother’s face softens. “Now, it is time to try on your gorgeous dress and get ready for the gala. Put all of this behind you and just focus on how incredible the night is going to be.”

  “Yeah, okay,” I mutter, staring at the blue chiffon fabric sprawled out. I start to relax a little as my mother smiles at me. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I am overreacting. If my mother can be so calm about all of this, I should be, too. She has had to deal with this type of shit for years. Is that why she really started self-medicating? I don’t fucking blame her. This shit is all so damn overwhelming and stressful as hell.