“Mr. Walsh, your father and I were close associates. We did business together for many years. It is because of this I agreed to do business with your brother. I decided not to hold against you breaking the Cash-End contract. But I am a businessman. I cannot allow sentiment to distract me from my principles. I do not practice favoritism. No. All clients must be treated equally. Therefore, you will continue to repay under the existing terms, or you will pay the early repayment penalty. If you do not, you will suffer the consequences.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Of course. A traditional bank would threaten you too. The means at their disposal that is the law is not available to me. So, I will have to use means that are…how you say…extraneous of the law. Do you get my meaning?”
“I’m not afraid of you, Mr. Lebedev. You can threaten all you want. You can send your thugs at me. You don’t scare me one bit.”
Alexei laughed a long time. “You don’t fear me, eh? Sergey, do you hear he does not fear me.” Sergey, the burly guard, chuckled briefly. “Walsh, I don’t know if to applaud your bravery or pity your stupidity. Nonetheless, you have heard my terms. You are now free to make your choice. Sergey, show Mr. Walsh to the exit. We are done here. By the way, give my regards to your girlfriend. Leiliana Lamport, is it? Such a pretty girl. It would be such a shame if anything were to happen to her.”
The raw fear that gripped Gabriel at that veiled threat to Leiliana’s life, almost caused his knees to buckle. But in the next breath, the fear was replaced by blinding rage. Who did this man think he was?
He pivoted and came up against the solid muscle that was Sergey. In two quick jabs, Gabriel had laid him out on the floor. And was met with four guns trained at him. Alexei met his gaze with clinical interest.
“Careful, Mr. Walsh. Who will protect Miss Lamport if you’re dead? Eh?”
That statement helped him to reign in his temper. He decided to change tactics.
“Miss Lamport means nothing to me,” he said.
Lebedev laughed. “Of course, I can see that. Let us pretend one moment, however, that she does. Then to ensure her safety, you will get me my money.”
Gabriel was so angry he could not speak at first. He just glared as his chest heaved. He fought to get his anger under an acceptable level of control.
“I want you to know, Mr. Lebedev, that there is a God above, and he will judge you and your deeds one day.”
“Perhaps,” Lebedev said with a shrug. “But there is a god below. Me. I have the power today to determine whether you live or die. So play nice. You are quickly eroding the goodwill I extended to you because of your father.”
Chapter 23
W hen Gabriel let himself into his apartment, the magnitude of the situation hit him. His knees buckled, and he sank to the floor.
How angry he was at his father right now. He felt a renewed sense of outrage and disgust for the man who had sired him. To think that he could be an ‘associate,’ a ‘dear associate,’ as Lebedev had said, of a ruthless man like that.
It was in this mood of angry frustration that Leiliana found him.
His doorbell rang, and he startled. It occurred to him that one of Lebedev’s thugs had followed him home. He sprang to his feet, fists balled at his side ready to give them a reception they would not soon forget. But when he looked through the peephole, he was surprised to see Leiliana.
At first, he felt joy surge through him, but then the events of that night came back to him, and his heart was heavy. It was because of her association with him that Leiliana’s life was in danger. Therefore, he had to distance himself from her. At least until this thing with Lebedev was sorted out.
Fear loaded him down until he couldn’t think straight. He struggled to trust God but felt that he needed to deal with things himself.
He took a deep breath and opened the door. He knew if he told Leiliana the truth, she would say that she would stick by him. He couldn’t let her do that. He wanted her as far away from him as possible until this situation with the Lebedevs was resolved. He had to somehow convince her that she should stay away from him.
As soon as she stepped into the room, she wrapped her arms around him. It took all of his will not to return her warm embrace. Oh, how he wanted to sink into her now. To bury his nose in her hair and savor her warmth. To pour out his heart and share his burdens with her.
But that was dangerous and counter-productive to what he needed to achieve.
So he stood there like a stone until eventually, her hands loosened, and she glanced up at him questioningly.
“Gabe, what’s wrong?”
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Is that any way to greet me?’ she asked with a laugh. “I realized I missed you too much. I had some business in New York, so I used that as an excuse to come see you. As though I needed one.”
“I see.”
Her smile began to droop, and she stared at him with such confused eyes that he felt sick to his stomach for deceiving her.
She looked unsure of herself. She swallowed and looked past him into the room. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“I’m tired. I was about to go to bed.”
She finally seemed to give in to her desperation. “Gabriel, what’s going on? Why are you acting this way? Where have you been? You smell of smoke and liquor. Have you been to a bar? Have you been drinking?” she asked.
“I’ve been to Platinum Dolls.” She was so innocent that she didn’t seem to understand what type of place that was. “It’s a gentleman’s club. There were lots of strippers there.”
She watched him for a moment like she wasn’t sure if he was serious or kidding. Then she realized he was serious. She took a step back and pressed her hand to her chest as the blood receded from her face. The hurt in her eyes almost broke his heart.
“You went to a strip club? B…but why?”
He laughed harshly. “You should see your face. Why do you look so alarmed? Perhaps you thought better of me?”
“Gabriel, what’s gotten into you? This isn’t like you.”
“How do you know? You’ve known me for just a few weeks, really.”
She seemed to digest this. When she looked up at him, tears were in her eyes, and so was doubt that tore at him. “I thought I knew you,” she said softly.
“Well, you were wrong, then. You don’t know me at all. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
“I suppose not.”
“That’s right, little lassie. It’s time to face facts. You are a princess, and I’m just riff-raff. I’m no good for you. It’s time for us to stop pretending and end things before someone gets hurt.”
To his surprise, instead of turning and leaving, her back straightened, and her nostrils flared.
“Are you breaking up with me?” she asked, chest heaving and amber eyes blazing.
“Breaking up is rather a dramatic term for something that barely was.”
The slap across his face from her open hand perhaps would have stung more if he didn’t welcome the pain.
“How dare you! How dare you speak to me in this manner! How dare you deceive me like this!” She began to beat against his chest. “You told me you loved me. You said you wanted a future with me. You liar!” She continued to beat against his chest until he held her arms and imprisoned her. He could stoically stand by and take her lashes, but it was when she collapsed against him, her body wracking with sobs that he lost it.
He could take her anger, but he couldn’t deal with this. Leiliana’s sadness and vulnerability were like kryptonite to superman. He was powerless to stop himself from hugging her close, and when she turned her tear-stained face up to him, the desire to taste her became almost primal. He locked lips with her and plunged his hands into her hair. When she moaned, he felt as though he would explode. He kept on kissing her. He lifted her in his arms with his lips still locked with hers and headed into the bedroom. He dropped her into the bed and joined her ther
e.
When he began to kiss her neck, relishing the feel of her, she arched her back and moaned his name. He read the warning bells going off in his spirit. He knew he should stop. But he really didn’t want to. He returned his mouth to her lips as his hands caressed her body. Oh, how he wanted her. He wanted her right now. At this moment, he didn’t care what happened.
But the Holy Spirit wouldn’t let him.
He thought about how much this woman meant to him. If he used her to satisfy his lust, he would be dishonoring her. But, more importantly, he would be dishonoring God.
He broke away from her and swung his body to the side of the bed.
She came up behind him and laid her head against his back.
“Why did you stop?” she asked innocently. “We were just kissing.”
He covered her hand with his own. “Because it was the right thing to do. If we had continued, it would have become very dangerous.”
He felt her nod her head. “You’re right.” Then, as though remembering his harsh words to her earlier, she began to pull away. He tightened his hold on her.
“Don’t go. I’ve got something to tell you. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to make you leave me for your own safety, but I’m too weak to do that. I can’t let you go.”
Then he told her the threats Lebedev had made. Wary, he allowed his head to fall against the headboard.
She rested her head on his chest and embraced him. “Honey, we’ll figure this out. I can borrow the money from dad—”
“No!” he shouted, his head jerking forward.
She looked up at him in alarm.
“I didn’t mean to shout, Leiliana, but that’s the last thing I want. I couldn’t bear for your father to know about this. It took a lot to get him to trust me as it is. No.”
“But, Gabriel, we can’t keep this from him. We are working on this merger right now. This is going to have implications for that. Lamport Holdings will not merge with a company that owes money to the mafia.”
“Of course. You’re right. I can only think of one thing to do.”
“What’s that?”
“I have to pay Lebedev. To keep you safe, I have to give him the money he asked for.”
“But that’s extortion, Gabriel. I don’t agree with giving him that money. Just pay him what you owe.”
“He won’t accept it, Leiliana. He will insist I owe him more, and when I don’t pay, he will come after me.”
“Just let him try it.”
It surprised him how gutsy this girl was.
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“I’m tempted to be afraid, but every time I am, I remember who my strong defender is. I’m reminded that God did not give us a spirit of fear but one of love, courage, and a sound mind. Who is Lebedev? He is nothing compared to Almighty God.”
Gabriel almost chuckled. She was right. Why should he give in to this man? But then he remembered the ruthless look on the man’s face when he mentioned Leiliana.
He bowed his head. If it were just him, he would take Lebedev on but not with Leiliana caught in the crosshairs of this man.
“I’m going to pay him, Leiliana. I don’t agree with what he is doing, but they are his terms. I’m going to give him what he asks.”
“But where are you going to get that kind of money to repay him?”
“I’ve been thinking. I can sell you all my shares in JJ Inc. and sell my house on the bluff. I keep getting offers for it. The last one was for $10 million. Then I can sell the company jet. That should get me around $6 million. Once I do that, I believe I can pay Lebedev the $30 million he wants.”
Leiliana grasped his arm and stared at him in horror. “But, Gabe, the shares in JJ Inc.? After all your efforts? And your house? Your inheritance? You love that house.”
“It doesn’t matter. I need to get out of this. That man threatened your life. I can’t put your life in danger. I would die if anything happened to you. I will pay him whatever he wants. You mean more to me than my business or my house. That’s the simple truth.” He was suddenly overcome, and he reached out and enfolded her in his embrace. With her face pressed to his chest, he began to stroke her hair. “Oh, baby. I’ve made such a mess of everything. I tried so hard to get out from under Dad’s misdeeds, and now I am embroiled in them. How could I have been such an idiot!”
She pushed against him so she could look up into his face. Pulling her arm from between their pressed bodies, she cupped his cheek. “Gabe, the only thing you did wrong was trust your brother. How were you to know he would do something like this?”
“I should have been more careful. Something like this wouldn’t have happened to you.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. It’s going to be okay.”
“Will you please purchase the company?”
She hesitated for a second, then nodded. “I’ll speak to dad. I’ll have to let him know the reason why you’re selling, Gabe. I’m not going to lie, and certainly not to my father.”
He sighed. “Of course not. I would never ask you to do that. Tell him. I’ll deal with whatever fall out there is.”
“Gabe, I’m concerned, though, that this might not be the end. I don’t trust that man. Didn’t you mention a separate loan for the tidal energy project? Did you discuss that with him?”
“I’m going to give him back his money. He can’t hold me to an agreement if I return his money to him.”
“We need to pray about this, honey. We shouldn’t lean on our own understanding.”
He sighed deeply and shook his head. “You know all I’ve done since this happened was lean on my own understanding.” He gave a humorless laugh. “Thank God for you. Thank God for allowing you to remind me that I am not alone in this. You’re right, Leia.” He grasped her hand. “Let’s pray.”
~*~*~*~
Having prayed and found his soul quieted by the Holy Spirit despite the circumstance, Gabriel decided that he would meet with Lord Lamport himself and inform him about the situation. He was no coward who would hide behind his woman.
He flew back to England with Leiliana, and they went straight away to Belfield Manor. Gabriel met with Lord Lamport after requesting a private audience with him.
They met in Lord Lamport’s home office. He sat behind a large oak desk, and Gabriel sat in front of him. Gabriel was a little unnerved when he watched him with those piercing blue eyes. He decided to just pray and ask God to give him courage.
Gabriel shared with him everything he had told Leiliana, with the exception that he had gone to Platinum Dolls. There were limits to the baring of one’s soul.
When Gabriel was done, William Lamport said, “Thank you for confiding in me, Gabriel. It is to your credit that you have come clean to me about the state of your business affairs. That took great moral courage.” He smiled slightly, though it was not with amusement so much as sympathy and understanding. “I believe that in your haste to prove yourself and distance yourself from your father’s reputation, Gabriel, you made some unwise business decisions. You trusted where you shouldn’t have as well and were not as careful as you should have been. I believe you when you say that you knew nothing of your brother’s dealings with the Russian mafia and that you sincerely want to get out of this arrangement.” Here Lord Lamport paused and gave a long sigh. “I caution you, however, that things with that group are rarely so simple. I acknowledge your desire to sell your house and jet, as well as your shares in JJ Inc. I want to make you an offer, however, that allows you to keep them all.” He stared Gabriel in his eyes for a couple minutes. “I am prepared to give you the money to pay Mr. Lebedev as well as to settle the bank loan for the building project.”
“Sir, I can’t accept that,” Gabriel interrupted, holding up a hand.
“Please allow me to finish,” Lord Lamport said slowly.
“Sorry, sir,” Gabriel mumbled.
“As I was saying. We are currently seeking to conduct a merger between JJ Inc., which you still own, and Lamport Holdings Inc. Th
e sale of approximately 40% of those shares will provide you with a solid cash advance with which you can purchase the remaining 10% from Dot Judd. I believe you should seek to do so. Secondly, I will authorize Lamport Financial Corp to loan you $100 million, at the low-interest rate available to family members and employees, certainly nowhere in the ballpark of the 50% offered by A.L. Finance. This loan will enable you to pay off the bank loan as well as repay Mr. Lebedev. The loan advance will also provide the capital expenditure injection you require to grow your business. This additional expenditure cannot easily be funded by more debt unless it is a debt with a low-interest rate like the one I am offering to you.”
Gabriel was speechless for several minutes after Lord Lamport was finished. He couldn’t believe that he was being rescued like this. It seemed too simple.
“Why…why are you doing this?”
Lord Lamport looked a little reflective for a moment as though he was searching his heart to be sure of his motives. Then he said, “I am doing it because I believe that you are a bright, energetic young man who has been trying his level best to set wrong things right. You made some mistakes along the way, but I get the feeling that you will learn from them. I admire your desire to do the right thing when you went to the FBI even though it came at tremendous sacrifice to you and almost cost your freedom. This shows me that you are a person of integrity. I respect that. Because of this, I am investing in you.”
“I…I don’t know what to say.”
“A simple thank you would suffice.”
~*~*~*~
In the days that ensued, Gabriel attended a series of meeting with Lamport Financials officials to get the paperwork ready for the loan. In the meantime, he did not attempt to get into contact with Lebedev. He fired Patrick and promoted the finance manager to his role. Having learned from his experience with Patrick, he scrutinized the man’s work carefully and, under the tutelage of Lord Lamport, began to understand financial terms and their implications.
His relationship with Leiliana blossomed and grew. All he could think about in his spare moments was how much he wanted to make her his wife. He told himself that he should wait until he had repaid his debt to Lebedev to propose to her. But every time he had to break off their kisses because he was getting too charged up, he felt that the delay was unnecessary. He loved her, and she felt the same way about him. There was no need to wait for a perfect time because that would never come.
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