23. Ambrose

Chapter twenty-three

Ambrose

" T hank you so much for your time again, Horatio."

"Thank you . The more I hear, the more impressed I am." He smiles as he shakes mine and my brother's hands. "We'll be in touch."

"Something's off about him," Adriano says the second we're alone in the elevator.

I look over at Antonio who rolls his eyes before looking over at Adriano.

"Why do you think that?" I sigh.

"Yeah? Everything he brought in is completely legit?" Antonio adds.

Adriano shrugs. "I just do."

I curse under my breath and step out of the elevator, leaving both of them behind as I walk towards my office. Adriano's gut feeling is hardly ever wrong. So for him to say that leaves a sinking feeling in my gut about what to do.

The sinking stops when a vision of pink flashes in the corner of my eye.

"Running in your time zone today?" I smirk as I step up to her desk.

She stares up at me with a scowl and her brows furrowed

"I was about to send out a search party for you." That's only partially a joke because I was genuinely concerned since she was running this late without mentioning anything .

She scoffs, "If you're pissed about a lack of caffeine, you don't need to act like a dick, I'll go get your order in sec."

My brows furrow. "Val-" It's too late, she storms off and I wonder if my joke crossed a line.

***

A coffee cup slams onto my desk half an hour later, and I look up to find a particularly pissed-off Valerie.

"Do I have to worry about this being your attempt at a salted caramel latte again?"

"Only assholes get salted caramel lattes, so figure it out for yourself." She rolls her eyes and turns to exit. Before she can even make it to the door, I grab her wrist and she stops walking.

"Take a seat, Valerie," I say, and she sighs before doing as she's told.

I close the door and turn to find her staring out the large windows blankly. "Do you ever get tired of this view?" she asks.

"I don't think I ever could. It makes me feel human, watching people live their lives and essentially watching time pass."

"It seems condescending," she says, and turns to face me with an irritated expression. Her mood is a vast contrast from Sunday evening, and especially from my dream Valerie.

"Why were you late?"

She breaks eye contact and stares out the window again. "I told Antonio I was going to be late. Ask him why he didn't pass on the message."

"I'm your boss, not Antonio."

Her brows raise and she scoffs. "Is that what you are now?"

I ignore her comment, an obvious jab at everything that happened this past weekend. Focusing on the real reason I want to speak to her. "You should be telling me. Besides, I tried to call you."

"I saw, I declined the call," she snaps, now looking at me as if it's a challenge.

"Valerie, I'm trying to have a civil discussion with you, the attitude isn't needed."

"I'm not the one questioning you about where you are every second of every day."

"I'm entitled to know that you aren't going to be at work, even though this is a favour for Antonio, that kind of information should be told to me as well."

She sighs. "I'm so fucking sick and tired of you throwing how much of a favour you're doing for me in my face."

"Val-"

"If you don't want me to work here, then fucking say that. I'm sure Alexa would jump at the opportunity to come back. Or is it taboo to fuck the same girl twice? Does it have to be a new one each time?" She stares up at me, her face red, and I'm genuinely taken aback by her outburst.

"Valerie, I didn't mean…"

"You didn't mean what, Ambrose? To pry where I don't want you involved? We aren't even friends. You treat me like shit and then the next second, you're kissing me. I'm tired and confused."

"Valerie."

"Just stop. You want to know where I was so badly? My father went in for his second hip replacement surgery and I'm fucking terrified he's not going to be okay. Plus, on top of it all, your stupid little favour is the only hope I have of trying to pay off his medical bills since the medical aid scheme refuses to."

"Valerie, I didn't know," is all I'm able to say.

"Of course, you didn't, because you don't care about anyone else but yourself, the money you make, and whatever girl you're fucking that week," she says as she stands.

"That's not true," I practically growl, my patience wearing thin.

"Can I leave now?"

I gesture toward the door not being able to say anything.

I have never cared for what the media thinks of me, or my brothers. But something about the way Valerie looked at me when she said those things felt like she was throwing years' worth of rage at me.

For the first time, I think I do care about what someone thinks of me. Her opinion of me is the only one I don't want tainted by the media's perception of me. Everything she said was true—at some point. Even three months ago I would've agreed with her, but right now deep down, I feel it. She couldn't be more wrong.

Going against Adriano's reservations, I wrap up the last of the paperwork before sending it off to Horatio for approval.

"You okay?" My mamá asks as I enter the kitchen.

Tossing my keys onto the counter, I slump into the bar stool and rest my head in my hands.

"Did you know Valerie's father was having a double hip replacement?" I ask, not lifting my head simply waiting for her answer

"I knew he was going in for a pretty major operation, yes. She didn't say exactly what kind."

"And did you know, Antonio gave her the job because she can't afford to pay the medical bills?"

Her lack of response causes me to look up from between my fingers.

"He asked me not to say anything."

I practically see red as I stare at my mother. "How can the two of you keep something like this from me? I've treated her like actual shit for the last few weeks with zero idea why she even needed the job."

She flinches back and raises a brow at me. "Watch your tone, Ambrose."

I slump back and run my fingers over my face. "She exploded at me today and told me that, along with multiple other colourful thoughts she had about me.

"Maybe you should be less upset with your brother for keeping a secret she asked him to keep, and more upset with yourself for being a straight-up asshole. "

There was one reason my mamá and papá worked, she was never afraid to tell him as it was, no matter how much it would piss him off.

"I have a lot going on right now. I'm pissed because he didn't even think about mentioning it to me. I'm pissed because she was late. I'm hurt hearing what she thinks of me. I feel guilty that I made her feel bad about it without knowing the real reason."

"You seem to care a lot about what she thinks of you."

"I do."

"I don't think you've ever cared this much about what anyone thinks of you."

"I haven't, but hearing her say those things makes me want to prove her wrong, it makes me want to be better for her."

"You have to want to be better for yourself, you know that right?" My mamá asks, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I know, but right now with everything I can't find the will to do it for myself, so I'll do it for her." I stare blankly at my hands in front of me, and I question how much good they've done versus how much bad they've done.

"Well, before you do that, you may want to apologise first."

"I don't even know where to start," I sigh.

"You'll know, but make sure whatever you do, that it's genuine."

She kisses the top of my head and I allow myself to enjoy the feeling, remembering a time long before all this became my reality. When being a mama's boy was my favourite thing to do.

"Have you told her how you feel about her yet?"

"No." As the word leaves my mouth, I realise what I've said. I didn't even hesitate about my response, as if my mind knew before I could even process the question itself.

I do have feelings for Valerie, and they all punch me in the gut at once after the realisation.

"I suggest you do that sometime soon as well," my mamá says as she leaves me alone with the avalanche of thoughts she started.