Chapter 19

Stavros

“Did you handle the business I asked of you?” I asked the family attorney, and not Nico. While my younger brother was our Consigliere, we kept an arm’s length with regard to our corporate dealings. Fortunately, we’d yet to need a criminal attorney and I planned on keeping it that way.

Instead we used a firm, paying them a hefty retainer to keep them on a short leash.

And silent.

I’d asked one simple request, or so I’d thought. Jeffrey Taylor had started becoming a pain in my family’s ass. This wasn’t the first time he’d failed his deadline. I’d learned a long time ago that there wasn’t anything money couldn’t buy, usually including loyalty. However, his actions as of late had been troubling by anyone’s standards.

He wasn’t on the take, at least from what my people had learned. Maybe I’d been testing him with one last request before talking to Phoenix about his actions becoming less scrupulous. It wasn’t that attorneys couldn’t cross the line. In truth, we needed those who could fight in the gray areas so our family could handle business our way.

Something was off with him.

“You don’t understand, Stavros. The dude who owns the building is connected. I feel it in my gut.”

“To?”

He laughed nervously. “I don’t know, but as soon as I made your offer,” he laughed. Then he threatened me.”

I was taken aback. “How?”

“He mentioned shit about my business, my family. Hell, even my old college girlfriend. He then hung up on me after cursing me out. Thirty minutes later, he called me back, managing to find my private number when it’s listed as unknown. His attitude was completely different at that point, telling me the offer was generous, even apologizing for what he’d said earlier. That’s not normal.”

“No, it isn’t,” I growled. “What else?”

“Well, he had the contract signed within thirty minutes, a copy emailed and I expect a courier to deliver the real physical copy in the morning bright and early. I’ve wired him a deposit, but I don’t trust him enough to send the entire amount until it goes through a typical real estate closing, including doing a full appraisal and inspection.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way, although I do want the sale expedited.”

“It’s New York, Mr. Diamondis. Things take time.”

“Find a way.”

He sighed for the second time. “I’ll try my best.”

What in the hell was going on? The question was getting old. “You do that, and I want every scrap of information on the owner sent to me immediately.”

“That’s not much,” Jeff insisted. “At first he seemed like some jackoff slumlord, but there’s more to it.”

Was it possible I’d been lured to the very area where her veterinary clinic was located? “I don’t care what it is. I need everything fucking scrap of info. What is the asshole’s name?”

“Rocky Salvatore.”

“Fine. Send everything when you can.”

“I will but I wanted to talk to you anyway, although it is late at night. Maybe you can swing by the office tomorrow.”

“For what reason? I need to know now.”

His hesitation was just enough to piss me off. “You’re going to need to find another firm to represent your family. We’re going in a different direction.”

I rubbed my jaw, laughing from his announcement. “A different direction.”

“Yeah. We’re going to be representing a conglomerate who will need every available hand to take care of their business.”

There was no point in arguing. However, I had the feeling there was no coincidence with the timing. “Fine, Jeff. We’ll terminate our relationship. But it won’t be without consequences.”

I ended the call, immediately texting Phoenix that we’d need to talk the next day. What in the hell was really going on?

Before I headed up for the night, I made one last phone call.

“Do you fucking ever sleep?” Christos growled.

“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

“Famous last words. What do you need, cuz?”

“Information on a thug out of New York.”

“Who is he?”

“The fucking pervert who owned the building where Jenna’s clinic is.”

“O-kay. Should I ask why?”

“Just find out if he’s connected to anyone. His name is Rocky Salvatore.”

“I’ll get you what I can. Tomorrow good enough?” he laughed. “I thought you’d be snuggled up tight with that hottie you kidnapped given what happened at the club.”

“Very funny. The morning will be fine. Just make certain I have something.”

“Okay, boss. I’m on it.”

I just hoped he was. I didn’t want to feel the need to remind who worked for whom. The entire conversation with Jeff bothered the hell out of me. However, if he was connected, he might have been prodded into selling for a less than acceptable reason.

After shoving my hands into my pockets, I realized that the girl sleeping in my bed had managed to change my method of thinking in a couple of days. I could only imagine what she would do in a week or three.

Priceless.

Her sudden change in demeanor, even if it was for only one night was priceless, the way she’d fed me the first bite of pizza endearing. Gooey cheese had dripped down my chin and without hesitation, she’d run her long finger through it, gathering every tiny scrap and driving it into her mouth.

I’d almost taken her to the bathroom right then and there, fucking like animals without asking for her approval. Not that I would anyway. I laughed as I poured us both a glass of wine, checking messages first to ensure I hadn’t missed anything.

Everything appeared to be normal, even quiet. Nico had purposely gone from one casino to another, ensuring the customers were having a good time. Atlas had already headed off to our other businesses, warehouses storing the various weapons we sold, to ensure there were no break-ins or other issues.

I was more troubled from nothing occurring than if I’d heard there was a battle brewing. To me, it was the quiet before the storm. Our family had been through it before, some asshole enemy thinking they could lie in wait, then advance like an army. They’d underestimated our capabilities and the number of soldiers we had working for the regime. They also had no clue how tight our security system truly was.

As I moved into the small communications room, one of several on my estate and also at Nico’s and Phoenix’s houses, my thoughts continued to shift back to Jenna. She’d awakened something inside of me, allowing some of the darkness to fade. I’d found myself enjoying the night more than I had any in… years. That was telling in and of itself.

She’d seemed youthful, which of course she was. She’d seemed happy, which was the biggest shock of all. And she’d seemed amorous, which I’d adored. The way she’d acted in the back of the SUV kept me electrified even now.

I took a sip of wine as I flicked on the various large screens, switching to having a dozen cameras on each one. With the infrared settings and the hair trigger alarms, it was virtually impossible to break into our corporate headquarters or anywhere else. The employees and soldiers who worked at the various locations were screened thoroughly, including having our hackers get into their phones and emails, bank accounts and friends’ lists. Before they stepped foot on any one of our properties, we knew them inside and out.

However, that didn’t mean there weren’t ways of convincing our good people to betray our family and the loyalty we demanded. Or for there to be a crack thief who knew of a way to shut down our systems or mirror them. That was widely known as a resourceful way of breaking into a bank or handling an art heist. I laughed as I shifted my gaze from one screen to another.

All was quiet.

Too quiet.

My gut told me it was only a matter of time until something happened. What that would be was the question. However, I wasn’t the kind of man to spend hours or days worrying about it. When Jenna had asked me how I could live this kind of life, my answer had been truthful. As if every day was my last. It was a shame that I hadn’t followed my own advice. I simply wasn’t good at that.

Another smile crossed my lips, my cock pressing against my trousers. I couldn’t wait another minute before ravaging her again. Only this time, I’d take her my way. The thought was delicious and very evil. But I had toys, more like implements of pain leading to pleasure. Perhaps this was the night to bring them out.

And I wasn’t just talking about handcuffs.

I grabbed the bottle and both glasses of cabernet, heading out of my office. I’d kept the monitors on for later, although I’d be made aware if there was any breach of security by the sound of the alarm.

As I took the stairs two at a time, I wondered if she’d slipped into something romantic. Was it crazy to think that we could continue enjoying each other’s company? Maybe, and I wasn’t the kind of guy to believe in love at first sight or even after a few weeks. To me, love was something that occurred only after you’d spent a lengthy amount of time together.

Not that I was some expert.

The single time I’d allow myself to fall, I’d been way too young and hopeful of changing the world. Right. That hadn’t worked out well, the ugliness of what had occurred leaving more than just a bitter taste in my mouth.

It had nearly crushed me.

When I walked into the bedroom, I was surprised she wasn’t posing or jumping out of the shadows. I placed everything on the nightstand before something caught my eye. She’d casually placed the dress on the floor, her heels close by. While I still had her panties in my pocket, there was enough of a trail leading to the partially closed bathroom door that I was instantly fully aroused.

Before yanking off my jacket, I tugged her crimson thong into my fingers, bringing the lacy material to my face and inhaling. Goddamn, she smelled sweet, the powerful aphrodisiac pulling me into the moment more than before. And the taste of her, Jesus. It was something men would lay down their life to have.

Me included.

I tossed my jacket onto the chair, tossing the unwanted tie next, pitching my shoes and socks onto the floor. After grabbing the two glasses of wine in one hand, I headed toward the bathroom, noticing a flicker of light before I used my index finger to push open the door. The designer I’d hired had insisted on an oversized claw-foot bathtub that until now, I’d never used. It wasn’t my thing. A quick shower either here or at the gym was my usual method of cleaning.

Relaxing was something you did when you retired.

But seeing Jenna soaking in a tub full of bubbles, candles placed everywhere as the only light in the room, I was thrown by the need to simply bask in her beauty. I remained in the doorway as she hummed to whatever jazz piece was playing, completely content with being where she was.

My mother and both sisters had told me that the problem with the Diamondis boys was that we’d never learned how to appreciate the simple things in life. Taking a walk on the beach. Sitting down to watch a movie with popcorn. Eating pizza on a moonlit night. And even taking a relaxing bath.

Wouldn’t they be proud of this moment?

She didn’t see me at first, keeping her eyes closed. I was able to enjoy the scene in an entirely different way. As she lifted her leg, rubbing a hand down from her knee to her still painted toes, I was struck by the fact she could manage to shove aside her hatred and distrust of me for even one night.

Or was she playing me?

I’d seen the look in her eyes, as if she was going to ply me with acts of seduction. I’d been trained in what to look for by both my father and by Phoenix. However, it seemed all had faded into the shadows when my older brother had lost his shit over a single woman. Maybe the rest of the family, including our father, had changed ways.

The strange truth was that I’d never seen my father fawn over any of our girlfriends ever before. In fact, he’d been spot on about the gold-diggers and chicks who just wanted to have their pictures in the paper. My brothers and I had laughed at that but he’d proven himself one hundred percent of the time.

But the moment Whitney had walked into Phoenix’s life, after the initial phase of wondering who the fuck she was had worn off, Pops had fawned over her like she was the best thing in the world next to peanut butter. He’d purchased her fucking thirty-thousand-dollar wedding dress, insisting the two of them have the best of everything for their wedding. I had no idea how much money had been spent on that lavish affair, but it had appeased some beast inside the man.

Now my parents seemed happier than ever in their retirement. The damn pictures they’d sent while enjoying traveling through Europe had been as if they were teenagers again.

I made some sound from the thoughts running through my mind, and it caught Jenna’s attention, the slow turn of her head followed by a drag of her tongue across her bottom lip. Man, that gesture could turn me on like no other. I walked further into the room as she curled her arms over the edge of the tub.

“You’re dressed. Not acceptable,” she cooed.

“Mmm… Well, you didn’t prepare me for what you were doing.”

“Not my job. I thought you could read minds.”

She made me laugh more than I had in a long time. I placed the wine on the ledge near the bathtub, barely able to fit the two crystal stems given the number of candles she’d found and lit. I grinned before hunkering down beside her. “Of course I can read minds. Why do you think I’m so rich and powerful?”

“Rich, powerful, and very possessive. Then what am I thinking, tough guy?” Using just her pinky, she trailed it down the front of my neck to my shirt, pressing the tip between two still fastened buttons.

“Well, you’re thinking how surprised you are that you can’t continue to go through with your plan.”

“What plan is that?”

I leaned over, kissing her lips on purpose, whispering my thoughts in a dark, husky voice. “That you were going to seduce me, have me start to trust you, then find the perfect way of escaping. Only you obviously underestimated my prowess, my level of power, and the fact I do so enjoy tying down my possessions if they dare try and run away. And you, my darling girl, are mine to play with as I see fit.”

There was a catch in her breath, a slight whimper that only I could hear to allow me to know I was right. When I pulled back, there was also a hint of fear in her eyes. She wasn’t certain what I would do. “I, um… Look. I appreciate you taking care of me, returning to the clinic when you were certain something was wrong, but I can’t just live like this. Shopping. Do you have any idea how much money was spent? I need to work, to earn my place in life. I need animals. I crave independence. I need to be me.”

“That is understood. You’ll have a life back but do not try and escape. I will find you.”

“You’re angry.”

“That you didn’t go with it or that you were prepared to ignore my rules?”

She opened her mouth to answer before a quick flush shifted up her cheeks.

“Relax, my enchanted one. I’m not angry with you. I anticipated what you might do. If you hadn’t thought about finding a way to escape, I would have believed you weren’t being truthful with me. As you’ve reminded me more than once, I did capture you and I’m keeping you against your will.”

She swallowed hard, darting her eyes back and forth. “You can’t blame a girl for trying. However, I did enjoy tonight more than I thought I would.”

“Mmm… And so did I. Why don’t you enjoy your bath then come join me?”

As she gave me a pouting look, she wrapped her fingers around my shirt. And I’ll be damned if the feisty girl didn’t manage to drag me into the water with ease fully dressed.

The little vixen.