“Maybe I can get a loan from the bank, maybe we both …”
“No, it won’t be enough,” my father says, hanging his head in shame.
“Why? How could you let it go that far?” I ask, suddenly realizing it wasn’t just him that allowed it. He was tempted to continue on and on. “What else do they have on you? What proof do they have of the horrible things I know you had to have done?”
“They showed me pictures, video, some of me placing bets, some of me taking bribes to help pay my debt, and some of me … with professional women,” my father says, picking up a package to hand to me. I take it and begin to look through it and find the last pictures of Aaron, blindfolded and badly beaten.
What are my options? Who do I have to go to for help? Can Dace help me without blowing his cover? He has money, I know he does, but can he get Ettore to release Aaron without getting himself killed? I’m not sure. Still, I need to talk to him. He will know what to do. He knows his brother much better than me.
“You stay here and wait to hear from them, and let me know if you do. I’m going to go see what I can do,” I say to my father.
“Are you going to go talk to Michael? He would help you, I know it. He loves you. He would do anything for you, and if anyone has the power to clean this up and make it go away, it’s him,” my father presses annoyingly.
“Right now, all I know is that I don’t want to hear your opinion or advice on anything. I really don’t want to hear your mouth open to me until I ask you a question.” I leave him in his dark room, whimpering over his failures, his problems, and his sorrow. It has always been about him, and now all of his egotistical ways have devoured not only his wife but his own children. I’m not sure what to do, so like I always do when Aaron isn’t available, I go and see Billy.
I can barely contain my horror when I walk into the ICU and see him. As expected, there are cops everywhere. My presence is expected, as well as my emotions; however, it is still hard to face all my fellow officers knowing I could help them get the fuck that did this. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a man walk by, and I look over and see the boots I have been looking for. Rowen is on the elevator and gone before I can say anything to him, but I know now he had something to do with this. I collapse in a chair next to Billy’s bed and take his hand. “What am I going to do Billy? I need you to be here. I need you and Aaron both. I am so sorry this happened, but I’m going to fix it, and I promise you, I’m going to get that fuck,” I whisper.
“Austin, honey, are you okay.” Michael peeks his head into the room with a sympathetic expression. “I heard what happened, and I was afraid you might have been caught it in the mess, too. Have they found your brother yet?” I shake my head, and he leans over me with a warm hug. It feels good for someone to care, but for some reason, I am suspicious of why he is here, not that I should be. It is perfectly reasonable for him to show up for the press at least, but still, he’s here and at the same time as Rowen?
Billy’s family is with him now, so I go home and wait for Dace to come home, but the later it gets, the more desperate I become. I even try calling him from Preston’s phone. He doesn’t answer, and he doesn’t return my call. He doesn’t seem to be anywhere. What’s happening? Where is he? Desperation sets in, and I go to his penthouse, only I find some men guarding his place.
“Can I help you?” one says with a harden glare.
“I was looking for Dace Colletto.”
“Mr. Colletto left town,” he says, looking back over my shoulder as if his response should have satisfied me.
“What? When? For how long?”
“Miss, please, Mr. Colletto is handling business out of town. There is no set time for him to return. Now, if you don’t mind?” he says, waving his hand back at the elevator for me to leave.
Nodding, I turn around and walk into the elevator, dazed. Why would he do this? He went back to his friends. He must have had enough. I thought we were going to leave together. Did he have something to do with this? NO. No, why would he leave without a word said to me? I walk into my condo and immediately collapse to the ground. Preston runs to me and tries to help me up, all the while nervously asking if I’m okay, but I have no voice, no energy to speak, so he calls someone to help or at least tries. Aaron, of course, isn’t available, neither is Billy. Dace is nowhere to be found, and my father is in such a desperate state that he is too scared to answer his own phone. I guess I can’t blame Preston for what he does next, who he decides to depend on for help. I mean, he thinks he is helping me, and maybe, just maybe, he is.
Michael shows up on his white horse, picks me up, and carries me to the safety of his home where one of his physicians can look me over, all the while holding me and trying to coax me into telling him what’s wrong.
“I tried calling everyone I could think of for her, but no one is answering. I wasn’t sure what else to do. If I call 911, they will report it and possibly cause problems for her at work,” Preston says as Michael runs his fingers through my hair and his hand down my back. His comforting touch soothes the pain enough for me to see him and return his smile. I have no options anymore. I only have him, and maybe I can solve everything with …him.
“Michael … I need your help.”
Chapter 24
Austin
Michael has been wonderful, supportive, understanding, and dogmatic in his efforts to get my brother back. During the process, he’s done everything he can to make me smile and give me what he thinks I want. You couldn’t want for a better man … they keep telling me. Love will come over time, my father says. Maybe. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe I’m a fool for questioning what seemingly is a perfect situation for me. I stand and look over myself in the mirror. The modest white dress fits nicely on me, it’s not overly feminine but something I am sure Michael will love for the press pictures he is having shot after the wedding.
“You look beautiful,” my father says, stepping into the room.
I turn towards him with a pointed glare. “You don’t get the right to speak to me with any happiness in your voice. You don’t get to feel good about anything. I despise you and everything you have done,” I say to him before walking out and taking Preston’s arm. I walk out into Michael’s large party room and walk up on Michael greeting someone happily.
“I am so glad you could make it back in time,” Michael exclaims.
“In time for what?”
“I’m getting married.”
“Married? To who?” Dace asks as I step out and stare at him in horror.
“Oh there’s my beautiful bride,” Michael says, taking my hand. “We better hurry. The pastor only has an hour before he has to get back to the church,” Michael says as he escorts me into the overly flower-adorned room. I look back over my shoulder and look into Dace’s eyes, seeing nothing but betrayal staring back at me.
I don’t even remember the ceremony, the words said, or the papers signed. I don’t remember anything until we are dancing and I am suddenly handed off to one brother and to the next until there is no one left but Dace. The touch of his hand sparks the longing for him that I had hoped was taken over by the fury and the rejection I have felt for him. Unlucky me, his masculine scent, strong hands, soft lips, and the waves of his hair touching my cheek as he leans in for a respectful kiss, they are all so tempting that it’s impossible to hate him. Then, I see it, the hatred I felt for him is now in his eyes, and I’m not sure what to say anymore. The things I have wanted to say since he left now all seem wrong. “I …”
“Shut up,” he says with a forceful smile. “I have nothing to say to you, and I don’t want to hear your voice or your explanation for anything. Three weeks. I was gone for three weeks, and despite my brother’s advice, I tried calling you a million times, and now I guess I know why you never answered.”
I suddenly realize my phone hasn’t rang in weeks. I haven’t even gotten so much as a text from anyone. I have been so concerned about my brother and why Dace left that I hadn’t no
ticed. I have made countless calls out, but none came in. Shaking my head. “No, Dace, I …”
“Shut the fuck up,” he huffs, looking down at me with a controlled anger. “Enjoy fucking my brother, Austin.” He lets go of me and nearly shoves me back at Michael.
“Hey, Sweetheart. I have a surprise for you,” Michael says as I follow the wave of his hand and see my brother.
“Aaron!” I run to him and wrap my arms around him so tight that he has to adjust my grip so he can breathe.
“Hi, Knothead. Good to see you again, or what I can see of you.” Aaron’s wounds are clear, despite them cleaning him up for the occasion. “I wish you hadn’t of done this for me. You should have just given them the notebook.”
“They said this was about father’s gambling debts. I thought that sounded wrong.”
“Yeah, it was a good excuse to take me and beat me until I could tell them where the notebook was, but they must have figured out that I don’t know where it is. I never told him, Austin, but I have a bad feeling they know you have it and that’s why you were set up to do this. They have you living within their walls. I don’t like this at all.”
“I know what I am doing, Aaron. This will be good for both of us. I’m a Colletto now, so everything has to work out for me, right?”
“So you love him, Michael, I mean? If everything works out for a Colletto, then you must be in love with him.”
I grasp his face, gently stroking the marks near his right eye. “Everything is fine. I’m fine, especially now that I know you’re okay. That’s all that matters. I lay my head against him and do my best to hold back my tears. No one sees me cry, a promise I made to myself when this all started. No one will get that satisfaction. “I will make sure they pay for what they did to you, Billy, and our mother.”
“We. We will make sure. You understand me? It’s you and me kid, as always, it’s you and me.” I nod silently, still pressed hard against my brother’s chest. I look up at Dace who eyes us with a puzzled expression. I think briefly that he might give me a nod, anything, something to tell me that he doesn’t hate me, but he shakes his head, grabs his coat, and leaves, racing off the estate with a roar of his bike.
Chapter 25
Dace
I was gone three weeks. I nearly went mad, and I was at one of the most serene and beautiful places in the world, but none of it mattered because I couldn’t be with her. Three weeks, and I come back here to find her marrying my brother after spending so much time trying to figure out ways to call her without anyone knowing how to find me. Three weeks, and suddenly Ettore says I’m good to come back. Good to come back? The cops still showed up at my door to greet me. They still questioned me as if they are never going to give up on arresting me. If not for Ettore’s attorney, I would be sitting in jail right now. I thought maybe I could go to Michael and get him to use his connections to get them to back off, but instead, I walk in and find her, marrying my …” I pick up a vase from my table and slam it against the wall. “My fucking brother! Are you kidding me?!”
“Still upset, huh?” Antony says, following me into my place.
“Fuck you!”
“Don’t take it out on me. I had nothing to do with it. I didn’t even know about it until yesterday when they asked me to come. The whole thing is very strange.”
I point to him. “This is your fault. I would have never met her if not for you.”
“Me?! It’s not my fault.” I shake my head at him until he begins to nod. “Alright, I guess it is.” I crash into my chair, resting my pounding head into my hands. “What are you going to do?”
“What can I do? There’s nothing I can do. I just need to finish this bullshit with Ettore and then get the fuck out of here. Go back to my life,” I say, thinking hard until I realize he hasn’t responded. I look up at him as he snarls at me. “Now what’s your problem?”
“You know there is more than just you suffering in this crazy family. No matter the rest of the family, I would like to think you would want to be around for me at least. I love you, Dace, and I’m sick and tired of you running and making me feel like I don’t matter to you at all. I get enough of that from our father,” he says, fisting his hands and slamming one fist against the wall as he walks out.
“Antony!” I yell after him, but he leaves before I can get a chance to apologize. I love my brother more than anything, but this city has become too painful to be a part of.
I avoid Michael like the plague, but I find no comfort in being around Ettore either. He is so boring that I can’t keep my mind from thinking about her. The only relief I get is when I am out working on his arrangements and deals.
It took me many calls and a lot of apologizing before Antony would finally forgive me for what I said. He never lets me get away with being self-centered. Thankfully, he did and now we can both get back to business as usual. Antony is worried about me and is trying everything to make sure I fall in love with this city again and stay with him—here at home, or what he considers our home. Right now, he is continuously making jokes while we wait for our next meeting at a local dive, a place criminals come to talk business because the owner is known to take bribes to help anyone out with an alibi. Ettore needs the owner to do him some favors, and we’re here to give him the details as soon as he finishes up some other business. “Stop Antony, I’m not in the mood for your jokes today.”
He sighs, sinking down into his seat. “You know, I was over at Michael’s this morning.”
“So.”
“Well, I saw her come out of the spare room, not his room. That’s strange… don’t you think?” I shrug, continuing to stare out the window. “You know, I hate her for what she did to you too, and for what she is doing to Michael, but something is really off with this whole thing. There is something missing, something we don’t know.”
“There’s nothing that could explain why she did what she did, Antony.”
“I guess not, but aren’t you curious as to why they would get married so quickly?”
“No.”
“Damn, Dace, you have to be torn up like hell. I think it would help if you talk to her.”
“No! Now shut up about it.”
“Okay, then I guess you don’t want to hear that Father wants us all over for dinner tonight.”
“Oh fuck! No, tell him I’m busy. Tell him anything you want, but I’m not going.”
“Dace, come on. Eventually you are going to have to face her. Michael is going to call you and force you to come somehow, you know he can guilt you into anything.”
“Then don’t tell him I’m not coming until you get there, and I won’t answer my phone when he gets pissed and tries to talk me back into it.”
“I could, but you might as well tell him yourself because he is walking up behind you,” Antony mutters with an innocent smile.
Cursing under my breath, I stand up and turn to greet him. “Michael, how’s it going?”
“Save it and sit back down, Dace.” Michael harshly motions me back towards my seat before sitting down with us. “What are you two doing here? So help me if you are helping Ettore with his quotas by giving money to that slime ball, Paltrow, I am going to kick both of your asses.” I look away from him, shaking my head.
“That’s kind of funny how you just show up out of nowhere and come in here accusing us of doing illegal shit and all, but we are only here having lunch, nothing more. And how did you find us anyway?” Antony laughs sarcastically.
“I don’t find it funny. I find it ridiculous that you two waste your life away doing this bullshit and that you let your own brother use you like this. I want you both to stop this and come work for me and leave Ettore alone. He’s getting in too deep and is going to get you both killed.”
“Michael, mind your own damn business! We’re old enough to make our own decisions. Stop trying to dictate to us,” I push back on my bossy brother’s demands.
“What the hell would we do for you anyway?” Antony asks, not expecting
much of an answer I’m sure.
Michael sits back with a smile. “Glad you asked because I have some great ideas for you both.” I make eye contact with Antony and then roll my eyes. “Don’t roll your eyes at me. You, both, are coming over tonight for dinner, and we are discussing better lives for you. Safer and more legal lives.”
“No, thank you,” I say clearly.
Michael leans forward and slams his fist on the table in front of us. “Did I ask you? No, I’m telling you. As the head of this family, you are going to follow me and you’re going to do as I say. I’m digging this family out of the dark shadows and putting it out in front of the world, and I can’t have anyone fucking it up.”
“Oh, yeah? What are you going to do about Ettore? I seriously doubt he’s going to go on the straight and narrow. You going to get Ettore to handle your press conferences, let him flash that big ugly frown on TV for you?” I laugh.
“Dace, don’t worry about Ettore. I’m handling him in my own way. He’s had his warning to straighten up, and now he’s on his own. I have had my people hunt you two down, and now I am making sure you two get out before he buries you both along with himself.” Michael’s phone vibrates, and he picks it up to read a text with a nod before standing up and adjusting his suit back into place. “Now, I’m not asking, I’m telling you to get out of here and get out of here now,” he says, walking out a little too quickly to make me feel comfortable about ignoring him. Antony and I look each other over briefly before we both jump the table and take off out the back. We barely make it back to the car and down the road before the restaurant explodes.
“Damnnn … so I am thinking Michael isn’t planning to handle Ettore the legal way. Why do you think he chose that place and today of all times to start going after Ettore?” Antony asks, nodding in my direction.