Chapter 33
The next morning Alcee was sitting at the breakfast counter next to Antero whose feet were swinging wildly under his chair. He was shoveling in a bowl of chopped up fruit like it was nobody’s business while Alcee hugged a cup of coffee to her chest. Torg was in his condo office, taking a call and based on the fact he’d been gone for more than twenty minutes, she wasn’t sure he was going to be back out before she needed to leave with Antero to get him to school.
Her phone chimed another text from Susana who she’d been avoiding.
Susana: If you don’t text me back, I’m calling the police to report you both missing.
She groaned and finally lifted the device and tapped out a quick response.
Alcee: I’m alive. I’m trying to put together my thoughts and my thoughts and feelings. When I am ready I will reach out.
Susana: picture so I know you’re alive and this isn’t The Grizzly faking it with your phone.
She felt the phone ripped from her fingers and she looked up in shock as Torg pressed a video call to Susana
J-what
“What are you doing?” she hissed at him.
“She thinks you’ve been kidnapped.” He gruffly snarled at her. When Susana answered the video call he frowned into the screen, “she is alive, Sore but alive.”
“Why is she sore?” Susana held his gaze. “What did you do to her?”
Antero spoke up, “My mom and my new dad slept in the same bed, and I think he rolled over and crushed her in his sleep. She’s holding her back and walking funny”
Susana gasped as Torq shot Susana a cocky grin and a wink.
“Alcee! You didn’t! What if it happens again?”
“I’ll be thrilled.” Torg popped bread into the toaster as he folded a piece in half and shoved it into his mouth.
“Chew your food, you animal!” Alcee growled at him. “Are all big men incapable of taking small hites?”
He scowled in her direction and then recalled her comment about why she didn’t like Tank. He swallowed the food with a grin. “I worked up an appetite and then I was on the phone so long with Don Bianchi I’m late to eating.”
“You were on the phone with my uncle?” Susana asked curiously and then spoke softly, how much trouble are we in for helping her the other
night?”
“None. I told him I wanted to give you, your sister, and your mother a gift but wanted to ensure I wasn’t stepping on your father’s toes by doing 30. A gift from the don of an allied family to his wife might set your father off and we can’t have that.”
“What? Why?” Susana was curious. “You want to give us a gift?TM
“Alcee let me know how the three of you stepped up when the Mariani family turned their backs on her. I owe you a gratitude of debt, I asked whether your family would prefer a chip to be called in as a favor at a later date or if you would prefer something monetary.”
“I want stock options. Susana said with seriousness.
“What?” Torq questioned with an eyebrow lifted
“Stock options. In the Lozano company. I want stocks. You’ve multiplied your grandfather’s businesses easily be twenty percent in the last five years. From the minute you took hold of the Lozano family, you were making damn good deals. I want a piece of the pie.”
“Done.” He chuckled as Susana bounced excitedly in the screen.
“Now, can I see my girl? I want to know if she has bruising under her eyes to go with the walking crooked thing.”
Torg held the phone out to Alcee but then pulled it back and pursed his lips.
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Chapter 33
She shot a look at Antero who was watching the exchange with a hint of a smile tugging the corner of his lip.
“What are you doing?”
“I’ll give you the phone back when you kiss me.”
“Keep it.” She scoffed with a smirk. This set Antero off into giggles.
“Alcee, come on, just one kiss.”
“Is Don Torquato Lozano begging? Susana teased from the other end of the call.
“I was on my knees quite a bit last night,” he gave Susana another wicked grin which set her off into gales of laughter.
“Give me my phone!”
“Well, I think Susana simply wants a play–by–play. I’ll take your phone into the office and tell her everything you were going to since you don’t want the phone back.” He held the phone up high over his head as Alcee tried to jump to grab it.
“Oh line,” she pulled his head down and kissed his lips softly, “satisfied?”
“Not even remotely, but it’ll do.” He put the phone in her hand. “Susana, I’ll call you later with all the filthy details.
“He will not.” Alcee couldn’t help but giggle as she resumed her seat. Antero leaned his head against her arm to look into the device.
“My mom just kissed my dad.”
“How did it make you feel, Antero?” Susana asked him gently.
“My mom is smiling a lot,” he looked up at her. “Her cheeks look fat because she’s smiling so much. I like it.”
“How do you like having a dad?” Susana questioned her seriously.
“I thought I wouldn’t like it, but he read me stories last night and this morning he helped me brush my teeth. He’s really strong too, He’s going to teach me to shoot a gun so I can kill anyone who makes my mom cry.
“My dad taught me to shoot a gun,” Susana shrugged. “It’s really not so exciting. If you really want to know how to kill someone, get your father to teach you how to use plano wire.
“Susana!” Alcee glowered at her friend.
“Oh, he’s the future Don of the Lozano family, He’s going to need to know this shit.”
“He’s only five.”
“The enemies of the family won’t care he’s only five, Alcee. Susana said seriously. “Now more than ever before it’s important he is protected.”
“I know.”
“My dad will keep us safe, won’t you Dad?”
As Antero addressed Torq directly as Dad for the first time, Alcee noted the way his nostrils flared much as they did the morning before.
“Always and forever.“”
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