Chapter 18
Tito rose and lifted his hands in front of his chest defensively, “you do know you’re in trouble, right? You’re coming in here being awfully bold.”
“I don’t know,” Alcee looked him dead in the eyes. “I am here because Don Lozano ordered it and my brother asked me to comply but if you think,” she got in his face pushing Antero behind her, “I’m afraid of you, you’re wrong. Talk down to my son again and I’ll take your kneecap myself.”
Bastiano snickered, “Tank said she was mouthy.”
“Tank likes her,” Tito said with a wide grin on his face as he folded his arms over his chest.
“Tank is my direct supervisor, and I respect him because he’s good at his job and it is a respect he’s earned.”
“What mom is saying is she doesn’t respect you,” Antero snidely commented from behind her.
The elevator doors tinged with the announcement of its arrival and the group all turned sideways to see who was joining the party. Torquato, Kylen and Tank along with two other men she didn’t know all stepped off.
She swallowed her nerves as she kept Antero behind her. Torquato’s eyes were laser focused on her, as if taking in every single detail of her face. She didn’t miss the brief flicker of relief as he saw her standing there. Again, the silly little ninny in her chest wished desperately it was because he wanted to see her and not because he wanted to steal her child from her.
“You gave me twenty–four hours, but I’ve never been much for procrastinating. Eat the frog and all that.”
“If you have to eat two, eat the bigger one first,” her son concluded behind her. He leaned his head sideways, looked at the man who would be his father and shrugged. “It’s a Mark Twain quote. Mom, has it written on our fridge.”
Torquato blinked at the boy and Alcee was certain his breath was stuck in his lungs as he froze staring at the smaller version of himself. Despite the fact his facial expression didn’t change much, she noticed every single emotion from the man as if she’d known him for years. Her son was the same. The way his index finger flexed at his thigh showed he was trying to control his hand movements. The small way the left side of his mouth pulled a mere fraction was a clue to wanting to say something but biding his time for the right words. The tip of his ear reddening by a hair was a dead ringer to anger. It was however, the ever–so–slight flare of the nostrils which interested her most because it was usually what happened moments before Antero broke down in sobs in her arms. Was The Grizzly about to cry?
“Perhaps we should take this into the office away from prying eyes.” Alcee motioned down the hall.
“And the rude lady,” Antero quipped shooting Genevra another annoyed glance.
The comment seemed to break Torquato from his trance, “rude lady?”
*Mom asked her to tell you we were here, and she refused and insulted her and pretended she didn’t know my mom’s name is Mariani.” Antero gave Genevra a glare which immediately made the woman’s eyes widen as if it struck her in the moment the eery resemblance between her Don and the child. “Also, the security downstairs touched their ears. It’s dumb.” He tugged Alcee’s hand, “Mom, I don’t like it here. I want to go home.”
She rubbed her palm over his cheeks and noted the flaring of the nostrils and sighed, “let’s get you out of the crowd of people into the other room. If you’re still unhappy in a few minutes, I’ll take you home and we can spend a Mommy and Ant day. Would you like this?”
“Yes, please. Can we work on my Lego?”
“Absolutely.” She took him by the hand and without invitation walked into Torquato’s office and then grimaced. It was no more decorated than it was the evening before. She turned to the group with irritation, “where exactly are we meeting? This office is not equipped for sitting down and talking. Also, can we get some water? This might be emotional, and I think we’ll need water and tissues.”
“Genevra, water, now.” Torq waved at her. When she came back from the kitchenette with three bottles, “if I find out you’ve been rude to either of them again,” he glared at the woman, “you’ll be on the first flight back to Sicily,” he paused dramatically and gave Bastiano a look, “without protection.”
“Yes sir.” Genevra whispered.
“Take my office,” Kylen said with a wave breaking the tension. “Torq’s furniture is only arriving later this morning. I can work out of the
boardroom for now.”
She nodded and began walking in the opposite direction at the far end of the hall where Kylen’s office was located. Needing to pass again by the
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Chapter 18
group of men, she steeled herself and kept her hand on Antero’s shoulder, pulling him to the opposite side protectively. She failed when she tried not to flinch when Torquato’s hand landed on her low back to escort her the rest of the way.
The desire to smack his hand off her was immense but hitting the Don was a crime punishable by death. Under her hand was the biggest and best reason ever given to her for living. Alcee kept her pace and entered Kylen’s office. The blinds were already closed blocking the view into the hall and for a brief moment, she considered he could simply shoot her in the head with no witnesses to the actual event and take her son when the door locked behind them. Her hand felt unnaturally clammy in the grip of her son’s, and she knew he was as nervous as she was.
Was this where Don Lozano simply killed her, took her son, and trained him to be future Don? If so, she prayed there was an afterlife because she’d come back as a ghost and haunt his ass.
Alcee however was absolutely stunned and completely unprepared by his next move.
What was happening?
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