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“Zack, you really need to get a hold of that tape,” Toni pressed. “You’re going up for the National Winery Awards for Excellence in Community Service. A high honor. You’ve created more useful employment for young adults than any other organization. You’ve provided more guidance and practical skills to help lower the unemployment rate. You deserve it. But this…thing you’ve done needs to be cleared up or everything you've worked so hard for, dedicated your life to, will be over.”
“He’s right, Zack,” Carl reiterated. “You’re teaching at the college, man. Sex tapes and colleges don’t mix. Well, they do if you're some stupid jock frat boy, but in this case, the board will have a field day. By the way, I’ve already contacted the guys down at the office to look into the whereabouts of the video. The tech team is sending out searchers to see if any of it got online.”
Zack nodded. “Good. Keep me posted, Carl.” Ironically, it was Zack who’d helped Lucas the year before with hunting down the stalker who’d been terrorizing Maxine. Now, Carl was helping Zack while he tended to business matters. The brothers used a contracted detective agency to handle certain security matters from time to time. The head of the agency was a distant cousin of theirs and had office space at Romero Towers in the downtown core of the city.
Toni's lips were pinched with fury. “Why couldn’t you settle down with a nice girl? You need to stop dating different women and the wrong kind. You’re a Romero and a high profile one at that. I’ve told you boys before. We Romero men could be easy target and prey for media and publicity seekers. We need to take extra care.”
Zack felt a muscle twitch in his jaw. He remained in cool, poised, daring the whole situation not to rile him up too much. He was often the smooth one who could control his emotions, especially his temper. But right now, his mind raced dangerously at the thought of what else was lurking.
Selina was his ex-girlfriend from many years ago. He’d ended it with her. Zack was upfront with her about not wanting to settle down. The trouble was, she had problems, but he never held that against anyone. He wasn’t perfect either. But she’d accumulated a lot of debt and played the casinos one too many times. Yeah, he’d helped her out even when they weren’t together. That was the Romero bloodline running through his veins.
Romero was a Spanish surname meaning protector or guardian of the sacred place. It was in Zack's (and his siblings to some degree) DNA to always jump at the chance to protect those who were close to him by any means. Even ex-girlfriends. Well, this instance had proved to be a costly mistake. Zack didn’t take very well to getting burned. Very few would cross his path if they knew what was good for them.
The last time Selina asked him, he finally told her he would no longer "loan" her money. He told her she needed to get help for her addiction before she saw another shiny dollar coin. So naturally, that revealing video they’d made years ago was going on the bidding block with the highest price from any slimy media outlet that would take it.
Zack grimaced at the thought. But the last thing he wanted was to make it his grandfather’s problem or his brothers. He was going to deal with it his way, on his terms. No way in hell did he take to extortionists, but he would think of something fast. Zack always got himself out of his troubles no matter how crazy things seemed. He got himself into it. He’d get himself out of it. Even if it killed him.
But this only served to reinforce his doubts about getting married or settling down with one woman. Ever. Good for his brother Lucas and Maxine. They were a nice pair. And good for his cousin Antonio and his bride Lucy and their lovely little son. But for Zack? No way in hell was he going that route.
Women were nothing but trouble.
“Don’t concern yourself any further,” Zack finally spoke up as he pushed away from the study desk. He shoved his hands in his pants pockets and lifted his chin as he faced his grandfather and brothers. “I’ve listened to each of you tell me what I should and should not be doing and I appreciate your input very much. However, I’m man enough to sort this out on my own.”
