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The only people who knew Lilly was in my house were the five men on the grounds and by the time dinner was over, my chef and my housekeeper. Neither of them would talk. They’d been with me too long. I trusted them as much as I trusted Fabian, possibly even more. Didn’t it make sense that you trusted the people who prepared your food and washed your underwear as much as you trusted the man who handled your finances?
Despite my attempts at staying busy, my mind kept straying. I wondered what she was doing... I hadn’t stayed to see her acclimate herself to her new surroundings. She had six hours of stewing, which meant by the time I collected her from her room at seven, she’d be angrier than she already was, a red-hot goddess ready to make good on her threat to kill me.
I needed something to appease her, something that wouldn’t make my life a living hell for the next two weeks. The clothes wouldn’t matter. While she loved designer clothing, she wouldn’t be impressed by receiving more of what she already had. Jewelry? Certainly, she loved sparkly things, but giving her diamonds at this point smacked of desperation. She wasn’t for sale and would tell me so by trying to crack my head open again.
No. She needed something more. Something... intangible. Meaningful.
I just needed to figure out what that was. I looked down at my watch.
And I had about three hours left to figure out what would mean more than diamonds to Lilly Calegari.
I called Denny, my head of security.
“I’m going for a walk in the woods. I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Got it.”
I didn’t worry. Cameras were placed along the main paths. Once Denny knew I was in the woods, the drones would patrol the area. It had cost a small fortune, but there was a fence bordering my acreage, one that would provide a nasty shock to any human who tried to get past it. Besides, I’d carry my cell phone with me so the drones could track my every move. It was complicated, but it was necessary.
Gabriel and Dante Calegari weren’t the only people in the world who wanted me dead, but Dante Calegari was probably the only person who could accomplish the task.
And that’s why my insurance policy was sitting in a bedroom in my sanctuary, cursing me with every breath she took.
I left my office through the glass door that led to a private deck. From there, I walked the expanse of cleared lawn until I reached the tree line. I had everything planned. I reviewed it in my mind as I walked the pond path, a short route that wrapped around one of the three ponds on the property before winding back on itself.
Knowing the backlash that was about to come, I had pulled my nephew from Gabriel’s ranks. Darion reported to duty yesterday as he had for the last few months, then he was supposed to disappear after his shift ended. I had to check in with him. Once Gabriel realized his sister wasn’t coming home, Darion would be the first person he’d question, which would be bad for my nephew because I hadn’t told him shit, other than telling him he was off the job and needed to disappear for a while. His work with Gabriel Calegari was done.
I hoped to God he had listened. The plan was solid. He had a safehouse a state away that he needed to get to. He was to wait there until one of my men came to get him. If he had left when I told him to, he had plenty of time to reach it before the fallout began. If he dawdled at all, he pissed away his chances of staying alive.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and walked faster. The late March air was still chilly in the mountains of Western New York. The mornings and nighttime hours were regularly below freezing. Had the personal shopper included winter attire in Lilly’s wardrobe? Dammit. I hadn’t thought to check. Not that she would need outdoor gear when she was locked inside.
I reached the pond and followed the path as it wound around the contour of the still water. I took in the view. The pristine, untouched wilderness surrounding the house was the reason I had bought the property. I could make a house anything I wanted it to be, but I couldn’t sculpt nature. I didn’t have the arrogance to try. I followed the path to where it ducked back into the woods and started the loop that circled back on itself. It was a quick, brisk walk if you knew where you were going. If you weren’t familiar with it, you might think you were going in a completely different direction, not ending up right back where you started.
If you didn’t know the area, you could easily get lost among the evergreens. You could wander around for hours, not getting your bearings. You could... with a thin smile, I increased my pace. I didn’t have time to dawdle either.
I had to get ready for dinner and I knew just what gift I would offer to Lilly, one I knew she wouldn’t be able to resist.
