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“They called me about twenty minutes ago. Gave me half an hour to arrange a drop. Money for Adali.”
“You’re doing it.”
Gale sounds like he’s choking. “It’s a lot of money.”
“It’s Adali.”
Gale blew out a breath. “She isn’t family.”
"You are a piece of shit. And I mean that. What the fuck did you do, and who did you piss off?"
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Sure it does. You’re playing with lives, and you don’t even care. What a load of crap.”
"Why do you care? She would have married your father then took half your inheritance, or at least a sizable chunk."
Now or never. I can’t hide the truth from Gale, not with him planning on allowing Adali to die.
"She wasn't going to marry my father. She's marrying me. Now tell me what in the hell you did to get her captured!"
Standing up to Eric Gale was the last thing I thought I would ever do. I'm pissed, though. The man has taken advantage of so many people, playing with lives, doing things that have gotten others injured, all for the sake of power and money. If he were anyone else, I would have turned him in to the FBI. He's Eric Gale, a founding member of the Scorpio Society. He's not to be trifled with, but I guess neither am I.
“A family in Le Milieu. They expect recompense for something they’ve blamed me for that happened in Mexico.”
Anger filled me. “Did you do it?” Normally I wouldn’t ask Gale such a pointed question. He tangles with the French mob while we stay away from them. They are meaner than the Italians, which I wholeheartedly wish my father hadn’t gotten mixed up with them. Laundering money for the society should have been enough.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll take care of this.”
"I want Adali back unharmed. Tell me where she is, and I'll go get her."
“They aren’t like who you normally deal with.” Gale’s words were tinged with defeat.
“I don’t care. All I care about is Adali.”
“She’s not special.”
“No, Gale. You’re the one who isn’t special. Adali is amazing. You’re just too blind to see it.”
I end the call, unsure how the fuck I’m going to get my Adali back without dying. Gale can’t be trusted, but I have to rely on him to make it work. Adali is lost to me otherwise.
I glance up to find Dad sitting on the couch, his eyebrows pinched tight. “Who were you on the phone with?”
His disease is progressing too fast. I can’t keep him here. He’ll end up doing something to harm himself or others. I don’t have time to deal with him right now.
My first call is to a nursing agency I've been meaning to get in touch with. They can send someone in the morning. They may not be the best fit, but I just need someone here to watch. Next, I call the company Cohen works for. I ask for two more men. They'll have to stay with Dad and watch him, keeping him safe. I give express instructions about being good to Dad.
Now I can take care of the problem Gale created. I will have to do things I'm not comfortable with. Moving money to benefit my clients, I understand. Hurting people, that's beyond my natural abilities.
I grab two guns and four clips of ammunition. It may not be enough. I hope this doesn't go so sideways that I end up dead before my father, but I can't let Adali go. If she dies, then I'll go down with her.
ChapterSixteen
Niallan (Neo)
I arrive at the address Gale finally sends me. The place can best be described as a compound about thirty minutes south on the Hudson River. I see at least three houses in addition to the mansion that is the centerpiece of the property. Whoever lives here is filthy rich.
I step from my car, and the click of a gun being primed to my left takes whatever fear I've had and turns it into terror. I won't react, though. I have to play this cool.
