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Jeanie
I’m trembling in the elevator up to Malcolm’s office with a thick file folder clutched under one arm. Gavino stands close to my hip, holding my hand, and he must feel the fear rolling off me in waves. Gavino’s a comforting presence, but I don’t think anything can make the horrible thoughts driving through my mind disappear right now.
Casso leans against the opposite wall, looking thoughtful. He’s been quiet since we left the villa, but now he watches Gavino carefully and speaks with a soft voice. “You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about this whole episode, and I think maybe it’s not such a bad thing that we’re walking away from this deal.” Casso strokes his chin and glances at me with a sly smile. “I mean, imagine being in business with a guy with a murder basement at his house.”
Gavino gives his brother a sharp look but I laugh, covering my mouth with my other hand. “That was a murder basement, wasn’t it? What a freak.” Gavino sighs and shakes his head, and Casso grins at me. He’s got a dark sense of humor and I like it, but mostly any humor’s going to make me laugh right now. I’m so on edge I could puke and it’s like my body craves that bit of release laughter can provide.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Gavino asks in my ear as the elevator reaches the top floor and the doors slide open. Casso steps out, pretending like he’s not listening, and walks a few feet away, hands clasped behind his back.
“I’m sure and I’m not sure. I don’t want to face him.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know, but I do.” I touch his cheek then I move forward into the waiting room.
It’s strange being back here. I walked through these halls dozens of times when I was the mail girl for Malcolm’s real estate investment firm and I’m extremely familiar with the executive level, and yet it feels totally foreign to me now, like it’s a hostile invading army and I just waltzed right into its camp. I’m not sure if that makes me brave or stupid.
“If you’re doing this to prove something—” Gavino’s concern lights a fire in my heart. Without him here, this would be impossible. Even though he hurt me when he sent me away, he’s done nothing but work hard to make sure I understand that he’ll never do something like that again.
And it shows in everything he does. His touch, his smile, his lips. He can’t keep his hands off me, and sometimes he’s overly protective.
I love him for it.
I’ve never felt so safe in my life when he’s around, and with him by my side, I can handle this.
“Just trust me, okay?” I take a deep breath and let it out. I hope I can trust myself enough to go through with my plan, even if it seems insane.
But we can do it together.
He nods once. His eyes are conflicted, and I can tell he wants to shield me from the pain of whatever I’m about to go through, but I need to do this.
For myself and for him.
Casso talks with the receptionist as I stay near the elevators. Gavino remains by my side, taking his promise not to move more than five inches away very literally. After a reasonable amount of time waiting, a young female associate brings us back to the main conference room.
“Mr. Strafford will be in shortly,” she says with a smile and exits again. Casso sits down and sighs, leaning back in his chair, and I shuffle over and take a seat near the front. Gavino lingers behind me.
“All right, Jeanie,” Casso says, giving me a look, his eyebrows raised. “We made it this far. I’ve been basically dying to know why the hell you want to talk to your father, but hey, I’m a team player. I haven’t asked for details. But now I can’t help myself. What’s in the folder?”
He nods at the stack of papers in front of me. I smile a bit and put my hands on top of it, holding it down so he can’t snatch it away. Not that he would, but you never know.
“It’s a surprise for my father. And for you, actually.”
Casso glances at Gavino, who grunts in response. “I have no clue,” Gavino says, which is true. I refused to tell him what’s in the document, although he provided me with all the resources I needed to get it crafted and air-tight.
Casso sighs. “I promised I’d trust you both, but I’ve got to be honest, this is nerve-racking. I don’t like being in the dark, particularly when it comes to my business.”
“Will it help if I said that what’s in this folder will make you happy and give you everything you want?”
“So it’s full of money? I knew it. Although the amount of money that would make me happy likely wouldn’t fit in this room.” He seems thoughtful, head tilted. “Unless we put it in diamonds.”
“Actually, in a way, yes, that’s exactly right, this is full of money. Not diamonds though, sorry.”
He laughs, looking totally bemused, but shrugs. “All right, works for me. You said I had to be here, and here I am. I’m ready for the ride.”
Gavino slumps into the chair next to mine and wheels it as close as he can. “If Malcolm so much as makes one wrong twitch, I’m going to stab him in the neck,” he says and moves his suit jacket aside to show me a knife in a sheath at his hip. “I fucking mean it.”
“Easy there,” I say and touch his cheek. “You’re still healing. And you shouldn’t bring a knife to a business meeting.”
