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“I work.” Louisa says proudly. “My father owns a technology company that I’m working my way through. One day, I hope to take a seat on the board.”
“In LA?”
She shakes her head. “No, San Francisco, but I work remotely two weeks, then two weeks at the office. It’s not ideal, but we make it work.”
“And Flynn is happy about that?” I’m amazed and Louisa nods. “Of course. Flynn is an angel. It’s what they call him and, despite his appearance, is the kindest, most loving man I have ever met. To me, anyway.”
She laughs out loud. “I’m not sure he’s the same with his men, but that’s the nature of their job, I guess.”
“Does Jasmine work?”
I’m curious about their lives and Louisa shakes her head. “No. She prefers to stay at home and run that. Angelo is also a Don of two families that merged, and Jasmine likes to be nearby if she’s not visiting her sister.”
“That must be nice.”
“What?”
“To have a sister. I only have brothers and they couldn’t care less about me.”
“That sucks.” She shakes her head. “I have a sister too, but we’re not as close as Jasmine is with hers.”
“And Charlotte, does she work? I mean, I hope you don’t mind me asking.” I say quickly, wondering if my questions are a little unwelcome.
Louisa smiles. “It’s natural to be curious. This set up is the strangest one, but somehow works. To answer your question, Charlotte helps Ivan by organizing his paperwork and they work together, I suppose. She has an enquiring mind and likes to keep busy, which is ok with him because that man can’t keep his hands off her. They make an amusing couple to watch.”
We glance up as Winter heads into the room and it strikes me how weary she looks. I’m guessing sleep doesn’t come easily to someone carrying such pain in their heart.
Louisa says kindly, “There’s some fresh coffee here.”
“Thanks.” Winter takes Flynn’s vacated chair and smiles. “How are you today, Eliza?” She says with concern and something about the way I answer makes the two women share a guarded look.
“Ok, I guess.”
I smile bravely, but there is something on my mind I just can’t shake.
“What’s the matter, honey?” Winter says with concern, and I shrug.
“I suppose I’m a little lost right now. I have guilt for leaving Frankie with a stranger and I can’t help thinking I’m still a prisoner to Malik.”
“You’re not.” Louisa says indignantly and I nod.
“I know that. It’s just, well, sometimes it feels that way.”
Winter shakes her head and sighs. “I kind of get that. I mean, Malik has a dark personality that lets nobody in. He doesn’t do emotion well and you never know what he’s thinking. Perhaps he doesn’t know how. I mean, his life has been as controlled as the rest of the guys and we don’t understand what that involved. Perhaps he’s guarded for a very good reason and needs someone like you to bring the lighter side out of him.”
Louisa nods. “You should chat with Charlotte. She was Ivan’s prisoner, much like you were, and somehow, she cut through his defenses and made him a better man. If anyone can advise you, she can and may be able to offer some practical advice.”
“Thanks.” I smile gratefully. “That’s good advice. I have the whole day, anyway, while Malik works.”
The others nod, the resignation on their faces telling me this isn’t unusual, and I wonder if I could really live this life. Would I want to wait around for Malik all day to bless me with a moment of his time, no matter how much I crave his attention when I get it? I’m guessing not because I have just escaped one controlling bastard and the last thing I want is to replace him with another one.
CHAPTER33
MALIK
Ispend the entire morning ripping the folders apart on Massimo’s server. It makes for interesting reading, but that’s all it is because there is nothing there at all regarding the Mafia King or Frankie.
The only mention of Eliza is the file marked Ortega, which holds details of her bank account and the payments he made into it. Almost like a pay-check every month, but there is nothing else. There was one file that intrigued me, named ‘project one’ and yet when I opened it, it was a list of names that appeared to be a roll call of every mafia family in the world. There were entries for some of them, names, dates, and numbers, that on closer investigation linked to various payments made to accounts in their names. I’m guessing this is Massimo’s list of control. Mafia families that he formed alliances with, and the payments were for mutually beneficial projects. The sums involved are considerable and as I study the names, one jumps out and hits me square in the jaw. Khalid Karim. My father.
