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Maverick yanked the documentation in his hands. “This is a legal document executed by a local attorney. With a deep dive search, he could have found it. Your father obviously mentioned you and your trust, dangling a much larger carrot.”
“Yeah, more like a priceless diamond carat,” Gage teased. “There’s one more piece that makes sense now. Giovanni invested in your father’s company a few months ago, Small potatoes but it’s another connection.”
Now I was able to laugh. “My shares would make the corporation more profitable, and he’d get control of them with our marriage. With some careful finagling, he’d control the empire without breaking a sweat.”
“Yes,” Gage nodded. “Very astute. However much he knew, neither your father nor Giovanni had any clue you already owned the majority or things might have turned out a lot differently.”
Yes. I’d be dead by now.
“That means Giovanni is even more dangerous, especially if he hears the news about her ownership.” Maverick cocked his head, waiting until Gage nodded in affirmation.
“At this point, I’m going to have a long chat with the attorney listed on this codicil. If he’s alive, he’s going to answer to some questions. He was the only one who could have known about the Wells family. Maybe we’ll find something there.”
“I want to be at that meeting,” Maverick snarled.
“Not gonna happen, buddy. You’ll beat the crap out of him.”
“Yep. If he doesn’t talk.”
“Thank you for finding out what you did,” I intervened, wrapping my fingers around Maverick’s arm.
Gage glanced at Maverick, both sharing another knowing look. “Amelie. You do realize I’m going to need to provide the documentation to the FBI. Depending on how they handle the situation, the funds could be frozen until the investigation is concluded.”
“I know and as I said, I couldn’t care less about money.” A huge knot had formed in my stomach. “What about Giovanni? Is there anything we can do?”
“There damn well better be,” Maverick said in his usual demanding tone.
“While I haven’t seen the contract for your upcoming marriage, I’ll venture a strong guess that your father made certain it was an ironclad document. Carmine lost money in a legitimate casino. Unless he turns on Giovanni or there’s evidence found that the Butellis planned and initiated Bruno’s escape, I don’t see what can be done.”
I shrank back, nodding several times.
Maverick was incensed, his chest rising and falling. “Amelie is still at risk.”
“Butelli might now know she’s here. Whether or not your feel-good story on the news was noticed remains to be seen,” Gage told him.
“That’s bullshit and you know it, Gage.”
“Once the heat is on her father, Butelli won’t be stupid enough to try and take her. Contract or no contract.”
That’s where I knew he was wrong. Giovanni was lying in wait in the shadows. He’d find the perfect time and when he did, I’d be chained in a room until my birthday. Then I’d be tossed aside.
“At minimum she needs security,” Maverick insisted.
The reality of everything that had transpired in my life, the ugliness of what my mother had endured should become crippling, but I refused to allow it.
As they bickered, I thought about what needed to happen.
There was only one way to draw a predator into the open.
Setting a trap.
“I know what we need to do, but you’re both going to need to trust me,” I told them both. As they looked from one to the other, I felt more confident than I had in a long time.
Soon, Giovanni would have no choice but to hunt me down.
And I’d be waiting…
CHAPTER18
