AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When I step into Micah’s office without bothering to knock, I find him barking orders over the phone. While I handle the entertainment aspect of Alexander Enterprises—hotels, clubs, restaurants, etc.—Micah handles the business side of it all, including the not-so-legal shit. Part of owning the majority of Tesoro means sometimes having to get our hands dirty.
“Big bro,” I say, dropping into the visitor seat once he slams the phone down. “How’s it going?”
“Two of Ricky’s men were found dead down at the marina...” Ricky is a huge player in the underground world. When Eleazar died, leaving everything to Ellie, we took over the territory temporarily so shit wouldn’t hit the fan. A lot of men wanted what Eleazar left behind, but we ended up making a deal with Ricky De La Cruz. Unlike the Gutierrezes, he doesn’t kidnap and traffic women. His main focus is on drugs and weapons. With the assurance he would clean up the streets of Booker Park—the south side of Tesoro that had gone to shit thanks to Eduardo—we created a partnership of sorts.
“Bruno was also killed,” Micah adds, referring to one of the men who’s been working for us for years.
“Bruno?” Fuck, he knows how to handle himself. For him to have been taken out must mean...“Ambush?”
Micah nods. “The shipment was stolen, and they left the bodies there.”
Everyone in Tesoro knows not to fuck with Ricky or us, so for someone to not only steal from Ricky at our marina, but then leave the bodies to be found, tells us one thing. “Someone’s trying to send a message.”
“Yeah, and until we find out who, we need to be cautious.” He opens his mouth to say something else, but his phone rings. “Hellcat, everything okay?” he asks when he answers, using the nickname he’s dubbed his wife with.
Whatever she says must not be good because he immediately switches to speakerphone. “What’s wrong?” he asks, and the tone of his voice puts me on high alert. With the news of the ambush, my thoughts jump to the worst possible conclusions.
“The girls are sick,” Sienna says. Micah glances at me and shakes his head, obviously having had the same thoughts as me.
“What’s wrong with them?” he asks, keeping the phone on speaker.
“I thought they were fine this morning. They wished Ellie a Happy Birthday and gave her a special gift. Though, now that I’m thinking about it, they did mention their tummies hurt, but I thought they were just hungry. On my way to the studio, I got a call from the school clinic. They’re both running fevers, and London threw up. I’m on my way to get them now.”
“You have Ricardo with you, right?” Micah asks, referring to Sienna’s personal bodyguard. Even though things have been calm the past several years, Micah doesn’t take chances with his family. Ricardo has been with us for a long time and would do anything to protect Sienna and their girls.
“Of course,” Sienna says flippantly.
“You make a doctor’s appointment?”
“No, it’s probably a stomach bug of some sort. But I feel bad because it’s Ellie’s birthday, and I was supposed to meet her at the studio and go to her OB appointment with her. She’s meeting with her new doctor and seeing the baby today.”
Mention of the baby has me shifting in my seat. It doesn’t help that Micah’s eyes land on mine. “Do you need me to come home so you can go with her?” he asks.
“I want to say yes, but with the girls so sick, I don’t want to leave them, and it’s probably not a good idea to be around Ellie in case I get sick as well. She might have already been exposed, but in case she hasn’t, we should probably book her a room for a couple of days. There’s nothing worse than being pregnant and sick.”
We live on the top floor of Hotel Blu—an upscale hotel Alexander Enterprises owns. When we were constructing it several years ago, we designed it so the entire top floor would be occupied by us. We have a private elevator that only goes to our floor, access to the roof, private pools on our terraces, in-home gyms, underground private parking, and round the clock security. It doesn’t get much safer or convenient than that.
Micah shakes his head. “You’re pregnant.”
“I know, but I’m a mom. It’s different.” One of the things I love about my sister-in-law is how much of a devoted mother she is. She reminds me so much of my mom, the way she loves her family so fiercely.
“I’m leaving now and will meet you at home,” Micah says.
“You don’t have to?—”
“Hellcat, I’m on my way. I love you.”
After she returns the sentiment, he hangs up and looks at me. “Fucking woman is so stubborn.”
“It’s one of the many things you love about her.”
“True,” he agrees. “You should go to that appointment.”
“What—?” I start to play stupid, but when he hits me with a hard glare, I close my mouth.
“She’s the mother of your baby. You need to work shit out, unless you’re planning to have nothing to do with your child.” Micah quirks a knowing brow, and I sigh.
“Oh, and can you maybe take her to lunch afterward for her birthday?” he says, standing. “It’d make Sienna feel better knowing her sister isn’t spending the day alone. Plus, trust me when I say, you’ll regret missing out on these moments.”
