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Chapter Four
Renaldi Mansion, Chicago
Natalie slammed thecut-crystal glass down on the bar top, whiskey splashing onto her hand. “I’m not letting her get away with it, I don’t care where she went to hide out. Who the hell wants to live in Wyoming?”
“Sit down, Natalie. I find your constant tantrums tiresome.” Michael, standing behind the bar in the corner of his great room, took the glass, and set it out of reach.
Bending his head, he pressed his thumb and forefinger between his eyes, hoping to ward off the headache brewing. She’d been going on for thirty minutes and driving him nuts since she and Douglas arrived for Sunday dinner. Thank God both of them had moved out of their parents’ home within a year of him inheriting the mansion. Even with over eight thousand square feet to spread out in, Natalie’s spoiled attitude and Douglas’ irresponsible ways managed to intrude on his life. As long as they did their jobs with the company and stayed out of the tabloids, he left them alone. On Friday, Natalie had refused to tone down her tirade after learning Nicole Wells had relocated to Wyoming, too far out of his sister’s reach to continue her ongoing harassment of the woman. He’d booted her out of his office, hoping that would put an end to it.
No such luck.
“She’s just letting off steam. Let her get it over with so we can dine in peace.”
He glared at Douglas who was perched on a stool wearing one of his relaxed,who gives a shitgrins. “She’s been letting off steam all weekend. Enough is enough.” Michael directed that order to both of his annoying siblings.
“Not until you do something about her,” Natalie snapped, taking up a mutinous stance with her arms crossed, her shoulders stiff.
Throwing up his arms, he demanded, “What do you think I can do? She defended herself against Tony’s attack. There’s no refuting that. The only thing you accomplished by stalking her these past months was to make a public spectacle of yourself and send her packing. I’m ordering you now to let it go and quit dragging our name through the mud.”
In answer, she stomped over to the sofa and snatched her purse. Her heels clicked on the tile entry floor before she yelled back, “Obviously, I loved Tony more than you.”
The door slammed, her jab cutting Michael to the quick. He picked up her glass and finished the contents in one burning swallow.
“Don’t take that to heart,” Douglas said, his gaze compassionate for once. “They shared a bond as twins, and being the only girl and the baby to boot, she’s been impossible since the terrible twos.”
“Which everyone, including you and I, made concessions for way too long.” He blew out a breath, wishing yet again he had fought harder to bring his youngest brother home after his diagnosis. “Tony was the best of us.” Regrets wouldn’t change anything, however, and he shoved aside the painful loss to focus on the living. “I won’t lose Natalie also, and at the rate she’s going, she’ll land her ass in jail, so I’ll do what’s necessary to stop her. Come on. Just because she chose to skip Andre’s shrimp tartare doesn’t mean we will.”
“Her loss, and more for us.”
Michael followed Douglas, his eyes shifting toward the French doors and sweeping view of the green, landscaped acres behind the house, taking in the shimmering, Olympic-size pool and thousand-square-foot pool house. He controlled a multibillion-dollar company and his personal wealth afforded him anything money could buy, yet he couldn’t save his brother, and so far, he’d failed to divert his sister from the self-destructive path she was on.
Health issues were beyond his means, but one way or another, he vowed, Michael would not allow Natalie to destroy her future or continue to link the family name to scandal.
***
NATALIE FUMED ALL THEway home. She thought the heart-wrenching shock of her beloved brother’s terminal diagnosis was the worst news she could hear, but that was nothing compared to learningthat womanhad killed him. He was supposed to pass away gently, surrounded by those who loved him, not gunned down in his own home by a money-hungry whore. Her eyes filled with tears as she recalled Tony’s teasing.Face it, sis. It doesn’t matter who I go out with, she won’t be good enough for your approval.And he was right.
Michael either didn’t understand the special connection she shared with her twin or didn’t care about how he died, but she did. And one way or another, she sworethat womanwould not know a moment’s peace regardless of where she lived.
***
DOUGLAS CALLED NATALIEas soon as he left Michael’s house. His resentment of Nicole’s scornful rebuff had festered these past months, and he’d silently cheered his sister on when she would publicly lay into her. However, he was better off keeping his desire to side with Natalie from Michael, who took his position as head of the Renaldi family seriously.
The only other part of life he focused on with such unbending purpose was sex. Women did not turn him down. Ever. Call it ego, spoiled, or lucky, it was all the same to him. That nasty altercation was not only a first but from a nobody. Some things he couldn’t let stand. How many could claim they’d caught the interest of two Renaldi brothers? None he knew of. Instead of the gratitude he expected, she’d turned on him in disgust.
The humiliating set down from her father didn’t bear rehashing. His only saving grace was no one other than those two knew what happened that day. The pleasure of Nicole’s departure didn’t mitigate his need for payback though.
“If you’re calling to side with Michael, I don’t want to hear it,” Natalie answered as Douglas pulled up at a stop sign.
“Relax, brat. I’m on my way. Two heads are better than one when plotting revenge.” Douglas hung up with a smile.
***
