Page 33 of Business Temptations

Antonio nodded sharply. “Yes. I’ve done business with him in the past. We met at a soccer game several years ago. He’s a good man. Tough and merciless when it comes to protecting his country’s interest, but very fair.”

Bailey stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she watched the man carefully. “So you know nothing about someone trying to sell our formulas to Sheik bin Aristi?”

“Diablo!” He huffed a bit, shifting on his feet. When he looked back at Matteo, he shook his head. “No!” He even sliced his hand through the air. “I vow I had nothing to do with anything illegal.” He moved over to the window, shoving his hands into his pockets. “In fact, I’ve done everything I could over the past two years to stop my father’s illegal activities.”

He turned and faced the room. “My father is losing control of the villagers and he is becoming desperate. The people in his village are rebelling against his harsh, sometimes brutal, domination. He’s even closed down the main access roads into the village on several occasions, stopping food supplies from being delivered.” He shook his head. “Our father is…angry. And he’s aging. He doesn’t want anyone, especially me in particular, being better at anything. But he’s losing his grip on reality. I’ve noticed that he doesn’t always remember things. He loses his keys when they are in his hands. He no longer reads because…” he sighed. “I think that he’s suffering from dementia, but he won’t admit it. If that’s the reason, then the problems started about two years ago. I was working in London at the time, running the office from there. I started to notice very strange activities happening. Then I discovered that there were some illegal activities. The police started questioning me and then Interpol visited me in London.”

He looked out the window again. “I have tried several times to take control of the company. But he’s…countered every move I make.” He turned to look at Matteo. “I know that you don’t owe me anything. Our father is…he’s losing and he will do anything he can to regain his power.”

“By selling my company’s secrets to the competition.” Matteo’s tone was uncompromising.

“Apparently,” Antonio replied. “However, if you have proof, I’ll bring that evidence to the Spanish authorities. You can press charges, if you like. I don’t have any loyalty to my father. He was a brutal man during my childhood, so I won’t stand in your way if you discover something that will put him in prison.”

Matteo was startled by his half-brother’s announcement, but he didn’t have time to dwell on the issues at the moment. He had to focus on the present. “I want that man out of my life and out of my company.”

Antonio nodded. “I will do what I can to help make that happen.” And with that, he angled his head in a slight bow, a demonstration of respect, then left Matteo’s office.

Matteo watched him walk away, an internal battle raging inside of him. All of his instincts were telling him to trust his half-brother. But decades of abuse and neglect, not to mention resentment of Antonio’s easier childhood were hard to ignore. But…Antonio had said his childhood hadn’t been easy!

What did that mean? What had Ricardo done to Antonio?

Just as the elevator pinged, indicating that the elevator had arrived, Matteo stood up and moved to the door. “Do you play poker?” he asked, stopping Antonio from getting onto the elevator.

Antonio, startled, looked back at Matteo. He nodded sharply, clearly not understanding why he’d asked.

“I’m a member of a private club,” Matteo said by way of an explanation, then stepped towards his half-brother. “I’ll pick you up. We’ll play poker tonight. It’s the least brothers can do together, right?”

Antonio’s eyes narrowed, obviously sensing a trap. But he lifted his chin, his glaze clear and focused. “Bien. What time?”

“Eight o’clock.”

He nodded sharply. “I’ll be there.”

He stepped onto the elevator and pressed the button.

Tim and Bailey waited until the elevator closed before turning to Matteo.

“What’s your plan?” Tim asked.

Matteo’s smile was almost…eager! “We’re going to play poker tonight. I’m guessing Ricardo will also show up.” He turned to Tim. “And with your friend, Zahir, there as well, we should have a lively round of poker, don’t you agree?”

Tim’s confusion melted into understanding. “You think Ricardo and Antonio will speak with Zahir about selling the formula and we can get the evidence that we need to prove that your father was the one who stole the formula?”

Matteo nodded. “I think it’s an excellent possibility.”

Tim laughed as he walked out the door. “Tonight is going to be a hell of a night!”

Bailey turned to look at Matteo. She saw the anticipation in his eyes and inched closer to him.

“Are you okay?” she asked, touching his sleeve.

He looked down at her, then pulled her into his arms, then down onto his lap as he resumed his position behind his desk. Sitting on his lap, she turned so that she could see his face. “I can’t read your expressions right now. So, I don’t know what’s going through your mind.”

He slid his hand along her thigh, but didn’t touch the bare skin under her dress. “My biggest regret is that we won’t see each other tonight. I had several new ideas.”

She laughed and kissed him lightly. “I think getting more information on your father’s criminal efforts is probably more important.”

He stared at her, his eyebrows pulling together. “Is it?” he challenged. “Part of me wants to ignore the issue of the company. I want to be with you tonight. What we started last night is–”

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