Page 38 of Cruelest Contract
Our private helicopter is one of my father’s favorite toys. He was annoyed by my demand to move it off the property before Cecilia’s arrival.
The Grimaldi wedding is ancient history to us. But to Cecilia, the murder of her parents must be a constant daily agony. If anyone should understand how she feels, it’s us.
And our goal is to test this girl, not terrorize her. She won’t want to see a helicopter and be reminded of the ones that cut down her parents.
In a rare moment of submission, my father agreed. The chopper is now being stored in a Laramie hangar until further notice.
Right now a pair of men wander into view after their smoking break. They wear dark clothes with chunky rings on their beefy fingers and don’t bother to conceal their holstered weapons. Both are regular soldiers, reliable guys.
They also might as well be walking around beneath cartoon bubbles that say, ‘Mafia THUG’.
From my vantage point in the shadow of the barn, I watch them from a distance as they joke around, no doubt exchangingfilthy banter. Their attitude falls away in a flash when my father strolls through the front door. He tosses a travel bag at one guy and the other one scrambles to open the passenger door of the Range Rover.
Our plane, back from yesterday’s adventures, is already waiting at the airport. Angelo Grimaldi was dropped off in Vegas last night and Vegas is a city where we have a lot of eyes. According to my sources, that fucker is currently casino hopping and eating showgirl pussy while his sister is here singlehandedly saving the future of their sorry ass family.
None of them will get the chance to use Cecilia in this manner again.
She’s now in much better hands.Mine.
My father’s eyes are obscured by a pair of mirrored sunglasses and he stops in his tracks when he sees me. His trip to the Cayman Islands is standard business. Another real estate bubble appears likely and after a crash there’s plenty of territory ripe for the taking. Carefully assembled shell companies are the best tools for maximizing profit. He’s meeting with some partners to strategize.
I could have handled this trip. It’s exactly the sort of role I can fill with ease. Any other week, I’d be the one sent to the Caymans along with one or two of my brothers.
My father dislikes leaving the ranch. More and more, he prefers to remain at home, usually in his study. My brothers and I don’t discuss the murmured one-sided conversations we overhear coming from that room.
We don’t talk about the music either.
Our father’s grief is so ordinary to us that there’s no need to mention it. He never remarried. He never will. Other women are of absolutely no interest. I doubt he’s touched a woman in over two decades or intends to change this.
For him, there’s only Teresa. Then. Now. Forever.
The sunglasses don’t shield my father’s penetrating stare. I nod my head to acknowledge that the current mission will be finalized before he returns. I have complete faith that I’m right.
Cecilia has earned a perfect score so far. True, something might happen to derail the whole deal but I think not. She’s sexy, she’s smart and she’s sensible. One day I’ll be leading this family and Cecilia is exactly the kind of woman I want at my side.
The two of us obviously have chemistry. Cecilia’s attempts to hide her interest are valiant but futile. I can tell when I have a strong effect on a woman. She blushes and fights her own urge to stare every single time I get close.
If all I wanted out of Cecilia was a fuck then I could score a victory at any time. Since I want far more than sex, I’ll need to be patient.
My father ducks into the vehicle. The door shuts and two seconds later the tires start crunching. The driver speeds down the lane, kicking up a cloud of dust. A second vehicle follows.
Meanwhile, some jackass who believes he’s sly has left the barn and crept up behind my back.
“Don’t try it, Gaetano,” I warn without turning around. “I’m not in the fucking mood.”
My younger brother has the laugh of a maniacal cartoon villain. It’s not even something he works at. It comes naturally.
“Just helping you stay alert.” He knocks into me, trying to shove me aside.
I stand my ground and ignore him.
Getty crosses his arms and watches our father’s entourage disappear. “Looks like I’m in charge now.” He puffs up his chest. “Let’s throw a party.”
“And who would your antisocial ass invite?”
He spits into the dirt and pretends to give the question some thought. “For starters, I’ll add my new girlfriend to the guest list.”
The sound of voices drifts from the other side of the barn door. A woman’s laugh punctures the deep male rumbling. Cecilia is the only woman in there. I don’t recognize her laugh because this is the first time I’m hearing it.
