Page 105 of Ruthless Lord
I raise my eyes at my father. “I thought we said we were going to get concrete proof.”
“That’s what I have,” he repeats, waving a hand. “Now it’s yours. Go ahead and convince the Marinos with it, I don’t care. Are we done now?”
I stare at him. I honestly can’t believe this asshole doesn’t get it. Slowly, I lower the folder and drop it onto the desk. “I’m not sure we were clear last night.”
Dad snorts and makes a face. “You were loud and fu—” He glances at Stefano and pales slightly. “You were very clear, Charlie. You want proof that your grandfather’s been playing along this whole time. Well, everything I have, it’s all in that folder. There you are. Prove away.”
“That’s not proof. We don’t give a shit about half-baked text messages.” I stand up and come around the desk. Stefano looms behind me, not moving, but Dad’s eyes keep flitting back to the big, dangerous killer. He’s scared and trying to mask it. “You’re not here to drop off a folder. You’re here to get fitted for a wire.”
Dad’s eyes widen. “Wait. A wire?”
“You know, the recording devices? They’re not actualwiresanymore. The technology’s gotten a lot better. But the idea’s the same.” I stoop down and tap Dad right on the chest. “You mic up. You talk to Grandfather. You get him to admit everything.”
“And if he catches me? I just waltz out of there?” Dad’s pale now and shaking his head. “Come on, Charlie. This is crazy.”
“I don’t care.” I stand up straight. “Stefano, call in Davide.”
“Who’s Davide?” Dad asks, panicking. “There’s got to be another way. Look closer at those files. There are receipts. Money we paid to contractors. You’re not really asking me to?—”
Davide enters the office. It’s pretty cramped now between two huge mafia guys, my trembling Dad, and myself. Plus all the toppling piles of paperwork. “Did someone call for a wire?” He holds up a little box big enough to hold a necklace. He flips itopen and a very small microphone is placed in the center of a velvet cushion. Add in some precious stones and it’d be pretty chic.
“No way.” Dad shakes his hands in the air. “No way! I’m not wearing that!”
“It’s pretty simple.” Davide explains how to tape it somewhere discreet, like on his lower back or at his hip. “But keep it away from your clothes the best you can. You don’t want feedback.”
I bend down to look Dad in the face. “You want to become the heir, don’t you? You want to run the family? This is your only shot.”
His lips twitch. “But Dad’s crazy. He’s so paranoid, Charlie. His rooms are swept for bugs twice a week. You know that.”
“I know, but you’re a desperate man. And sometimes you’re even clever. If anyone can pull this off, it’ll be you.”
He groans and stares down at the tiny microphone nestled in its plush box. “How’d you end up like this? Honestly, Charlie. I don’t recognize you anymore.”
Anger flares in my chest. I get right in his face, practically snarling like a dog. “Youmade me this way. You and Grandfather and everyone else in our fucked-up family. You made me this way and now you have to fuckinglive with it. That means no more whining. No more complaining. You do what you’re told or Stefano murders you. I’m done negotiating.”
Dad’s mouth hangs open. I step back, seething. Both Davide and Stefano seem impressed.
“Ah, sorry to interrupt again, but here’s the manual for the microphone. It has about ten hours of recording time built in,but it needs to be uploaded and charged between uses.” He tosses Dad a little stack of papers. He clumsily snags them. “There’s also an earpiece. It’s tiny and flesh-colored. Just make sure you don’t lose it in your ear canal. Or do, I don’t care. Good luck to you all. I’ll be watching as always.” Davide lightly salutes me before leaving again.
“This is crazy,” Dad murmurs before taking a deep breath. “But I’ll do it.”
“I knew you would.”
He gets up and I follow him to the door. Before he goes, I put a hand on his elbow to stop him.
“One more thing. Your mistress, Emily. I want you to fire her. Stop sleeping with her. Make sure she can’t find work anywhere on the East Coast ever again.”
Dad gives me a bemused look. “Really, Charlie? Just because she lied to you?”
“She’s lucky I’m not slitting her throat open. Destroy her for me. That’s part of the deal now.”
Dad sighs. “Fine. I was getting bored of her anyway. Anyone else you want out of the way before we’re through?”
“I’ll let you know.”
He walks off, shaking his head. “I’ll be in touch.”
I watch him go. Stefano joins me, a hand on the small of my back. “What do you think?”
