Page 82 of Bossy Trouble

Don Carlo smiled as we approached him. It was as though this was a mild social call. I wanted to strangle him.

“You brought a friend,” he commented, glancing at Lupin. I knew he was displeased, but Lupin could take care of himself.

“What do you want?” I asked him, getting right to the point.

“You know, I grow weary of this life sometimes,” he said, sighing as he looked into the sky. “All this kidnapping and threatening and drugs….” He tutted. “It’s wearying. I’m an old man. I want to leave my kids a legacy, something they can be proud of and show off.”

“You want my company?” I said. “Fine. It’s yours.”

“Oh no, but it isn’t that simple, Donovan. You see, your father and I had a deal, and you were very much a part of that deal.”

I cocked my head, confused.

“He never told you?” The man blinked at me. “I never invested in Dresden Inc. because of your father. I invested because I had an interest in you. I’ve been watching you for some time, Donovan, ever since you were a bright young mind at Harvard. I knew you had what it took to take your company to the next level, something your father didn’t. That’s why after he signed the deal, I wanted him out of the way as quickly as possible.”

“You killed my father?” The realization was like a freight train hitting me directly. It was strange that I never even considered the possibility, knowing how dangerous these men were.

Don Carlo let me stew on that for some time, then shook his head. “No,” he said with that same irritating smile. “That was just pure dumb luck.”

I wasn’t sure I believed him, but that wasn’t the main point right now. “I repeat, what do you want from me?”

“I want the same deal we’ve always had without you trying to boot me out. I want us to join hands publically, so people can see the great business relationship we have. I want you to continue running the business as well as you always do, and I want you to occasionally turn a blind eye toward less-than-scrupulous trades we make using your communications device.”

“You want me to be an accessory to your criminal dealings?” It was as incriminating as joining the mafia myself. More than just taking over the company, they were trying to shackle me in place with it so that we all went down together.

The old man smiled. “If it’s not too much to ask.”

“This is ridiculous,” Lupin spoke up for the first time, and Don Carlo’s gaze went to him. “If he goes public about your relationship, the company’s shares will tank.”

“Then he just has to make sure they don’t.”

“I’ll do it,” I said, and I felt Lupin’s shocked gaze turn to me. I wasn’t looking at him, nor was I looking at Don Carlo. Instead, I only saw Georgia’s body on the ground, unmoving.

I needed to get her away from all this, even if it meant I bargained my soul.

“I said I’ll do whatever you want,” I said, looking back at Don Carlo. “Just let her go.”

“I don’t think I can do that,” Don Carlo said. “I think she should stay in my custody to make sure you keep your end of the bargain.”

“That’s not happening.” And the man was truly insane if he thought I was going to agree to that.

Don Carlo shrugged. “Well then, I guess we’ve reached an impasse. How about I show you a little demonstration of what happens if you continue to be stubborn about this?” And with that, he turned around, heading for Georgia’s unmoving form.

At that point, I lost it.

Before he could touch her, I pounced.

One of the big burly men moved to block me from reaching Don, and I took out my wrath on him instead. He threw a punch, but I was quicker than him, dashing out and nailing him in the gut. It wasn’t enough to take the oaf down, though, and he punched out again, this time getting me in the jaw. I didn’t give up.

I was going to kill him and everyone else who stood in my way to save Georgia.

Even this huge, hardheaded bastard.

Distantly, I could hear Lupin getting into it with the other guard, and I didn’t know if he was faring any better.

However, everything stopped with the cock of a gun.

It was Don Carlo, and he had the gun pointed right at Georgia.

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