“Love some.”
When Rhea closed the door in front of her and turned to the rest of the office, everyone scampered like mice, not wanting to admit they’d been glued to the action inside Marco’s office like a good series on TV.
Marco checked his phone for messages and silently waited for Rebecca and Sivic to take a seat and begin their no-doubt rehearsed presentation.
Rhea mercifully didn’t take long to bring the drinks. He avoided direct eye contact with Rebecca, something he knew would drive her crazy. She whispered things to Sivic, at one point, making him chuckle. Marco found it easy to ignore them. He sipped his sparkling lemon drink, folded his hands on his desk, and sighed.
“I’m sure we all are busy, so can we get down to it?” He directed his gaze to the space between Rebecca and Sivic, making the younger man turn and check behind him. “Everything you have to say could have been said through an attorney or with an email or letter. I don’t understand the need for the meeting in person. I have nothing against you, Theopolis—if I may call you that?”
“Of course. Most people call me Theo. That’s fine as well, Mr. Gambini.”
“Then it has to be Marco.”
“And Marco it is.”
Marco deduced Rebecca was annoyed that the two men were building rapport and she was being left out. Her flowery dress with the plunging neckline was in constant motion, and she crossed and uncrossed her legs several times, showing off her orange toe polish and jeweled sandals. He found he had no emotion when it came to her. No regrets, no images of happy days in the past. It was a fifteen-year blur, a prison sentence from which he’d been liberated.
“I’m going to say it one more time. I’m busy. I’m sure, with your important job, Theo, you are as well. What seems to be the issue at hand?”
Sivic began explaining that formal approval of the Trident Towers did not have legal authority. It was going to require he bring the project before the planning commission, which was booked up for nearly four months. He said that continued work on the development could create fines for every one of the violations. He promised that there were many of them.
“Well, that’s going to be a disappointment to my partners,” Marco stated calmly. He took another sip of his Sparkle and watched Rebecca’s shaky hand deliver the champagne to her gut at the same time.
“Partners?” she asked, frowning.
“The Department of Veterans Affairs. They have a stake in this, and I understand they have jurisdiction over local laws. I also don’t understand how you could determine I’m in violation of the labor clauses of our development agreement since we have not yet begun work.”
“We understand you are employing labor from India. We have it on good authority these individuals are being smuggled into the country without passports,” Sivic neatly laid out.
“So you are under contract with the State Department as well? Impressive, if I do say so myself,” Marco said, raising his eyebrows. “If what you say is true, I will contact Senator Campbell and ask for his assistance to this oversight. You know he is married to the First Lady’s sister?”
Sivic briefly glanced at Rebecca and then remembered himself. “We are going by sworn affidavits.”
“Which are not worth the paper they’re written on, even if they do exist. Look, I’m growing tired of doing this waltz. You aren’t going to win.”
“But we can make it very expensive, Marco,” Rebecca hissed.
“Why? So you can take away a chance for a normal life with vets that have served their country well and have been forgotten? You want to take away their pride, their future? The comfort of a home over their heads to share with their children while they crawl their way back into society with dignity? Everyone else sees them as heroes. What’s gotten into you that you can’t see this is a losing proposition?”
“I’m not fond of losing, or have you forgotten?”
Marco drilled her a look that was deep and dark. “Don’t fuck with me, Rebecca. I didn’t like it when you pretended to be in love with me. I like it less now that we are sworn enemies. You have no right to do this.”
She set her stemware on Marco’s desk, admiring it, her fingers running up and down the graceful stem with the etched pattern near the top. “I see you still have our crystal. Does it bring back memories?”
“No.” He hadn’t remembered they were. He was going to throw them all away, these at the office and the two he had at home. “Why, Rebecca?”
“Because I can.”
“I can do a lot of things, but I don’t do them. For one, it would send me to jail, but for another, I don’t go chasing windmills or ghosts from my past. I can’t help it if you were raped at your father’s horse ranch or that you cannot have children. Perhaps therapy would be a more agreeable solution, and I can recommend any number of therapists to help you with that troubled mind of yours. I’ll even pay for it.”
“Just a minute, Marco—Mr. Gambini,” Sivic blurted out, placing his arm across Rebecca as if protecting her from the onslaught of Marco’s words. “This is a civil discussion.”
“Is it? You can’t give me a reason all this is befalling me and my organization? You call that civil? Messing with me? I’ve done nothing wrong. You might consider your own options, Mr. Sivic. This is what happens when you end a relationship with Rebecca. Ask yourself: Is this what I want? There are several gentlemen of good reputation who bailed. Just something to think about.”
“You’re taking this too personal, Mr. Gambini.”
“Am I? Then ask her why she’s doing this. See if you can get a straight answer from her. I could shout it from the rooftops. I’ll go to the tabloids if I must. I’ve got more information on her cold, perverted world than anyone else out there.” Marco drilled another hateful stare into her. “I’m the one who deserves revenge. You’re the one who left and took everything. You got what you wanted, so get out and leave me alone. You can’t have what isn’t yours.”
Sivic was blathering about getting a cease-and-desist order when Rebecca cut him off.
“I need to talk to Marco alone.”
“I don’t think that’s a good—”
“Get out, and I won’t ask you again.”
Marco knew he’d rattled her cage, and if he wasn’t careful, he’d allow himself too much pleasure at her expense, part of the dark sexual games she liked to play. And it would sully him, not her. So he reeled his emotions back inside.
Marco’s tone was soothing, like he was reassuring a favorite dog. “Theo, give us just a moment. I’m sure it will be all right. Just a minute.” Marco watched as Sivic left the office, but he took up a chair outside and watched through the window. Team workers stared at each other, confused and worried. They kept their distance from the strange, obsessed man.
Marco began. “I’m not going to play along with this. Tell me what you want. Is it more money? What will it take for you to get out of my life altogether and never come back?”
“I made a mistake walking out. I’d like the opportunity to make it up to you.”
Marco was stunned.
“I do tend to bite the hand that feeds me. I’m sorry for that. I’ve recently come to the realization that I need you, Marco. I need your strength. I miss your fucks worse than you can imagine. I’m barring my soul to you. I’m a wreck without you.”