“What the hell?” His eyes snap to mine as I smile.
“I think this meeting is over don’t you think, Governor?” He stares at me in shock for a moment before he snaps out of it.
“We can resume this later, Sally,” nodding to the woman who stands and walks past me with a pissed off glint in her eyes. I grin.
“What are you doing here, Vitale?” Gritting his teeth, I want nothing more than to shove them down his throat.
“Some things have come to my attention. I thought we’d discuss them,” I tell him as I clasp my hands in front of me. I sit in the chair across from him hoping that it makes him nervous as it should.
“You show up unannounced and demand we speak?” Chuckling, he looks around as if he had other choices.
The thing about his type is that they rely on their status to play key parts. Unfortunately for him, I do too. I tilt my head to the side as I take him in. The questions I have for him can’t be asked. I want to know why he used his daughter. I want to know why he sealed her accounts and refused to give her what belongs to her, but that will have to wait.
“What is it you want, Vitale?” Let’s get right to it then.
“Daniel Gambino.” Saying his name makes me cringe. I’ve known this bastard since we were little, and I hated him every day of my life.
“What about him?” Sinclair sits in his chair before leaning onto his desk.
“What business do you have with him that I should know about?” His annoying laughter irritates me.
“That isn’t your concern, Vitale. What is your concern is my daughter apparently,” he informs me. Shit, it isn’t as if I didn’t see this coming. I knew he would have people watching her and now that Daniel is back in the picture, it will get worse.
“Your daughter doesn’t play a role in this, Sinclair. Nothing runs through this town without my knowledge. Gambino is a threat to that.” Sinclair watches me, gauging me.
“Gambino has no business with me.” Look at the lies coming out of his mouth. It’s almost admirable that he would lie to me.
“Gambino has a lot to do with you. In fact, I think you’re running a few operations behind my back.” Leaning closer to his desk I almost want him to lie again. I want a reason to slam my fists into that piece of shits face.
“Gambino came to me with some offers,” he admits. Blowing out a breath, why does this man take me for a fool?
“That was pretty obvious when he walked back into your daughter’s life. The question is what is he doing for you?” I see the irritated look in his eyes. He hates that I know so much about him and yet he has nothing on me. It’s a part of this life that I thrive on.
“Why is my daughter such an imperative part of this?” Sinclair leans back in his chair, watching me for a response.
“Every aspect of your family is imperative. I know all I need to know about them, Sinclair, just like I do anyone else in this city that holds any kind of authority.” His eyes flicker to me before glancing away.
“She isn’t your concern, Vitale.” Gritting his teeth does nothing to scare me.
“She is when she’s in my bed.” The fire that ignites within him amuses me. He flies out of his chair straight towards me before I stand, grabbing him around the neck. Holding him against the wall and my body, I lean in closely and growl in his ear,
“You better watch your ass with Gambino. I can promise you that if one piece of hair is disrupted on Ava’s pretty little head, I will kill you without regard for anything or anyone, including that whore of a wife of yours.” I release him before stepping back and adjusting my jacket.
“Nice to see you again, Sinclair.”
Chapter 17
Days turn to weeks. It’s all the same. Amelia goes to school and comes home heading straight to her room. I keep up with my business as usual. Nothing changes aside from me getting richer and stronger with every passing day. New territories, new money. It’s a never-ending trade off with me. I’ve kept myself on track, running on fumes. My sleep is basically nonexistent. I was given medicine by the family doctor, but I don’t take it. I need to be alert and on my game. Drugs and medicine all work the same. They paralyze a part of you. Numbing the senses that you need to make decisions instantly.
“I thought you’d be gone by now,” I say when I spot Ava leaving Amelia’s room. It surprises me that she’s here. She’s avoided me at all costs. She shows up daily to see Amelia but makes sure she’s gone by the time I come around. I can’t say that I blame her.
“She had a lot of homework.” Ava glides past me leaving her lingering scent as she goes. Turning on my heel, I follow behind her down the stairs before grabbing her arm.
I spin her to face me as I watch something spark in her eye.
“You’re upset.” I only state the obvious. I can see it all over her face.
“I’m fine. I’m not your concern.” Chuckling, she sounds just like her father. “What’s so funny?” Crossing her arms over her chest, she glares at me.
“You sound like your father. In fact, he said that exact same thing to me a few weeks ago.” Her arms fall as she looks up at me.
“You talked to my father?” Nodding my head, I won’t go into detail with her. None of this is her concern.
“We had an informal meeting,” I inform her. Narrowing her eyes on me, she wants more than I’m willing to give her. More than she will need to know.
“About what?” Shaking my head, I take a step away from her.
“Don’t do that, Cord. Don’t walk away from me,” she snaps before grabbing my arm. My eyes travel to hers before she licks her lips. That familiar zing floating between the two of us.
“It was business.” That’s not entirely a lie.
“What does business have to do with me?” Sighing, I’m in no mood to do this with her.
“I reminded him of a deal he had with Gambino. I also reminded him that if anything were to happen to you while his deals with Gambino were going on, I’d kill him.” Her eyes dance around, anywhere but focusing on me. Her hand falls away from me before taking a step back. At the same time, I’m about to speak, I hear Amelia scream. I turn on my heal and run up the stairs, straight towards her room with my gun drawn. It’s quiet now, too quiet. I motion for Ava and the other guys that have moved into position behind me to be quiet as I slowly crack the door open. As soon as the doors open, I see Julius with his pants around his ankles.
“Did we miss something?” I growl. Julius jumps when he hears my voice. Shuffling backwards, he holds his hands up in defeat as Amelia cries on the bed. Noting that her clothes are still intact, he hadn’t touched her as far as I know.
“It was an accident!” he screams. Julius has the nerve to plead that with me? How ignorant does he think I truly am?
“An accident?” Ava rushes past me and straight to Amelia. Pulling her small body into her arms, she cradles her to her chest.
“I’m sorry Boss. It’ll never happen again.” Taking a step towards him, he watches me intently.
“You’re sorry?”
“It won’t happen again, Boss!” Throwing his hands up, I smile a sick smile.