His eyes grow hard. “Not this time,” he says tightly before clamping his lips shut.
His hazel eyes hold a ton of things he wants to say, but I don’t stay to hear any of it. I get into the car and settle in for the ride back to my father’s house. This day has a weight of its own.
It’s once we are out of the cemetery gates that I allow myself to breakdown. I know this is only the beginning. Of what? I have no idea. Although I get the heavy sense my father left me to handle something way bigger than me.
“How could you leave me again? No one ever stays.”
Chapter 4
Devastation
Roni
I sit staring at my motorcycle helmet sitting on the edge of the desk. I’m tempted to pick it up and take off for a ride. My father would chide me about being ladylike.
It’s my one guilty pleasure he has never been able to chastise me out of. As I think of it now, it’s my escape. A way to be free. What I would give to have my father boss me around at this moment.
I jump out of my thoughts as the sound of clinging pulls my attention. “Thank you,” I say to my father’s assistant, Taine as she sets a cup of tea in front of me.
“Do you need anything else before I go?” she asks.
It’s her last day. I’m grateful to her for staying on for this long. It’s been three months since my father had a heart attack and died.
I’m still in shock. My father was so healthy. Or at least I thought he was.
He was always telling his guys they needed to eat healthier. It’s been so hard to wrap my head around all of this. It feels like I’m numb.
“Why on earth did he leave all this to me?” I mutter more to myself.
I look around at all of the papers on the desk in front of me. So, this is what drowning feels like. Half of this shit doesn’t make sense to me.
“He always said that you were good with numbers. Given his system, I think that’s why,” Taine replies.
I groan and place my head on the desk. I’m not a quitter. I’ll figure this out, but damn. What the hell was he thinking? No warning, no training, no map to help me out.
All of this was meant to confuse anyone that might stumble across it or worse case scenario if it ever fell into the hands of his enemies or the authorities. My father kept me out of his business. Which is why I can’t for the life of me figure out why he left it all to me.
I sigh, lifting my head so I can dismiss her. “No, I don’t nee—”
My phone rings cutting me off. When I look at the screen, I groan. It’s Darius again. He’s been blowing my phone up every day, all day since the funeral when I told him I was through.
He has come to the house, but I gave orders for neither him nor his brother to be allowed on the property after we had that heated exchange at the funeral.
Richie has tried to reach out to me since. I don’t know what for. Hell, before standing outside that door and overhearing them, I knew he had a problem with me for one reason or another. The feeling was and still is mutual.
His words at the cemetery sealed my dislike for him. I’m no one’s dirty bitch. I don’t take being called one lightly. He’s lucky Darius reeled his ass in before I popped him in his mouth.
I reach to ignore the call and turn back to Taine. “No, you can leave if you like. I’ll figure this mess out tomorrow or the next day.”
That’s what I tell myself every day. Although I know the end isn’t in sight with any of this. People that did business with my father want answers.
People that I’m finding have no problem showing that they can be dangerous and intimidating. I’ve held my own so far, remembering the things my father used to tell me. Never let them see you sweat. You’re a Pérez, things will always come naturally to you.
Oh, and my favorite. I’ve made you a hard woman to handle hard situations. Know when to be a princess and when to be a savage. It will save your life.
So, I’ve been walking into these meetings as a savage. What these men don’t know is that I grew up having to fight. Before my father came to get me when I was ten, I was raised by my mother.
We didn’t have my father’s kind of money and connections. Charm school wasn’t on the agenda in the hood. I was bullied, tormented, and neglected at times.
My mother was always chasing the next Eliam Pérez. When she died, I thought I was going to live a better life with my father. Unfortunately, my father coming for me only created a different kind of savage. And still, I don’t think I belong here in the middle of all of this.
“Keep your head up,” Taine pulls me from my thoughts as she wraps her arms around me. “Your dad loved you a ton. I know he had a weird way of showing it, but he did.”
“Thanks. I needed to hear that.”
She releases me and straightens. “Call me anytime. I’m here to help. If you decide you need me, I’m here.”
“Thank you.”
Taine isn’t much older than me. Goes to show my father loved having pretty faces around him. Although he did make sure they were pretty faces with brains.
Hell, I’m only twenty-two and I’m already working on my Master’s. My father was big on education. Yet I don’t know what I’m doing with any of this.
The truth is, I’m letting Taine go for her own safety. If things go south, then she won’t find herself in the crosshairs.
I have to learn to do what my father grew up doing and there are a lot of eyes and ears open, waiting to see if I can pull it off. The problem is, many of those people didn’t know I even existed. My appearance has ruffled some feathers.
“Oh, by the way, don’t forget the two associates from New York that want to come in to meet with you,” Taine says as she heads for the door.
I sigh. “When was that again?”
“You’ll have to give them a call to set it up. I left the information in the notes.”
“Right,” I say and nod, reaching for the notebook she made for me. Nothing more than a few contacts and numbers. All made to look like either exotic car clients or parties interested in throwing events at one of our clubs. “What were their names again?”
Yet another reveal to the world. Some don’t seem too happy to find out about me. I get the feeling they thought that they would be able to move in on my father’s business after his death.
“La—”
My phone rings again, halting my thoughts and Taine’s words. I purse my lips and wave for her to leave. I’ll get that information on my own. I get ready to hit ignore on the call until the number catches my attention. Relief washes through me.
It’s my father’s sister. I’ve been trying to get in touch with her for months. From the way my grandmother told it, my aunt and father spent a lot of time around the business when my grandfather ran things.
Hopefully, she can help.
With a sigh, I answer. “Hello.”
“Cherone, what has happened?” she says in Spanish.
My anxiety shoots through the roof. My Spanish is terrible. Okay, wait. My father and aunt are Dominican. So, the Spanish I speak is totally foreign to her.
I hate going to DR. My dialogue is one of the first things that’s pointed out. So much so that I don’t speak to anyone while there.