Nate holds up his phone and points to me when he’s ready.
I stare into the camera, my poker face firmly in place. “Vincenzo Gianelli. You have something that belongs to me. You have exactly three hours from now to return The Duke and Cruz to the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. Should you refuse, be prepared for me to rain down hellfire upon your life. You have been warned.”
Nate stops the recording. “Was that okay?” I ask, removing the glasses.
“Looked good to me.” Nate checks the time on his phone. “Want me to send it now?”
“Let’s wait three hours, to allow Eric and Trey to make the CGI footage.”
We head back into the living area, only to find Eric waiting for us. “I’m assuming you want me to drain his accounts too?”
I stop short, considering. “All but one. Let him think we didn’t know about it. He’ll be pissed, but at the same time, he’ll be crowing that we made a mistake. Plus, I want to leave him with some options.”
Eric and Nate both look at me like I’m missing a screw or two. “What?” I ask, raising a brow.
Nate clears his throat. “Why do you want to leave him with options?”
The corner of my mouth ticks up. “Because, dear brother, he hired you and Eric once already to solve a problem for him. This time, he has no support, no one to have his back. With his houses, money, and family gone, I want to leave him one final option. You. And to hire you, he’s going to need money.”
They exchange glances, then as one, take a step away from me. I cackle at them and toss my sunglasses on the counter. Maybe this strategy thing is more fun than blowing shit up.
Nah.
Trey and Eric work fast. They have pulled together footage of a popular newscaster and using special software, are in the process of creating a news report. I come up with a few things to add to it, making Trey smirk as he crouches over his laptop, firing out code.
Four hours later and they’re done. Watching it over, I’m in awe of their skills. I would never believe I wasn’t watching a live news broadcast. The video demand was sent an hour ago and was viewed a few minutes later.
Eric hacks into the Plaza Hotel’s exterior cameras, just in case Vincenzo does return them. Although I know he won’t, I can’t help but get my hopes up, and I keep watching the clock as the time ticks down. I shouldn’t be disappointed when the time comes and goes and they aren’t returned, but I am.
There’s nothing redeemable in my father, no part of him left that’s good or decent. He sold his soul long ago.
My eyes mist when I glance at the clock the final time, my chest tight and aching. Gritting my teeth, I wipe away the watery evidence and get back to work. Cruz and The Duke need us, and I won’t fail them.
Chapter 59
Vincenzo
I’vedecidedIlikeit here. I didn’t realize just how loud the city was until I spent a few nights in Greenwich. My new office overlooks the extensive grounds which are heavily forested to provide optimum privacy.
I’ve hired my own army to combat whatever Daniella throws at me. Her little group doesn’t scare me, not when I’ve hired the best. Daniella will be too easily defeated by the threat of harm to her friends. Once I have her, I’ll kill the rest, then find a priest to marry us.
We’ll get started immediately at rebuilding my empire. A bigger, better, stronger one.
When I receive an email notification for the address I use solely on the dark web, surprise flutters through me. This quickly turns to disbelief as I watch Daniella demand I return her friends.
Sputtering out the bourbon I was drinking, I quickly brush it off my tie while trying to contain my mirth. Does she honestly believe I’ll give up my only collateral? She makes a fucking cheap video, standing in front of a sheet, for fuck’s sake, and claims she’ll rain hellfire down on me?
What’s she going to do? Nothing, that’s what. Because she’s weak and powerless. When she’s my wife, I will set about retraining her. I can’t have her pass these weaknesses on to our children.
Three hours and twenty minutes after Dutch’s deadline, my email pings again, and a flutter of excitement takes up residence in my belly. Will she cry and beg me to return her friends?
There’s no video this time, just one simple sentence.
Turn on the television to Channel 6.
Leaning back in my chair, I put my feet up on my desk, unworried in the slightest. What’s the worst she can do? Pulling the remote out of a drawer, I switch it on. Winston Everett stands in front of a map, explaining how a major storm coming in off the Atlantic could affect electrical grids and mobile towers over the coming days. I roll my eyes. Why did Daniella direct me to this?
Just as I’m about to switch it off, Winston disappears from the tv, the familiar face of Jennifer Parsons replacing him. A red banner stretches across the bottom of the screen, with the words BREAKING NEWS scrolling along it.
