Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
It shows clear financial ties between one of Vescari’s shell companies and a private security firm that recently set up temporary operations in Southern California. There’s no reason for him to have financial interests here. He’s stalking her.
I can’t sit on that knowledge and do nothing. This has all become intensely personal very quickly. It’s up to me to find him before he gets to her. I text Matteo the addresses listed so he can check them out.
I leave my office and have my driver drop me off at Val’s. I’ve never been to her office in person since all our meetings happened on my properties, but I’m not risking her safety, given what I know. Ten minutes after I arrive, she walks out of the building and looks stunned to see me.
To my surprise, she doesn’t argue when I tell her I’m driving her home. She doesn’t even insist on taking her own car back. Maybe my tone or my expression gave away just how critical it is that she stays safe.
She doesn’t say a word on the way home. She does sigh heavily enough to let me know she’s pissed, but otherwise she’s giving me the silent treatment. I can handle that. It’s a small price to pay to know she’s out of harm’s way.
When we pull through the gates, I see Nico’s car waiting in the driveway. He’s one of the few people who has access to the compound when I’m not here. I’m not at all surprised. He avoided me all day at the office, but I know he’s chomping at the bit to check on Val.
“About time you showed up,” he says when we get out of the SUV.
“It seems my employees don’t work as hard as I do,” I respond.
His face breaks into a smile, and I know things are fine between us. He’ll keep being pissed for a while, probably, but it’s water under the bridge. After all, he’s going to be the uncle to my kid.
Val walks ahead, not acknowledging him. It seems she’s icing him out, too.
“She’s in a good mood,” he murmurs sarcastically. “What the hell did you do?”
I sigh. “I cared too much about her safety.”
He chuckles as we follow behind her. Once we’re inside, he stops her from disappearing to her room.
“Valentina, we need to talk,” he says in an almost fatherly tone.
She turns on him with ire in her eyes that scares even me. “Nicolas, don’t you start with me!”
“You know we’re only doing this for your benefit, right?” he says defensively. “I don’t want you staying here any more than you want to be here, but it’s the right call.”
“Don’t you think I should decide what the right call is in my own life?” she shoots back, before turning on me. “Or do you think I’m too stupid to take care of myself?”
“It’s not a matter of intelligence,” I say darkly. “Your ex is a nasty character. I’ve spent the whole day combing through files about him. Shit you probably don’t even know. I’m not risking him getting anywhere near you.”
That makes her listen, at least. She rolls her eyes, but her posture does relax a little. Even if she’s crossing her arms as it does.
“What did you find?” Nico asks curiously. “When I tried to look into him last year, I couldn’t find any information. He was like a ghost.”
“That’s the privilege of the rich,” I say. “If you’d come to me about it then, maybe we could’ve avoided all of this.”
“Would you have still slept with my sister?”
He doesn’t ask it in malice, but there’s still an edge to his voice.
“Jesus Christ,” Val complains. “Get over it, Nico, we both have.”
That surprises me, especially since I’m very much not over it.
“Whatever,” Nico grumbles. “So what did you find?”
“Adrian is exactly the kind of man I was worried he was.” I sigh. “Maybe we should move to the dining room and sit down. Adelina can bring us something to eat.”
“I’m not hungry,” Val snaps, just as her stomach growls.
“Well, I am,” I say. “And I don’t allow food in the sitting room. Let’s go.”
I lead them to the dining room and hear the two of them bickering behind my back. At least I’m not the only one she’s mad at. When we get to the dining room, I pull out a chair for her, but she deliberately sits in one on the other side of the table. I take the seat I pulled out, and Nico sits between us like a referee.
“So, you were saying?” he prompts.
“We think Adrian has men here,” I answer. “He recently set up a business through a shell corporation in LA. I’ve got Matteo checking it out.”
Val noticeably stiffens while Nico curses under his breath.
“You can’t go back home,” he tells her. “Promise me you’re not going to be stubborn about this, Val. He already tried to take you away from me once.”