Page 23 of Don’t Break My Heart (Secrets of Ravens Hollow #3)
“So, Ava, will you be joining Orlando at our mama’s charity ball?” Valentine asks.
I glance at Orlando. This is the first I heard of it.
“We will make an appearance,” Orlando answers for me.
“What about you, Romeo, do you want me to hook you up with a date? I know some beautiful women who could keep you company for the night.” Valentine’s words make me cringe for so many reasons, because he’s a cheating asshole who sleeps around on his wife and because he’s running a fucked-up trafficking organization on top of his brothels.
Is he offering a paid date for Romeo or a girlfriend of his?
Either way, he disgusts me. My eyes bore into his head.
It’s right now I wish I had superpowers; the ability to burn him alive with just a look would be my power of choice.
“I have my date sorted, thank you, brother.” He grins at Reef, and he gives him a little nod back. Then his eyes come to me, and he offers me a slow sexy smile in a way that melts me into a puddle all over the floor. Fuck, he knows it as well.
“I see,” Valentine says, and I can tell by his tone he’s not impressed. But he doesn’t have to be. The four of us couldn’t give a shit if we have his approval for our non-conventional relationship or not.
We eat and drink, a heaviness lingering around the table, everyone on edge just a little more than normal.
I can see Onyx’s hands balled into fists as he watches every person at the table.
He despises Valentine; he’s not even hiding it, and it’s causing tension between him and the twins.
They share a look that tells him to back off, but Onyx couldn’t care less, and I already know if Valentine so much as lays a finger on me, he’s dead.
Two men in dark suits approach from across the lawn. One of them holds a briefcase, and Valentine stands to greet them.
“No business at family dinner,” their ma cries angrily, waving her hands around.
“Some business can’t wait, Ma.” Valentine kisses her forehead as he makes his way over to join the approaching men.
I raise a brow in Orlando’s direction, not liking the look of this.
He shakes his head, giving me a look like he doesn’t know who these men are.
They approach the table together. “Dear brothers and Ava, join me in papa’s den.”
Onyx stands at my side, and Reef joins him.
They may not have been invited, but they’re not sending me into the devil’s den without protection.
Daisy watches me, her pretty eyes wary, like she doesn’t trust me with her husband.
I know her secrets, but I would never use them against her.
Only as ammunition against the awful man she is married to.
Orlando’s arm snakes around my shoulders protectively, and he leans in. “They must be the lawyers,” he explains.
Romeo turns back, giving a nod as if he agrees. He would know more than Orlando, since he got shot, and Romeo has taken over all the dealings with both our and Valentine’s legal teams.
“That was fast. You haven’t even buried Emilio yet,” I say, not expecting to deal with this shit tonight.
“Valentine wants this dealt with just as fast as we do,” Romeo says. And after our conversation last night, I have to wonder if this is going to end in a fucking brawl. Romeo made it pretty obvious they’re not giving him everything he wants.
We gather in Emilio’s den. Even though the furniture is all leather and dark oak, and the walls are lined with images of happy family members, the room is cold in a way that sends a shiver over my arms. I think it’s because I can picture Emilio sitting behind his large desk, barking out orders.
The deals he would have made sitting right in that chair, the blood he would have spilled. The thought is sickening.
Valentine takes a seat in the large chair behind the desk, taking papers from one of the suited men.
He looks the part, every bit as powerful as his papa was.
And that idea makes me want to puke. “These are our dear papa’s legal team, and they have joined us here today to go over the arrangements of his last will and testament.
” His eyes shift to me. “Please take a seat, Mrs. Moretti, this won’t take long, then you and my dear brothers can make your way home to the States.
” He grins in that same evil way his papa did, one that tugs at the sides of his lips but never makes it to his eyes.
I smile back, grinning wider than I intend to, but there is this almost insanity inside of me that this man brings out.
Orlando tugs my hand, and I take the seat beside him and Romeo on the leather sofa.
Onyx and Reef stand in the doorway. Their large frames are ominous and threatening.
They don’t trust this fucker either. Onyx makes a show of lifting his jacket so Valentine can see he’s carrying.
He doesn’t look at me, not at all; he focusses all his attention on Valentine, like an athlete who wants to perfect his sport, he knows never to take his eyes off the ball.
If Valentine notices, he doesn’t show it, instead steepling his hands on his desk and locking eyes with me.
“As you all know, our dear papa left everything he built to Orlando’s lovely wife, Ava.
I think we can all acknowledge he did it out of spite because his two oldest sons abandoned him.
She clearly doesn’t know a thing about running an organization of this size.
Not only that but our men already respect and follow me.
It would be in the best interest of every person in this room if Ava refused the inheritance by signing the Disclaimer of Interest that our lawyers have drawn up.
This will waive her rights to inherit. That would leave the inheritance to pass to the next-named person according to a succession clause.
That would be me. Romeo and Orlando, your legal team have made your amendments.
I will graciously pass the ownership of all our family clubs and the benefits that come with them to you.
” He clicks his pen and turns the papers in my direction.
The clubs and the benefits that come with them.
His words make me feel sick to the stomach.
I purse my lips as I glance him over. His stupid smirk makes me want to fly across the table and slap it right off his face.
This is what I want, out of any responsibility, able to fly back home to my life.
But would giving this vile man sitting across from me all control be as bad as when his papa was in charge?
How much innocent blood would end up on my hands?
I pick up the contract. “I’ll look it over and get back to you,” I say with way more confidence than I feel right now.
His eye twitches. “There is nothing to look at, I’m giving you the out you want.” His voice rises as he tries to control his anger.
Orlando’s hand grips mine tightly. “What are you doing?” he says under his breath.
My lips twitch up at the sides. Yeah, none of these fuckers saw that one coming. “Then there is no issue with me taking some time to look it over.” I stand, holding the papers, ready to get out of this place. “I’ll let you know my decision in a couple of days.”
“Orlando, control your wife,” Valentine spits back, losing his temper as his chair flies across the room, crashing dramatically .
I glance back at Orlando, wondering what his next move will be.
Will he do as his brother says or have a little faith in me?
He smiles at me, a warm smile that I feel light me up.
“She knows what she’s doing. I back her decision one hundred percent.
We will be back in a few days after looking over the papers. ”
“Romeo!” Valentine yells, his voice booming off the walls of the confined space.
Romeo shrugs, a nonchalant movement, even though I know I’m going to be in shit when we get out of here for keeping this from him.
But the truth is, even I didn’t know I would make this decision until it was placed in front of me.
“What’s a few more days, Brother? Let’s bury our dear papa, then we can revisit the matter of his will. ”
Warmth spreads right through my body. They both supported me against their vile brother. Thank fucking God because I was doing this with or without them. But fuck, it makes life easier if we’re a team.
They stand by my sides, and the three of us follow Onyx and Reef out of the room, leaving Valentine with steam coming from his ears. Something smashes from within the den, the sound of shattering glass, followed by him yelling something at the lawyers about them doing their jobs.
Romeo leans into my side. “I hope you know what you’re doing, doll face.”
I smile back at him. Not yet, but I’m sure I’ll work out something in the next few days. All I know is that man can’t have all the control; he will only abuse it just like Emilio did.