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“I’m glad they’re still here,” I tell him, “I feel they are owed an explanation, and so are you.”
He inclines his head and follows as I lead my three princes down.
All that I want right now is to slap Alessio’s chops for what he put me through in this last week. I want to scream in his face and hammer my fists against his chest. But right now, I have to deal with the mess that he made.
As we step into the boardroom, Waya and the elders are sat around the top of the big boardroom table. Their expressions are even harder to read than usual, but I feel that they’re doing us a huge courtesy in giving us the chance to speak.
They can just throw us out on our ears and I couldn’t blame them if they did. It’s a privilege that they are willing to hear from us and I don’t take the moment lightly.
I take a position and stand at the bottom of the table, with my three men behind me. I say, “I feel humbled and so horribly embarrassed, it gives me a cramp in my stomach.” I tell them, “I wish none of the events of the last week had happened. More than that, I wish you did not have to witness what just occurred.”
Looking around, the air in the room feels electrified.
“I’m deeply sorry to have brought this to your door and I take full responsibility for all of the effects and consequences of these disturbances. Of course they should not have happened at all. But, given that they did, we should have been able to contain them, and not allowed them to damage this, the most valuable and important relationship that we have, outside of our own close family.”
I take a moment to draw breath and say, “Whatever I or we can do to make it up to you, you have only to ask.”
I bow my head to collect my thoughts.
I look up and say, “I want to beg for your forgiveness, but I have no right to ask for it. I want your understanding, but there’s no reason for you to give it. I want everything to go back as it was. But, of course, it can’t.”
Waya looks to each of the elders. They all make solemn nods.
He rises to say, “We hear you. We hear your heart. You did not bring this about, it was brought on you. Troubles can come, even inside a close family.”
He looks at each of us in turn. Checks with the elders again, and with Tai.
Then he says, “We are family. We understand. You are family, connected with our family. Our history has value that is greater than the cost of some errors or misdeeds. What you say is enough. None of us will hold any of this against you, not today, not tomorrow.”
Tai looks around the top of the table and says, “Making a mistake is nothing. Everybody does that, every single day. Facing up to it shows your honor and your depth of character. You are welcome here. To feed and to feast, to stay, to come and go as you please. You are all as welcome now as ever before, not only as our partners, but as our guests, and as our close and trusted friends.”
Elann Blue Feather, The oldest of the tribal elders stands.
“We agreed the name of the Cascades resort for logos, marketing materials and promotion. But between us and in our contracts, it will be known as Yamakiasham Yaina Resort. And our intention will be to transition the name over the coming ten years. Do you agree?”
I check with all three of my princes then, without hesitation, I agree.
The two other elders stand.
Waya says, “Now, we know that you have your own wounds between you to tend and to heal. Please take our Wy’east suite as our guests, for as long as you need. Food and drink will be brought for you. Call for whatever else you need. When you are ready, you and we we will draw up final documents and sign them to launch the Cascades Resort.”
The three men prowl the luxurious suite. I know that intense look on their faces. They’re on a beer hunt.
I grab Alessio by the lapels and rush him back against the wall. His dark animal magnetism is not diminished, but my feelings are in a whirl.
“You betrayed me. You betrayed us.”
“I know.”
I shake him. “You let your uncle pour poison and greed in your ear. You let yourself get turned against us.”
Carlo and Bruno come close.
Alessio shakes his head. “I know.” The look on his face is so hard to resist, I feel I’m going to be distracted by it. The strong, powerful man is humbled by understanding the effect of his own actions. “I was so wrong. I know you tried to tell me. So did you,” he eyes turn to Bruno. Then to Carlo. “You did to.” He looks down before he looks back up at me. “I was so wrong. And I didn’t even see it until early this morning.”
My eyes narrow. I’m suspicious.
He says, “Mikey and Catlin called and told me a hitman came for you. In Chicago. Up until then, I was so wrapped up in myself, in Uncle Jerry’s promises and my own idiotic plans, I didn’t even get my head up enough to see what I was doing to us.” He looks around at the others, “To all of us.”
