Page 22 of Flowers and Moonlight
Dad moves quickly to open the door and I breeze past him with Zeno on my heels. When I turn, Jasmine loops her arm with mine and gives me a brilliant smile. “How about we collect your things and let the men have their time together.”
I want to protest because I want to find out what is said, but there’s a glint in Jasmine’s eye which has the argument dying on my tongue. I trust Tony and Zeno. They trust their boss.
I give a nod and take solace in the fear on my father’s face before I turn and walk up the stairs to my room with Jasmine. This will be the last time I’m here and I’m more than ready to leave it all behind.
CHAPTER 11
TONY
The moment the women are up the stairs, Dante smiles, but it’s not the one he gives those he is close to and definitely not the one he bestows upon his wife. This is the smile that make men fear him with just a look. One where you can see the demon inside of the man and can understand why he is feared.
I expect Dante to lay into Bernard, who looks to be about a second away from pissing all over himself, but he doesn’t. Instead, our boss takes a step back and clasps his hands behind his back before looking at myself and Zeno. He gives a slight nod and if I weren’t so pissed at the piece of shit in front of us, I would be tempted to hug the man who has been like a brother to me for as long as I can remember.
“Bernard,” my voice is cold and detached, “you have made some poor decisions, but I have to say the worst one was promising your daughter to Martinez.” I shake my head in admonishment. “You have no code and it’s disgusting.”
Since it’s not Dante doing the talking, the man in front of me pretends like he has a spine, “Why should I? My daughter is of no consequence to me and if I can use her, I’m going to.”
“Men like you are scum,” Zeno’s voice holds weight. “When you get in bed with the devil, you think you’re invincible, butyou’re not. You can’t even see the danger because your ego blinds you.”
Bernard puffs up his chest like he’s important, but everyone in the room knows who really holds the power here and it’s not Bernard. Hell, Zeno and I have more power than him. His display is laughable and it takes a concerted effort for me not to bark out a laugh in his face. Dante’s lip twitches and I know I’m not alone in having to hold in my amusement.
I clap my hands and Bernard practically jumps out of his skin. “Here’s what is going to happen. You are never going to think of or speak of your daughter again.” I point between Zeno and myself. “She belongs to us and is now a Guidice family member. Our loyalty is to her and then to Dante.” Dante gives a nod, indicating he has heard where our loyalty lies—our woman is first, just like his is. “You will not try and use her for your nefarious gain.”
“She’s my daughter,” he sneers.
I continue speaking like he didn’t just spew that bullshit. “You will no longer have business dealings with Martinez. You will no longer attempt to screw around in a world you know nothing about.”
“You can’t tell me who I can do business with,” he protests, but it’s weak as fuck.
Dante pulls an envelope out his suit jacket and hands it to Bernard. Zeno speaks up, “You don’t need to look at what is inside now, but later, when you do, you’ll understand the gravity of the situation you find yourself in and why you will be following the ground rules we have set out for you. If you don’t, the consequences will be dire. They will begin with the legal consequences with the evidence you are now holding.”Bernard’s face turns white. As it should because the tax evasion and fraud that we have proof of is no joke. “The end will be your life because if you give us reason to think you have upset our woman, no one will find your carcass for the funeral.”
The promise in Zeno’s voice has me grinning at him since there’s no reason to hide how much pleasure it would give me to rid the world of this person who paraded around like a father for far too long. Not only because it would practically be community service, but for our woman’s peace of mind.
I hear Posy and Jasmine start to come back down the stairs, but I keep my eyes on Bernard. He looks at the envelope before glancing between us. “I understand,” he whispers.
Part of me hopes he does. Another part almost hopes he doesn’t. It would give me a reason to exact my revenge for the hell he put our woman through.
When Jasmine and Posy walk back into the living room, a suitcase in each of their hands, our Moonlight barely glances at her father and walks right up to Zeno and me. Only then do I tear my eyes away from the pile of shit who never deserved her. I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and haul her a few steps closer and stare down into her eyes, looking for any sign of distress. I kiss her forehead and Jasmine saunters to Dante, wiggling her eyebrows at us while she does.
Jasmine loops her arm through her husband’s and smirks at Bernard, I’m sure reading the look of fear on his face. She voices, “We done here?”
Before anyone can answer, Samantha walks in through the front door and into the living room. Her eyes sweep the room, hardly stopping on Posy before looking at me and then Zeno. I swear her beady little eyes light the fuck up.
She sways her hips as she approaches Zeno. “Well, hello there,” she purrs the words as if anyone would find that seductive.
When she reaches out to touch Zeno’s arm, he barks, “Do not touch me.”
Samantha shrinks back into herself for a moment but quickly recovers. She waves a dismissive hand as if he’s the one being ridiculous; he’s not. “Clearly you’re here for me since I’m the only woman in the room worth looking at,” she coos as she pushes her tits forward.
Jasmine starts cackling and I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing right along with her. “Is this bitch for real?” Samantha’s eyes snap over to Jasmine and she pales slightly. She obviously didn’t notice the Guidice queen in the room. Jasmine arches an eyebrow, “Even if I weren’t in the room, no one wants a knock-off when they can have the real thing.” After releasing Dante’s arm, Jasmine steps right up to Samantha, her lip curling in disgust, showing exactly why she’s the right woman to stand at the side of the most powerful man in the city. “And believe me,” her voice is saccharin, “Posy is the real thing. You will never be allowed in an event hosted by my family nor in any business owned by my family. Consider yourself blacklisted, cunt.”
With that said, as Samantha’s mouth opens and closes like a fish, Jasmine grabs Posy’s hand and walks her out of the house. Both women keep their heads held high as Zeno and I grab the suitcases, before waiting for Dante to walk out between us.
“Don’t fuck with the queen,” Dante’s voice holds no apology as he looks over Samantha. When he flicks his gaze over Bernard, he adds, “Or the king. Remember your place, Moreau.”
None of us look back as we leave the house, load up the suitcases in the car Zeno is driving where Posy is already waiting, and head back to the Guidice estate. I stop at the main house and give Dante a nod as he helps Jasmine out of the car before I walk to the house our woman will be making a home.
Zeno has two suitcases in hand and Posy has one while reaching for the second one when I snatch them both and stride to the door. “Hey,” my woman’s indignant shout follows me, and I grin. She catches up to me quickly and huffs, “I can carry that.”
