Page 39 of Ruthless Touch
“Fuck me. You can find out secrets nobody else can. So Marcello Angeloni has a brother?”
Cesare taps his fat fingers on the envelope sitting in front of me. “Not just a brother. An illegitimate brother who I bet will be more than eager to get what is rightfully his because he’s an Angeloni son. Keep reading, though. You haven’t even gotten to the best part.”
I drop my gaze to the papers and keep reading, dying to find out what he thinks is the best part. And then I come to it, and it’s like Christmas and my fucking birthday all at once.
Looking up at Cesare, I shake my head in disbelief. “No fucking way.”
With a huge grin, the P.I. nods. “Way. Marcello Angeloni isn’t actually an Angeloni by blood at all. Motherfucker is adopted. Turns out his mother and father were some fucking teenagers who gave him up at birth and went on their merry goddamned way. The Angelonis adopted him, but he doesn’t have the birthright that bastard son of his father’s has. And the cherry on top of the cake? This illegitimate son doesn’t know a fucking thing about it. He just thinks he had a wealthy benefactor who left him a bunch of money when old man Angeloni died.”
“I think it’s time the bastard found out who he really is. Any chance Marcello doesn’t know about him?”
Nothing would be better than being able to spring that news on the asshole when we have our meeting.
With a huge smile, Cesare nods. “Believe it or not, I can’t find any evidence that he knows a goddamned thing about it. So how’d I do, boss? Am I forgiven for getting fresh with that pretty redhead you have out there in your lobby?”
I stand and pat him on the shoulder. “You’re forgiven. Just don’t do it again or I’ll let Sasha deal with you.”
His eyes get wide, and I swear I see fear settle into them. “Got it. Behave or the gorgeous woman who I think might be the type to kill me in my sleep will come after me.”
“You did good, Cesare. Be sure to stay and have some lunch. On me.”
That makes him happy, and as he stands to walk out to take me up on my offer, he asks, “Anything else you need from me on this? I know I gave you all the info you need to fuck up Marcello, but if I can be a part of it, just say the word.”
A little surprised to hear he wants to help me take down my newest enemy, I wait for him to explain what his problem is with Marcello. When he doesn’t, I say, “I didn’t realize you had an ax to grind with the new head of the Angeloni family.”
He shrugs and answers, “I don’t, but something about this fuck announcing to the world that he plans on killing any Rule he can pisses me off. I’m just saying, if you need help, just let me know.”
“I will. Thanks for all of this, Cesare.”
“My pleasure, boss. Now I’m going to enjoy a nice lunch out on your terrace and live like the other half does for a little while.”
“Try the lemon pasta with shrimp. It’s a specialty of my chef’s,” I say as I make my way toward the door.
I appreciate his offer of help to get that fuck Marcello, but I think this is something that needs to be kept within the Rule family. I won’t forget the offer, though.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Gideon
My meeting with Cesare has saved this day, thankfully. But my father and brother are still hanging around threatening to ruin it at any moment.
I see Alex and have to hold back the urge to beat the hell out of him for that shit he pulled with Aria. Not that I should be surprised. My brother has hit on every female I’ve ever dated, all the way back to when we were in prep school, and most he tried to steal away. It never even mattered that he had a girlfriend through most of high school. He just couldn’t stand to see me have one.
“What’s up, baby brother?” he asks with a laugh as I walk out onto the terrace on the main floor looking for Sasha and Aria.
I look down at him sitting across from my father and don’t even attempt to hide my sneer. “Dad, how long are you planning on staying?”
My father thinks about my question for a few moments and then says, “I’m happy to say the meeting I had scheduled for later this afternoon is now unnecessary, so your brother and I will be leaving in a few hours. Why? Do you have something you’d like to do while we’re here? Do you know in all the time I’ve owned this hotel that I’ve never toured this coast? Want to act as tour guide and show me the sights? You look like you could use some time off from this place.”
As much as I’d like to do that with him, the thought of spending even a minute more around my brother has me practically seeing red. I hadn’t intended on mentioning anything to my father since what happened earlier is between me and Alex, but now as he sits here with a shit-eating grin on his face showing no remorse for his behavior, I feel like I need to say something.
“You know what, Dad? I’d love to, but to be brutally honest, I can’t stand being around my brother anymore. This son of a bitch went up to my penthouse and put his fucking hands on my girlfriend. He’s lucky I didn’t throw his ass right off the side of my goddamned terrace. So no, I’ll have to take a rain check on showing you around the Amalfi Coast.”
My father listens to everything I have to say and then turns to look at my brother. “Is this true?”
Why my father allows the idea that I’m not telling the truth to creep into this conversation baffles me while pissing me off royally. Before Alex has a chance to say whatever shitty thing he intends to, I butt in and answer my father’s question for him.
“When the fuck have you ever known me to lie? That’s not me, Dad. That’s this one. If I tell you he did what I say he did, then it’s the truth. You should operate from that basic fact, not asking him if what I just said is true.”