Page 5 of The Consigliere
“What do I care? Publish it. It’s his shit to deal with, not mine.”
She raises her glass to the screen and then to me and for some reason that impresses me more than anything so far. She has a fiery spark in her and I kind of love my women like that and so I bark out a laugh and then fix her with my deadliest glare that definitely gets her attention.
“Miss. Kensington. I don’t believe you have understood how serious this situation is. Jefferson’s father is Judge Stevenson. The most powerful judge in the state who is currently on your father’s radar as your future father-in-law. You have entered into an agreement that your engagement will be announced at the beginning of the summer, allowing for endless parties and social gatherings to celebrate that fact.”
I lean forward and stare at her hard. “In doing so, your father makes the perfect marriage for his daughter, to the man who is tipped to follow in his father’s footsteps. Your future is guaranteed and yet one leak on the internet would have Jefferson up on drugs and prostitution charges, not to mention the scandal that would destroy his family.”
I lean back and smirk. “By association, your family would be affected. The scandal would create a wide berth around them. Social invitations would dry up, business deals withdrawn and socially you would be humiliated and ridiculed. Need I go on.”
She sighs and studies her fingernails as if I’m a mild irritant that she needs to deal with before pulling her boyfriend back in line and then straightening the gilded mirror they live their life staring into.
So, I go in for the kill.
“I need you to ditch Jefferson and agree to be my girlfriend.”
“You are kidding me.”
Her eyes widen and I nod, feeling extremely smug about this.
“You see, every kid goes off the rails at least once in their life and this will be brushed under the Persian rug as yours. Your parents will make excuses that you are overseas for the summer, educating yourself and helping build an orphanage, or something along those charitable lines. Jefferson will receive a copy of this recording with instruction to play along or face his future blowing up in his face. You help me with a problem I have and we’re all happy when you return home and take up where you left off. It’s a small price to pay for a few weeks of rebellion, wouldn’t you agree, Miss. Kensington?”
She stares at me as if I’m the Grim Reaper and then her gaze flicks back to the screen as her boyfriend pulls on his trousers and then beckons Sherrie to sit on his lap, proceeding to suck her breasts as she fists his hair.
To my surprise, Abigail sighs heavily.
“What do I have to do?”
“I told you. Play the part of my girlfriend and come home and meet the family. That’s all I ask.”
“But why?”
“I have my reasons.”
The last thing I’m revealing is who will be there. I am looking forward to that more than anything.
The fact this woman is eye candy of the sexiest kind has already re-written the contract from the one I first had in mind.
Yes, Abigail Kensington is a challenge. Mario failed, but I never do and as my girlfriend, I expect her to fulfill the job description in every way. When Mario Bachini realizes I’m fucking the love of his life, it will push him to the edge and it’s good to know that I’m the man he’ll find waiting there to push him off.
Abigail sets the glass on the desk and stands, flicking one hard look toward the screen.
“You have a deal, Mr. Ortega. Text me the details. I’ve seen enough. I’ll be your girlfriend, but in name only. I’m not my boyfriend, I don’t cheat, and I don’t sleep around. Whatever your reason for staging this…” she waves her hand at the screen. “event, is not my concern. What does concern me is my future and if that is with or without Jefferson, I have yet to decide.”
She tosses her hair behind her like every rich princess I have ever met, and the way she looks down on me tells me exactly what she thinks of me. If anything, I’m glad about that because it will make my job a much easier one. Dominate the princess and bring her in line, wiping that regal smirk from her face and crushing her soul.
Once again, I light the cigar and prepare to ruin Jefferson Stevenson’s life along with his girlfriend’s and the people I detest most in the world.
Mario Bachini and Diana Ortega, my wicked stepmother. It will be cruel, vindictive, and glorious and at the end of it, I will walk over their broken souls victorious.
CHAPTER2
ABIGAIL
I’m still shaking. Not that you’d know it because I’ve been trained to disguise my emotions, but that was something else.Hewas something else and I don’t believe I will ever get over being in the same room as that man.
Matteo Ortega. His name graces the club I just left and if ever I met evil, it was there in his office. I knew as soon as I entered and cast one look at the man that I was way out of my depth.
I’m still processing what happened in that room as the cab driver says gruffly, “Where are you going?”