CHAPTER 16
In the parking garage, Flynn climbs into the passenger seat of my truck without even asking if he can tag along. I don't argue because I know he won't get out even if I threaten him. I may possibly be losing control of my own men, but that's an issue to deal with at another time.
"Less than an hour after the police left the scene, he tracked two big guys to the floor, but could only track them as far as the elevator. There aren't any cameras in the hallway on that floor."
"With what they're paying to live there, they should each have armed guards."
"No doubt," Flynn agrees, resting his arm in the windowsill. "I don't know if you went to Donaella's—"
"Dona," I interrupt. She hated her full name, and for some reason I feel like I need to respect that right now since I have no fucking clue what's happened to her.
"Dona's apartment was trashed worse than Anna's."
For some reason it doesn't bother me as much when my closest friend uses Anna's full name. It's like I'm also protective of her and his using the shortened version gets him too close. I'll work my mind through that bullshit later.
"Looking for the diamonds," I muse.
"Probably."
This is what I love about my team. They're so efficient and up to date on everything, I don't have to waste my time retelling information.
"How was the Four Seasons?"
And then there are times when they're too damn efficient.
"Overpriced and pretentious."
He chuckles.
"Brooks says she's a real looker."
I huff a laugh. "Brooks thinks everyone is good-looking."
"True. The man has an uncanny ability to find the positive in everyone." I keep my eyes trained on the road. Flynn does too, but I don't even for a second think he's giving up on the topic of conversation. "Are you agreeing or not?"
"About Brooks? I just did."
"About Anna Grimaldi," he corrects, his tone making it clear I'm not fooling him.
"She's my ex's best friend."
"Still not an answer."
"What does it matter?"
"A lot now that you're refusing to answer the question. You're the one making it a bigger issue, not me."
He smacks my hand when I reach to turn on the radio. "I'll fucking shoot you."
"Don't get all fucking growly with me. I watched the damn video. Wanna tell me what's going on?"
"The video? Are you fucking kidding me?"
I gun the engine harder than necessary when the light we're stopped at turns from red to green. His laugh makes me even closer to fulfilling the promise. The only thing stopping me right now is the cleaning bill.
"Yes, the video. The guys were in an uproar when I stopped in last night, and when Wren offered, I watched."
"Of us in the breakroom?"
His silence makes me want to grind my teeth together before breaking his nose with my fist, the cleaning bill be damned.
"You watched video of me in my office?"
"Hey, all of those cameras were your idea, not mine."
"And if I were fucking her?" I seethe, my cock somehow making himself known in my jeans. He doesn't seem to hate the damn idea. "How long would you have watched then?"
"All the way up to the money shot."
He's smiling at me, and I can't help but grin.
"That would never happen."
"Because she's your ex's best friend?"
Because Anna Grimaldi would never get on her knees for a man, much less let him paint her perfect face with cum.
"We don't exactly get along," I explain. "We never have."
"Thin line between love and hate."
"You're ignorant," I mutter as we pull up past the valet guy standing in front of the building that houses Altieri, Inc.
"To be continued," Flynn says as he opens his door.
"Sir, the keys?" the young guy prompts when I walk right past him. "Sir, you'll be towed."
"Touch my truck and see what happens." The boy swallows hard, but the quick nod of understanding tells me that pickup will sit there unmolested until I return.
"You are in a super shitty mood," Flynn mutters as we walk inside the building and arrow straight to the bank of elevators. "Oh, this shit is swanky."
"Her father is in a load of trouble. This time next month, he'll probably be begging for change on the street or locked up in jail awaiting trial rather than living the high life."
"The rich are always greedy."
I grunt my agreement as the elevator closes and takes us to the very top of the building. Facing my ex-father-in-law isn't even close to the top of my list of fun things to experience all over again. The last time I came inside this building, I asked for Dona's hand in marriage. I know if I closed my eyes and focused, I could still hear the sound of him laughing me out of his office.
"Sir!" The lady at the front reception desk isn't pleased when I walk past her. "You can't go back there!"
"It's okay, love," Flynn says, staying behind to keep her busy. "He's just gonna chat with an old friend."
His accent gets thicker when he's trying to calm someone down. She isn't impressed.
"I'll call security!"
Ignoring her, I walk straight back to Jeno Altieri's office. He seems more frustrated than surprised when I shove open his office door. He also looks thirty years older than he did the last time I saw him, and I imagine that has more to do with the heat he's facing than actual aging.
"I thought I'd never have to see you again," he mutters when he looks up at me.
"Believe me, the feeling is mutual." I don't step but a few feet into his overly large office, and I never take my eyes off of him.
"Why exactly are you barging in here like the damn police?"
"I hear that may have happened a time or two recently." I can't help the small smile that tugs up the corners of my mouth with knowing the man is in trouble. He's always been too flashy to avoid detection for long.
"Get to the fucking point, Black. I'm sure security is already on the way up to forcibly remove you from my property."
"And how much longer will you own the property?" I take a few steps closer and find joy in the way he slinks back.
I'm not the scrawny guy I was nearly two decades ago when I came here for the first and only time.
"Dean," he growls, but there's more fear in his voice than anything else. "I didn't think the feds were hiring lowly security businesses as muscle these days."