Rome, Italy.
Carlos's pov:
I felt nothing but relief after the girl left. What do these crazy women get out of it? All it ever brings is embarrassment. I got dressed in fresh clothes and looked as good as always. Once I finished changing, I headed downstairs. Today, there was a lot on my plate—banks, legal issues, and taxes. Kai would be helping with all of that: he'd take care of the legal stuff and taxes, while I handled the banks. I drank some water since I wasn't really hungry.
I scanned the room, looking for Kai. He was impossible to keep track of because he was always in a different place. Then it hit me: his office. I went upstairs and entered his office. As usual, everything was tidy and orderly. Nothing out of place. Kai sat at his desk, likely working on some paperwork.
Kai looked up as I entered his office, and he greeted me with a casual, "Oh, I didn't see you there." He stretched and asked, "How did you sleep?" "Good, you?" I asked as I took in his usual routine. "Not bad," he said, his attention quickly shifted. "By the way, why did I hear a girl inside the mansion?" he asked. "Oh, you heard everything?" I scratched my temples, slightly embarrassed.
"Who hasn't? Mimi woke up too," Kai said, glancing at Mimi, who was in her room. "Oh, apologies, Mimi," I said, walking over to scoop her up and nuzzle her. Though I didn't have much of a connection with her, she was the princess of the mansion, my mother's beloved kitten. Mimi had been a gift from my father to my mother for her 26th birthday.
Since the passing of my parents, I hadn't seen much of her. She spent her time either searching for them or staying close to Kai. I'd always had a dislike for her, especially after she had peed on my favorite jersey, but she had since been tamed and trained. I set Mimi down and watched her retreat to her corner, the familiar sight of her making me feel a little nostalgic.
"Yeah, she didn't leave, so I had AJ and Denzel escort her out," I explained as I sat at the front desk, already feeling the weight of the day piling up. "Oh man, this is not the first time that this has happened," Kai said with a cringe. I let out a tired sigh. "I know, I know," I mumbled. Kai then stood up and opened one of the desk drawers to get some paperwork.
"So, do you have any plans for today?" Kai asked while shuffling through the papers. "Not by much," I said. "Less?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not really, I just need you to look after some things while I go to the bank," I clarified. "Like?" he asked. "It's a legal issue and some taxes," I explained. "I can do the taxes, then the case, because it's going to take some time," Kai said. "Alright," I said. "As soon as I finish the taxes, I'll call Vincent," Kai said.
I nodded before exiting his office and heading outside to meet AJ, Vex, and Denzel. "Guard the area, and I'll let you know when the lawyer arrives," I said, going into the limo. They nodded and headed back inside as my chauffeur pulled the car away from the mansion. As we made our way into the city, I couldn't help but notice the cheers and applause from the people around me.
The limo drew attention wherever it went, and they knew who I was. Even though the tinted windows kept my presence hidden, I allowed their admiration to wash over me in silence, acknowledging it with a faint smile. It took us a while to get through the heavy traffic, but I wasn't in a rush. As a mafia, I could still follow the rules and play by the book. Leaning back in my seat, I glanced at my watch before letting my gaze drift to the floor, focusing on the stillness of the moment.
After about thirty minutes, we finally reached the bank. My chauffeur escorted me out, and I could already feel the eyes on me, the murmurs and glances of people who knew exactly who I was. As I entered, I made my way to the VIP section upstairs, a reserved space where only a select few could go. The downstairs area of the bank was dimly lit, but the upstairs was blindingly bright. I made my way to my office, squinting as the lights hit my eyes. I hissed under my breath, irritated by the harsh brightness, before stepping inside and shutting the door behind me.
I sank into my chair and powered up the computer, quickly logging into my bank account. I checked the balances, feeling satisfaction as I watched the numbers. Everything was right where I wanted it, full of money, secure. Once I was done, I powered everything down and left the bank. I could've checked the account at home, but I needed a code to access everything, so it was better to handle it in person. I walked out of the bank and returned to my limo.
There were still a few errands to run before I went back to the mansion. "To Skulls Firearms," I told the chauffeur.
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Ontario, Canada.
Alliana's pov:
"Pleasant to see you, Mr. Moretti," I said from across the table as Vincent sat down. "Thank you for meeting with me, Ms. Mercedes," he said. "No problem. How's the case going?" I asked. "It's going well," Vincent said, his relief evident. "Happy to hear," I said as I pulled out the paperwork. "Any new information?" he asked, leaning in slightly. "Nothing special here. You're free," I said, handing him the papers. After nearly two years of back-and-forth, it was finally over.
Vincent had been sued for fraud, a case that dragged on with sleepless nights and countless meetings. But the tide had turned, and now, after a complex process of proving his innocence, he was finally free. I watched as Vincent let out a deep sigh of relief and clapped his hands. "Thank you, Lord," he murmured. I slid two final documents across to him, the finalization paperwork and the payment details.
"Here's the finalization paper and the payment amount," I said, handing Vincent the documents. He looked at the numbers and raised an eyebrow. "$1,200? Not too shabby," he said with a smile. "I believe you deserve more because you're one of the best lawyers in Ontario," Vincent said. "How sweet of you," I said, giving him a smile. Vincent then took out his wallet and handed me the cash. "Thank you," I said, rising to my feet. Souline came to take the money and place it in an envelope. Vincent also stood up.
"Thank you very much for everything, Ms. Mercedes," Vincent said as he moved toward the door. "You're welcome" I said, opening the door for him. We exchanged our final goodbyes, and I returned to the sofa, relieved. "Thank goodness this case is over," I said, glancing over at Souline. "Same, this case has been going on for way too long," Souline said. "Agreed, we can finally unwind," I said. "Don't forget, we have another meeting coming up," Souline reminded me, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, don't even remind me," I groaned, rolling my eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Mercedes, but that's part of my job," Souline said with a grin. "Yeah, yeah," I said, tossing a pillow at her. "You're the worst," Souline laughed, throwing it back. "Takes one to know one," I said catching it. "True," Souline said. I chuckled. "Let me whip something up; we both need a break," Souline said, heading for the kitchen. "You mean I need a break," I teased. "Both," Souline said.
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Rome, Italy.
Carlos's pov:
It took me forever to run some errands, but now I know to tackle them first thing in the morning. The good news was that Kai had finished paying the bills, which was a relief. But then came the bad news, and it had me a bit uneasy. I told my chauffeur to head back to the mansion. Traffic wasn't as bad as before, and we made it back in twenty minutes.
As the bodyguards stood watch outside, I walked in. Kai was sitting on the couch downstairs and got up as soon as he saw me. "Hey," I said, approaching. "Hey, I checked the taxes and bills, everything's paid and squared away," Kai said. "Good," I said. "But the bad news is, you're in some trouble," he said, his tone a little more serious.
I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean, 'I'm in trouble'?" I asked, my voice sharp. "Vincent called to say he's dropping your case," Kai explained. "He said it's too complicated and would take too long." My anger surged like fire. "What the fuck?" I snapped. "Vincent is done with us," Kai said.
I could barely contain my fury. I started throwing anything in reach. vases, chairs, anything to release the frustration building up inside me. Kai tried to hold me back, but it didn't work. The fact that I paid that man a significant portion of my balance, only for him to bail on me because the case was too complicated was infuriating. It's his damn job to help his clients, not quit when things get tough.
Now, I had to find someone else, someone who might actually give a damn about my case. I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my emotions. "I need to clear my head," I muttered, heading upstairs. The thought of possibly facing jail time or being left completely unrepresented was too much to handle right now.
I walked into my private bar, the dim lighting offering a bit of relief from the chaos in my mind. Flynn, my bartender, was already there and noticed me immediately. "Is everything alright, sir?" he asked. I let out a long breath. "Just serve me something to calm me down," I said, sitting down on the chair. Flynn nodded and quickly got to work.
He placed the drink on the table in front of me, and I took it without hesitation. "Thanks," I muttered, swirling the liquid gently before taking a sip. I leaned back in the chair, my eyes focusing on the glass in my hand. "You ever felt like you trusted someone who was supposed to help, but they just turned their back on you?" I asked Flynn, my voice low.
He glanced over, sensing the shift in my mood. "What's going on, sir?" he asked. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "I'm in legal trouble," I began, the frustration still burning inside me. "I had Vincent working on my case, and everything was going smoothly. But today, he called Kai and said he couldn't handle it anymore. The case was too complex, too difficult." I paused, shaking my head. "Like I was just too much for him to deal with."
"Isn't that what lawyers are supposed to do?" Flynn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Exactly," I said, my voice laced with frustration as I took another sip. I needed something to calm me down, but Vincent's betrayal kept swirling in my mind. The fact that he walked away from a case he was paid to help with stung more than I wanted to admit.
Flynn seemed to sense my frustration and paused, turning back toward me. "Well, I know one lawyer who might be able to help you," he said. "She's incredibly skilled, one of the best around." My interest immediately piqued. "Are you serious?" I asked, leaning forward. Flynn nodded. "Yeah. She's worked with some of the toughest people, mafias, and delinquents. She handles complex cases well."
My eyes sharpened with interest. "Who is she?" I pressed. Flynn smiled, like he knew he had my attention. "Alliana Mercedes," he said.