Page 13 of His Savage Bride
“His company handles investment accounts for Senator Berry?” I ask, unable to hide my surprise. I didn’t expect Maximo to have a United States senator on his client list.
“Yeah, his company handles financial transactions for several big name federales,” Trenton says with a nod. He waves his hand to catch the attention of his friend Joey, who drove us around earlier, and then motions for him to round up the other men in the kitchen and head out into the foyer. They grab another bottle of wine from the rack and file out of the kitchen. “I shouldn’t be discussing the clients in mixed company,” heexplains as he goes back to mauling his chicken. “Maximo handles the finances of several feds and dozens of local state politicians. The information they provide helps guide some of his own trading decisions.”
“Isn’t that like the definition of insider trading?” I ask him, raising a brow.
Trenton snorts a laugh and then starts coughing as he inhales a piece of food. He coughs and splutters for another moment before grabbing his wineglass and downing it, then turns his bleary eyes to me. “Damn, woman, you can be an absolute trip. Did anyone ever tell you that? That look of shock on your face is priceless. Yes, it’s insider trading. After everything you’ve seen and done already with the family, this is what surprises you? This is your bridge too far?”
“No, I mean… Maximo has just been so careful, so circumspect in all his actions. Insider trading seems like it would be easy to track and prove,” I say, trying to explain my concern.
Trenton shrugs as he rips another piece of meat off the chicken. “Sure, it’s easy to prove. Except for one simple problem. The people who would do the investigation are the people Maximo represents. I know you’ve heard that old adage, ‘We have investigated ourselves and found we did nothing wrong’? That applies here. The people who are in charge of oversight are the ones committing the crime. The call, dear lady, is coming from inside the house!” He spreads his greasy hands as though he’s revealing a magic trick, and my stomach lurches unpleasantly.
Trenton follows my gaze down to the chicken and says, “I’m being rude. Did you want some of this?”
“No, no thank you.” I can’t resist the slight shiver of revulsion that runs through me. I’ve barely recovered from the revulsion I’ve been feeling since killing two men this afternoon, and watching Trenton eat is bringing it back in spades.
Fortunately for my stomach, Maximo walks into the kitchen holding a whiskey carafe and a tumbler. “There you are.” He beams at me and leans over to kiss me. “How are you feeling after getting cleaned up?”
“Better.” I sigh as I watch him hit the icemaker, which ejects one large ball of ice into his glass. “Did Melissa ever get back in touch with you?” I ask as he pours himself a drink.
“She did.” He pauses to take a sip. “Ah, my throat was getting dry. Allen is a talker.”
“Allen is the CFO I was telling you about,” Trenton interjects.
Maximo raises his glass to Trenton, then continues. “Yes, I was caught up with my financial officer for a bit, just handling some of the more mundane day-to-day business. We’ve had an exciting afternoon, so I had to catch him at home and go over a few things. Anyway, Melissa, right. Here, firefly. You can read it for yourself.” Maximo puts his carafe down on the counter and fishes his phone out of a coat pocket.
He unlocks the phone and pulls up the message thread before passing it to me. It’s a brief message, and it only takes me a moment to read.
I’m okay, Connie, don’t worry! My parents just got into town and are here with me. The doctor says I’m going to need surgery in the morning to put in a plate to fix my orbital bone, but I’m going to be all right. I’m just relieved you’re safe. Please let me know what happened when you can! I can’t wait to see you. Love, Mel.
“She’s going to have surgery in the morning,” I whisper. “Oh God, this is all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault,” Maximo insists. “Don’t fall victim to that sort of thinking. In my line of work every decision has repercussions, most of which you can’t foresee. You can’t blame yourself for every bad thing someone else does, even if they did it in response to one of your moves.”
“Then how do you deal with the guilt, Max? How do you sleep at night?” I demand.
Maximo glances from me to Trenton, then tips his glass to me and drains it in a single gulp. Trenton wipes his greasy hands on a paper towel, pulls a vape out of his pocket, takes a puff, then exhales a cloud of sweet-smelling fumes.
“We find ways.” Maximo gives me a slight smile, trying to lighten my mood. “Do you want me to pour you one?”
“No, I don’t want to take up drinking, Maximo.” I can hear the bite in my voice.
Trenton obviously can too, as he raises his hands in the air in an “I surrender” motion and says, “I’m going to leave you two alone. I shouldn’t be vaping in the house anyhow.” Then he walks out into the foyer. “Just text if you need me,” he calls back over his shoulder.
“The truth is this doesn’t usually happen.” Maximo sighs as he refills his glass from the carafe. “Everyone who deals with me knows that I’m as honest as our business allows. They also know I got to this position because I’m willing to escalate. Do you know what that means, in this sense?”
“Of course I do. I’ve seen it in action. Kirill Volkov’s crew murdered my father while robbing one of your shipments, and you helped me kill him. People who cross you die.”
“Not just the people who cross me, Constance. Their crews. Their families. The scum I deal with day after day know that if they cross me, I’ll burn their entire lives to the ground. Kirill Volkov didn’t understand that, but his uncle Alexei certainly did. He was on a flight back to Russia the moment he found out his nephew had gone rogue. Kirill was arrogant. I would have killed him myself, but I gave him to you. Then I had the police round up his crew, seize his assets, and burn the Volkov family out of my city by the roots. That’s what escalation means in my line of work.”
“Well, apparently it means the same to Irina Volkov. She’s not going to stop until she hurts you, Max. Until she hurtsus. I don’t know how you deal with the loss of your family, of Luca and Enzo. But I can’t just push it down and bury it like you can, as part of the cost of doing business. I can’t, Maximo. I can’t stand my friends getting hurt.” I feel a tear trickle down my face as the image of the gun rising and falling, crushing Melissa’s face, blazes in my mind.
Maximo sets his glass down on the counter and walks over to gather me into a hug. I return the gesture, clinging to him. “I don’t know how I’m going to face her or what to say to her,” I whisper as hot tears spring forth.
“I’ve never met a woman as brave as you,” Maximo says, drawing a weak laugh of disbelief out of me. “I mean it,” he continues. “After everything you went through today, your thoughts are still on your friend and how this affects her. You’re too good for my world, firefly. If you want out, I’ll get you away from everything. Even me.”
“I thought you wanted to marry me.” I manage another weak laugh. “I don’t want to be away from you, Max. I want to be with you. I’m just so exhausted and scared.”
“Text Melissa back and let her know you’ll be there tomorrow after her surgery. She’ll be safe there. Irina doesn’t give a shit about her.”
