Chapter 494 - In Which Threats Are Coming
Chapter 494 – In Which Threats Are Coming
Gael got to his feet and strolled towards the bar cart. "Are you thirsty?" he asked, glancing at her.
She shook her head. Gael faced the cart and poured whiskey into two glasses, then mixed Vichy Catalan and some lemons into another glass. Taking the whiskey in one hand and the fizzy drink in the other, he walked back to them and set the whiskeys in front of Giovanni and Lia. Then he went back to sit in the armchair with his lemon-flavored carbonated water.
Malia eyed the amber liquid in front of her and then the drink in Gael's hand, her brows knitting in confusion. He tipped his glass to her before taking a sip, the bubbles bursting in his tongue, the combination of salty and sour sloshing in his mouth. It wasn't damn near to any liquor he could've had, but Angela would chop his head off if she smelled alcohol in his breath.
"And why are you here?" he asked.
She stared at the whiskey, glanced at the clock, and then sighed before finally taking a swig of the drink. "I don't know. Ask your uncle."
Gael studied his uncle whose eyes were still locked at Malia since the others left a few minutes ago.
When no one else spoke, she set the glass down rather harshly. "I need to go home."
Giovanni sought after her as soon as he found out about the offshore account record. He thought she had already gone home but was surprised when he arrived at The Manor and saw her with other KMH female staff.
He was already pissed as he got to the club, wanting to take care of Ackerman in his office, so when he saw Lia, he just had to get to her. He didn't waste time and confronted her in private, but all she did was deny and even looked shocked about the accusation.
Still fuming at the situation at hand, Giovanni cocked a brow at her. "Why are you in a hurry? Can't wait to go home to your fiancé?"
"Because! I don't want to be here. Why are you keeping me? Just do what you want and get it over with," she spat.
Her reaction made Giovanni's lips curl into a smirk. Gael swore it was always fun to watch these two.
Giovanni gestured towards the door, his voice sounding amused. "You're free to go…after you tell him what you told me."
"Why don't you tell him yourself? I have nothing to do with it!"
"I don't fucking care. Now tell him, or I will make you." Giovanni cast a glare at her.
The two stared down at each other for a few moments. Malia dropped it first, and then she faced Gael. "I don't know what I heard. I'm not sure, I mean."
"Heard what?" Gael prodded.
"I…heard Keith talking on the phone the other day. It sounded like he was talking to Fil."
He cocked a brow. "How do you know he's talking to Filippo?"
"I just do. Keith usually receives a call in the morning around the same time. One time he was in the shower, and his phone rang. I…answered it, and it was my brother."
Setting his glass down, Gael narrowed his eyes on her. "And why are you telling us this?"
Malia rolled her eyes again. "Because Gio's making me?"
"What did you hear?"
She swallowed. "I think Fil's coming."
"Coming to where?"
"To New York? I heard him say, "Soon. When you're here."" She snapped her head at Giovanni. "I told you I could've heard it wrong. I'm not sure, okay? I just…think that Keith is expecting him soon."
Gael shook his head, calling this bullshit. Filippo had been on the run, avoiding them for so long, and now he was coming here? "And we're supposed to just believe her?"
Giovanni shrugged, taking a swig of his drink. "She's a liar."
Exasperated, Malia leveled their gazes. "Look, I don't care if you believe me or not. I'm not going to convince you to. We had a deal, Gio. Now let me go."
"You made a deal with her?" Gael probed, arching a brow as he glanced between the two ex-lovers.
A chuckle escaped Giovanni's lips. "I never agreed to it," he said.
Malia's eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and then she groaned, sounding annoyed and having had enough of Giovanni. She shot up. "I'm leaving."
"Have Rick drive you home," said Gael as he took another sip of his fizzy drink.
"I don't want your help. I'm taking a cab," she scoffed as she gathered her stuff with shaky hands.
"I'm not offering help. It's late. We don't want to be held responsible if something happens to you after you walk out of here." Gael sounded nonchalant. Despite the messy history between the two families, Malia was still a woman, and it was dangerous outside.
She paused for a beat, staring at Gael as she contemplated fighting him on this.
Giovanni got to his feet, grabbing his keys off the table and his coat off the back of his chair. "I'm driving you home."
"Absolutely not!" she protested.
"It's either that, or I'm calling Perry myself and tell him to come pick you up right here in my office because you're sleeping on my couch and refuse to leave. Your choice."
Malia scoffed, fuming. She couldn't believe this was happening to her right now. Instead of responding, she turned around and walked out of the office, stomping her feet defiantly as she did.
Giovanni chuckled to himself, a sinister glint flashing his eyes as he followed her out.
Gael shook his head. He didn't know what was going on between the two. "You got a condom? Don't forget to wrap it."
Giovanni gave him the middle finger as he headed out. "Lock the door when you leave."
The door closed after Giovanni, leaving Gael alone inside. He stayed there for a few minutes more, playing the information in his head as he tried to figure out what Perry was planning and when and where would Filippo be if he was actually coming?
He didn't worry much about Malia's involvement in this war between their families. Mariano had warned them during their sit-down the last time that his sister must be left unharmed. When they asked him to explain her role in Perry's life, Mariano was hesitant and spoke vaguely, saying that Malia didn't want to be part of any of this but that it was her choice to be with him.
Everyone was so shady, and Gael felt that there were many things to uncover. But he could only do so much. His top priority was keeping Angela safe while working on his goals.
If what Malia said was true that Filippo was coming to do God knows what, then they had to prepare.
***
Angela was behind the bar, wearing an apron and wiping the counters when Gael came back. A smirk ghosted his lips as he leaned against the far end of the bar, watching her as she observed everything, taking mental notes of the workers and patrons. She took out a small pad of Phantom Empire merch and a Montblanc pen that surely came from his desk and scribbled on it.
She didn't take drink orders, but when a guy asked for some tissues, she managed to find the stock under the counter and gave it to him. Another patron called her attention, asking her to take his drink order, but she kindly apologized, saying she didn't make drinks.
The men at the bar ogled at her and talked to each other in hush voices, causing Gael's jaw to tighten. But he kept his cool and ignored them.
"Miss," Gael called her attention. "Can I have a kiss?"
The men at the bar raised their brows at the audacity of him acting so boldly. Angela turned around, smiled, and walked over, surprising the patrons even more when she indulged Gael and answered, "Depends. What are you gonna pay me with?"
"What to do? I don't have my wallet with me."
A guy next to him scoffed, followed by some laughter from his friends.
She leaned in, still smiling. "I don't take cash."
"How about my car?"
"Hmmm… That will get you a peck on the cheek."
"I want one on my lips. You can have any of my properties… My king-size bed."
The guy beside him shook his head. "Dude, you try so hard."
Angela crossed her arms under her breasts and tilted her head, sliding her gaze down Gael's body and then back up. "Tempting. But I already have my own house and a king-size bed."
"What about dinner?" Gael smirked. "You like to eat, right?"
"Are you cooking?"
"Yes."
"Are there going to be any whip cream and chocolate?"
His grin grew wide. "If you want…"
"Then you'll get a kiss." Angela reached for the lapels of his coat across the counter, pulling him in as she leaned and caught his lips in a slow kiss.
Howls and cheers rang around them, one commenting, "Holy shît. That worked? Baby girl, can I get a kiss, too? I can buy you breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert."
Gael wrapped a possessive hand around her waist, squeezing her as he deepened the kiss for a few more beats.
Their kiss broke, and as they kept their foreheads pressed, she raised her left hand to the men, showing her engagement ring. "Sorry, boys. I'm already spoken for."
They laughed. "Oh, damn it. That was hot, though."
Smiling down at her, Gael pulled back slightly. "You done here, baby?"
"For now. I can come back, right?"
"Any time. Ready to go home?"
Angela nodded. Gael peered over her shoulder and yelled at his bartender, "Hey, George! Give these gentlemen their drinks. Two rounds on me."
"You got it, boss." The bartender nodded and he walked over.
The men howled some more, thanking Gael as he picked up Angela behind the bar, effortlessly carried her over the counter, set her feet back on the ground, and then walked her out of the club.
***
Just as they headed towards his Escalade, Ruth caught up to them, giving him a small package that someone had left an hour ago with his name on the front.
Gael opened the package and saw one item inside. He tipped it over, catching a familiar old ring in his palm. It was a thick gold band with a crow design…and splotches of what might be old dried blood. His hand quivered as he stared at it.
"What is it?"
"It's my grandfather's ring."