Quiet Wealth, page 8
“Well, what’s he like?”
“I don’t know.” I pushed the wand into the mascara tube. “He’s nice enough.”
“We had a deal, Sienna.”
“Ah, fine!” I checked myself in the mirror one last time and gave a silent nod of approval on my dress of choice. It was a white cotton sundress with a soft, brown jacket paired with brown ankle boots.
“You look good. Stop stalling.”
I flipped off the light and sat on the edge of the bed, knowing I had ten minutes to spare. “He’s nice, easy to talk to, works a lot, always glued to the phone. Oh, he did ditch me at one point and was gone for, like, twenty minutes.”
“Ditched you?”
“Yes, something about his business partner. It wasn’t a big deal, but it allowed me to do a little window shopping, and the time alone was nice. He has some strange ticks, though, like he has this cream-colored elastic, and every so often he’ll snap it.”
“Okay, okay.” He waited, and when I didn’t bite, he let out a frustrated sigh.
“Yes, he’s handsome,” I laughed, “but there’s something about him I just can’t figure out.”
“Bad or good?”
“Neither, really, it’s just something off. I guess how you feel sometimes with Rosa.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, understanding the feeling.
“When I figure it out, I’ll let you know, but,” I glanced at the time, “I really need to go.”
“All right, no goodbye.”
“Just a later.” I smiled as I hung up. I threaded my clutch strap over my wrist, took one last glance in the full-length mirror by the door, and left.
The lobby was empty as my eyes searched around, wondering where Mariano might be. I checked my watch and knew I was on time. I stood on the side of the entrance for over fifteen minutes, feeling conspicuous waiting for a man I barely knew.
“Sienna.” He came around the corner with his phone held up. He was probably answering another email. “Are you ready to go?”
“I have been,” I whispered at his lack of apology for keeping me waiting. He pushed open the door and crawled into the town car that had been waiting for us. I followed him as he slid over and patted the seat beside him, his eyes once again on his ever-present phone.
The restaurant was dark, with low ceilings, and the smell of steak hung thick in the air. I pulled out a tissue and dabbed at my eyes. It took me a moment to get my lungs under control.
“You’ll get used to it,” he assured me as he prattled off our order to the waiter. After he ordered for the both of us without my input, he seemed to settle.
“All right, Sienna, I’ll give you one question that I will answer without hesitation. Use it wisely.”
I nodded and thought about where I wanted to start, but instead of diving right in, I thought I would change directions. “Are you close with your parents?”
His studied me as he absorbed the question. “You could have asked me anything in the world, and you choose that.”
“True.” I leaned back as the waiter refilled my wine glass and our Tagliatelle funghi e tartufo was served.
“Why?”
“I believe you have a question to answer first.”
“All right.” He took almost all the dressing before he offered some to me. “We are close, yes. I love them, of course, but as far as getting along, it depends on the day. My mother can be a lot.”
I nodded, not overly pleased with his answer, but who was I to judge.
“You’re different, Sienna.” He pointed his fork at me as he chewed loudly. “I think this month will be a lot more fun than I thought.”
“Good.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at his bluntness.
Somehow, the three weeks flew by, and despite the fact that he lived on his phone and would disappear every once in a while, I found myself enjoying my time with him. So much, in fact, that I agreed to stay on longer.
He loved to educate me on his family and where they came from, but I found myself getting frustrated with how little information I was really getting regarding the family’s oil business. Every time he would occasionally touch on what he did in the business, he would skirt over it and never gave me any details that I could use for my article. Sure, I could piece together a story, but certainly not one that had any real meat to it, and that was what I was expected to produce. I needed to know more about the oil business and how and why they started here. That was, after all, the story I was here to tell.
“You seem extra quiet this morning.” He poured himself a cup of espresso and waved at me to take some too.
“Just thinking, that’s all.”
“About?” He tapped away on his phone while I sipped the heavenly brew.
I thought about Wyatt and how he had left for his sister’s wedding in the United States by now and wasn’t due to return home for another few weeks. I missed him.
“Sienna?”
“I was under the impression I was going to get an inside look into your world. Please don’t get me wrong. This has been a lot of fun and very educational in some ways, but I’m expected to produce an in-depth article on your family’s oil business, and so far I only have enough detail to fill about two pages. Where’s the action and adventure that you hinted at when we met at the airport?”
He studied me for a moment then rested his cup on the table and stared directly into my eyes. “I haven’t been with a woman like you before. I have enjoyed your company very much. I guess I got a little swept away.”
Oh…
“This evening, I will share something worthy with you. You have my word.” His smile made me match his, and I was excited to see what he had in store for me.
The rest of the day he worked while I tried to type some more on the article in case tonight’s promised excitement wasn’t what I hoped for. I needed to get something a lot more interesting or I might as well toss the whole thing.
As we drove that evening, my excitement at something happening faded as he talked away to someone on his phone. I finally opened my laptop and clicked on the article, glad to have it with me to occupy my thoughts. I looked up from the screen when the car stopped and immediately felt sick to my stomach as sweat broke out across my shoulders at where we were.
“Are you all right?” he asked as I stood on shaky legs next to the car. I wasn’t even sure my legs were capable of moving at this point.
“I am.”
“Oh.” He made a sound and nodded as though he made the connection. “I’m sorry, I seem to remember something from your article in Fab Magazine about your time at a dockyard? Will this be too painful for you?”
I had never gone into a lot of detail regarding my days at the dockyard or of the nightmare it had been for me in that article, but I had touched on it.
“I’m sorry, Sienna. I wasn’t thinking, but I just need to grab some files.”
“No, no, it’s fine.” I didn’t want my past to keep me from moving forward in this life, and I pushed it down. “Please lead the way.”
He waved for me to follow him through an open gate. The smell of the containers and the sound of the buoys rubbing against the dock made me hyperaware I was out of my comfort zone.
“Tell me, Sienna…” He was most likely trying to distract me. “Why did you agree to write this article?”
I looked up at him and went for it.
“Ricco Oil came out of nowhere and absorbed Vivo Oil in a matter of months. Over the past thirty years, many oil companies have tried to stake their claim here, but they never stuck. You either had one hell of a sales pitch, or you put up a hell of a fight. Either way, your company is booming, and you have many wolves circling waiting to find their way in.”
“You’ve done your research.” He smiled.
“I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t.”
“Well, you wanted to understand what I do,” his expression changed to a more serious one, “so you must do one thing for me.”
“Okay.” I was hungry for it. I needed that big break to get any chance to write for a bigger paper. I wanted more creative control and to be taken more seriously.
“Wait here, and I’ll be right back.”
“Pardon?” I glanced around, unsure.
“There are cameras everywhere. I promise you’re safe.” He laughed. “Let me grab the keys and the files, and I will show you something that will interest you in the back of the property.” He raced up the stairs and disappeared inside.
“And why couldn’t I come up?” I muttered and tried to push back the fact that he often put himself first.
I folded my arms, feeling exposed and nervous. I closed my eyes and tried to settle my nerves. I knew he had read my story, and I was a little hurt he left me there alone, but I knew there were probably things that were not for my eyes.
“Please!” I thought I heard a young voice yell from behind a huge container. “Help me.”
I whirled around while goosebumps raced up my arms and around my neck.
“Help!” I heard again.
I glanced up to where Mariano had gone, but the place was pitch black.
In a full-out sprint, I raced across the dockyard, my street instincts kicking in, and tried to follow those cries. The containers were like a maze, and every way I turned I found myself getting more and more lost. My sense of direction was off as I strained to hear that voice again. I found myself at the stairs that led up to the office again and whirled around in a panic. A dockyard was no place for a young person.
“Mariano!” I called up toward the window, but he must not have been able to hear me. A strange noise like a power surge being turned off made it through my wild heartbeat. What was that?
“Where are you?” I called, straining to hear over the wind.
I heard a sound again and ran to look once again behind a container. I froze. A young man was on his knees, elbows out, his hands clasped behind his neck.
“Please,” he sobbed, shaking his head as he looked up at someone holding a gun at his head, “you don’t have to do this.”
I took a step forward, terrified but unsure what to do as the man with the gun looked directly at me then turned back and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The sound vibrated through my chest, and time stood still as I slowly absorbed what I had just witnessed.
I tried to comprehend that a man now lay dead a short distance away from me. My numb hands grabbed for the container to hold myself up as the killer continued to stare directly at me. Then, like a shadow in the night, he slowly faded away between the containers.
“Sienna?” Mariano suddenly was there. He grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me back. I nearly lost my footing as he swung me around the corner of the container. He gave me a shake as though it would help me jolt back to life. “What did you see?”
“That man, someone shot him.” I started to panic and as he pulled me in tight to his body.
“I should never have left you alone.”
“We need to call the police.” My brain started to work again. “The killer was tall, taller than me, but-but…his face was slim, and he wasn’t wearing a mask. I got a good look.”
“Sienna,” he stopped me, “no police.”
“Why?” What did he mean?
“Because,” he awkwardly dried my tears with the palms of his hands, “you don’t call the police on these guys!”
“Why?”
“Because,” he looked over his shoulder, “they’re the mafia.”
“Are you okay?” Mariano sat across from me in the town car that had just pulled up in front of the hotel.
“Yes,” I whispered. I only wished I could back up time and unsee what I had witnessed.
“Because you haven’t moved in the past ten minutes.”
I thought I nodded, and Mariano pushed a button and muttered something to the driver. I couldn’t make out what he said because of the dense fog that had set up camp in my head.
“What was it you were going to show me at the dockyard, anyway?”
“Just a spectacular view of the property…” He brushed me off and went back to his phone as I went back to my foggy state.
It wasn’t until the car stopped and the driver opened the door and got out that I allowed my senses to take in what was happening. Mariano got out of the car, and soon a hand reached inside for mine. I gratefully took it and stepped out, only to find that instead of Mariano’s hand, it was the driver who assisted me. Mariano was already walking up the steps to a house.
“Where are we?” I whispered to the driver, who seemed confused.
“This is Mr. DeSimone’s house, miss. He thought you might be more comfortable here.”
“What?” I shook my head, trying to keep up. “Why here? I don’t even have my things.”
“A second car is on its way now with your belongings. It shouldn’t be long, miss.” He smiled warmly and nodded for me to follow Mariano inside.
I walked up the steps and hesitated at the door then turned to scan the area around me. I spotted the lights of a house up a huge hill to the left. I could imagine the view they must have from up there, a good three-hundred-and-sixty-degrees that would take in this house and the surrounding area. It was an impressive looking place. It was too dark to see much more, so with a heavy chest, I stepped inside.
“Mariano?” I called into the dark entryway.
“Come in.” His voiced carried from somewhere. The uncomfortable feeling that swept over me earlier this evening returned, and I fought the need to leave.
“I was beginning to think you walked home.” He was still in his jacket and shoes as he sat on a stool rather than the comfy looking couch.
“Why am I here?” I blurted.
“You are upset. I didn’t want you to be alone in a hotel. I thought maybe you’d like to come here.”
I wanted to point out that he could have asked or at least he could act a little more inviting, because standing in his living room right now felt more uncomfortable than my hotel room. I was cold and uncertain about the whole evening.
“Here.” He set a clear drink down on the table. “Drink that.”
I slowly perched on the edge of the couch and took a sip of the drink. My throat burned, and my eyes teared a little as the vodka slipped past my tongue, but I went with it because I seriously needed a little help with my head right now.
“See,” he smiled, “better already.”
“Mmm.” I shook myself. This wasn’t exactly better.
“The guys should be back with your belongings soon. Would you like to stay up for a bit, or would you just like to go get some rest?”
My hand gave away my nervousness by tipping the glass over as I set it down. “Why don’t you show me around first?” I tried to recover.
“All right.” He jumped to his feet and motioned for me to follow along.
“Living room.” His finger twirled in a circle to indicate the room we were already in, and then he quickly moved down the hallway and kept talking. “Kitchen is over there.” He pointed to his left. “Bedrooms up there, and downstairs is an entertainment room.”
Well, that was a fun tour.
“And,” he pushed open a huge door and stepped outside, “this is where I spend as much time as I can.” He beamed back at me as I took in what he was referring to.
A small pool, a hot tub, and a full-on functional outdoor kitchen completed a lovely back yard.
“Do you want to swim?”
“No.” I didn’t miss a beat, not wanting to swim with him. “Thank you, but I think I’ll take you up on getting some sleep.”
“Your call.” He shrugged and led me upstairs to the first bedroom on the left. My palms were sweating, and my heart was unsettled, but the nerves faded away when I realized it was a guest bedroom and not his own.
He checked his watch as he opened the patio doors to let a cool breeze in. The house I had seen earlier glowed like a beacon on the hill above.
“What are your neighbors like?” I tried to fill in the silence.
“They’re nice.” He turned away and went to the bed and gave the pillow a punch then picked it up and reshaped it. “Sienna,” he paused in what he was doing, “I am sorry for today.”
I appreciated that he finally had addressed the elephant in the room. “It wasn’t your fault. I still can’t believe what happened, and I have so many questions.”
“I know.” He came closer. “But I am sorry. I can’t tell you much more except that my men are looking into it.”
“Thank you,” I answered in a small voice, pleased he was trying.
He suddenly leaned in took my hand and kissed the back of it. I blinked and stiffened at his touch.
When did we cross this line?
“I like you, Sienna.” I forced a smile, unsure how we got to this point. I remained polite and gave his hand a slight squeeze.
“Did we just get to first base?” he teased, and a small part of me tugged in the opposite direction to leave. Being broken was never something I wanted to be, and when someone joked about it, I pulled in tight to hide my scars from view.
“Well.” He cleared his throat. “Get some sleep. We have some things we should talk about, but we’ll wait until morning.”
“All right.” I dropped my hand away and spotted the driver at the door trying to get Mariano’s attention.
“Sir?” He held up my bag.
“Leave it there,” he ordered and walked toward the door then stopped as he reached for the handle. “I’ve never met someone quite like you before,” he said without turning.
“And what is it you see?” I felt how tired I was.
“Sexy but tame at the same time.” He shrugged at his wording. “It’s an interesting combination, but I don’t know how to steer you.”
“Steer me?” I nearly choked back.
“I mean steer around you.” He realized how he sounded and turned to face me. “Your body tells me you’re interested, but I think your head stops you.”
Does it, now?
“I need to get to know someone for more than a few weeks before I let my guard down.” I tried to follow his sudden swing in our relationship.
