Kitten's Wild Possessive Lover

6. Humbled

MS. BEVY POV

Coming back to the office after my little trip and finding a dozen messages from the Kelle's is infuriating. I told them I would contact them once I handled the situation. They are so impatient! I don't think I made the right choice choosing them. Too late now! I'm not going to listen to all these messages! These people are going to drive me to drink. I take out my phone and decide to call them and find out what's going on. The phone barely rings once, and Joe picks up sounding out of breath. Did he run to the phone?

Joe: Hello??

Ms. Bevy: What is it, Joe? Why are you both calling me so much? I told you I would handle it, didn't I? I say irritated

Joe: Someone showed up at my work last week asking questions! He was panicking.

Ms. Bevy: What?! Who? I yelled.

Joe: They didn't give a name, just said it was an interested party. Kept asking if I knew a Mercedes Venitez. said she would be with a teenage girl. He replied.

This can't be happening. Why is everything starting to fall apart now? Someone must have opened his or her mouth. I didn't count on this, but I'm not going to tell him that. He needs to continue to do his part.

Ms. Bevy: Don't worry about it. I will handle it like I handle everything else. I said in a bored tone.

Ms. Bevy: Just continue to keep her busy at home, you need to avoid letting her go out for the time being. I add as casually as possible.

I can't let him know how freaked out I am. I need him calm, he needs to keep doing his part.

Joe: Oh... well. The thing is that…. he starts to say but trails off.

Ms. Bevy: What is it, Joe?! I’m growing impatient.

Joe: Karen freaked out and we didn't hear back from you. He replies nervously.

Ms. Bevy: And? I ask dangerously calm.

Joe: We told her she had to leave. He quietly replied.

Ms. Bevy: You let her go. I asked through clenched teeth.

Joe: We didn't know what to do! You weren't answering and, and... he blabbers, and I cut him off.

Ms. Bevy: Shut up!! Go find her now!! I yelled.

Joe: How should I know where she went?? It’s been a week since we dropped her off in the city! He says with a little too much attitude.

Me: That’s your problem, Joe. All I know is you need to find her quickly. If I am caught, you go down with me. You and Karen. Just because she is not in your possession right now doesn’t take away your culpability. Remember that! I warned him and hung up.

These people are idiots! I really didn't make the right choice selecting them. I just got back from putting out a fire and now I need to figure out who the hell sold me out! This problem is much bigger than the one I just took care of. It was easy to handle the couple who previously fostered Catalina. I offered them the same deal as the Keller’s, and they declined. Years later, they thought they could blackmail me! Not likely. Now they are past tense and no longer an issue. If the Keller’s aren't careful, they will be too.

I can't trust Joe to find her, he has proven to be a moron. On top of that, I need to find out who blabbed and to whom. They wouldn't have shown up asking for that name just by chance. How did they find out Joe and Karen collaborated with me? My other accomplices knew nothing about Joe and Karen. That’s how I've made it this far, by keeping everyone in the dark. If they knew about the Keller’s, they knew where I work and where to find me. They are toying with me. Trying to get me to slip up. I need to find Catalina before they do. Where is she?

I picked up my phone and called the two people I should have been able to trust with my life. Time to find out who the snitch is. I know exactly how to flush them out. It’s a good thing I have an Ace up my sleeve that no one knows about.

JOE POV

Why did I think it would be a good idea to get into business with that woman? She made everything sound so damn easy! Not only would we get a check every month for fostering the kid but a big payday when she turned twenty-one. Karen warned me it sounded too good to be true. I just thought she was paranoid. It's not like she has ever worked or brought any money home.

I know better than to underestimate that woman. Karen befriended Catalina's previous foster mother. Apparently, Mrs. Bevy had offered her the same deal as us. Her and her husband declined, but now they wanted in. All Ms. Bevy said "I'll take care of it". I don’t want to be taken care of. I'm going to do what I'm told and wait patiently for the big pay day. If she thinks she's cutting me out, she has another thing coming. I've been keeping recordings and logs. One false move from her and I'm selling her out!

ALFONSO POV

We are sitting in the conference room waiting for Claire, the owner of the diner, to come in and sign the contract. We called her yesterday after leaving the diner. I'm glad Luca decided to invest after all. We haven't worked with these types of businesses in the past. Most of the businesses we invest in are large companies that are on the verge of bankruptcy. We usually end up buying them out at their lowest point. This is how we make the bulk of our profits. With the diner we will be helping them grow, not waiting for them to fail.

Trish was against in of course. Didn't see the point of investing if our intention was to actually help them and not make a quick profit. I'm not surprised. When she first started, she was sweet and down to earth. Now she looks her nose down at anyone that doesn't make six figures. Which is odd, since she falls in that bracket. Don't get me wrong, she is paid very well. But she misses the six-figure mark at the moment.

“Are you sure about this?” Trish questioned Luca. “Are you questioning my decision?” Luca replied, clearly irritated. “No! It’s just that... we've never invested in these types of business. That's all.” She shrugs her shoulders. “Trish, this is my company. I'm investing in the diner, are we clear?” Luca looked at her for confirmation. She nodded her head and pretended to look at the papers in front of her.

“Trish, did you order the pastries?” I wanted to make sure everything was ready. “I thought Fay was going to do it.” She brushed me off. “Fay is the company's receptionist and that is not part of her job description, but it is part of yours. Go and make sure you are back by the time we are done signing.” Luca snapped at Trish. She looked shocked and embarrassed. Getting up from her seat and leaving the conference room quickly. “Wow... that was awkward.” I whispered. “She is becoming impossible!” Luca was exasperated. “I think she is expecting to get the promotion to head of financing.” I needed to give him a heads up.

“What!? She doesn't have the experience for that position. She would need to work in that department first.” Luca is more than shocked. “Hey, I didn't say you should give her the position. I said she expects to get it.” I defended myself.

Just then, Fay announces that Claire has arrived. She comes in and we go over our standard contract and explain how everything is going to work. As we are about to sign, Trish comes in with the pastries and sets them down on the table with napkins.

TRISH POV

I can't believe they are treating me like some gofer. I've been working for Luca as his PA for two years! I'm practically his second in command. Why am I fetching pastries? I get back with the pastries just as they are about to sign. I set them down and I was about to take a seat.

“Trish, please bring our guest something to drink.” Luca looked irritated at me for some reason. “What would you like?” I asked as politely as I could. “Just water please.” Claire replied.

LUCA POV

After Trish came back with the water, we finished up with Claire. The contract is signed, and we are expecting copies of their finances within the next days. I looked up and saw that Trish looked upset and annoyed.

“Something wrong Trish?” I asked while looking at my phone. “No, I'm fine.” She replied with a fake smile. “Alfonso, can you please leave us?” I asked politely. Alfonso nods his head and leaves the room. “Trish, I'm not sure what's going on, but I've noticed some changes in you that I don't like.” I made sure I was stern. “I don't know what you mean.” She said as innocently as she could.

“Look. Your attitude needs adjusting. Normally, I give you the bigger contracts to work with, but maybe you need to be humbled a bit. You will be collaborating directly with the managers of the diners. We will need a lot of paperwork and records from them. You will also get them anything they need from us. Got it?” I ordered. “I don't get why I'm being punished!” She replied louder than she should have.

I glare at her, and she shrinks back a bit.

“I didn't see it as a punishment. All the people that work at the diner are just like you. They all work for someone, from the managers to the servers.” I tried to be as nice as possible. “I'm not like them, I'm definitely not like our server yesterday. She wasn't even good enough to be our server. Did you see what she was wearing the first time we saw her?” She had a look of disgust on her face.

“I wasn't looking at her clothes. I could care less what brands she was wearing. I was actually pretty impressed with how she put up with your shit.” I replied calmly.

She was taken back by my comment and didn't know how to respond.

“You find her attractive, don’t you?” She questioned, looking hurt. “I never said that. And if I did, why would that matter?” I don’t see how it would be any of her business. “You won’t date your female employees, but you'll date some lowly server?” again she looked disgusted. “I never said that, but why not?” Why does it bother her so much?

She looked like she had the answer on the tip of her tongue but wasn't sure if she should give it.

“You can go now.” I waived her off.

She walked out sulking. I'm normally very patient with Trish. Maybe I let her get away with too much in the past and now I have created a monster. I'm not sure what she has against Catalina. Yes, I remember her name. From the moment we left the diner, she had nothing but snide remarks about her. How fat she was and how she seemed ignorant. I'm not sure how she came up with that assessment. Our conversation was limited to the food on the menu! When Alfonso asked me if it would be inappropriate for him to ask for her number, she yelled at him that it was not only inappropriate but tacky as well. I was a little glad she said that. I didn't want him asking for her number. I’m kind of hoping I see her again so that I can talk to her on a personal level. I feel weird going back to the diner just to go see her. I need to figure out how to see her outside of work.