The Mafia Hidden Heirloom

CHAPTER 5 - The Plans

DUNCAN

Leaning against the bar with a whiskey in hand, I addressed our men, "Let's discuss our safe houses. Bitsko, as always, handles the cops well, but due to my father's affairs, we can't afford any mistakes. We must be extremely cautious not to leave any traces."

"Boss, the warehouse in Rivertown is getting riskier by the day. The last visit from the shadow boss there got the neighbors curious. We need to silence them and delete any photos," Gustaf, one of my loyal henchmen, informed me.

"My father won't be attending meetings or inspections anytime soon, and Bitsko will have us relocate to Stonegate Manor. This ship and the manor will be our sole safe houses," I replied to the group, taking a sip of my drink while contemplating.

"Yes, boss, Stonegate is off the radar, and we can bolster security there," Bitsko suggested.

I nodded in agreement and approved his suggestion.

Shifting in his seat, Angelo, my second-in-command, asked, "How's the situation with Derrick Golec? Any updates?"

"Not really. I informed the boss about it," Rawle responded, his focus still on the ongoing fight in the ring.

"Do you have any leads?" Angelo inquired of me, taking another drag of his cigarette. I shook my head, a grimace on my face.

"Not yet. But I will. I always do. I'll get that money for my father. No one steals from us."

As some thoughts swirled in my mind, my brows furrowed, "The debate is coming up. We need to add undercover security around my father. Vincent The Snake will do anything to sabotage the campaign, and he has a weak alliance that will test our abilities. Keep your eyes everywhere; he's the shadow boss for a reason." I finished my drink and checked the time on my wristwatch.

Father had left early in the morning, leaving the business in my hands as usual. Time isn't merciful to my schedule, though. I have a business meeting at the company with our new investors, a stop at school, and my father's affairs to oversee.

The other day, at dawn after I had returned from the gym, Father had entered my bedroom while I was working on my dissertation. He announced his month-long trip and lectured me about patience before making a request he knew I couldn't refuse: looking after his fiancée, June. I had insisted that he assign her an assistant for my convenience, as I couldn't give up everything to stay home and keep an eye on her.

"June is a young girl, unfamiliar with the ways of this world. I know I have no right to ask, but I need you to look after her," he had told me. I felt a sinking sensation in my abdomen.

So, yes, I have a lot of responsibilities to handle, and spending time in an underground casino on a cargo ship won't solve anything.

"You leaving so soon?" Angelo asked.

"Keep an eye on the place," I ordered as I left and headed to the helicopter waiting for me in the middle of nowhere.

I got in, retrieved the briefcase I had left there earlier, and began reviewing the folders that my secretary had prepared for the meeting. My suit was immaculate, so there was no need to worry about changing it. During the flight back to the Gutenberg Frontier Holdings heliport, I immersed myself in learning about our new investors before meeting them.

We arrived at the rooftop before noon. I made my way through the modern glass-and-steel corridors of the building, greeted by nods from the employees, with Darby, my secretary, catching up with me.

"They're here. We've made them comfortable and served snacks," she informed me.

"Good job," I replied, handing back the files I had been reviewing. She opened the door for me, and I entered the boardroom. Six of our top executives and board of directors were already seated across from the investors.

"He's here," Gabriella Langley, our CMO, announced, drawing everyone's attention to me. They all stood, and I greeted Benjamin Greene with a warm handshake.

"I'm terribly sorry for keeping you waiting. Traffic was quite a hassle today," I lied.

"No worries, Mr. Gutenberg. It happens to the best of us," Benjamin replied. I proceeded to shake hands with a couple of his team members before taking my seat at the head of the long, polished table. Large windows behind me offered views of the city skyline.

***

The meeting took over an hour and ended remarkably well, leaving me to exhale in my main office.

It was two in the afternoon, and the drive to campus is merely 10 minutes from the company. I won't be late for my meeting with my doctoral advisor at 2:30 p.m. about my dissertation. In my free time, I went through some papers, responded to emails, and had a cup of coffee. At 2:10 p.m., I stepped into the elevator and headed to my waiting ride.

Those are the plans for today. Everything was carefully scheduled as usual. The valet handed over the key fob to my black Bugatti Chiron, and I got in.

My phone was ringing, and I almost swore it was Melissa.

Unfortunately, it was from home.

"Colten is home!" The text read.

I knew what it meant. I had specifically asked the guards to keep me updated on his whereabouts, given his hostility toward the girl betrothed to his father. All he needs is a chance, and he would do something stupid to ruin his father.

Although our father's reputation is one of my first concerns, right now, a strange feeling surpasses it as I start the ignition of my vehicle, canceling all plans and schedules.

He won't dare hurt her. He wouldn't. But despite being my brother, I can't predict his actions. He's unpredictable.

So all I can do is speed back to the estate and hope I arrive on time before anything regretful happens. Because Father wouldn't be pleased.

The house was sunny when I parked behind Colten's Lamborghini Huracán, practically running into the building. Skipping two—three steps to the second floor.

"Run, darling, I am kindly offering you a head start. I promise you don't want to be the prey. Because I will relentlessly crawl into your psychological mind like an echo, bit by bit." What is he doing?

All my fears came to life at that point.

"Colten? Colten, you i***t?" I growled, pushing the door with my arm, but it was locked.

"I will hunt you down, pull you into grief you've never known, and emptiness you will outline. I will take away your right to live, your right to survive, your confidence, growth, and obscure any glimmer of happiness that will ever come your way. I will be the ruin of you, and by the time I'm done, you will be bleak."

Her fragile scream followed, driving me to the edge of my emotions.

"Colten, I swear to God," I said, and this time, I kicked the door open, forcing my way into the room.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded.

With instinctual urgency as the fear of her surgery's reminder grew, I reached out to pull Colten away and stop June from collapsing to the ground, but Colten resisted.

There was a thud, and the damage was done. I was furious; I grabbed Colten by the collar and restrained him against the wall.

"Colten, do not push me," I grumbled, my voice tense and serious.

I glanced back at the curled-up figure of June on the floor. She was helpless, pressing her tiny palms against her.

Dad was right; she knew very little about this world. Clearly, in return for something, she had brought herself into the lion's den.

"Get out or do I have to throw you out," I warned, my anger evident in my hard gaze as I confronted my hardheaded brother.

He chose to leave, knowing it was the better option. Once he was gone, I reached down to check on June. She was unconscious, blood forming a line across the bridge of her nose.

"Damn it, Colten, what have you done?" I muttered to myself, shaking my head.

With trembling fingers, I retrieved my phone. I first called Grace, June's assistant, who was supposed to be with her at all times. Then, I summoned the maids and the family doctor.

All these tasks didn't take long, and I had already carried June to the bed, closed the windows, and sat by her side, anxiously awaiting help.

She was showing signs of life, with the steady rise and fall of her chest, indicating her health. Her skin was too pale, and red marks on her body suggested that Colten had left bruises. I felt like I'd let my father down, and he'd be furious if he found out about this incident.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a napkin and gently wiped the blood from her face. Every place I touched turned crimson. Her skin felt soft, and my mind momentarily wandered. I quickly scolded myself for the inappropriate thoughts.

She's just a vulnerable girl, part of my father's world.

Suddenly, I realized my breath was quickening, and my heart was racing. Stupid emotions, I thought. I didn't have room for them.

I stepped away from the bed and paced back and forth in an attempt to regain control over my racing thoughts. I couldn't let emotions rule me. I didn't want to contemplate what was happening.

As I walked, I accidentally stepped on something, creating a breaking sound. My focus shifted to the goggles that were crushed. Colten had damaged them.

I picked up the broken pieces, hoping to fix them, but it was beyond repair. I stood there, feeling somewhat lost, unsure of what to do next. That's when the family doctor entered the room.

A sigh of relief escaped me, and I didn't realize I had been holding my breath.

"She was exposed to the sun," I informed him. He immediately took over, rushing to open his briefcase.

There was nothing more for me to do at that moment, so I stepped out of the room. In the hallway, I encountered Grace, accompanied by a house guard.

"I need bedroom surveillance of Miss June connected to my phone immediately. I need to know who goes in and out and what's happening at all times," I instructed the guard, my frustration evident. He nodded and turned to fulfill my request.

I quickly made my way towards my bedroom, which was next to Colten's, and pounded on his door. When there was no answer, I decided to open it without waiting.

Colten was slouching by his desk, focused on the monitors, and his legs were bouncing with pent-up anger.

"You want to fight? Meet me in the gym ring," I stated firmly and turned to leave, heading for the gym after removing my cufflinks and rolling up my sleeves.