LUKERebecca called me as soon as I received her email in the morning. I was busy with the expansion of Hotel B in Seoul, but she insisted that she had to speak to me. What she sent me was a file about the fucker, Raoul Velazquez.
“What are these?” I asked, scrolling through the email.
“That is the details about the club he owned. It’s called The Hightower Club. It’s an elite club. Most guests were VIPs, celebrities, even politicians. It has a good reputation, surprisingly.”
“He’s not an ordinary man to run a club like this. I know this club. What else?”
“He’s a wealthy man, Luke. Hightower Club has a branch in London. It’s bigger than the one in Boston.”
I gritted through my teeth. This man was something. I scrolled to the next page. It was the list of his VIP guests in London. I found tons of celebrities on the list.
“Do you think he may be in London?” I queried.
“He’s currently in London.”
I clenched my fist. “Wait. What? We have a lead now? Did you confirm?”
“Yes. The information Scarlet gave us about this club gave us a lead. He’s currently living in a penthouse in…” I heard a sound of turning pages in the line, “Lombard Street.”
Goddammit. That son of a bitch was living in luxury when Scarlet was here suffering alone.
“How did you get all of this stuff?”
“Our investigator got the files.”
“Good. Tell Ryan I want to talk to him.”
“No problem.”
I opened the next file. He sure had put the necessary details here. But I stopped as I read the first paragraph. It’s a prosecutor’s file. A dismissed criminal case.
“The prosecutor’s file… Why is this case dismissed?”
“No further evidence, unfortunately.” Rebecca sighed sharply. “He got away.”
Fuck! I ran my fingers over my head in damn frustration, then banged the table with my fist.
The realization took over me. Everything makes sense now. This was what she couldn’t tell me. She was abused by that fucker… That explained her reaction when she abruptly broke down at Aries’ clinic.
A case had been filed against him. A rape case that was filed by Nathaniel Archer.
“I’m going to fucking kill him, Rebecca,” I promised.
“Don’t do anything out of anger, Luke,” she warned. “You don’t want your hands to get dirty. Besides, he’s not someone you’ll take lightly.”
“They said its lack of evidence? I’ll give them the evidence.” I clenched my fist.
“Luke, calm down. You cannot change anything now. Can I suggest something?”
Silence.
“Just think of this,” she went on. “We already know where he is, but he doesn’t know about you. The good cards are on your deck. Let him bite the bait.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“I’m saying that you keep your enemy close. Buy his club.”
“What?”
“He might be rich, he has the money, but he’s not a billionaire. Cut his legs, what is he?”
“Wait. What made you think that he’s going to sell it?”
“I already talked to his secretary and arranged a meeting schedule.”
It did sound like a good idea. No, it was a great idea.
“Do you have a plan?”
“Yes, but we need Ryan.”
“Call him, ask him to come here.”
“Will do. By the way, Luke. Do you play cards?”
***
I gawked at the two people in front of me after informing me about their plan. What they were asking from me was fucking dangerous.
“I’m not going to allow you. It’s not an option, period.”
“But Luke, you can’t show your face to him. You must work behind the curtains. I’m sure he knows you’re related to Scarlet,” Rebecca said.
I squeezed my temples with my fingers. “But you’re asking me to put you in charge. It’s dangerous, Rebecca. Dad wouldn’t want you to do that.”
“Rebecca’s right, Mr. Alejandro,” Ryan said. “No one knows who she is while people know who you are.”
“I want to see him face to face,” I nearly shouted.
“We understand your position, but why do you think Scarlet doesn’t want you to meet Velazquez?” Rebecca’s voice was filled with apprehension.
I clenched my fist.
Apparently, I wanted to fucking crush his face. But they were right, yes. I don’t think I’d be able to control myself if I see him.
“Ryan, what do you think?”
He looked at me. “He’s not an ordinary man. He is rich. He has people who work for him. We should have a clear plan. These are the list of his assets.” He handed me a black folder. “This is the only thing I can get.”
“I have tons of folders like this in my hand, you know? Should I build a library just for these?” I rolled my eyes in displeasure.
“But you did give us a lot of jobs to do since that kid came into your life,” Rebecca complained. I knew she was referring to Scarlet.
“Don’t call her a kid. If it’s not me, Dad would definitely ask you to do this.” I didn’t open the folder. “I’m too tired to read this. I don’t care how rich that man is.”
“That’s why you have to let me. I have a good profile. It’s enough for him to bite the bait.”
“We’re going to buy a club at triple its price. The more I think about it, the more I realize it’s crazy.”
“It’s still a good investment, Luke,” she said positively. “Didn’t you say you were planning on opening a club?”
“Opening,” I corrected. “Not buying someone else’s business. Not when the owner is that fucking rapist. What else do you have in mind?” Thinking about it just made my blood boil.
“Ryan is planning something. Ryan?“I didn’t suggest that to her. She just thought it was possible. But there’s an advantage to that. We’re just going to make it look as if you are buying the club—not actually I crossed my arms. “What do you mean?”
“He’s a regular to a casino in Marylebone. It’s the easiest way for us to meet him.”
I tensed. “Sounds like you’re determined with this plan.”
“Yes, we are, Luke. Ryan and I will have to travel to London for a week.”
“A week? Don’t you think it’s a short time?”
“I think that’s enough time.”
I nodded, finally agreeing. “All right. I will allow this, but I’ll come with you. Don’t worry. I won’t show up in action. I’m just really concerned about you two.”
A sudden knock interrupted me, “Sir, excuse me.” It was my assistant. What does she want? She wouldn’t bother me in the middle of a meeting if it wasn’t necessary. I told her that.
“Yes, Grace. Come in.”
My assistant came inside and shyly told me her concern. “Someone is looking for you.”
“Who is it?”
“It’s Miss Stacy, sir.”
Rebecca and Ryan shifted their eyes to Grace in astonishment. It was unexpected for her to visit me in the office. She never came this close. She didn’t dare come here because I don’t want her to. I told her not to tell anyone about us.
What did she want this time?
She shouldn’t be here. I didn’t want her wandering through my office.
“Rebecca, Ryan, I’ll call you again.” I checked my watch, and it’s already past six. I don’t want to stay late. I had to get home early to see Scarlet.
“Send me the report tomorrow.”
“You’re really going to see her?” Rebecca asked, surprised. There were the only people in the world who knew about my relationship with Stacy in the past. But they didn’t know my current complicated relationship with her in the present, except for Rebecca, Aries, and Ryan.
“You know Stacy. She would use every advantage she has against me. I won’t let her make a scene here.”
I signaled Grace to let Stacy come in.
“Yes, sir.” My assistant vanished out of the door.
Rebecca and Ryan stood up. “We’ll call you when it’s ready.”
I remained seated on the couch and watched them come out of the door until Stacy came into my office in a wheelchair.
“Your assistant isn’t very polite in treating a guest.” A smirk played on her lip. “She didn’t ask me if I wanted coffee. You know how I love coffee.”
She was still the same woman I saw a few weeks ago. Despite her situation, she always seemed arrogant. “It’s because I told her that you are not a guest, Stacy. What do you want?”
“You don’t want to see me, so I came all the way here despite my situation just to see you.”
“Don’t be so proud. I didn’t want to see you.”
She chuckled. “You wouldn’t be able to resist after I say this to you. Whether you like it or not.”
“Just tell me what you want and don’t come here again. I don’t want the people to see you here in this building.”
“Then, do you prefer your daughter?”
“Stop fucking with me, Stacy. You know you can’t bring her here.”
“I know, but I brought Bella with me. She’s waiting for you in the car with her nanny.” She did sound sincere this time. “I’m sorry, okay? She won’t stop crying until she sees you.”
I shut my eyes at the thought that I did miss her. “You brought her here?”
“I may not be a good person in your eyes, but my daughter comes first. I told you that she misses you. Just go see her, Luke.”
“We will use the other exit.”
“No problem with me.”
And I wasn’t entirely a terrible person. Bella might not be my own blood, but I loved her. But that ends it. My only connection with her mother was her. Stacy might have gained and broken my trust over and over and had lied to me countless times, but she was my daughter’s mother. We wanted to make a good appearance in front of her.
“Miss Stacy.” Lyn, my daughter’s nanny, prompted as soon as I opened the SUV’s door. She looked up at me. “Mr. Alejandro.”
“How’s Bella?”
“She’s asleep, sir.”
“Oh, could you wake her up?” Stacy told her.
“No. It’s alright,” I stopped Stacy. “I’ll drive you home and wait until she wakes up.”
“Would that be fine with you?” she asked.
“It’s fine. I’ll have my driver fetch me at your place later.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Luke. I knew you wouldn’t refuse.”
“I’m not doing this for you.”
“All right.” She sighed. “But can you help me get up?”
I nodded. I wrapped an arm supporting her back and my other arm under her legs. She clasped her arms around my neck then I slid her into the seat. I stepped into the passenger seat after. Then I found Bella lying in the back seat with her thumb in her mouth.
I smiled at the sight of her. She was just a little angel. Stacy gently placed her head on her lap.
On the road a few minutes later, my phone rang.
“Gene.”
“Oh! Hi, darling. Are you on your way home?” she asked with her usual high-pitched tone.
“I’m going to be late. Why?”
“Really? I cooked a good dinner. When are you and Scarlet coming?”
“What? I’m not with her.”
“Really? But she said her classes finished early today. She called me this afternoon and told me that she’s going to see you in your office.”
I frown. “I didn’t see her today.”
“Really? I’m certain that she went to see you. Where did that child go? Her phone is out of reach. Anyway, come home early.”
“Yes. I’ll see you later, then”
“Call me if you reached her. Bye!” And then she hung up.
Scarlet certainly didn’t call or tell me that she was coming. It’s not like her to leave without telling anyone. Did she go to her friend?
No, no. Gene and Dad are leaving tomorrow. I asked her to stay.
I tried calling her number, but it went straight to voicemail. Damn it, where was she?