Chapter 89 At the Bar
ENZO
I stood at the bar at Crimson, talking to associates, when Luca approached me.
"Mr Morano, Good to see you."
"Luca. Where's Jeremy? I thought he'd be here."
"He sent his regrets. He had other business to attend to." Luca looked uncomfortable. "Something personal."
"Personal? Is everything alright?"
"I—I'm not sure. But he said he wasn't coming. Sorry you came all this way for nothing."
"It's fine. I'm here anyway. Might as well network." I raised my glass. "Tell Jeremy I said hello. And that we should meet soon. "Perhaps we could arrange a meeting outside of parties to discuss the alliance
"I will."
Luca left.
And I stood there, thinking.
Jeremy Santoro had missed a significant networking event for personal reasons. For personal reasons.
That wasn't like him. He was professional. Dedicated. Always showed up when expected.
What could be important enough to keep him away?
I filed the information away. I made a mental note to follow up. The alliance with the Santoros was important. I needed to make sure everything was solid.
But for now—I had other people to talk to and connections to maintain.
I'd worry about Jeremy Santoro later.
JEREMY
I couldn't stay at the estate.
The walls were closing in. My office felt like a cage. Every corner held reminders of her—coffee she'd made, clothes she'd arranged, the scent of her shampoo still lingering in my bedroom.
Amelia. While she was meeting with a Volkov. For weeks. Behind my back.
The rage was a living thing in my chest. Hot. Vicious. The kind that made men do things they'd regret in the morning.
I needed distance. Space to let it burn through without destroying something—or someone—in the process.
Crimson. The party I'd dismissed hours ago suddenly seemed necessary. Noise. Business. Whisky. Anything to drown out the echo of her voice saying you baby me too much.'
I grabbed my keys and left.
10:47 PM - Crimson
The bass thrummed through the walls before I even opened the door. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and expensive cologne. Men dressed in custom suits were engaged in negotiations over single malt. The kind of gathering where territories changed hands and alliances were cemented.
Luca's face registered shock when he saw me. "Boss? Thought you weren't coming"
"Plans changed." I moved past him toward the bar. "Whisky. Neat."
He followed. "You alright?"
"Fine."
"You don't look fine."
"Then stop looking." I took the glass the bartender slid across. Drained half of it. "I'm here to work. Network, and handle business. That's it."
Luca knew better than to push. He nodded once. "Enzo Morano's at the back table. He asked about you earlier."
"I'll handle it." I finished the whiskey. Ordered another.
The second glass went down smoother than the first. The burn in my throat was almost enough to distract from the one in my chest.
Almost.
I found Enzo holding court with his second-in-command and a Castellano underboss. He glanced up as I approached, surprise crossing his features.
"Santoro. Didn't expect you."
"Wrapped things up early." I shook his hand. The grip was firm, measuring. "Good to see you."
"Likewise. Sit. We're discussing the Volkov situation."
The name hit like a fist. I kept my expression neutral. I sat and listened.
"They've been testing boundaries," Enzo said. "They are making mall moves, but seemed calculated. Seeing how far they can push before we push back."
"They're looking for weakness," the Castellano underboss added. "Any crack in the alliance, they'll exploit it."
"Then we don't give them one." I sipped my drink. "United front. Coordinated response. Show them that coming at either family means war with both."
Enzo nodded. "Agreed. I'll talk to my father. You talk to Dominic. We'll hammer out the details this week."
We discussed logistics. Territory overlaps. Communication protocols. How to handle the next Volkov provocation—and there would be one. There always was.
Through it all, I kept my focus. Professional. Controlled. The Santoro heir handling Family business.
But underneath, the rage simmered. Because the Volkovs weren't just testing our alliance. They'd sent their heir to seduce my—what? Girlfriend? Employee? The woman I'd stupidly fallen in love with?
Alexei Volkov had gotten close to Amelia. And she'd let him. Trusted him. Chosen him over asking me for help.
You baby me too much.
The words circled like vultures.
At around 11:23 PM
I excused myself from Enzo's table. Needed another drink. Needed to move before the whiskey and rage combusted into something messier.
I was halfway to the bar when she stepped into my path.
Jade.
I recognized her from the handful of times I'd been to Crimson when Amelia still worked here. One of the girls. The one with the sharp eyes and sharper ambition.
Tonight she was dressed for maximum impact. Black dress that clung to every curve. Neckline cut low enough to draw the eye and hold it.
And I looked. Couldn't help it. Human nature and alcohol and frustration made a compelling argument for distraction.
She had the kind of figure men noticed. Full breasts displayed like an invitation. The dress doing exactly what it was designed to do.
For half a second, I registered it. Appreciated it. Felt the pull.
Then reality crashed back. Amelia's face. Her voice. The weight of what I felt for her drowning out everything else.
I looked away and kept walking.
"Mr. Santoro." Jade's voice was smooth. Professional veneer over obvious intent. "Didn't think you'd make it tonight."
"Things change." I moved past her.
She matched my pace. "Can I get you anything? Drink? Something... else?"
The offer was clear. Unmistakable. The kind women made to powerful men in places like this.
Another time, another set of circumstances, I might have been tempted. Might have considered it.
But not now. Not with Amelia's betrayal still fresh. Not with the taste of her lies still bitter in my mouth.
And definitely not with some Crimson girl looking for an angle.
"No." The word came out flat. Final.
"You sure? You look like you could use—"
"I said no." I reached the bar. Ordered another drink. Then I turned to her "I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested."
She lingered another moment. Testing. Seeing if I'd change my mind.
I didn't.
Finally, she walked away swaying her hips. Her dress riding the line between professional and provocative.
I ignored it. Took my drink. Found a corner where I could drink in relative peace.
AMELIA
I sat on my bed, the gun hidden in my closet, and felt everything falling apart.
Jeremy knew. About Alex. About the lessons and the lies.
And he'd left. Without yelling. Without fighting. Just left.
Silience is worse than rage. Worse than violence.
He was disappointed in me. He felt betrayed by me.
And I'd done it. All of it. Because I wanted independence. Because I wanted to prove I wasn't helpless. Because I wanted power.
And in the process, I'd destroyed his trust.
I pulled out my phone. Texted him:
I'm sorry. I should have told you. Should have asked you. I was wrong. When you come back I will explain properly.
No response.
I waited. Five minutes. Ten. Twenty.
Nothing.
He was gone. Somewhere in the estate. Maybe his office. Maybe somewhere else.
I lay back on my bed and closed my eyes.
I'd gotten what I wanted. The gun. The independence.
But I'd lost something more important.
Jeremy's trust. Maybe even Jeremy himself.
After waiting for few minutes, I texted Luca and he had let me know Jeremy was already in Crimson.
There's no way I'm letting him stay in Crimson all alone in that vulnerable state. I took my cane and the gun and then texted Luca to pick me up and warned him not to tell Jeremy.