Healey is coming twice per day, just as I've asked her, morning and evening.
The moment I've snapped when seeing the divorce papers has put her in a bit of a defense mood, which doesn't bother me much, to be honest.
I'm not in any mood for bonding, friendly, or any other kind.
I've thrown the papers away and told Gio to keep them till I feel to deal with them. I don't want to sign it. I'm not stupid.
Giving her freedom means opening the way for Vincenzo Benito to snatch her from me and I'll be damned if I let that happen.
Becca belongs to me, whether she likes it or not, and right now time is of the essence. The sooner I'm back on my feet, the faster I'm going to bring her back home.
So, I push myself to almost impossible limits. Sometimes I even double the therapy sessions, working out alone in the gym, and I'm doing really good, I can tell.
I'm walking by myself already, with the help of a cane, of course, but that will not be for too long. I'll make sure of it.
I've gotten back to my business from day one, things are going well.
As planned, I'm gradually taking steps back from the shady businesses with Benito but keep the deals with the legit ones. It's loads of money and Benito is keeping it clean. It suits me just perfectly.
"Gio, I need you to pass by my house this evening," I told him over the phone.
"Sure, Lucas. Anything I need to do before I reach you?" he asks, reading my mind.
"Yeah. I need you to find me the contact number of Mike Saphiro."
"Downhill Inc.?" he's looking for confirmation after a few moments of silence.
"Yeah. And the divorce papers."
"Alright," he replies and hangs up.
I throw the phone on the desk of my home office and with a sigh, I run my fingers through my long, damp hair after the shower I've just taken.
Since I've woken up from the coma I feel the need for a change, so I've decided to keep it long, reaching to my shoulders and I always tie it in a bun on the top of my head. And I've also kept the black, short stubble covering my jaws.
It's a total change from the neat look I've used to have before, beards always freshly trimmed, short hair, always combed and fixed in style. But like this, it feels like a new me, less sober, less stiff.
It's time to move with my plans and reach Becca. I'd taken this decision one night before, the night her memory tormented me till the early hours of the morning.
Nothing new about that. It becomes a way of life for me, one that I can't accommodate, and obviously, I never want to.
I have to take a step toward her, give her a sign, let her know I'm finally awake and see what her response will be.
For as much as I know, she can be sure I'm dead, never giving her a sign, less to talk about Benito having a direct interest in keeping the truth from her.
But what if she knows I'm alive, and she isn't interested in me anymore?
Why would she? I inflicted her pain and terror for years in a row and she made it clear more than once that she wanted out of our marriage.
These have been the thoughts that kept me awake all night. And I'll put an end to them starting today. And I have to bring her back home.
That night before she has been taken away from me can never be a lie. Who the fuck lies shivering as she did under me? Who the fuck lies while loving and crying at the same time?
I'll bring her back and cherish her as she deserves and if I am to fail, I'll try again, and again, till she learns that her place is only by my side.
She's the only woman that has ever made me happy. She's a kind and warm-hearted woman that any man would die to have.
I need her back in my life like I need the air to breathe. I need her so I can feel alive, to feel loved, and to love her back.
I have always wrongfully thought she was my obedient kitten, but she has me wrapped around her fingers. What a beautiful mixture in a woman! The perfect woman.
The kind of woman that makes you feel like the dominant half but in reality, she's the one to rule. And I love the way Becca is ruling my heart. One could say I don't have one. Well, I don't. Because she has it.
I love her madly and I know that our bond can never be undone. Nobody has ever loved me more than she does, and I need to know if she still loves me. She's the puzzle to complete me and without her, I'm lost.
So no, I'm not going to give up on her, not now, not ever. If only I could fucking travel and take her by myself.
Gio arrives right after dinner and he is brought to my office, just as I've asked.
"Evening, Lucas," he says, and we hug, tapping manly each other's back. "You look good, brother."
"Thanks, Gio. How is everything?"
"Just the way you like it, Lucas. Here, you asked for this," he says and places a black card on my desk while I hand him a glass of whiskey that I've fixed for him and filled one more for myself.
"How is her business doing?" I ask as I know Gio is keeping a close eye on everything about Becca.
"Not very well. Mike is struggling but doesn't have much power. The hyenas on the board of her company are sucking everything and stealing her money bit by bit."
"Hm..." I hum, nodding my head a few times, taking in the info. "And her mother?"
"She ran away to her parents after her husband and her son were killed. She's a soft woman, Lucas. She couldn't take the pressure."
"But she has the majority of shares after her husband's death, right?"
"Right," Gio confirms.
I pull my phone from the pocket, standing up and leaning the weight of my body against the cane I have as an aid to walk.
I dial Mike's number and the call rings three times before he answers in a cold, even tone.
"Hello."
"Mike, this is Lucas Tate," I say in a raspy, determined voice.
He pauses for a few good moments. It's obvious I'm the last person he expects to hear.
"Mr. Tate. What a surprise! To what do I owe the honor of your call?"
I couldn't tell if he was mocking me or just being cordial and I didn't give a shit about any of it. He answered my call. That was all I needed.
"I'd like you to come to my home office tomorrow morning. I'll send someone for you. It concerns Downhill Inc."
"What about it?"
"I know it goes down the hill, Mike. And... I have a deal for you."
"We're not selling."
"I'm not buying. Nothing will change, Mike. I promise. We'll talk in more detail tomorrow and I have a hunch you'll like my offer."
He pauses again and I give him time to take in my offer and assess his options.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Great, Mike," I say, hanging up and putting the phone away.
From the leather chair behind my desk, I glare at Gio, who's sitting across from me and staring back at me, saying nothing.
I know he's waiting for my orders.
"I need you to bring him here tomorrow at ten," I finally told him.
"What if she doesn't want to come back, Lucas?" Gio replies, totally ignoring the order I've given him, and boy, why do I wonder?
"She'll come back. I just need to try harder. Until then Downhill Inc. needs to keep floating. I'll have to keep it standing, Gio. For Becca. Did you bring the papers?"
"What if she doesn't want to, Lucas? What will you do? Spend your life running..."
"I'm not giving up, Gio! Not now, not later! Now give me the fucking papers!"
Sometimes he can become really annoying.
He takes out an envelope from the inside pocket of his black suit jacket and gives it to me.
I pick out the divorce papers and sign, folding them back and handing them to Gio like it's nothing but, in reality, my hand has been shaking while signing the damn papers, barely scratching my name properly.
But fuck, no paper will decide if Becca is mine or not. She is mine, with or without the damn papers.
"I need my lawyers to send the papers back to her. If she's still Becca that I know, she'll react in one way or another. She'll come back," I answer his question and wait for him to pick the envelope from my stretched hand.
"Whatever floats your boat, Lucas," Gio finally says not looking very convinced with my plan nor determined to insist anymore.
Well, I've never cared very much about what others say. And I'll definitely not start now.
And no matter how stupid my plans are, I'll build new ones if the last one fails, and again build new ones, till I have her back.
The next morning, I started work quite early.
I'm anxious as fuck and haven't had much sleep last night. What else is new?!
Healey was supposed to come at 11 am for the morning therapy session and I have to be done with Mike by then.
I try to work on some contracts, but papers are scattered all over my desk and I'm already gulping whiskey since morning.
Nothing is sitting right with me since I've heard Becca has left and now I'm supposed to wait for another three months till I can travel.
I would have traveled already but mom and dad have insisted way too much that I should wait and reluctantly I've given up the plan of going to Italy myself.
Waiting is the hardest. It has never been my strong point. I'm missing Becca. I'm lost, hurt, and lonely and the days feel like years without her.
I'm trying to gradually pull myself out of the mafia, but I have strong doubts it's going to be that easy.
Arrangements for my parents to leave back home are in place although they don't like the idea of leaving me alone. I need time, space, and fewer people to worry about.
I'm doing much better, and I have a strong will to get back on track with new deals but not before I meet Becca.
She's my priority now. We are my priority.
I miss holding my kitten in my arms. I miss her smiles and whispers. I miss the innocence in her green eyes pooling in tears whenever I kiss her, love her, and tell her she's my world.
Because she's my world, she's my nest, my home, my entire life.
I feel sweat forming on my forehead, a normal reaction whenever my thoughts are traveling back to her. It's torture, it's my hell.
A knock at the door makes me snap my head up and I see Gio coming in, followed by Mike.
I grab my walking stick and stand up, strolling around my desk, stretching my hand to him and shaking it in a manly stronghold.
"Mike, happy you could make it. Have a seat," I tell him, showing him one of the chairs in front of my desk while the other one is taken by Gio.
"I have to admit that your call has taken me by surprise, Mr. Tate," he says while sitting down.
His face is hard, and emotionless but I have a hunch he won't refuse my proposal.
"Call me Lucas, please. I believe we have the same interests over here. We are in the same boat, Mike."
"Okay. I'm listening," he says, stretching his legs and leaning against the backrest of the leather chair, trying to look defiant but I can tell he's all ears.
I walk to the minibar and fix three glasses of whiskey, handing him and Gio one each and bringing mine to the desk, taking my seat back on my chair.
"I'll be as straightforward as I can, Mike. I intend to bring Becca back home," I say bluntly, and I see him frowning his eyebrows, piercing his eyes into mine.
"Go on," he encourages.
"But that's not going to be easy. As you probably know... or not, Vincenzo Benito has her in Italy and it isn't going to be easy to take her back. Meanwhile, I want to secure her financial independence and for that, we need to keep Downhill Inc. floating. So, my proposal for you is that you travel to her mother's place and have her convinced to sign an empowerment paper to me, to handle the board of Downhill Inc. Any decision to be made will be discussed with you before it's taken. The board will stay the same although I know what they are doing. I'll have the power of decision and the moment Becca is back, she'll take control as CEO, and I pull myself out."
Mike keeps listening to me patiently and nods a few times.
"It will be all legit," he says in a deep voice taking a few moments to analyze my proposal. "Nothing fishy, Tate. I won't have Rebecca dragged into your mafia world again."
"All legit, Mike. I'm cleaning all my shady businesses as well and Downhill Inc. will not be touched."
He nods again, pressing his lips in a thin line, and takes another moment to think.
"Vincenzo Benito is not the one you should worry about. Not even Marciano Benito," he makes sure I know what Gio has already filled me in with.
"I know all about it, Mike," I reply and the blood boils again at my temples thinking back if what Gio has told me that was the reason for Becca leaving for Italy and how Salvatore has been the one behind her decision.
He rolls the liquid in his glass with a slow movement of his wrist before he throws all of it down his throat and stands up with a snap.
"Okay, Lucas. You have a deal. Let's bring Rebecca back home. She doesn't belong in a place swarming with murders, guns, and drugs."
I smirk in satisfaction and stand up as well, walking around the desk and shaking his hand.
"Good choice, Mike. I'm happy we are on the same side. We'll plan together with Gio the return of Becca. Gio will let you know how to find her, at the proper time."
He nods and turns towards the door but before he exists he shifts his eyes back at me, staring intensely and my heart shrinks. I'm afraid he has second thoughts.
"And Tate if you hurt Rebecca again... I'll kill you with my own bare hands."
I'm not surprised. I know he'll get to do it the first reason and chance he has.
"If she doesn't do it first," I answer confidently that it won't happen. "Mike, I rather die before hurting her again."
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