Yours Book 3: Life Mastered (14 page)

chapter Twenty-four

Sorry

Sephora

I spent the afternoon with my Dad, and I have to say I feel a hundred pounds lighter. We had a good talk, and it was good to see my dad and husband getting along. My father helped me to finally understand his actions.

Harvey Carver had thought it best if daddy played the villain and made it look to the world like his family hated him and wanted nothing to do with him. That way we would be less of a target because it looked like daddy didn’t care about us.

Harvey had tried to advise him through all of this, and he had kept an eye on us for daddy. So I guess he was being genuine that night as the fundraiser. I don’t know when it comes to Harvey. When we went to confront him about Jillian he would only speak with Nick, and me, and he still wasn’t forthcoming with information. I could have sworn he actually lost coloring in his pale face when Nick told him my father would most likely be returning.

However, my father seems to trust him. Harvey being older than my dad and his friends has made Harvey more of a mentor in the group. Daddy brushed off Harvey’s reluctance to reveal Jillian's whereabouts as him being a protective father.

I guess daddy could be right. I just think that we could have a lot of questions answered if we could find her. All in all, my father appease my concerns, and we fell right into an old comfort that I have longed for. I was so happy until the real world started to creep back in.

Nick’s phone started to ring nonstop, and our attention was once again being called to the drama unfolding around us. First Nick was asked to come down to the precinct to answer a few questions about Mark’s shooting.

Apparently, they received an anonymous tip that Nick was involved in the shooting. They had nothing, and we were out of there before Nick could decide to lawyer up. I think that had a lot to do with a livid Joe Black showing up.

That all took up all of our day since I slept most of the morning and afternoon away before spending time with my dad. By the time we returned home, we had fallen out and never made it to the hospital to check on Mark.

Now we are back at the hospital. After an hour of Mrs. Feinberg being a colossal bitch, Mr. Feinberg dragged her out of Mark’s room. He said he was taking her home to give the rest of us time to visit Mark in peace.

I, for one, was extremely grateful. She was giving me a headache with her whining and bitching. I could tell she was making Bailey uncomfortable as well. Kimmie on the other hand, just glared at her.

It has been good to see sparks of the old Kimmie coming back. One more comment and I do believe, Mrs. Feinberg was going to get a full view of the old Kimmie up close, live, and personal. I really would have enjoyed that.

This is the first time I have been alone with Mark. Kimmie had to go home to care for Lilla and Bailey’s creepy roommate turned up with some emergency she needed Bailey to tend to right away.
I really don’t like that girl.

Nick is not that far away meeting with a team that plans to put this all to bed finally. My dad went to Ettie’s to surprise for breakfast. I guess Lucian will get dinner in tonight.

Mark is in a medically induced coma. I know he probably can’t hear me, but I’m going to say my piece anyway. I have to.

“Hey Mark, it’s me, Sophi,” I start feeling pretty stupid. “I know everyone says this is not my fault, but I feel like it is. You’re my friend and you were put in danger because of me.

“You are always in the middle of something because of me. Remember the one time I talked you into that hack fest. You told me it was a bad idea, but you went along with it anyway,” I can’t help laughing a little.

“How was I supposed to know that fool that organized it left an open loop for us all to get caught. You totally took the wrap for me, though. Your dad had to step in and save the day.

“I like your dad. He is funny. I think he is sweet on Bailey. He guards her against your mom. Trust me that is a good thing. If it weren’t for him, I think your mother would have run off your girlfriend. I thought I had it bad with Faraz.

“Yanno, I don’t think Bailey is going to be that easy to run off. She is crazy about you. She saved your life. So don’t mess this up, okay. You have to wake up to be with her, to be happy,” I sniffle.

“I’m so sorry, Mark. I’m sorry I didn’t get how you felt about me. I’m sorry I hurt you and that I wasn’t a better friend. And I am so freaking sorry you are lying here because of me. You deserve so much better.”

“You know I don’t think he blames you for any of that,” Mr. Feinberg’s voice startles me. “Sorry, dear.”

“Oh no, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come in,” I say and look down at my lap.

“Ah, I needed a break from Barbara as much as you all did. “I swear that woman is driving me crazy. I started dating Mark’s mother because it was what my parents wanted,” I look up to see Mr. Feinberg staring off as if he sees his memories.

“I was already in love with someone, but my parents were insistent that I marry a nice Jewish girl,” he snorts. “Barbara was Jewish, but I don’t know about the nice. Hell, my mother apologized to me on her death bed. That should tell you something.

“The greatest thing that ever came from my marriage is lying in this hospital bed, and that has me questioning all my decisions. Life is so short. My son is finally happy, and now this is happening.

“He lights up for Bailey. She is good for him. You know how they say someone can be your creative soulmate. I think that is what you are for Mark. He confused it for a different type of soulmate.

“I’ve seen the work you two do together, and I have witnessed you two working as a team a time or two. It’s like watching the tech version of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It is phenomenal, but I have seen you with your husband and Mark with Bailey. Those two matches are perfect,” Mr. Fienberg gives me a knowing smile.

“Mark and I talk a lot. My boy keeps me sane,” he chuckles. “It was finally sinking in that he needs you both, just not in the way he thought. I’m grateful to your husband. The way he reached out to Mark was important to my son. It is also how he met Bailey. But I think you and I know that was no coincidence.”

Mr. Feinberg laughs and winks at me. I smile and hold back a laugh. I think everyone knows how serious Nick is about keeping what’s his, his.

“Don’t beat yourself up Sephora. I have spoken with Nick. He has shared with me what is going on and who you all believe is behind this. My son is an honorable man. I know he did what he thought was best. He was protecting you and Bailey. That I am just about certain of. Don’t fault him his honor. It is a part of who he is and what we love about him. He will pull through.”

I nod my head. “Thank you, Mr. Feinberg,” I say softly.

“Call me, Yosef, and you are welcome. I have watched you grow into a fine young woman, Sephora. I am very proud of you. I have heard great things in the business world. You are making quite the name for yourself. At FLI and at S&M,” Mark’s dad chuckles. “I love the pun on the name by the way.”

This time, I do laugh and hard. It was Mark’s idea, and Nick thought it was hilarious, but he said we should go with it. So we did. I am proud of what Mark and I have started. I can’t wait to have my partner back.

Yosef and I fall into a quiet conversation that makes the time fly by. We talk well into the evening as no one from the staff would dare try to throw either of us out. We both found it strange that Bailey hadn’t made it back, but I reassured Yosef that Nick had a team on her as well.

chapter Twenty-five

Hello Brother

Nick

The last few days have been utter chaos. Between the shooting, Bailey disappearing, and Liam returning there hasn’t been a quiet moment. Mark is still in a coma and Bailey is still gone. Johnathan has been sick over not protecting her like he was supposed to.

We really don’t think she left on her own free will. My gut is telling me it has nothing to do with my family issues, but I am still intent on helping to find her. When Mark wakes up, the last thing he needs is to find out something happened to the woman he loves.

With all this going on Sephora and I haven’t been able to focus on our little family at all. We still haven’t been able to reschedule her doctor’s appointment. We have both changed our minds about finding out the sex of the babies.

With all that has happened, we think it would be a nice surprise if we wait. Two healthy babies. That is what is most important to us both. Boys or girls or a mixture of both it doesn’t matter.

I pick up the phone in my home office, to call John to see if he would be willing to do a house call, at Sephora’s request. However, the line is open when I put the receiver to my ear.

“Hello,” I say into the phone.

“Hello brother,” the voice on the other end says.

I sit back in my chair, blown away at hearing his voice again. The bitterness in his tone is undeniable. I don’t understand how he can have so much hatred for me, and we have never met.

“Hello, Rick, is it,” I reply back.

“Ah, so you have finally figured it out. Or was it my beautiful sister-in-law. She’s a smart one,” Rick says with renewed venom. “Nothing like that whore, Ivana.”

“What do you want,” I growl as I text Kevin to get a trace on the call.

“I want us to finally meet. My other dear baby brother is growing wary of my games. He is concerned for our nieces and nephews or whatever baby Emilsson is carrying. You know, I should have made a play for her when I had Jillian fuck with her head. That would have really killed you. To have me inside your precious Sephora.

“She smells so nice, and that voice is beautiful. I bet she would sound amazing calling my name. Does she like it rough, I bet she likes it rough? All that chocolate skin. I just want to sink my teeth into her,” Rick laughs loudly.

The bastard doesn’t know that the only reason I am letting him disrespect my wife is because I need to track his ass so I can kill him. I am fuming as he rants. I lick my bottom lip and run my hand through my hair.

I can taste his blood in the air. I have never felt this violent in my life. I could choke the life out of him with my bare hands, but I stay silent and let him continue.

“You know what little brother? I waited for so long to talk to you. The one that got to stay. Did you enjoy your nice cushy life? Did you enjoy having the best of everything? Having mommy and daddy’s love? I bet you did.

“Well, let me tell you about the life I have had. Oh, it started out just as sweet as yours did. Even though our sweet parents didn’t want Gavin and I we landed a sweet deal for two years. They say kids don’t remember much, but I remember
my
mother and
my
father. The
only
two people that ever loved Gavin and me.

“I remember her smell and his smile. I remember being loved by them. I remember the day we were ripped from their arms,” his voice rises with each sentence, but I remain quiet. “I get he didn’t want us in his precious circle. He was embarrassed. So fucking what!

“He could have found us a decent home. He could have put us anywhere but there. I see you’re a sadist little brother. Well, so was the sick bastard your father gave us too or should I say the bastard our father gave the task of finding us a home. He broke my jaw twice before our eighth birthday and Garvin’s three times.

“That sick bastard did things you shouldn’t do to little boys, Nicholas. Things you probably wouldn’t do to a consenting adult. Garvin used to be the smallest one. That bastard thought it was okay to treat him like a punching bag.

“Our father could have trusted anyone else to find us a safe home, but he trusted that bastard. Garvin used to wet the bed every night afraid it would be a night that he would leave his family to come to us. Oh yeah, we had a nanny just like you did, Nick, but not to nurture us or keep us happy.

“She was a gatekeeper. Making sure we didn’t run away. Making sure his property stayed intact. You want to know why I hate you so much? Do you,” he bellows. “I hate you so fucking much because he smiles at you the way he smiles at us, but we are the ones he has come to repeatedly. And get this! You don’t even know it. You don’t even know that the devil has been your mentor. He has toyed with us all while acting as a friend.

“That motherfucker set this all in motion. For years he has told us the story of how we were thrown away, and you were the previlegded one that got to stay. He made us know and remember we weren’t wanted.”

My brows are now furrowed. I don’t know who he is talking about, but I am listening a lot more closely now. My heart is aching. I don’t want to care for this monster, but I can’t help that I do.

“I am NOT the fucking monster here,” he snarls as if he heard my thoughts. “I didn’t kill our parents. I may have wanted to kill that bitch, Ivana. She was so stupid. She played with both of your hearts. Gavin was just as crazy about her as you were. Nicky wasn’t your baby, she was Gavin’s.

“When I told her she wasn’t going to trap my baby brother she tried to pin it on you. That bitch took advantage of Gavin. All he has ever wanted was love and a family. I didn’t kill that bitch, but I wish like hell I had.

“Our father made promises. He wanted us to stop fucking with you, and we were going to. If he made good on his promises. If he made that sick fuck pay, this would have all been over.

“But
he
knew.
He
had too much to lose to let our father expose
him
. You know our father cried when we told him our story, and I believe they were genuine tears. But then the stupid fucker went and confronted
him
without a fucking plan.

“Our great father is the one that got himself, mom, Ivana and Nicky killed. Do you know it wasn’t even that slut’s idea to name the baby Nicky? It was what Gavin wanted. No matter what sex the baby was, he wanted it to be named Nicky. He has always had this love and loyalty to you. It makes me sick.

“He has fought me every step of the way on this. Now I don’t even know where he is. This is all your fucking fault. I have no one now, and it is because of you! I was never going to shoot that fucking kid. I was just trying to scare him. I didn’t know the safety was off. That bitch screamed and… it was a fucking mistake.

“I wasn’t trying to hurt Sephora. I thought I would be able to snatch her and talk to her, but that big ass Irish motherfucker came out of nowhere. He is the reason I ever even started carrying a gun.

“I only wanted to take you down. To rip everything from you because ripping your business apart meant tearing apart his and then we would be able to go after him. Liam was only in the way. He was like our father, blind. He trusted that son of a bitch.

“They all trusted him. Harvey Carver is the worst kind of Monster, Nick, because he hides in plain day. Want to know why Jillian helped us? It’s because she received the same treatment from dear old daddy Carver.

“I’m not the one with the body count, Nick, Harvey is. Mom, Dad, Ivana, Nicky and Presley Hilton. You can tell your friend, her death was on Harvey’s hands, not mine.

“I’m a finance genius. I know shit about murder. I only know Harvey Carver is great at it. You know, I think the son of a bitch admires you because you used to beat the shit out of pretty girls,” Rick gets quiet, but I know he is still there.

“I hate you, but you are still my baby brother. I can’t lose Gavin, and I know I will if I don’t back off. There’s one more thing you should know. Jillian is in that body count. He murdered his own daughter and taped it. It was the last straw. He knew he could break Gavin with it.

“He addressed the fucking package to Gavin, and he watched it. We had a fight, and he left. You’re no longer in danger from me, Nicholas. We are all in danger from Harvey. He’s scared. When the Locatelli's and O’Brien’s find all of this out, he’s a dead man. I finally have what I need to make that happen, and he’s scared shitless.

“I’m sorry that you hate me. I’ve done nothing but share a womb with you and be born, so I am sorry that you hate me for that. If you had taken the time to know me, Rick, you would know I protect what’s mine. So I would have made this right if you had just come to me,” I state calmly.

“Right now, I don’t really like you either, but you are my brother. That makes you mine, so we won’t be needing the Locatelli or O’Brien families for this. I, Nicholas Lincoln will make that motherfucker pay for every time he touched you and my other brother. I’ll make him pay for it all and when I’m done. I’ll think about how I feel about you,” I finish.

He snorts, then laughs hard. “You have balls. That is the one thing I have always liked about you. When Gavin shows up tell him I’m sorry,” Rick’s voice softens. “He really wants a family, Nick. I was behind it all. If you don’t want to know me, fuck, I don’t blame you, but Gavin has always done what I told him to.

“All he does is talk about Sephora and the babies. He almost shit a brick when he hacked her medical records and found out she was having twins. He walks around with their little sonogram in his wallet next to Nicky’s. He is a good man. Let him love you,” with that the phone goes dead.

I fall back in my seat stunned. My fucking head hurts. I don’t know what to believe. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I register the fact that Ivana was not having my baby. Rick’s story adds up now that I have heard it. So many things are playing in my head, different interactions, and all the information I have been sorting through.

If they wanted to make Harvey Carver vulnerable, going through FLI would have been the best option. I made that motherfucker wealthy again when I took over. His company had been in worse shape than anyone in the investment group. He didn’t just benefit from the deal my father made. Harvey had bought heavily into FLI stocks. If I go down, he goes down.

If my father would have exposed him nine years ago he would have lost everything. He wouldn’t have even had the funds for a good legal team to cover his ass.

With Liam on the run, there was no one else that would really question him so I can see why he has been helping Liam stay away all this time. That bastard was taking advantage of every move my brothers made.
My brothers, I have brothers.

As that thought sinks in my office door opens and in steps my wife and three best friends. Luke, Kevin, and Wyatt have been here all morning. From the stricken looks on their faces and the tears rolling down Sephora’s cheeks, I know they all heard the same tale I did.

I guess now it’s time I do what I do.
Take care of what’s mine.
Somebody’s about to die.