I don’t follow her, allowing her a brief reprieve while she undoubtedly plays the victim to her therapist. Instead, I occupy my time by going over the footage Panchito had managed to get of Michele. It’s not much, but at least it’s something.
My relationship with Michele had changed after we’d gone through puberty. We stopped being on good terms, both of us coping with the expectations placed on us differently. At the same time, we’d both put on masks for the world, so while I do know him, I don’t—not really.
From the recent reports I’d gotten, it seems that Michele had been hiding more than his personality—but also an affinity for numbers.
When I’d realized he’d taken over the family business, I’d thought that he was going to run it into the ground within the year. To my eternal surprise, he hadn’t.
If anything, he’d turned things around in such a way Benedicto could have only hoped to do.
He’d revived old businesses and invested smartly, all resulting in an increase in the family’s net worth and marking his ventures as competitive and advantageous to the outside world—the reason Ortega’s been trying to do business with him in the first place.
I have to wonder if this is all him, or if he was just wise enough to hire smart people for the job. Regardless, the more I find out about Michele, the more I realize I don’t know my brother at all.
Starting the footage, it’s to see him walk out of a building with an arrogant stride, his sunglasses perched up his nose as he looks right and left. There’s an entire entourage of people behind him, following closely. And as he raises his head in the direction of the camera, lowering his glasses and narrowing his eyes at the lens, he goes into a tirade. His men are quick to react, one of them raising a weapon and shooting the camera.
Interesting.
The rest of the video feeds tell a similar story—they’d all captured him unaware after which he’d promptly gotten rid of the camera. And going by the few other details I have on him, it’s safe to say his paranoia knows no bounds.
He doesn’t like to be seen in public, or be captured by cameras. He rarely attends events, even though his presence is required at all times. If anything, the only time he seems to get out is during the night, with a few road cameras capturing his car on the freeway.
In the past, Michele had been nothing if not ostentatious, so to see him shying away from public appearances and taking so much care not to be spotted is intriguing.
I mark down some observations, but as I realize I’d been too immersed in my work, I quickly check the time, noting Noelle is running late.
Cisco’s words ring in my ears and I can’t help but think she might have tried to run away—apparently it wouldn’t be the first time.
A scowl on my face, I instruct the driver to wait for us while I head directly to the therapist’s office.
The elevator pings as I arrive at the right floor, and as I get out, it’s to see Noelle in the hallway, chatting with another woman.
Narrowing my eyes at her, I take a step forward. But as the other woman turns, I freeze, feeling myself rooted to the spot.
She gives Noelle a smile as she brushes her hand down her arm in a comforting gesture. A slow smile appears on Noelle’s face, her expression unguarded for the first time. But as she turns her head in my direction, her soft features become harsh as she glares at me. A nod at the woman by her side and she starts in my direction.
I’m not entirely concerned by her, though. Not when someone I hadn’t seen in years is right in front of me.
‘Wait for me at the car, Noelle,’ I bark the order, my voice leaving no room for discussion as her eyes widen. ‘Now.’
I don’t wait for her protest as I put one foot in front of another until I’m standing in front of the other woman.
She turns, finally noticing me.
Her lips part in surprise, her honey colored eyes sparkling with warmth as she gazes at me.
One moment we’re both staring at one another, the next she runs towards me, jumping in my arms.
‘Raf,’ she whispers as she wraps her arms around me in a tight hug.
‘God, Gianna,’ I mutter in disbelief. ‘This was the last place I would have thought to see you.’
‘Well,’ she says sheepishly as she steps back, looking me up and down. ‘I might have had some words with Cisco.’
It dawns on me why he’d suggested I accompany Noelle to her therapy appointment.
‘Cisco?’ I ask in disbelief, since he’d been the main culprit behind her fall from grace all those years ago.
‘It’s a long story,’ she mentions, quickly going over how she’d married her bodyguard, Cisco’s uncle, and had reconnected with the family a while back because her husband had been worried about Noelle.
‘We agreed I could try to talk to her since none of her previous therapists managed to break her out of her shell,’ she says grimly as she gives me a short account of what she’d been up to in the years that have passed and that she’d become a trained therapist.
The more she talks about Noelle and her problems, I can’t help myself but ask.
‘Is it true she has amnesia then?’
‘Raf… You might be my brother, but she’s my patient,’ she gives me a sad smile. ‘I can’t tell you that.’
‘Just a yes or no,’ I insist, needing some type of confirmation.
‘Her condition is delicate,’ she replies cryptically. ‘Be kind to her, will you? Some of the things she’s been through…’ she shakes her head.
‘Are you sure she’s not faking it?’
Her eyes widen at my question.
‘No, she’s not faking anything, Raf.’ She purses her lips for a moment. ‘I’m sorry I can’t tell you more, but I will say this. Don’t judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. There’s more to her than meets the surface. But then, you’re familiar with that type of defense mechanism, aren’t you?’
My cheeks heat and feeling a little chastised, I drop the topic. I focus instead on her and what she’s been up to. She tells me about her family, showing me pictures of her daughters.
‘They look like you,’ I note affectionately, her girls having inherited her beauty.
‘You should come visit sometimes,’ she adds, her voice full of warmth.
‘Maybe,’ I reply vaguely. Given the dangerous situation I currently find myself in, I don’t think it would be the safest course of action to bring them into this mess.
We make some more small talk before she tells me she has to go since her husband is waiting for her. And as I lead her outside of the building, she gives me one more hug before we part ways. But not before she adds something.
‘Be careful with Michele, Raf. He’s… He’s not well.’
‘I know. Trust me, I know. I’ll see you around,’ I tell her, kissing both her cheeks.
As I get back in the car, Noelle is looking at me with distaste in her eyes. Huddled at the far end of the car seat, she’s trying to put as much distance between us—again.
‘Don’t worry,’ I wave my hand flippantly. ‘I won’t bite—this time.’ I wink at her before turning and ignoring her as I try to absorb what just happened, and the fact that I saw my sister for the first time in over twelve years.
‘Why? Don’t tell me you’re too tired,’ she snaps, and I regard her with raised brows, surprised at the vehemence in her voice.
‘Too tired?’ I repeat, a little confused.
‘That was quite the quickie, golden boy,’ she crosses her arms over her chest.
‘Quickie?’
‘She’s married, you know,’ she shakes her head at me, disgust written all over her face.
It takes me a moment until it finally dawns on me what she’s talking about, confusion leaving way to amusement at her reaction.
‘Why? Jealous?’ I taunt, and her eyes flash aggressively at me. ‘Maybe I have a thing for married women,’ I shrug as I continue to bait her, enjoying the way she’s getting so riled up over nothing.
‘You…’ she grits her teeth. ‘I like her. If she cancels on me because of you, I’ll kill you myself,’ she threatens, though I’m not sure how she means to be taken seriously when she’s five feet at best and a hundred pounds soaking wet.
Even now, as she points at me with her finger, her stance that of a warrior, I can only stifle my laughter for so long.
‘Interesting,’ I muse, and she blinks repeatedly at my words.
‘What?’ She snickers.
‘Just a few hours ago you were ready to become my victim,’ I smirk as I come closer to her, all thoughts of Gianna and our encounter firmly out of my mind. ‘But now you’re willing to commit murder for your therapist? My, my, Noelle,’ I whistle.
When I’m just a breath away from her she stiffens, her eyes shining with a new resolve as she tries to stare at me unflinchingly.
‘You can’t have her,’ she repeats, fake confidence imbuing her harsh voice.
‘I can’t?’ I drawl, my amusement increasing by the second.
‘No. You can’t. So find another married woman, or whatever. Just not my therapist,’ she continues with the fake bravado, and there’s something to be said about the way she’s ready to die one moment, and appear so strong the next.
Bringing the back of my hand to her cheek, I brush it ever so slightly against her skin. Her breath hitches, her eyes growing in size as she meets my eyes.
‘You’ll learn, Noelle, that the more you tell me I can’t…’ I trail off, a slow smile spreading on my face, ‘the more I want to do it,’ I tell her on a whisper before I’m off her.
I move back to my seat, continuing to ignore her as I see about my business, but failing as the corner of my eye keeps straying to her and her awestruck expression. I certainly try to ignore the way she grumbles under her breath, her insults a melody to my ears.
Total annihilation of the heart…
Noelle claims to have no heart, yet that remains to be seen.
Crushed.
I sneak a glance at her, the mere fact of her being alive and well offending me.
Yes, she will be crushed.
And I have just the way to do it.
It’s when we reach the house, however, that I realize Noelle isn’t the simpleton I’d thought her to be.
When Cisco greets us, raising an eyebrow at his sister as he awaits the report, she can barely hide her smug expression as she starts talking.
‘I think therapy is good for me,’ she mentions, giving me an inscrutable look.
‘Is that so?’ Cisco asks, unconvinced.
‘It is,’ she nods thoughtfully, ‘it helped me realize that my infatuation with Raf was extremely shallow,’ she shakes her head ruefully. ‘I mean, why would I like him just because of his good looks, right?’
‘Right…’ Cisco repeats slowly, confused, his eyes skittering from me to her.
‘I admit I was taken aback by how handsome he is,’ she continues, pursing her lips when she sees a smile erupt on my face.
‘And?’ Cisco asks impatiently.
‘But he’s so boring, Cisco,’ she cries out and my eyes widen in surprise.
‘He’s boring?’ His eyes meet mine as he tries hard not to burst into laughter.
‘He’s like a grandpa in the body of a young man. Not my definition of fun,’ she sighs dramatically. ‘He doesn’t have social media,’ she points at me in disappointment, ‘doesn’t watch any current TV shows, and only reads some weird and boring books. He might as well be playing chess with the geezers in the park.’
‘Noelle…’
‘That’s why you sent him with me, didn’t you? So I could see how boring he was,’ she purses her lips in understanding. ‘I get it. You wanted me to experience it on my own skin.’
Cisco is speechless as he turns to me.
‘Boring, is he now,’ he drawls, amused.
I just shrug, not deigning a reply. Not when little miss crazy is gloating at me, her lip twitching in satisfaction.
Instead, I merely play her game, taking a few steps towards her and grabbing her hand. Spreading her palm open, I place a key in the center.
‘I don’t think I’ll need this if I’m so boring then,’ I add right before I move past her and her scandalized expression, giving a nod to Cisco and going upstairs to my own room.
I can barely hold off a chuckle as I hear Noelle trying to find excuses as to why the key to her room had ended up in my possession.
I have to give her credit at least for her attempt at countering my attack.
Not enough though.
She’ll need more than that to beat me at my own game.
