56 Matt Plots The Return
ORIGINAL CONTENT OF D.C. BLU. DO NOT COPY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS CRUEL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.
56: Matt Plots The Return
While Tyler worked his ass off trying to find any trace of Val, Matt worked to get rid of the one man who knew the truth about Val.
“You want me to…” Ada blinked back her shock. They sat across from each other in the back room of her bar where her employees rested during breaks. “You want me to help set Domenic up? Like frame him?” Her head shook in disbelief. “Walthour will have a shit fit-“
“I’ve already talked to him about it. If Domenic did something crazy enough most of his allies would pull away.”
“The Walthour actually agree- Wait. Crazy enough like what?” Ada asked concerned.
“Like piss off Ivan Voronin.”
Ada stared at him her mouth opening slowly but she just blew out air. Then she stood, paced, and shook her head furiously. “Are you fucking nuts?” She nearly shouted, her British accent she always tried to keep hidden, showed.
“No. I’ve already talked to Voronin. He told me what needed to be done to-“
“Matt… How the hell do you know a Russian oil czar?” Ada spun nearly falling over she moved so fast.
“He’s a big fan.”
“So you’re telling me… That you love this woman so much, that you’re willing to start a gang war to keep her from her ex-husband?”
“Yes.” Matt nodded.
Ada closed her eyes. “Matt…I…I thought I knew you…”
So did most people. “Does that mean you’ll do it?”
Rubbing her hands over her forehead as if it itched she said, “It wouldn’t take Voronin much to get pissed. He’s known for starting shit on a whim because he’s bored. That’s the reason Walthour keeps his distance from the maniac. You do know he’s the one who wanted De La Rosa dead. I’m told when the woman’s body was shipped to him, he sawed off her head and it’s now mounted in his trophy room! This is the crazy bloke you’re friends with?”
“Ok.” Matt didn’t know about the head thing, but…gross.
“Matt, maybe you’re not understanding. I’ve done business with the loon for years. He’s fucking nuts. Voronin is the kind of guy that laughs at funerals and kills old ladies in wheel chairs if they look at him wrong. By the way, that old lady was his great aunt!”
“And yet you still do business with him.”
Ada sighed. “He pays extremely well. Which begs the questions, what does Voronin get out of this? The man doesn’t work for free. Ever!”
Matt stretched out his legs on the leather couch he lounged on. “Lifetime concert tickets.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“There has to be more. You can’t tell me he’s willing to start a war over concert tickets.”
“He’s my biggest fan. And aren’t you the one who said he’s crazy?”
Ada opened her mouth and then sighed. “So he’s just a big fan.”
“Honestly, he wanted to adopt me when we moved to Miami.”
“I can’t believe…” She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “This is giving me a headache… What do you need me to do?”
“What you do best — gather information. Spy. Follow Ricci, learn his behavior, habits, hang outs. Find out away he and Voronin can cross paths…” Matt began to explain when Ada cut him off.
“Ricci is known for frequenting fashion shows and picking up models. If Voronin’s wife is hanging out at the show there is a possibility for a misunderstanding. And I’m told Voronin loves his wife to distraction.”
Matt snorted. “You don’t know his wife very well. She’ll bust Ricci’s balls before Voronin can get to him. That reminds me, don’t tell his wife that he’s already got plans for Cody if Walthour dies.”
Ada gasped. “No way! Cody’s mine if Walthour dies.”
“Well, at least you’re not still drooling over Val.”
Ada made a sucking sound. “Don’t get your hopes up. The moment you let your guard down, I’m stealing her. So have you found her yet?”
Matt shook his head. It had been ten days with no signs — killing him. His longing for her reached into his soul and haunted him. Walthour had used his connections to gather enough of their father’s DNA from what was left of his life and DNA from Matt for comparison. They used Val’s hotel room and what little she left behind in Matt’s house to start a DNA test to validate what Domenic had said was true.
“I’m glad you think she’s worth all this trouble, but… Matt you’ve only known her a few months.” Ada pointed out.
“I know. But it feels like she was meant for me. Everything about her is addictive. Amazing. And while the chemistry is electric, we get each other. We click.”
Ada sighed. “I wish you the best then, you’ll need it my friend.”
Matt left Ada’s and headed to his studio wanting to try Val’s phone again, but knew it would only be a dead number. Instead, he called his mother.
“Hey, baby, I saw that you called me, but I’ve been swamped. What’s up?” His mother asked.
“Did dad have another wife? Before you?”
“No? Not that I can think of. Why do you ask?”
“So the name Giordana Romano doesn’t ring a bell?” Matt remembered the name of the woman Gabe dug up from old documents. Giordana Romano was an heiress to the Romano fortune here in New York — born to old money Italian Egyptians. She was a beautiful woman from the pictures he saw. What few knew was that she was the Romano’s personal assassin. It was early in Matt’s father’s life that they met and married — his early college years. His father was working his ass off to keep his company together and Giordana was providing him contacts, information, and often killed on contract for Radford. They only lasted two years, then she disappeared along with Radford’s right hand man Alphonso De Luca. While their whereabouts were not public knowledge, it was clear from the information that Ricci had on both parents that they were staying on the Ricci estate because of old family ties and because Val’s mother did jobs for Ricci.
“Matt, your father and I didn’t have a sharing relationship. If he had been married before he never mentioned it. Your father was a very tight lipped person, not very trusting. Which also contributed to our failing marriage.” She blew out a breath. “So do me a favor. This new woman I’ve heard about from Bailey. The one you’re dating, please be open with her and trusting. And if she’s not the same with you, get rid of her. You don’t want a relationship that’s one sided, full of lies, and no communication. They end poorly.”
Matt groaned. “So Bailey told you about Val.” He shouldn’t be surprised, Bailey tells their mother almost everything.
“I’m not judging, Matty. I am concerned, but I don’t want to alienate you again. So just be careful. I don’t want you hurt.”
Too late. The pain was real and he didn’t know how much longer he could stand it. “I’ll be careful. Speaking of dating…”
“No! You and your brother aren’t setting me up on a blind date. Forget it!”
“Oh but it’ll be fun!”
“With you and Tyler picking the guy, there is no telling what I’ll end up with.”
“Come on!” Matt sang, “It’ll be a blast.”
“I’m too old for a blast. Go away.” And she hung up.
Matt laughed hanging up. Then he sighed. “Where are you, Val?”
He walked into his studio lounge to find Tyler sitting in jeans and a t-shirt looking crazy with his hair sticking up like he’d run his fingers though it multiple times.
The moment he saw Matt he was on his feet and charging. “Who is this woman?” Tyler grabbed his arms shaking Matt. “Tell me…something.”
“Problems?” Matt asked jerked from Tyler’s grip.
“Its like she doesn’t exist. People don’t just disappear. They just don’t.” Tyler snapped.
Matt hated to admit he was actually amused to see Tyler’s frustration, but he was. The only problem with Tyler’s irritation? It meant Val was no closer to him.
“Are you telling me its impossible, Tyler?” Matt asked looking at his brother while plastering on a sad pitiful expression.
Tyler narrowed his eyes. “No.”
“Oh. Then you’re telling me she’s smarter than you?” Matt sighed.
Tyler grunted. “I’ll find her. You just have to wait a little longer.”
“If it’s time you need, Tyler, take it.” Matt smiled sweetly. “I have faith in you. You’re smarter than anyone I know.” Nodding, Tyler shoved past Matt going back to work. Though he knew Matt was needling him, Tyler couldn’t help but rise to the bait. He hated to be out done. And it was that damn determination that assured Matt his brother would find her.
ORIGINAL CONTENT OF D.C. BLU. DO NOT COPY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS CRUEL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.