Payback

“I have an appointment with Mr. Terini,” he told the maid in his low gravelly voice.

The young maid trembled when he spoke. She took his trench coat and Darren’s jacket while bowing her head, apparently eager to avoid looking at his face. It didn’t even phase him anymore. Hardly anyone wanted to admire the scars that told the story of his past. He couldn’t blame them. “I’ll announce you right away.” She led them into a lavishly decorated study. “Mr. Terini will join you shortly.”

Carter took a seat in a wingchair in front of a massive mahogany desk, refusing to acknowledge the pain in his leg and hip from walking without the cane. Tonight was not a night for weakness, but for strength. He would accomplish what he’d set out to do, and he would do it standing tall and firm.

Darren remained standing a few feet from Carter. When the door opened, Carter watched intently as his hand fell automatically to the gun in his holster, but he stopped short of drawing it, clearly deciding the situation had not become hostile yet.

Rocco Terini was a man of average height with the beginnings of a paunch, well concealed by his tailored Saville Row suit. Carter watched as he surveyed his guests for a moment before stepping confidently into the room. He was an idiot for being so confident, but Carter allowed him to have this moment. At fifty-seven, he was still imposing, even if his hair had turned an iron shade of gray and his stomach protruded. “Mr. Braxton.” He extended a hand to his visitor, his gaze not leaving the silver mask Carter Braxton wore.

The hand was coldly disdained as Carter fixed a pair of burning, black eyes on Terini. “Rocco.” His voice was smooth, with an underlying hint of steel. This was going to be fun.

Frowning, Rocco took a seat behind the desk. “I’m afraid my secretary didn’t give me any details of this meeting, Mr. Braxton. Her only note is urgent, so you’ll have to tell me what this is all about.”

A grimace flashed briefly across Carter’s mouth, while he allowed just a hint of his hatred to show in his dark eyes. Rocco shivered slightly, and his smile grew. “It’s about Terini Electronics.”

Looking puzzled, Rocco said, “I don’t have much to do with the day-to-day operations anymore, Mr. Braxton, but I’ll try to help you.”

“Yes. I’m aware of your lack of interest in the company, Terini. Is it not strange that ten years ago you were willing to kill for the company but today, you can’t be bothered to stop by your office more than once or twice a week?” Carter observed Rocco carefully.

“Excuse me?” Rocco grasped the arms of his chair with white-knuckled fury as he surged to his feet. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and unless you can get to the point, this meeting is terminated.”

“Terminated—what an interesting choice of words. Very well. I won’t draw this out. As of this afternoon, I have acquired ninety-percent of the shares of your company, Terini. I’m well aware of your financial troubles—that you’ve been discreetly selling your shares for years. Each time they became available, I purchased them by any means necessary…short of murder and intimidation, of course. That’s really more your style, isn’t it, Rocco?”

Rocco sagged back into his chair. “Why have you come?”

Carter smiled, feeling genuine warmth in his stomach that did not reach his eyes. “To inform you that you are no longer the CEO of Terini Electronics. In fact, you are nothing in the company. The other ten-percent you own is not enough to oppose me or my plans for the company.”

“My father built that company.” Rocco turned a furious scarlet. His eyes moved to Darren, and he leaned back in his chair. “I’d always planned to purchase the stocks again, once things were straightened out,” he added cooly.

“I’m afraid that is no longer an option,” Carter said. “Your company is going to be dismantled with each part sold to the highest bidder. I’m only taking one thing from your company—the memory chip that I invented that you stole from me ten years ago.”

Rocco’s eyes widened fearfully. “Oh, my god. You can’t be serious, Mr. Braxton.” His tone was perilously close to pleading. “Don’t do this to a family business out of some childish desire for revenge.”

“Childish?” Carter slowly removed his hat that had placed a shadow over the scared half of his face so his opponent could take a closer look. “I certainly have my reasons, Terini, and they are not the least bit childish.” He saw the sick look on Rocco’s face as he gazed at the scarred flesh. “You had no compunction about destroying my business, and I certainly have no concern for yours.”

Rocco squared his jaw as Braxton replaced the hat, ignoring his queasy stomach. “I see. I’ll simply use the proceeds from the sale of the shares to rebuild my empire.” He waved a hand, as though unconcerned.

Carter laughed. “I do believe you’re forgetting your rather substantial debts to the various casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Reno, Terini. You’ve found it incredibly easy to obtain credit in the past, and every last cent of the money you’ve made is going to be necessary to cover your debts. In fact, I believe you used this lovely home for collateral just last month.”

Rocco’s complexion had gone ashen, but he turned stark white when Carter removed a contract from the briefcase Darren handed him. “You have three days to exit the property, Mr. Terini. As of this morning, I now own this house. I suspect you’ll have to sell all your lovely antiques and family heirlooms just to cover the difference on your debts versus your assets.”

“You son of a bitch.” Rocco jumped from his chair again. Darren stepped forward menacingly, causing him to collapse back into the seat. “Not my home.” His voice had lost all hint of strength. “I have three daughters to provide a home for. Think of my children.”

“I have no concern for your children,” Carter snapped. “They are all of legal age and should be living on their own anyway.” He knew it was cold, but he didn’t care. They deserved to learn who their father truly was.

Sweat poured from Rocco’s face as he visibly strove to find some desperate way out of this. “Can’t we reach an agreement?”

Carter’s eyes narrowed. “Gambling once more, Rocco?”

“Give me a few months to scrape together enough to buy this house, at least. It’s been in my family for two hundred years, and you have no right to it,” he said sternly, as if trying to shame Carter into backing off.

Carter raised an eyebrow at the older man. “Why should I agree to such an absurd request? I would have no recourse against you if I agreed to this, and I would lose a substantial amount of money if you skip out on me.”

Rocco shook his head. “I’ll give you something for collateral.” His brow furrowed. “I have a Mercedes, and my daughters each drive nice cars.”

Carter laughed, sharing a look of amused disbelief with Darren. “I have more cars than I could ever drive as it is.”

Forehead wrinkled, Terini seemed to rack his brain furiously, searching for something to appease Carter. His head lifted slowly as his eyes filled with tears. “I’ll give you one of my daughters,” he whispered. “She’ll stay with you for the time you give me. If I don’t get the money together, you can do as you wish to me.”