The Glass Slipper (Cinderella 3)

“Hardly,” Leo says, his tone mocking. “After the night we saw each other in the club, let’s just say I had a sudden interest to know everything there was about Winston Constantine’s new plaything. When I learned she had brothers, I contacted them to get more information on her and her connection to you. We met up and that was that.”

You met up with them and conspired to terrorize her together like some sort of douchebag gang.

“Why would you even give a shit about me?” I ask.

“You really don’t know, do you?” A hard smile crosses Leo’s face. “The things you don’t know about your own family would shock you, Winston. It’s not about you. It never was. I’m not surprised your mother never told her favorite son all her dirty secrets.”

Lucian cuts in before Leo can say anymore. “As entertaining as this gossip hour is, can you get to the point?”

“The point is,” I say, my glare still locked on Leo, “your brother here isn’t the only one threatening Ash. The Mannford monsters are out of control.”

The lawyer chooses to speak. “The Mannfords are not the Morellis’ problem.”

“When they’re threatening Ash under Leo’s direction, they do become their problem,” I clip out. “Just this evening, Scout Mannford threatened Ash’s life.”

Leo’s eyes are narrowed. “I’m sorry to hear that your soon-to-be child bride has been getting her feelings hurt by her evil stepbrothers, but it’s still not our problem. Have fun proving in court that it is. This is reaching and you know it.”

I remain in a staring match with the head Morelli. His arrogance ripens the air with each passing second. If he wants to gloat on a win he hasn’t won, I’ll allow him his moment. Probably been having wet dreams for years for this very second in time. As the silence stretches on, his smugness fades and apprehension glints in his dark eyes.

That’s right, fucker, you forgot who you’re sitting across from.

I smirk, taking a long swallow of my wine. Cracking my neck, I allow the silence to continue to drag. In the distance, the dull murmur of couples having a romantic dinner can be heard. But at our table it’s so quiet you can hear the faint strains of the piano out in the lobby.

The waiter returns with our meals. I’m patient as I wait for everyone to get situated. The delicious aromas have my stomach growling, but I’ll deal with that later. One by one, the men cut into their meat so the waiter can ensure they’re cooked to their specification. Once the waiter scurries off, I wait for them to begin their meal. Lucian cuts off a hunk of his filet and shoves it into his mouth. He’s barely started chewing when I decide to speak again.

“The Mannford triplets are your problem because, spoiler alert, they belong to you.” I grin at Lucian who growls. “Well, not you specifically, but your uncle, Vincent.”

Anthony opens the file folder, takes hold of the pictures and documents Ulrich sent to him, and bypasses their lawyer to hand them to Leo. He snatches them from Anthony’s grip to glower at what we’ve provided.

Evidence.

And lots of it.

Manda Mannford was one of Vincent Morelli’s young mistresses while she was in college. It took some digging on Ulrich’s part, but he produced photos of the two of them kissing and handholding, many hotel receipts, and monetary gifts to Manda all around the time she found out she was pregnant. Everything stopped not long after she went to the doctor to confirm her pregnancy. There are surveillance photos of Manda with Vincent the evening of her doctor appointment walking into a restaurant together. The next day, the two of them met up with his attorney. Based on the documentation pilfered by Ulrich, Manda left that law office a million dollars richer, had three education funds set up, and was the owner of a new Porsche. All to keep quiet about who the father of her babies was.

“What’s your play, Constantine?” Lucian demands since his brother is still flipping through the documentation.

It pleases me greatly that they’re all neglecting their juicy steaks, letting them grow cold as they try to make sense of the mindfuck I just dropped in their laps. Even if it means my steak also turns cold and rubbery.

“I already told you. I want Ash left alone. That’s what I always wanted.”

“This is all illegally obtained information,” Leo says.

“Which is why I’m coming to you first,” I say smoothly. “We wouldn’t want the press to get ahold of this because they won’t care how they got the information. Imagine what other secrets they might uncover if they look too closely.” I shake my head. “Coming from someone who recently experienced a scandal, I must say it’s expensive and time consuming. But where I can staunch the financial bleeding, what exactly can a Morelli do? Your best bet is cutting it off at the pass.”