Page 39 of In It for the Long Ride

“Sounds like you’re pretty observant. I am, too.” Oak’s brows raised like the man was sitting across from him, “I’m observant enough to read the paper.”

I made a slashing motion in front of my throat and bugged my eyes.

“The paper?” Demetri gave a confused little chuckle.

“Yeah. D & D records. That's you right? Demetri and Damien Valentino.”

“Clever boy. I knew I liked you, Oakland,” Demetri sang. “Did you show Crystal?”

I flopped back in the seat across from him and let out a slew of curses.

“Sounds like you need some time in a confessional, father.” Demetri laughed at my misery.

His last word, however, made my mouth turn dry.

Oak looked like a damn guppy. His mouth opening and closing for no fucking reason.

“Why would he show Crystal?” I wanted to hear him say it.

“She’s got her own music people. She’s been operating clubs for years,” Oak added on.

“Show her the newspaper, Oakland. Tell her I wanted her to see my beautiful new bride. We got married this morning in a private little ceremony. She loved Italy. We’ll be in Sicily in the morning. Her tour starts next week. We’ve got magazines begging for photo shoots. She’s on all the radio stations in Europe. A huge success. So, you tell Crystal to get that business up and going. You tell the good father to take Aunt Daisy and Eric back home, and we’ll all play nice. Should anyone get any bright ideas, just remember I’m her husband now. While that may be easily dissolvable and of little consequence in some places, it means I am her keeper, her owner, if you will, in others. My jet can reach those places in short of three hours on this side of the globe if my lawyers so advise me.”

“Hang it up,” I whispered.

“Already?” Demetri laughed. “You haven’t even asked me about Trista?”

“Hang it up,” I growled, surprising even myself by the rumble in my voice.

“Now, now, father.”

“Stop fucking calling me that,” I spat, before I could control myself.

Demetri laughed and I closed my eyes against the sound.

“She’s dead, Oakland. Haven’t you been paying attention? Hang up the fucking phone.” I clipped him upside his ear and he startled, fumbling the phone. The speaker phone clipped off, but the call didn’t end.

“She’s not.” Demetri spat, as if he were insulted by the suggestion.

Oak swiped the speaker phone back on and held it out of my reach.

“Then give her back,” I tried to negotiate. “You got Joplin. You don’t need them both. You can’t be with Trista and torment her while you’re touring the world with your new pet.”

I was trembling inside, but I sat stiff as a board outwardly.

“I’ll consider it. For now… Do what daddy said, boys.” Demetri’s smugness reverberated in a grunt and the cocksucker hung up the call.

“Monty,” Oak whispered, staring at the picture. “H-how long has he had her? I mean– when is the picture dated?”

I glanced at the description beneath the image. “Two days ago. To be honest, I ain’t seen her since before your momma passed.”

“I ain’t seen her since the night she–” Oak’s eyes widened before he abruptly closed them and mumbled something that sounded like a curse. “She stopped by the house one night and was rambling and excitable. She said she got a record deal.”

“Fucking hell.” I scoffed. “How long, Oak?”

He blinked and shook his head, “I don’t… That night I was late. The night Easy got shot. Did that son of a bitch have her the whole time he was in that meeting with us?”

“You mean the night I asked my sister if she was fucking manic?” Crystal blew up, causing me to shoot out of my chair.

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