Page 57 of Degrees of Power
I glance up at Chase, recalling the word from the research I did on my father, but his eyes are hooded and controlled giving nothing away. Cosa Nostra, a term used by the Sicilian Mafia. The Italian family members still working together, residing over different villages and territories.
“This should be of no concern to him. The work Vicenti and I will discuss has nothing to do with the Italian family, a few simple shared investments, but easily dissolved. Keep intel on them, but if everything goes as planned we’ll reach an agreement with Vicenti,” Carlos says.
Chase hits the mute button to engage in the conversation. “Carlos, you and I both know those ties run deep and everything is intertwined. I’ve asked Jay to expand surveillance and communications ops in that area so you know what you’re up against.”
My father is not to be deterred. “We’re moving forward, with or without a family blessing. Next I’d like to go over the security plans,” Carlos says, dismissing the conversation.
“Carlos, we’ve got the arrangements all set. Your plane will leave shortly and will touch down in Brazil at approximately nine p.m. Brazil time, just shortly after six our time. We’ll have the helicopter waiting. It will take you to Vicenti’s home on the coast for the meeting at ten tonight. You know the late hour is intended to mitigate potential observers and air traffic. We only have a short window of time where air traffic records can be altered,” Jay says.
“Jay, I assume your security team has taken all precautions, communications and visuals are in place, clearances have been completed?” Chase says.
“Yes, everything is in place and working well. They’ve already completed a sweep of the compound and none of our monitoring systems were picked up,” Jay says.
“Very good. Carlos, I don’t have any other questions for you or the group. Give me a call once the conference has concluded,” Chase says, disconnecting.
“So, what is it that he and Vicenti are planning that my great-uncle doesn’t like?” I ask.
“See, you are just too smart for your own good, Baby. These details, they need to come from Carlos. When the timing is right he’ll go over everything with you. I owe it to him to let him tell you himself,” he says, kissing my lips lightly.
“I have more questions than answers now,” I say.
“The answers will come in time, for now just know that everyone is working to keep our family and friends safe and to put Alfreita behind us.”
“I don’t doubt that for one moment. It’s just hard that I can’t talk with my mom and I hate that she’s in the dark but I do understand. I need to get a little work done. I told Jenny I would help her out with a few things,” I say, intentionally leaving out the fact that I will be overseeing Torzial until her return. A conversation best left for another day with everything going on.
“Jay and I have some work to finish. Let’s plan to meet for dinner and hopefully by that time your dad will be on his way back to the States,” he says.
“Sounds good,” I say, relieved that he is clearly distracted with whatever work he and Jay need to get done and I will have a chance to get a handle on Torzial affairs in Jenny’s absence. “I think I’ll work in the library,” I say.
“Good, and remember to eat lunch,” he says, kissing my lips gently before turning to leave. “Oh, and Katarina, only the necessary work,” he says, his voice low, threatening, and seductive all at once, taking on the characteristics of the dominant man I love in the bedroom and the one that keeps me challenged and impassioned by day.
“I’ll let you know how long once I sign on and determine how much time it will take and I’ll be sure to let you know which implement you should use if it’s going to be much past six p.m.,” I say, looking at the clock on the wall.
“Baby, you need only be one minute past that time and I will show you exactly what happens, but the implement will be of my own choosing this time,” he says, walking out of the room, leaving me moist, filled with anticipation and a growing desire to disobey him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I head into the library, glad to see the fire is crackling with fresh logs and the blanket is still laying on the overstuffed reading chair. I take the laptop from the desk and enter in the password to get through the security servers and snuggle in to get started.
I quickly skim my emails, responding to some and deleting or saving others, leaving the one requesting me to redline the detailed designs until the end. The changes outlined will generate more space for collaborative areas that will be equipped with video conferencing abilities to align with the way future work will be done globally. I have a few more closing notes after a couple hours and send it back to the designers and copy Chase, Brian, and Jenny.
The swoosh of my phone is almost immediate.
Message:Glad to see you are almost finished. Design notes look great.
Reply:Thx! But, not finished.
Message:You have three simple rules to follow.
Reply:Where’s the fun in that?
Message:Seeing your ass redden and pussy moisten will give me great pleasure.
I shake my head slightly, trying to hide the smile that threatens and open the new folder that has been created which now contains all of Jenny’s email correspondence. I audibly gasp at the amount of email that is currently marked unread. Almost a hundred emails that have not been opened since the evening before the grand opening.
I slowly begin making my way through them, deleting the ones that I have been copied on. “Damn, that only takes care of a quarter of them,” I say aloud, tucking my feet under myself and creating a makeshift laptop table with the blanket in front of me, quickly becoming engrossed in reading emails about aspects of the Torzial corporation. I walk my way through those, ensuring the managers of the different divisions are included in replies. I click on the next message and stop short. It is from Ty, received the day after the Prestian Corp grand opening in Los Angeles.
Dear Jenny,
