Page 63 of Degrees of Power
Message:Meet me for an early lunch?
Reply:Yes! I’m starving!!
I feel refreshed after a quick shower, and blow dry my hair just enough to take the moisture out of it, leaving the rest to air dry. I shimmy into leggings and a long crème- colored sweater before pulling on a pair of boots and heading downstairs.
Chase is reading a news article on the computer and puts it aside when I walk in, opening his arms for me as I get to the table. I slip into his lap and he pushes my hair out of my face, bringing my lips to his. “Your dad arrived home last night,” he says.
“That’s great news. I was talking with Mom last night and felt horrible the entire time she was talking about his business trip. I know it was technically business, but it was hard knowing that he could be in danger and that he may not get to come home to her,” I say.
“I know, Baby. They let me know when he landed late last night, but you were sleeping so soundly by that time I didn’t want to disturb you,” he says.
“So are you going to tell me about the trip?” I ask, slipping into the seat beside him.
“No, I meant what I said last night, I think your father should explain the details. He’ll call you a little later,” he says as Gaby walks into the kitchen preventing me from voicing the retort on the end of my tongue. Instead, I pretend to scowl at him behind Gaby’s back as she walks to the coffee pot and he winks at me in return.
We have barely finished our lunch when Chase’s phone vibrates. He glances at his messages and looks up at me.
“Your father is hoping to call us shortly,” he says.
“Lunch was delicious,” Chase says to Gaby who is busy at the counter rolling crust before taking my hand and leading me to his office and closing the door behind us.
“Should I be nervous?” I ask wondering what it is that is so important that my father wants to tell me himself.
The phone on the desk rings and I look up surprised he didn’t call Chase’s cell. “Safe line,” Chase explains, hitting the speakerphone button.
“Hi Carlos,” he says to my father.
“Afternoon Chase. Is Katarina with you?” he asks.
“Hi Dad, I’m here in the office with Chase. I have to admit I’m a little nervous about whatever it is that you’re going to tell me. He said that you wanted to tell me yourself.”
“I’m sorry if it’s made you apprehensive, but I’m glad Chase allowed me a chance to share this with you myself. You know the history of our family wealth from conversations with your mom, so I won’t spend too much time on that. Over the years, I have slowly been diversifying into many legitimate and I might add very lucrative business ventures.”
“I believe Chase may have mentioned that when I told him that you were my father,” I say.
“You also know that I went to see Vicenti, but not why,” my father says.
“I’m listening.”
“Katarina, while I do not actively manage the business of moving illegal product, the money it brings in does go through my companies, distributed throughout the enterprises we own and then dispersed to the family. I have wanted to get out of the business for quite some time and there’s never been a better reason than when you and your mother came into my life. I want to change the legacy that is passed on to you and my future family,” Carlos says.
“Dad, that’s admirable, but I don’t understand how it involves Vicenti,” I say, looking to Chase but while his eyes hold mine, they give nothing away.
“As Chase told you, my father’s brother is the head of the Italian family and we learned that while my two younger brothers were not in any way associated with Tony and Alfreita, they have strong reservations about discontinuing the trade. Unfortunately, my uncle and his family can be very persuasive. My father left me in charge of the entire Larussio legacy, wanting me to ensure his family’s future generations always had a good start in life, didn’t have to come up the way he and Don’s father did,” he says.
“I knew you and Don were great friends. I didn’t realize that your father’s knew each other or that you had grown up together,” I say.
“Katarina, I would like nothing better than to share some of these family stories with you, but they aren’t all good. The history of our family is not something I was ever ashamed of until your mom walked out on me twenty-six years ago. That was the day I knew there had to be another way, a better way. It’s taken me time to diversify, cautiously planning investments without unsettling the current infrastructure, putting my part of the proceeds into legitimate start up businesses. Today, I can proudly say that my portfolio is minimally financed by the proceeds of that business, but to my family it is their way of life, the legacy they know,” he says, pausing for a moment.
“Dad, are you okay?” I ask.
“Katarina, I’m more than okay, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little apprehensive. The time has come to completely diversify which brings me to Vicenti. He is willing to buy us out, completely. Take over the entire works.”
“Really, that’s great, right?” I ask.
“Yes and no. It’s a wonderful opportunity, the price is excellent, but somehow my uncle became aware of it before I could share my plans with the family. You see it’s not as easy as just selling off that part of the empire and splitting it among the remaining siblings. My father’s wishes were for me to ensure his legacy continued, which means that in order to honor his dying wish, I must continue to ensure they can always remain financially independent and according to my father’s will, the money must stay in my control. It is how the families have been raised for generations,” he says.
“I actually think it’s pretty honorable that you want to uphold your father’s wish to safeguard the families’ futures,” I say.
