Page 24 of Wicked Love
Beckett strolled through the plaza at a relaxed pace. “I told you we’d bought a new office complex. This is it. We have plenty of legitimate business endeavors, and places like this are a big part of that side of our work. This is only our most recent purchase. Every company that sets up shop inside will be one hundred percent above board.”
His pride in the acquisition rang through his voice. Then he stopped and pointed to one of the office spaces that filled one corner at the back of the plaza. The sign over top read, SMITHSON MEDICAL CLINIC.
“I’m still planning on setting up the pro bono clinic we talked about,” he said. “That wasn’t any kind of gambit—no matter what you think about me or how our relationship ends up, I really do want to give back to the communities we operate in. It shouldn’t be all take. We’ve got a major sponsor on board, so the wheels are in motion.”
My heart lifted, taking in the space. That office already had some furnishings set up: a row of padded chairs in the front waiting area and a broad front counter that would serve as a reception desk. I could easily imagine people in need settling into those chairs, filled with relief that they could get their problems looked at by a proper doctor without having to worry about going bankrupt.
“I don’t think most criminals worry about how much they’re taking,” I couldn’t help pointing out.
“We aren’t most criminals. I’m not out to ruin people’s lives. This community has helped support us in ways they don’t even realize, and I think we have a responsibility to return the favor when we can.”
Those were pretty words, but as I studied his eager expression, I couldn’t ignore the twist of my gut. He couldn’t present himself as a champion for good, not with the other things I knew about him now.
“If you feel that way, why do you get involved in anything on the criminal side at all?” I had to ask. “Why not go completely straight?”
A shadow crossed Beckett’s face. He swiped his hand over his jaw, which had tensed as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to answer that question.
Something tensed inside me too. I might have walked away right then if he hadn’t started talking.
“I didn’t exactly tell you the full story when I made my confession,” he admitted. “I mean, everything I did tell you was true, I just didn’t get into the full scope…”
I gave him a pointed look. “I think you’d better do that now.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgment. “What I’m part of, it’s a family legacy going back generations. We aren’t a normal criminal organization. We’re one of a small number of crime lord families who control essentially all organized illegal activity around the world. The businesses we have a direct stake in are vastly outnumbered by the operations we oversee and monitor all across the globe.”
I blinked at him, my voice failing me in the wake of that revelation. “All around theworld?” I managed. Just who was this guy I’d thought I’d known?
But when Beckett turned his pensive gaze on me, I still saw that guy—assured, thoughtful, calm, and still with that glint of pride in his eyes.
“It’s my heritage,” he said. “I can admit that it’s a challenging one, and not one I’m always happy about, but I feel like I’ve gotten pretty damn good at what I do. There aren’t many CEOs or presidents out there juggling as many responsibilities as I need to on a daily basis.”
“But… so much of itmustbe hurting people. If you’re involved in that much of the crime around the world—if you’ve got that much power—why don’t youstopit instead of keeping it going?”
Beckett’s mouth slanted into a crooked smile. “It doesn’t work like that, Madelyn. There are a set number of families who divide up the territory between them. If I pulled out or started trying to shut down all the operations in our domain, the others would find someone else to take our place. By participating, Iamstopping some of the worst aspects of our legacy from continuing. I can moderate a certain amount of the criminal activity in this world to my own standards. If I backed away, who knows who’d fill that gap—what their priorities would be?”
I stared at him. It was impossible to wrap my head around dealing with those kinds of expectations and pressures. But Beckett had been born into it.
Had he ever really had much of a choice?
“It isn’t fair,” I said, my voice coming out quiet. “Just because you’re part of one specific family, you have to take on this burden—”
He shook his head. “It’s fine. It’sgood. I’m glad I’m part of it so that I can do what I need to. I’ve been in a position to prevent violence that would have happened otherwise, to save thousands of lives—I’ve made sure innocent people were protected when other forces meant to destroy them. I’ve gone against my own father…”
His words cut off as if his throat had closed up. He swallowed audibly, and I couldn’t believe he was faking the flash of anguish that showed on his face before he regained his usual calm.
My own throat tightened. “That must have been hard.”
“Yeah.” Beckett ran his hand back through his hair. “There are power struggles sometimes, conflicts over turf. Dad jumped into one I didn’t agree with, and things got bad, and… I wasn’t going to just stand by and let the maniac working for him destroy a bunch of people who’d done nothing wrong, even if they were strangers. That’s what I stand for.”
There was no denying the conviction in his voice. It wrenched at my heart. I didn’t understand what it must have been like growing up the way he had, with the expectations that’d been placed on him his entire life, the principles that’d been drilled into him that were so different from my own. I was judging him from my safe, peaceful, middle-class life, when I’d had no idea criminal organizations on the scale he was talking about even existed.
Would I really rather someone else was in his place? Someone who’d probably have less of a conscience than Beckett had shown he had in spades? I’d known plenty of people who were more selfish and vicious than he was who weren’t even criminals.
I hugged myself for a moment, rubbing my arms up and down, and then let my hands fall to my sides. “I know you’re not a bad person. I just—it’s been a lot to take in.”
“I get that.” Beckett held my gaze for a moment, his eyes searching mine. Then he held out his hand to me, not looking like he expected me to grasp it but more as a symbolic gesture. “Come with me a little farther? I have one more thing here to show you.”
I had no idea what to expect next. I trailed behind him, still absorbing everything he’d just told me, and he led me across the plaza to another office that appeared to be unclaimed. There was no sign up top, anyway.
