Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Kian nodded and looked a bit relieved. “What did he do?”
“He told me he was an accountant for a large banking firm. I hadn’t realized that his father owned the bank, and they were laundering money through it; at least, that is what Lauryn told me.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah,” I said with a gruff laugh. “That’s not the worst of it, though. When I noticed Michael changing, the warning bells started to go off like crazy. I asked Lauryn if she had heard anything about Michael being involved with his family’s…business. She said they had been watching Michael since his activities had become suspicious. That’s when I knew I needed to break things off with him. Lauryn told me not to just up and do it. To slowly back away from him. We hardly ever saw each other the last six to eight months we dated. I was always at the bakery or doing volunteer work. My life and his were busy, so I didn’t think it would be a big issue. So, when he would call and ask if I was available for dinner, sometimes I would say yes, but most of the time, I said no. Weeks would go by without us speaking, but he came into the bakery one day. He said he had this big gala for the bank’s investors, and he asked me to be his date. I told him I would need to check if I was available. Lauryn begged me not to go, and initially I told him I couldn’t. He showed up at my condo and said he realized things between us had fizzled out and that it was probably for the best. He also said his father insisted that Michael attend, and he wanted him to bring someone he knew, not a new girlfriend or anything.”
“Why?”
I shrugged. “He said with events like this his father wanted people vetted, only people they knew. I’d never even met Michael’s parents. Not because I didn’t want to, and I’m not sure I did, but Michael never brought me around his family. I assumed it was because of the mafia ties and he didn’t want to be associated with that. Anyway, he did what he was good at. He charmed me until I said yes. A beautiful, stunning evening gown showed up the next day, along with a card that said he had booked a spa day. The full works. My hair and makeup, all of it would be done. I have to admit, it sounded like fun. I had a full staff at my bakery, and I knew I wouldn’t be missed, so I said yes to the dress and spa day.”
My attempt at humor went right over Kian’s head.
“What did Lauryn think?”
“I didn’t tell her I was going. I knew she would tell me I was crazy. But it was a gala; there were going to be hundreds of people there. Michael had a limo pick me up, and I was okay with that. The less impression I gave of us being a couple, the better. At least, that was my thinking.
“I showed up at the gala, and everything seemed normal. I couldn’t find Michael for the first twenty minutes, but eventually he appeared. He seemed distant and cold.” I shook my head. “No, not cold. Distracted. Nervous. He kept looking around, and when I asked him what was wrong, he said he had had a bad day.”
“What happened next?”
“Well,” I said with a sigh. “We danced a few times; he introduced me to some of his work partners, brought me over to his father and mother, and introduced me. I was relieved when he introduced me as a friend of his. His parents were polite, but his father was very distant. Not just to me, but it looked like everyone he spoke to. He asked to talk to Michael alone, and they walked out of the ballroom. After an hour, I got tired of waiting for Michael and decided to leave. I searched the ballroom and couldn’t find him, so I decided to go out the same door I saw him and his father exit through. I quickly got turned around and gave up. I pulled out my phone, ordered an Uber, and started to make my way back to the ballroom. Like I said, I got twisted around and started down a hall. I heard voices, male voices, and thought I recognized Micheal’s voice, so I followed it. The closer I got, the more apparent it was that they were arguing. I almost turned around and left when I heard Michael’s father say, ‘just do it, Michael.’”
Kian squeezed my hand in silent encouragement.
“I slipped off my heels and walked around the corner. I could see a room with the door open. I moved closer and froze. There was about six men inside that room. Two of them were police officers. One man was in the middle of them all, I couldn’t see him very well. Michael stood in front of him and had a gun pointed at him. His hand was shaking so badly I wasn’t even sure how he was holding the gun. Before I could even move, his father yelled for him to shoot him, and Michael did. I carefully backed away and ran as fast as I could. Once I got some distance between me and the men, I slipped my shoes on and quickly walked until I found the lobby.”