Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
I looked at one of the paintings on the way, probably something from the museum his family owned. For a man with such deep aristocratic ties to royal society, he didn’t seem to care about art or culture or wine…or whatever else snobs lived for.
That was probably why we got along so well.
Axel walked in a moment later, just in his sweatpants like he’d been in bed when Aldo notified him of my visit.
“It’s nine.”
He dropped into the armchair and poured a glass of scotch from the decanter that Aldo had placed on the coffee table. “I wasn’t sleeping, asshole.” He set the glass down on the table beside him. “What brings you here?”
“Do I need a reason?”
“You and Astrid were just here a couple days ago. Figured you’d be sick of me by now. Unless you’re here for my wife’s cooking?” He grabbed a cigar and lit up. “She made pot roast and rice pudding. That shit was good.”
“Do you ever think about anything else?”
“Besides food?” he asked. “Other than my wife’s tidbits and my children, no, not really.” He puffed on the cigar and leaned his head back as he enjoyed the smoke in his mouth. He held it there a long time before he let it out as a slow puff. “God, I miss these.”
“I don’t think I could give them up for anything.”
“When you have something to live for, you can.” He straightened his head again and let the cigar rest between his fingertips. “I heard Astrid told you she loves you.”
I wanted to sigh in annoyance, but I kept a straight face. “And where did you hear that?”
“Girls talk, man.”
“Are you a girl?”
“Asshole, why am I hearing about this from my wife instead of you?”
I grabbed my own cigar and lit up just to drain the clock. To find something to end this ridiculous conversation. “I’m not doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“This,” I grumbled. “I feel like two girls at brunch.”
“Damn, I love brunch. You can have a burger and pancakes. It’s genius.”
I didn’t say a word, but my eyes did all the talking.
“Come on, Theo. You need to loosen up, man. I talked to you about Scarlett.”
“But not because I pulled it out of you.”
“Well, I think you need me to pull it out of you,” he snapped. “It’s not good to keep everything bottled up inside. You know what happens when you do? The cap pops off, and shit gets all over the walls.”
I let the cigar sit for a while, the smoke slowly drifting into my mouth.
“If you aren’t here to talk about that, then what are you here to talk about?”
“A favor.”
“You need a favor from me?” he asked. “Come on, man. You don’t even need to ask. What is it?”
“Well, I do need to ask…because it’s quite the favor.”
“There’s no favor too big, Theo.”
“You’re really digging yourself a hole here, Axel.”
“Shut up and tell me.”
I pulled the smoke into my mouth, let it swirl for a while, and then blew it out again. “I’m leaving tomorrow for Rome.”
He gave a slight nod in understanding. “You want me to come with you.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed in surprise.
“I trust my guys as much as I can, but I’ll never trust them the way I trust you. There’s no real way to know if Bolton has gotten to some of them. Bribed them or inspired them to stage a coup so someone else can take my place. I don’t just pay my guys well, I give them a cut of the pie. That might encourage loyalty—”
“Or greed.”
“Exactly.”
“Still not sure what that has to do with me.”
“I’ve given my men no warning this is happening. Was going to spring it on them tomorrow, so there’s less chance that Bolton will know about it. Astrid is safe in my villa, but she’s not invulnerable. Bolton has gotten in there before. No reason he can’t do it again.”
Axel gave another nod once he understood the request. “I understand now.”
“I would transfer her in secret. Wouldn’t even tell my butler she’s not at home. Anyone who wants her will assume that’s where she is. Since you’re retired and we rarely meet in public, this is the last place Bolton would look for her.”
He continued to stare at me, the cigar burning between his fingertips.
“You’re the only person I can trust not to double-cross me.” He wouldn’t blink over money. He wouldn’t want Astrid for himself. “And if something happens to me…I know you’ll be there.”
He stared at me so hard he didn’t even blink.
“You can say no, Axel. I would completely understand—”
“Why didn’t you say it back?”
I stilled at the question, having no idea what he meant.
“She said she loved you, and you didn’t say it back. Why?”
“If you don’t want to do it, just say so. Don’t change the subject—”