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30: Beatrice
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2024-10-29 19:42:56“Your brother’s company is in DC? I thought he lived in New York,” Callie said, trying to sound nonchalant as we drove closer to the industrial buildings on the outskirts of the DC Metropolitan area.
“Just his data storage,” I replied. “It’s held by a company in Annapolis.”
“Why did you need Mark to tell you that?”
“It’s not public knowledge but Mark’s his counsel,” I said. “It’s the reason I got hired at the firm.”
“That’s why your mother loves him?”
“Oh yeah, and Mark is an acceptable choice for a Welsh.”
I could see Alessio turning his head slightly to listen to our conversation. His eyes glanced back at me in the rearview mirror and I felt the intensity of his stare.
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Caught in the Crossfire 31: Beatrice
“What does that even mean?” I yelled in frustration. “I work for you forever and somehow that doesn’t kill me? I retire? Your father lets me walk away at the end of my career and spend the rest of my days in a little hut in Costa Rica? You know that would never happen. I’m with your family until I die, whenever that is. There is no reality where someone works for your family and then suddenly just doesn’t. Unless they’re dead.” Alessio stretched his neck as I huffed out the reality of my situation as if he were entering a ring and needed to loosen his muscles in anticipation. “I will protect you,” he said, ignoring the rest of my rant and zeroing in on my fear for my life. “I won’t let anyone in my family hurt you.” “THEY’RE TRYING TO KILL ME! I’VE BEEN SHOT AT AND THREATENED AND YOUR FAMILY IS THE TOP OF T
Caught in the Crossfire 32: Beatrice
I stepped out of the shower, the wound in my side a sharp reminder of my mortality as I hobbled to the room to find clothes. My hair stuck to the side of my throat and my eyes had small black circles along the bottom where my mascara had run in the steam. I was never great about removing my makeup before a shower and it showed. “Bea? You done?” Trey’s voice called out for me from the hall where he had gone after making sure I could navigate the shower on my own. “Not yet,” I called out. The drawers in this room were filled with clothes my size and I was hit again with the irony that Alessio had everything I needed before I even got here. It was almost as if he had planned it. The room blinds to the windows were closed and I could see the sun shining through the small slits on the side of the frame, casting
Caught in the Crossfire 33: Beatrice
“What is it like, then?” I asked. Then, without waiting for him to reply I went on a tirade. “I asked them for help dealing with your family. I went to them for help after they brutally massacred my heart last year but I sucked it up because I was sure I was going to get assassinated by your fucking henchmen and what were you doing? Conspiring with them behind my back, and for what? To try to play hero? To try to win me back for them?” I stopped to take a breath and I could see the hurt in Alessio’s eyes. “How long have you been selling out your family to the FBI?” Alessio’s eyes burned with anger at my latest accusation. “I’ve never sold out my family to anyone.” “No? Then what do you offer the FBI? What’s your value to them?”
Caught in the Crossfire 34: Alessio
“I told you that was a bad fucking idea,” I said, watching Beatrice, Trey and Callie drive away from my house. “Why did you tell her the Bianchi’s were trying to kill her?” David asked, turning to look at Devon. “Because that’s as close to the truth as we have and explaining all the shit going on right now to her would very likely break her,” he replied. I agreed but it felt dangerously like we were still lying to her. “The last year very nearly broke her, I don’t think finding out that there’s a mole in the Bianchi family and he’s trying to kill her but we don't know who it is, would do her in just yet,” I replied. My words rang in the room but no one was listening any longer. I felt Michael and Rachel leaving, heading toward the kitchen. I knew we’d find them there but we had other business first. Important business. I stopped and stared at David. I could feel Devon’s gaze on me too but I couldn't take my eyes away from David. “It’s been so fucking long,” my voice rasped as I
Caught in the Crossfire 1: Beatrice
The first blow was a shock, the pain went shooting through my thighs, down my legs, and up to my back until there was a reverberation of anticipation flowing over my skin. A streak of humiliation hit soon after, it threatened to take every ounce of my pride and burn it in a heap of ash. I could almost see the ashes fluttering through the room, out the window, toward the ocean where the breeze would scatter them in the sea. My pride was wounded and heat rushed to my face, coating my cheeks with the unfamiliar bright red pigment.Despite everything, my pride was all I had left, it was the only thing holding me together. I clung to it as I counted down the minutes of my life. I never thought the end would look like this.It wasn't a hard blow, but it had enough force to make the sting tingle through my body, shaking the bars that were holding my resolve in place. He had used his hand, which was more than enough to make his point, that he was stronger than me, that he was in charge, and t
Caught in the Crossfire 2: Beatrice
Six weeks earlier...I stared into the cold, dark eyes of the giant man sitting across from me and I felt my soul slowly leave my body. The dread that filled me knew no bounds. I was trapped and we both knew it.My breath was shallow but I willed my body to stay calm. I'd like to think I succeeded but looking at the smirk on his face didn't instill much confidence.There are moments in my life that I can recall vividly. They come back to mind as vividly as if I were still there, in the midst of the chaos swirling around me. I can feel the panic as I sit, waiting for time to tick by slowly, ushering me to the other side. The other side of what, I don't know, the chaos perhaps or perhaps the other side of my anxiety. I could handle anything if I could just get rid of the sinking, panicked feeling that overwhelmed my body in such circumstances.I was in such a moment right now. I would remember this day forever. The room was spinning but over the years I had become adept at hiding my fee
Caught in the Crossfire 3: David
“We have some news,” Reese said as he dropped a file folder on my desk. “You know Beatrice Welsh, don’t you?”The name sent a shiver of desire through my chest. I knew her. The name brought back memories that plagued my dreams. I tried to hide my emotions as I looked up at Reese with a neutral expression.“The name rings a bell, why?”“The word on the street is that she’s been tapped to be the new counsel for the Trivisonnos,” Reese answered, knocking his knuckles against the desk as he sat on the arm of the chair in front of my desk. He was nonchalant, unaware of how his words affected me.“How reliable is the source?” I asked, my heart racing as I considered the consequences. I needed to get in touch with my own sources. If this was true and the Trivisonnos had hired her that meant they knew more than I had credited them for, more than any of us credited them for. “It’s from our undercover asset, he heard talk of a meeting between her and The Butcher. She looks an awful lot like th
Caught in the Crossfire 4: Beatrice
My hands were shaking as I held my cell phone in front of me, moving the device closer to my eyes to better see the screen. I must need glasses. There was no way this was the correct account. I was staring at the balance of my firm's reserve account for the Trivisonnos and there were more zeros than I had ever seen before in my life. There were more zeros than I had told them to deposit. There were just too many zeros. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but then I remembered who I was dealing with.That's when I knew how seriously deep in shit I really was. No one deposited over a million dollars in their lawyer’s retainer account unless they were expecting a long, dirty relationship with lots of illegal and probably painful tasks.I mean, I knew before that this was not my ideal client, but now it was like reality had dropped an anvil on my head and I was shaking my head in confusion as I tried to finish running the damn race. I had been the gazelle and now I was the fucking coy
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Caught in the Crossfire 34: Alessio
“I told you that was a bad fucking idea,” I said, watching Beatrice, Trey and Callie drive away from my house. “Why did you tell her the Bianchi’s were trying to kill her?” David asked, turning to look at Devon. “Because that’s as close to the truth as we have and explaining all the shit going on right now to her would very likely break her,” he replied. I agreed but it felt dangerously like we were still lying to her. “The last year very nearly broke her, I don’t think finding out that there’s a mole in the Bianchi family and he’s trying to kill her but we don't know who it is, would do her in just yet,” I replied. My words rang in the room but no one was listening any longer. I felt Michael and Rachel leaving, heading toward the kitchen. I knew we’d find them there but we had other business first. Important business. I stopped and stared at David. I could feel Devon’s gaze on me too but I couldn't take my eyes away from David. “It’s been so fucking long,” my voice rasped as I
Caught in the Crossfire 33: Beatrice
“What is it like, then?” I asked. Then, without waiting for him to reply I went on a tirade. “I asked them for help dealing with your family. I went to them for help after they brutally massacred my heart last year but I sucked it up because I was sure I was going to get assassinated by your fucking henchmen and what were you doing? Conspiring with them behind my back, and for what? To try to play hero? To try to win me back for them?” I stopped to take a breath and I could see the hurt in Alessio’s eyes. “How long have you been selling out your family to the FBI?” Alessio’s eyes burned with anger at my latest accusation. “I’ve never sold out my family to anyone.” “No? Then what do you offer the FBI? What’s your value to them?”
Caught in the Crossfire 32: Beatrice
I stepped out of the shower, the wound in my side a sharp reminder of my mortality as I hobbled to the room to find clothes. My hair stuck to the side of my throat and my eyes had small black circles along the bottom where my mascara had run in the steam. I was never great about removing my makeup before a shower and it showed. “Bea? You done?” Trey’s voice called out for me from the hall where he had gone after making sure I could navigate the shower on my own. “Not yet,” I called out. The drawers in this room were filled with clothes my size and I was hit again with the irony that Alessio had everything I needed before I even got here. It was almost as if he had planned it. The room blinds to the windows were closed and I could see the sun shining through the small slits on the side of the frame, casting
Caught in the Crossfire 31: Beatrice
“What does that even mean?” I yelled in frustration. “I work for you forever and somehow that doesn’t kill me? I retire? Your father lets me walk away at the end of my career and spend the rest of my days in a little hut in Costa Rica? You know that would never happen. I’m with your family until I die, whenever that is. There is no reality where someone works for your family and then suddenly just doesn’t. Unless they’re dead.” Alessio stretched his neck as I huffed out the reality of my situation as if he were entering a ring and needed to loosen his muscles in anticipation. “I will protect you,” he said, ignoring the rest of my rant and zeroing in on my fear for my life. “I won’t let anyone in my family hurt you.” “THEY’RE TRYING TO KILL ME! I’VE BEEN SHOT AT AND THREATENED AND YOUR FAMILY IS THE TOP OF T
Caught in the Crossfire 30: Beatrice
“Your brother’s company is in DC? I thought he lived in New York,” Callie said, trying to sound nonchalant as we drove closer to the industrial buildings on the outskirts of the DC Metropolitan area. “Just his data storage,” I replied. “It’s held by a company in Annapolis.” “Why did you need Mark to tell you that?” “It’s not public knowledge but Mark’s his counsel,” I said. “It’s the reason I got hired at the firm.” “That’s why your mother loves him?” “Oh yeah, and Mark is an acceptable choice for a Welsh.” I could see Alessio turning his head slightly to listen to our conversation. His eyes glanced back at me in the rearview mirror and I felt the intensity of his stare.
Caught in the Crossfire 29: Beatrice
Callie looked at me with confusion. "We went there, I didn't see a camera," she said slowly. Her face was scrunched in concentration. "No, you wouldn't have," I answered. "But you did?" Alessio asked. I nodded. "Mind giving us a little more information?" Callie asked. I loved working her up when I had information she didn't yet have. "There's this company, Safe and Secure," I started. "Your brother's company?" Callie asked. I nodded in triumph. "Exactly." "You have a brother?" Alessio asked.
Caught in the Crossfire 28: Beatrice
Mark stared at me with a look of disbelief. I was standing in the doorway of his office, breathing heavily from the effort of the day. I was exhausted but I needed information and Mark would help me. "You were shot?" I nodded in agreement and my face reflected my exhaustion. The day had been long and Callie kept trying to pull me back toward the elevator. I knew she wanted to get me back into a cab heading toward Alessio's. I wasn't ready to go back yet, though. I had things that I needed to find out. Mark was the first stop. "Listen, I need a favor," I said and I watched as Mark's brow rose expectantly, waiting for me to explain. "I need to know who stores backup files for Safe and Secure? Specifically for S
Caught in the Crossfire 27: Beatrice
I walked around numbly through Alessio's house. It was a large house for the city, but small enough I felt like there was someone near, just around the corner, waiting to soothe the loneliness that came with this day. I wanted to go home, back to my house but he wouldn't let me. I supposed that was because someone was trying to kill me, but today, I didn't care. I could die the same day Leah had died and I would be at peace, finally.Unfortunately, Callie had other ideas because she followed me like a puppy. Alessio had left and as soon as he walked out the front door to "meet with some business partners" I felt uneasy. I didn't like being in his house without him here. Trey had similarly gone home, despite my protests. Alessio had assured me Trey was safe and my inability to argue meant he, too, walked out the front door ahead of Alessio."Callie, I need
Caught in the Crossfire 26: Devon
I knew she wouldn’t be happy that we had put flowers on Leah’s grave, but I had hoped she might be able to look past her anger and see that we sent the flowers as a way to honor her friend, not to taunt her with memories of the past. Perhaps it was presumptuous of us to assume we could be a part of her grief when her anger was too raw, too poignant. I could see her from a distance. I was sitting in a car on one of the winding roads through the cemetery and I watched her visit Leah. I knew she would come here, I didn’t know when but I knew she would make an appearance at Leah’s gravestone. I needed to be near her today. Of all days that she needed me, today was the most important of all. She needed me, David, and even Alessio, as new as he was, and I needed to be close so I could help her, even if it was from the shadows. As soon as I felt her tense on the bench next to me in the courtroom when she realize
