Expose (Billionaire Series) (7 page)

I wandered around, enjoying the rose garden with its heady
scents and gorgeous, delicate roses, from all colors of the rainbow. It was
deserted, and I wondered if guests were allowed to be here, but I decided the
garden was simply so large that most of the guests were gathered in the area
near the buffet table and pavilion, where the band was playing gentle classical
music. I could only hear it faintly from here, and I sat down on a stone bench,
enjoying the peace and silence.

After a little while a couple walked into my refuge, giggling
and hand in hand. It caused a little stab of pain in my heart as I saw them,
and I quickly got up and left, trying to place the woman, who I vaguely
recognized. Perhaps she was on TV sometimes, or in the papers. At least half of
the people at the party were well-known public figures.

I went to find the restroom, deciding that afterwards I would
go back and join my friends, who might be wondering where I was by now. Either
that or they would be tipsy, dancing, and completely oblivious to the memory of
me being there at all.

There were restrooms set up around the back, and I had to ask
a member of security for directions. On my way out, I realized how dark it was
despite the accent lighting and twinkling lights which were scattered across
the grass and through the trees. I wasn’t sure which direction the main party
was, but I was embarrassed to ask again, so I set out, thinking that I could
just follow the noise.

The garden was big enough that after a few minutes of
walking, I was in an area I hadn’t been before, a small gravel path leading to
a tall hedge maze. The entrance was guarded by two large stone statues, and I
went to take a closer look before returning the way I had come. If it hadn’t
been so dark, I would have been tempted to try the maze. As it was, I was lost
enough already.

As I drew close to the maze, I paused as I heard voices
coming from inside. I was about to turn back, not wanting to disturb anyone’s
privacy, when I realized that one of the voices belonged to Mathis.

My heart did its usual little quiver and skip at the sound of
his voice, but I was about to turn around and leave anyways. I didn’t want to
eavesdrop on a private discussion. Well, so I thought, until I noticed how
terse and clipped his voice was.

I silently took a step closer to try and catch the words he
was saying. Before long I was leaning against one of the statues, craning to
hear him:

“…not the time or the place,” Mathis was saying. “If you want
to see me on legitimate business, you can book an appointment at my office. If
not, I really must go back and rejoin the party.”

His voice was dripping with dislike and contempt, cloaked in
icy politeness, and I wondered who it was he was being so brusque with. It
wasn’t long before I heard a few strains of mocking laughter from the other
person. The sound of it made my hairs stand on end, and I shivered despite the
balmy air.

“Don’t try playing with me, Côté, he said, and his voice was
like oil poured over gravel, slick but rough. It sent shivers down my spine,
and I felt cold all over. I wondered who it was who was giving me such negative
vibes. Maybe it was just some weirdo who had too much to drink. “We both know
you’d never see me in your fancy office. No, the only way I can get you cornered
is at one of these stupid events. We’re talking now.”

It sounded a lot like this person was threatening Mathis –
his voice had an unpleasant, even brutal undertone to it, and everything about
him seemed menacing. Who could Mathis possibly be talking to?

Then it hit me. The mob boss! I was suddenly terrified, for
myself and for Mathis. The person he was talking to must be the guy who had
been threatening him. How had he gained entry? There was enough security for
this party to be at Buckingham palace, so he could hardly have slipped past
them. He must’ve been here as a guest or a worker. The thought had me
shivering. I’d been certain we were so safe here at a relatively public event.
Mathis had assured me that no member of the crime gang would dare show their
faces. Yet here I was, just inches away from one of them while he threatened
Mathis with nobody else around.

I should do something. I should leave and go get help, but my
fear made it impossible to move, and I really didn’t want to leave – what if
something happened while I was gone? What if I came back with security but it
was too late and Mathis was gone? I’d probably draw way too much attention to
myself. I stood rooted to the spot, straining to listen to Mathis’ response.

“Fine, say what you have to say and then leave,” Mathis said
flatly.

The mob boss chuckled, the sound falling on my ears like cold
slime. “You’d better be a bit more polite to me, Mathis,” he said, his voice
now wrapped in silk, although underneath was a blunt metal instrument ready to
strike. “I have the power here. I could get rid of you right here, right now.
You should know this.”

I held my breath – would this guy really kill Mathis, right
here and now? I could faintly hear the sounds of the party and the band. Surely
a gunshot would make people come running. The culprit could never escape, and
there would be too much scandal, too much investigation. I comforted myself
that nobody would ever be stupid enough to commit a murder in the middle of a
setting such as this. He would be caught for sure.

Mathis seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

“If you were going to shoot me, you would have done it
already. You’d never get what you came for if I was dead, and besides, you’d
have half the politicians and all their bodyguards on you in seconds if you
did.”

“I’d blend into the crowd and they’d never know,” the crime
boss continued, but I could detect a note of sullen acceptance in his tone. “I
could still stick you with a knife like a rotisserie chicken.”

“You could,” Mathis accepted, “but you should remember,
Connors, I always bested you in a fight. What makes you think it would be any
different now?”

I was astonished at how cool Mathis sounded. Despite the
sinister threats from the other, he seemed completely cool and comfortable, in
control of the situation. I couldn’t help but admire him and how he dealt with
this situation.

The crime boss, however, didn’t seem to care.

“You’ve had plenty of time to get comfortable…to get lazy.
Remember, I can kill you any time I want, take your life away from you, and
leave your entire world in shreds. It doesn’t even have to be now! My boys are
all over the city. You could have a freak car accident, or be the victim of a
random mugging which turned nasty, or a burglary with tragic consequences. Or,
you know what, maybe I’ll leave you alone. Maybe the people around you will
start having…‘accidents.’ You’ll have the pleasure of watching them suffer for
you.”

I a shiver went down my spine as the crime boss finished his
sentence. Even though he wasn’t addressing me, I felt the helpless, trapped
feeling he was evoking. This was what Mathis was afraid would happen. The fear
that I, or anyone else, would be in danger. To my surprise, Mathis, far from
being intimidated, gave a snort of contempt.

“Oh really? Do your worst,” he responded provokingly. “You
and I both know that I would
never
help you.”

“Not even to spare your girlfriend?” the crime boss asking
teasingly. “That pretty little thing who’s been following you around? Don’t
think we haven’t been watching. Your life belongs to us, Côté. You’d better get
used to it. I know you like to play the big shot, but if you have any real
sense in that big head of yours, you’ll give us what we want.”

“And what’s that?” Mathis asked angrily.

“Well, everything!” The crime boss drew the word out almost
in a sing-song way, and I could picture his arrogant smirk. He was obnoxious,
thinking he could control Mathis or take over any aspect of his life. Even
though it seemed like he had the power to make his threats a reality, every fiber
of my body wanted Mathis to just punch the guy in the face.

“Why not ask for something a little more realistic?” was all
that Mathis came back with.

It was clear at once that the mob boss thought that he was
getting somewhere. His tone became even more arrogant.

“Oh, so you
do
have a soft spot for others,” he said
in mockingly sweet tone. “Thought it’d take you longer, knowing how stubborn
you can be, but I guess you’re a coward just like everyone else.”

I seethed, and Mathis continued calmly, “Tell me what it is
that you want.” I felt sick at the thought that Mathis was giving in to this
disgusting scourge of humanity, but I couldn’t see any other way.

“I want money,” the mob boss said bluntly. “You have so much
you probably wipe your ass with it.”

“How much money?” Mathis said, his tone soft and even.

“Finally seeing things my way?” I could hear his
overconfidence very clearly. “So much for the proud Côté who said he’d never
give us a dime.”

“Well, I won’t,” Mathis said, his tone casual. I froze again
– what was he doing? He was going to make this guy do something crazy if he
kept provoking him.

“What do you mean, you won’t?” the guy asked, his tone
turning even uglier than it already was.

“I mean, I have no intention of lowering myself to deal with
the shit under my boot,” Mathis replied, “meaning, you, in case you missed
that.” I cringed – I was sure that Mathis was going to get himself killed. I
was furious at myself for staying to listen instead of going to get help. Maybe
if I did something crazy myself like jump in and act like nothing was going on,
it would help. I thought up of ways I could intervene, but I’d just be acting
like an idiot making the situation worse.

“But you just asked me how much – we were negotiating,” the
crime boss said, sounding half menacing, half baffled.

“I was just curious about how greedy you would be,” Mathis
said. “How much a little, ignorant asswipe like you would think he was entitled
to help himself to. I earned all my money through hard
honest
work. I
wouldn’t debase myself by giving it to someone who hasn’t earned anything for
himself.”

“You son of a bitch!” the crime boss exploded. I jumped back
reflexively, and I half expected to hear a gunshot. He was clearly losing
control. Mathis was provoking him to lose control. What sort of game was he
playing? Did he
want
to get killed? Did he want the guy to raise his
voice so other people would come running? Even I knew that wasn’t possible –
the party was distant, and nobody was paying any attention to the area by the
maze.

Again, I considered stepping in, throwing myself in front of
Mathis and protecting him, but I knew it was fruitless. Either I’d get us both
killed, or I’d provide the perfect hostage for the mob boss. I knew how adamant
Mathis was about keeping me safe. He’d freak out even knowing that I was
nearby. If I got directly involved, I don’t know what he might do. Whatever
game he was playing, I’d have to let him make his final move and hope he knew
what he was doing. The mob boss was still raving.

“Who do you think you are? Don’t you know what sort of
situation you’re in, or are you still as dumb as you used to be? I can ruin
your life, and you’re arrogant enough to think you can deny me! If you don’t
give me what I want, rest assured I’ll raise the stakes. I thought you might be
reasonable if I gave you a little talk.”

“I think
I’m
the reasonable one and
you’re
the
psychotic criminal,” Mathis said.

I jumped in shock as I heard the unmistakable bang of a
gunshot. For a horrible moment, I thought it was over – that I’d just heard
Mathis get murdered and I’d stood by and done nothing. The party went on,
nobody seeming to pay any attention to the sound, probably since fireworks were
currently lighting up the sky over the garden. I finally caught my breath again
when I heard Mathis speak, seemingly unscathed.

“Shooting the ground isn’t going to hurt me,” he said.

“No, but maybe next time I’ll aim a little higher. You’d
better come to your senses. Watch your back, Côté, because sooner or later I’ll
put a bullet between your eyes!”