My Best Friend's Brother: The Husband - Book 2[First Draft]

Chapter 20: New Lead

Christian:

The house is empty without my wife and child to come home to. Everywhere I look, I see evidence of their presence. Chloe's easel by the window, Lisabeth's favorite book laying open on the coffee table, the ruffle sheets on our bed. A hint of Chloe's perfume is still wafting through the air and I've ordered the maids to leave my bedroom window closed so I can preserve the smell.

I sigh as I walk through the halls of my building. Work seems so dull now without the presence of Chloe. A short laugh leaves my lips; she's only been working here a short time. I make it to my elevator not really remembering if I greeted my employees and take a deep breath. I need to snap out of this haze for a while.

I get to my floor and Monique is standing there looking annoyed. I raise a brow at her as I get off the elevator.

"There's some lady in your office that claims to be your fiancee. I tried to throw her out but she refuses to leave without talking to you," she explains with a scowl.

Carson came running out of my office at that exact moment; his eyes wide and his movements hurried. "Sir!" he acknowledges frantically. I nod, waiting for one of them to give me a fucking explanation. My irritation is growing by the second.

"Carson, you better have a good explanation as to why whoever it is in my office isn't out by now," I say calmly, and my P.A. gulps.

"Sir, it's Veronica Manson. She-"

"Why the fuck is she in my office? What do I pay you both for?! Where's the fucking security?!" I snap. Monique and Carson flinch at my tone and their eyes widen. Really, do I have to do everything myself here? I storm past them, slamming open my door to indeed reveal the C.E.O of Manson Electronics.

The blonde demon, smirks my way as she notices my presence and motions with her head for me to sit. I scowl, narrowing my eyes on her. I don't follow her orders; I don't follow anyone's orders but mine.

"What are you doing here?" I snarl. She shrugs and crosses her legs.

"I just thought that maybe you've thought about my proposal?" she asks, confidence dripping off her lips.

I scoff and go over to my chair, dropping my suitcase on the desk. "Get out," I seeth, and the venom in my tone seems to hit her to the core. A dark look covers her features and her lips lift in a scowl.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Christian? What voodoo hoodoo shit has that bitch put on you? Can you not see how wrong this is and how right we will be for each other? She's black-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" My words cut her short as my chest heaved. Who does she think she is? Her eyes hold a sliver of fear and it feeds the beast inside me; the beast that I've tried to suppress for months now so that I don't hurt my wife.

"You have no right to talk about my wife like that, you racist bitch," start calmly. I can feel the anger, the disdain running through my veins like hot lava. Even if it wasn't Chloe, I can never be with someone as narrowminded as Veronica Manson.

"You don't know anything about her aside from her race and you think you're better than her why; because you're white?" I click my tongue in annoyance, "My wife is the sweetest, kindest person I've ever met. She was even kind to me when I didn't fucking deserve it. I'm not gonna tell you of all the amazing things she is because you don't deserve to know but the next time you talk about her that way, you won't even be able to clean the fucking sewers in this town."

Her eyes widen at the warning in my tone and she gulps. "Get the fuck out!" She scrambles out before the words leave my lips properly and the door slams behind her as I try to calm myself. I've reigned the beast for now.

My mind suddenly flashes back to the last encounter I had with Veronica. In the restaurant, she said-

"I will destroy you."

The words ring in my ear as a lightbulb goes off in my head. All my anger disappears as the thought crosses my mind, clear as glass. What if Veronica is behind this? What if she's somehow found a way to get Jake to be on her side and that's why, oh no!

I grab my phone and dial Roger's number. Hope the fucker is over my sister going to Sicily with Chloe. He answers immediately, his voice full of gravel.

"I think you should look into Veronica Manson. Tail her, put cameras in her house, put speakers on her purse, do whatever but just get me something on her; anything!"

"Why the sudden-"

"I think she has something to do with the shooting at the courthouse. It's a longshot but look into it please."

He hums and I can just imagine him nodding his head in approval. I hear Levi's annoying voice in the background just before I hang up and I sigh, running a hand through my hair. Frustration taking its place in my stomach.

The urge to hear Chloe's voice is almost too much but I know I can't. She's been gone for four days now and every night when I hear her voice it's almost not enough. We have to make it enough. I remember the way Veronica had insulted her and the hateful look in her eyes.

Yes! Veronica could very well have a part in this. The sick thing that both her and Mike have in common is they think by eliminating who they think is a threat will make the person they want to be with want them. I strangled sound escapes my throat and my fingers itched to pull a trigger on the person that's putting my family through this.

I pull open my desk drawer, the silver piece of metal staring back at me with so much temptation. the hilt a silver mass with the black carving of my initials on it; C.R. I have not gone by those initials in years.

Christian Ravello.

I wanted that name to be a distant memory. That was when I was a different person; when I had to kill to protect my family. My hand hesitantly reaches for it, my resolve breaking the longer I look at the shiny metal. Was it time for Christian Ravello to resurface?

The door to my office opens and I hastily close the drawer. I look to see Monique standing there. What does she want?

"I heard what you said about your wife and I think it's very passionate," she whispers, "I hope I find someone that talks about me that way someday."

She walks out after that and I'm left staring at the door stunned. That was....weird. Well, I guess it's not the time for Christian Ravello to resurface.

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