Time to Play(39)
Cole was still shaking his head. Callum knew he wouldn’t let his feelings go. For most of their life they’d taken pleasure in the same woman, but since Cole had come back from his tour in Iraq, he’d become a different man. A man who was reserved and refused to show his feelings.
Callum knew his friend wanted Simone with such utter need it would rival his own. All he needed to do was let go and feel.
“I’m sorry to interrupt you two gentlemen, but I feel I need to.” They both turned to see Simone’s brother, Daniel, standing before them.
“What can I get you, Allusifa?” Callum asked.
The other man smiled. “You may think you know everything about my sister. I promise you, you don’t. We may not have the most public of friendships, but I care about her.”
“What are you trying to say?” Cole asked.
“You hurt her and I’ll tear you apart, limb from limb.”
Cole laughed drawing the attention of the closest guest. “I doubt you’d get your fingers dirty.”
Daniel chuckled. “I wouldn’t. I’d start with each of your companies. I’ll tear them apart and spit out the scraps. Then I’d take your empire and put the Allusifa name all over it. When I’m done taking every piece of property and business you own, I’ll feed you to my dogs. I’m not like my father, gentlemen. I don’t hide behind other people to do my dirty work.”
The smile was gone from all of their faces. Cole growled stepping up to the other man. “If you’re such a big brother then why haven’t you taken better care of her security?”
“I pay for her apartment, Turner. Her security is top of the range.”
“Where does her father come into this?”
“Just because I have the Allusifa name doesn’t mean I work for him. I disagreed with his ethics. I work for myself and no one else.” Callum knew Simone was unaware of it.
“Simone doesn’t know that. She thinks you work for your father,” Callum said.
“And she can continue thinking so.”
“Who is the one watching her apartment?” Cole asked. “What? There is a live link being broadcasted over the internet. I got my sources to confirm where. Someone put a camera in every single room of her apartment. She’s live on some porno website where men can watch her at all times.”
Callum knew Daniel wasn’t aware of it. Shit, until two seconds ago he wasn’t aware of it.
“What?” Daniel asked.
“I think we all need to sit down and have a talk.”
They were gaining a lot of strange looks from the other party guests. Callum moved them into a spare room. Cole handed Daniel the phone, who then handed the device to Callum.
“I have no idea how this got there.”
“Whoever did this has been profiting from the feed for months.”
“How can Simone not know?” Daniel asked.
“She’s been lucky.”
Callum knew she’d hate knowing other people had watched her in the privacy of her own him. He didn’t know how he knew this about her, only that he did.
“I think we need to tell him everything,” Callum said.
They told him about the missing money and their takeover of the marketing agency where Simone used to work. Daniel was silent as he listened to what they had to say. Cole explained about the discrepancy with the figures and how it looked like she was the one stealing money.
Once they were finished, Daniel looked angry.
“I need to take a look at the employee files and see if I can help.”
“We have got this. Simone is safe with us,” Cole said.
“I know your reputations. She is still my sister, and if someone is trying to accuse her of something then I want the bastard caught. I will help you find the asshole responsible.”
“What about your father?” Callum asked.
“He’s doing his own thing from the last time we talked. I know he has a thing about you two.”
“What about stealing our money? Would he do that?” Cole asked.
“Malcolm is an evil bastard, but he’s got ethics. He’d be trying to do a takeover bid with your board rather than take your money out from under you.”
“I’m still having him investigated in case you’re wrong,” Cole said.
“Our father only thinks about himself. He wouldn’t do what you’re suggesting because it would look bad on him. Image is everything. Ask my mother. It was one of her downfalls, being poor.” Daniel pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll meet you all on Monday at my house. I live out in the country away from the chaos of the city.”
They exchanged numbers and then walked back into the main room of the party. Simone was standing at the bar, alone.