10
Dear "Money can't buy happiness",
I'd rather cry in a Ferrari.
Stolen from Dearblankpleaseblank
Z
"Gabriella, tell Miles I got the papers signed. I can start getting permits Monday." I muttered quickly in botched Italian to Miles's secretary as I scurried down the crowded sidewalk as fast as my heels would let me.
"I will Miss Delgado." She responded. "Also, you need to be at the game by two thirty." She responded in clipped Italian. I glanced at my watch. There was no way I was going to make kick off.
"I'll be there. Bye." I answered quickly as I hung up.
For the first time in the six months I had been away from Han, I was happy. Sure, being with my family again was amazing, but everything was still a little fresh on my mind.
The job in Moscow was a great distraction. It was two weeks of stripping every trace of identification off of stolen cars and putting a GPS tracker so deep in the engine blocks that not even the most observant gear head could spot it. The physical labor did wonders for my frustration as it let my mind off duty.
Unfortunately, the reason we were moving the job up was still hanging over our heads: Anton. When the Ukrainian wasn't going through a multitude of surgeries to remove the bullet that collapsed his lung, he was being watched by a cop. That meant no contact from any members of our team.
That didn't last long. With a number of "questionable" (staged) occurrences that revolved around Demyan and put him on the national radar to the point where they couldn't ignore it any more, it was only a matter of time before the stolen cars now in his possession were seized by the Russian government. The GPS was eventually found when the cops tore apart the cars. The data on the tracker was like a map to every criminal business he connected with.
The fact that Demyan got the guy that shot Anton off the hook was enough to discredit the thug's story and get clear Anton's name. The victory was made even sweeter by the fact that Anton was alive to see it and was going to stay that way for a while. He was now mostly healthy and living in Dublin with Harper.
While I was glad that they were happy, it took me a while.
After leaving Moscow, I went to Italy to run the casino for Miles. About the time I started getting bored running things in Italy, Miles decided he wanted to expand his business to a few other cities. So after a quick name change from Eliana Gonzalez to Eliana Delgado to make sure no one could dig up my past with the Yakuza, my dad's crew, or Dom's, I was turned loose on Europe.
Vienna, Prague, Munich, Zurich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Paris, Barcelona: they all fell away in my rearview mirror. I still had a long list of places to go, but that all changed when I saw Madrid.
One night and the city had me hooked.
Before I knew what I was doing, I had an apartment overlooking a fountain in one of the plazas and a garage filled with whatever cars I found that interested me. Porsche, Ferrari, Audi, Corvette: you name it, I had it or at least had thought about it. I was also the proud owner of a large piece of prime real estate in the middle of the city that was about to be remodeled and turned into a nightclub. This was the first time I had made any attempt at setting down roots; and so far, it was going perfectly.
It didn't hurt that for once in my life I was actually spending the money I made instead of just saving it. I was beginning to realize that exactly how shallow people were. When you showed up in designer clothes and an Ascari KZ1-R, and you were automatically in the top social circle.
I was brought out of my thoughts when my phone started ringing again. I growled when I almost tripped crossing the street while I tried to dig my phone out of my oversized purse.
"Hello." I answered in a strained voice after finally finding the damn thing.
"Are you at the game yet?" Miles's voice sounded in my ear.
"Working on it. I have to stop by home first" I muttered as I weaved between people on the side walk. I had two blocks until I got to my apartment to change, and then I would be on my way.
"You're going to be late." He replied blandly. His voice lacked its usual sarcastic edge, so I guess he was playing computer games, tossing a tennis ball at his office door to see how much he could annoy Gabriella, or shopping for a boat on the internet as he had obsessively been doing this past week. Oh, the life of a boss.
"I'm not going to watch a football game in a skin tight pencil skirt and five inch heels." I spat a little too loudly. I attracted a little bit of unwanted attention from the people around me. After a quick glance at me, they all went back to walking except for a three year old who quit staring a few seconds later when I made a face at him.
"Oh, so that's how you got the guy to sign over the deed. Good job." He remarked. I rolled my eyes.
I finally made it in my building. I pulled my heels off the off the second I was out of the street and started running up the stairs.
"I hate you sometimes." I muttered. "The important thing is, we can start remodeling when I get the permits, which won't take that long."
"Good." Still sounded distracted.
He didn't reply for a minute. I used that time to get my apartment door open and grab for the jeans and extremely thin sweater I had laid out on my couch for when I came home to change. I told Miles to hold on and changed as fast as humanly possible before running back out the door with my wedge heels in my hand.
"I'm back." I said breathlessly as I took the stairs two at a time. "When are you getting here?' I asked.
"Huh?" He replied. I jumped the last three steps and pushed my feet in my shoes before opening the door with a lot more strength than necessary.
"'There is no way I am letting you remodel a nightclub that I am half owner of without my half of the approval.'" I quoted sarcastically. That got his attention.
"Damn right, I'm not. I guess Wednesday." He told me cryptically.
I shifted my phone to my shoulder and started fishing for my keys. I huffed at his noncommittal-ness.
"You have to tell me." I growled. I bounced off of someone's arm that I hadn't noticed because I was so busy rushing to the driver's side door of my car. "Sorry" I yelled back to them in Spanish without looking.
"You'd better be." Miles remarked.
"Not you. I gotta go or I'm gonna miss the game" I said as I unlocked my door and flung myself in before speeding to the stadium.
Z
"Okay, so in what universe was that a hand ball?" My best friend Desi asked when he sat heavily at our table.
"I know! The ref was obviously blind." I respond as I sipped at the glass of white wine in my hand.
"You two can't take losing, can you?" Our other friend Tristan chimed in. He chuckled behind his glass of beer.
"Coming from the guy who hates sports." I shot back.
"Coming from the girl who should hate sports." He replied.
"Tristan, don't start that fight. She can probably kick your ass." The fourth of the group, Leonardo, broke in.
"Yeah, you go back to your skinny little girls with their purse dogs and fake hair. We'll keep her." Desi responded. Tristan rolled his eyes which made me laugh.
As much of a non-people person I was, I had made friends easily with these three. At first, they had treated me like one of the usual girls they were used to seeing at the clubs, but after watching me yell at a TV during a football game that wasn't going my way, I was immediately one of the boys. Around them, I didn't have to be so well mannered and business-like the way I had to around everyone else I met; I could just be me. I had missed that comfortable friendship.
"Are we going out tonight or what?" Leonardo finally broke the silence.
"Ah, I have to go change again if we go clubbing." I muttered. The guys laughed until they realized they would, too since they had on Real Madrid jerseys and shirts.
"After we eat, let's just go home, change, and then we can meet up again." Desi suggested. "Don't get lazy on me now, guys. I want to have fun tonight!"
"Fine." Tristan sighed. He looked at me with a small smirk on his face; since he agreed with Leonardo and Desi, I now had to.
"I'll be there." I caved with a glare at Tristan. If I didn't go, I'd never hear the end of it.
Z
A bead of sweat trailed down my spine as the people around me seemed to close in as the pounding music got faster. Claustrophobia started to overtake me. I tugged on Lorenzo's sleeve and pointed to the bar, which I would be surprised if he saw in the low light. He figured out where I was going and promised to join me in a minute.
After being on the crowded dance floor, the cool air conditioner vent by the bar and the bar stool to rest my sore feet were like heaven. I settled down with my back leaning against the bar and a drink in my hand to people watch. I had been doing a lot of that lately, and it had given me several ideas on how to run my new club. Of course, I still had the monumental task of getting Miles to agree to those ideas, but I could work around that.
I found Lorenzo in the crowd completely distracted by a blonde, and knowing him, he was going to stay that way. Unless he screwed that up, which was hysterical when it happened. He said something to the woman and her smile faltered. The corners of my lips turned up and at the thought that he was about to get slapped.
"One beer." A person yelled from beside me. My smirk faltered.
Oh my God. I'd know that voice anywhere. Do I look? I glanced out of the corner of my eye. Crap. He's watching me. I'm not speaking first.
Han's familiar bore-into-your-soul stare was now completely directed at me. He looked the same as he always did; carelessly styled long hair, clean-cut collared shirt and khakis.
I didn't think he'd seen my little glance out of the corner of my eye, so I kept looking at the people around me.
I was still angry at Han. After all these months of not seeing him, just thinking about him pissed me off. It also sent a pang running through my chest. Sometimes I thought the anger was more of a cover for hurt, than it was actual anger.
The clink of the beer bottle hitting the bar sounded and I let out a sigh of relief; he was leaving. That relief was very short lived when he slid onto the bar stool next to me. I continued to ignore him and sip on my drink, but now the nerves at seeing him again had caused my heart and breathing to pick up to a point where he was sure to notice.
"A little different than Moscow, huh?" He asked conversationally. His face remained completely emotionless and didn't match his carefree tone.
"Just a bit." I answered slowly as I turned to meet his gaze head on. "I didn't expect to see you in Madrid."
"I've always wanted to go here." He responded before turning back to people watch.
Of course you did. That's just my luck.
"Did your team mate live?" Han asked.
"He's alive and happier now than he's ever been."
I went back to watching Lorenzo who was striking out with the blonde. She finally moved to dance in a circle of her friends, leaving him alone. I caught his eye and toasted him with a smirk.
"Friend of your's?" Han asked in an amused tone when Lorenzo gave me the finger.
"Yes." I answered without looking away from where Lorenzo disappeared into the crowd.
An uncomfortable silence settled between us. The longer Han sat beside me the more annoyed I got at him. I couldn't just turn around and ask him what the hell he wanted without looking more bitter than I was. I also I couldn't just walk away without it being completely rude.
"What was it?" He asked randomly.
"What was what?" I asked as I finished my drink and set it back on the bar.
"The multi-million dollar business you came here to run." He clarified. Fury started to bubble in my chest when I turned to look at him. His lips were set in a frown of irritation. Apparently he blamed me for our breakup as much I did him.
"It's not here, but it's a casino and a few hotels." I answered. He nodded.
"That's a little better than my side deal." He commented dryly. I had to force myself not to snap my head around to look at him. I remembered him shaking his head when I mentioned him having side business and couldn't decide if he had been lying then or if he was talking about Gisele.
"There you are." I turned to see Gisele walking over to Han in a short dress and very high heels. She slid straight on his lap the second she got there. "Ellie. I thought you were in Moscow."
"It was a little cold for me." I deadpanned. Han shifted uncomfortably.
I felt the color rise on my face. I was furious. I briefly considered just decking Han, but I knew that wouldn't reflect well on me and the rich business woman persona I had adopted.
"I see you've been doing well for yourself. Must have been hard starting over alone." Gisele commented as she slid her had down Han's bicep.
I had to take a deep steadying breath.
I could do this. This was my city; I was here first. I was not going to let the appearance of some former race rat who clawed and screwed her way to the job of a drug lord's secretary and the lazy, money grubbing man whore who was going to be fat in a few years take that away from me.
I had gone from the poorest neighborhood in San Juan to the half owner of the most popular hotel and casino in Italy. I was now about to be the person to beat in Madrid if my little project panned out. I had survived more than most people ever would in their life and still wound up at the top; there was no way in hell I was going to let an ex-boyfriend and his fling get the better of me.
"Miss Delgado." A waitress quietly interrupted my mental pep talk with a drink on her tray. "This is from that man over there." She pointed to Desi sitting on a couch across the room. "He wanted me to tell you congratulations."
I smiled back at her and took the drink. Desi winked at me.
"I'd say it worked out fairly well. Excuse me." I smiled cockily at Gisele and Han. I grabbed my purse and phone and stood up surprisingly gracefully in my heels. I met Desi in the middle of the room and allowed him to guide me back to one of the couches. I vindictively took note of the shocked look on Han's face.
"Thank you. You are the best friend a girl could have." I muttered to him as we sat down.
"A best friend who didn't hear about the closing on the new nightclub. I had to find out because Tristan asked me if you had told me anything." He drew out in mock offense.
"Sorry. I was distracted by the bad ref." I answered, smiling like I was having the time of my life.
"Yeah, yeah. Oh, and sorry about the girlfriend. You really should avoid guys like that." He lectured before tossing back a shot. My smile dropped as it felt like I had been stabbed in the chest. He had no idea. "Anyway, I've got a pretty early morning and you probably do too. What do you say we start rounding up the guys?"
Z
I sighed tiredly when I finally made it up the stairs and into my apartment. My ankles were killing me after a long day of standing. After locking my door behind me, I dragged myself into the kitchen for a late snack.
I loved my apartment. It wasn't extravagant enough compared to most people's taste, but that was alright with me. The main room in the place was the living room. It was painted a simple cream with tile fireplace in the center of one wall. It was separated from the kitchen by a bar. The kitchen was done in the same colorful tile as the fireplace.
When I finished with my snack, I meandered back through the living room to the French doors to my bed room. I shoved them open and sighed in happiness when I saw my big, fluffy white comforter spread across my iron frame bed. I jumped on the waiting bed and buried my face in the pillows.
My bedroom was the only room that really held a lot of color. It was painted a dark red which contrasted sharply with the cream color of the rest of the apartment when I left the door open. One wall was dominated by another set of French doors that led to a balcony overlooking a beautiful fountain in the plaza below. This place held a simple beauty that a lot of people I knew couldn't appreciate. To me, it was home.
I pulled myself out of the comforter long enough to change out of my uncomfortably tight dress and into a night gown. I burrowed down into the comforter and was almost fast asleep without even turning the light off when my phone rang.
Muttering colorful Spanish curses, I snatched it off of my nightstand.
An unfamiliar number hovered above the picture of an envelope saying I had a text message. I started at it for a minute before opening it.
Los Galayos*. Plaza Mayor. 11:30 a.m. tomorrow. I want to see you in person.
I stared at it with wide eyes, suddenly awake. This was a phone I used for business in Madrid. Sure, the boys had my number, but they wouldn't give it out. Especially to someone who spoke English.
My curiosity was piqued, but I had a meeting at city hall to get the permits I needed that would take too long for me to make it.
Not possible. Sorry. I texted back. If they texted back and they didn't have the wrong number, then I might actually be curious enough to see who this was.
Plaza de la Cibeles. The Fountain. 2:00 p.m.? I stared at the reply as I tried to talk myself out of it.
Please Eliana. My mouth dropped open. I had to see who this was.
I sent a quick reply before laying back with my hands on my face.
I was going to wind up getting taken. Again.
AN: This is as much as I'm posting today.
I may try to start a Dom/Letty story using my drabble series on them, but actually making it a story. It will be posted tomorrow if I make any headway organizing and writing it.