I just received a phone call from Gabriel, saying that he spoke to Zander and nothing’s changed. He said that Zander got aggressive with him by telling him that if anything was to happen to the girl, we would all have to go through him.

Now I’m sitting in my office, trying to understand what’s going on with my son. Zander has never acted like this before, especially over a woman. Zander has always been a player; he’s never brought any girls around me before, not even in high school. I used to ask him about girls, and he always said he could tell right away if any of them were worth meeting me. He said until he found the right one, he wouldn’t bring any around. I always thought it was because he was just noncommittal, but then he wanted me to meet Murphy’s daughter. I almost fell over when he said he was going to get her to meet me. I wish I would have known she was Murphy’s kid; I would have kept her away because now all I have is trouble. Zander and I used to be so close, and now he won’t even talk to me. I can’t believe he picked her side.

I’m startled out of my thoughts by my office door closing. When I look up, I see the love of my life, Theo.

Theo and I have been together longer than most married people, but we are still not public with our relationship, and that is by my doing.

“Hello, Katie.”

I get up from my chair to go hug and kiss him. “What brings you by today? No one saw you, did they?”

He pushes me away and says, “I hate when you do that.”

“Do what?”

“You look excited to see me, and then you worry about us getting found out. This shit is getting to be too much, Catherine.”

Because of him calling me by my full name, and not Katie, I correct my posture and return to my desk. “How can I help you, Theo?”

“You see that right there? That’s the Catherine I hate. The avoidance you give is killing me, woman.”

“Look, Theo, I can’t handle this shit right now. Why are you here?”

He sits down, so I take my seat as he watches me for a second to see if my wall is going to drop. He always does that, and I hate it. He knows me too well.

He finally says, “I’m here on business. I want to discuss Murphy Larussa.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “No, not you, too.”

“I’m afraid so. She asked me to help her, and I’m thinking about doing it.”

“How dare you!? You wouldn’t!”

“I would for Zander.”

“Don’t go there, Theo!”

“Listen to me, Catherine. He’s in love with this girl. I know you don’t want it to be so, but it is. And she loves him, even though she doesn’t want to. I’ve seen it in her eyes. They love each other.”

Theo stops and puts his head down, rubbing his temples. “You know her mother is Cherry, right?”

“What? It can’t be.”

“Oh, but she is. I guess we know why she left all those years ago. Look, Katie, he’s made his mind up. She is what he wants, so either you figure out some way to work with her, or he will get in your way. And honey, don’t underestimate him. You trained and taught him well, he knows his way around our territory, and he’s feared by many. He will be a strong adversary.”

“He’s my son!”

Theo jumps out of his chair, pissed. “No, Catherine, he’s our son!”

I stand up, shocked that he said that so loud. “Lower your voice before someone hears you.”

Theo gets louder now. “I don’t give a fuck who hears me, Catherine. It’s time he finds out. I’m tired and too old to live this lie anymore. You’ve denied me our whole lives. You’ve denied my son from knowing I’m his father. I’m done. You have until the end of the week to tell him, that’s it. No more games.” Theo walks over to me, softening the way he speaks. “I love you, Katie, I always have, but if you don’t find a way to fix this problem between you and our son, I will choose him this time. I will go to war with him, to fight you.” He kisses me softly, and I try to push him away, but he grabs my wrists and says, “I will be back, and when I come, it’s all coming out.”

Then he kisses my forehead and walks out the door. I fall back into my chair. How the hell did this happen? How did I lose so much control? Zander and now Theo are both threatening me. It’s that bitch! I knew she looked familiar, she looks just like her mother. I always wondered why Cherry wanted to leave so abruptly. We weren’t exactly the best of friends, but we were friendly. Murphy and my husband were close, and every party, Cherry was there until she wasn’t. I haven’t heard a word about her in all these years. I always thought it was possible someone might have killed her because she knew too much. Hell, she knows too much about me.

I need to figure something out before this gets any worse. But what? I need that casino, I put too much money into ensuring that it came to this family. The casino is shit, but the location is perfect for my plans to rebuild it.

I need to see her. I need to see the woman who is causing so much havoc in my life. I call Vin, telling him to get the car ready. I’m going see the woman who is tearing my son away from me.