Chapter 19
Zachariah
The sun was just peeking over the horizon when my cell phone rang. I glared at it. Not because it woke me, but because I wanted to be left alone. If my glare could burn it into ashes, it would already be smoke blowing in the wind.
It had been three days since Travis had called, and he was no closer to getting my wife back home and in one piece. He wouldn’t even tell me what town he was in so I could come do it myself. He only gave me the brief words that ‘now isn’t the time.’ What was that supposed to mean? It was past time! I wasn’t paying him to just go on vacation.
“What?” I barked out.
“Figured you’d be up,” Carlos answered in way of greeting. “I will be going out of town for a few days. Some of my men came across a snitch and I need to make sure the clean-up crew do their job.”
“And why are you telling me this?” I asked, confused.
“Because I know you are following my tracks, that’s why,” my dad answered with heat, not pleased I was doing so. “Plus, your mother will be going along with me. Something about wanting a vacation.”
“Fine,” I breathed. What did I care? Why won’t everyone just leave me, then?
“I expect you to behave and keep things under control,” Dad went on. “I should be back by this time next week or so.”
“Got it,” I spoke. “Anything else?”
“That’s all,” he said.
I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else as I hung up the phone.
My father was getting on my last nerve. He wanted me to do everything for him, it seemed. I understood that he was just trying to keep my mind busy so I didn’t do something stupid. I did want to do something stupid, many things. But he made sure I had no time to do anything of that sort.
Did he purposely tell me he was leaving town because he knew I’d follow his moves, or because he wanted to see what I’d do? I would have followed him if he hadn’t have told me, because I would take any lead right now that I possibly could.
There wasn’t much I could do if he was leaving me in charge of everything. I had to stay here and be the good son he expected me to be. Besides, I already had Travis on the job.
Sighing, I ran my hand down my face. I wondered if anything would have been different if I never met Avidya. What would I be doing if she had never fallen into my lap as she did? Would I have ever come across a woman to marry? Probably not. I couldn’t see myself marrying anyone other than Avidya. She was it for me.
I wasn’t going to let her go that easily, either. I just had to come up with the perfect way to get her back, other than dragging her ass back home. I would if I had to, but I wanted to try to get her to see I couldn’t live without her.
In the kitchen, I made a cup of coffee. I had a number of interviews for the club today for new members. It was not something I was looking forward to, that was for sure. So many people were too new to the lifestyle, and had warped views of how things were supposed to be in my place. They all had to learn the hard way. Either agree to follow my rules that I had lined out, or don’t apply to become a member.
Pretty simple.
Only crappy thing was that most of the men I was doing business with under the brothel name wanted in. I couldn’t willingly allow them in knowing what they were after. I didn’t ever want to mix that with business. Some people didn’t understand BDSM wasn’t a game; it is a lifestyle I was starting to get the itch to start a brothel back up just to keep that high money coming in.
Almost.
As the coffee pot finished brewing my java, my phone once again rang.
Groaning, I answered, my words short and to the point. “What now?”
“Not a good morning, I take it?” Travis’s voice came through.
“What do you want?” I repeated. I wasn’t up to playing games right now. He sure as fuck knew that too.
“I just wanted to let you know that Avidya is sick and won’t be able to come back right away. Nothing life threatening,” he hurriedly explained. “I’m going to stick around for another day or so just to make sure. But she promised she’d think about returning when she feels up to traveling.”
“Sick with what?” I barked. She wasn’t the type to get sick at the drop of a pen. Was she really sick? Was she just not wanting me to see me again? Had I possibly ruined whatever we once had?
“Just this sickness that is going around. She works at a daycare center, so she assumes she picked up one of the many bugs,” Travis said.
I could picture him shrugging on the other end of the phone as he sat in his car.
“I’ll let you know when she’s up to seeing you, though,” he went on. “When I came back, I’ll give you her location and you can come see her. Talk to her.”
“Alright,” I sighed out. That, that I could handle. I’d go and beg her to fucking take me back. I couldn’t live without her any more. “You sure she’s okay?”
“Yeah,” Travis answered. “Her friend got hurt, so she’s worried about that. But she’s okay.”
“Okay. Keep me posted,” I sighed.
“Will do,” he said, ending the call.
Well, at least things couldn’t get any worse, could they?
~oOo~
I had spoken too soon.
Things did get worse. Much worse.
An hour later, as I pulled up to the club, I couldn’t help but let a round of cuss words fall from my mouth. I thought Avidya leaving me was bad, but this topped the list. I no longer knew what the fuck to do. My life was falling apart everywhere I looked.
Firetrucks. Police tape. Sirens. Lights. Smoke. Water.
My heart couldn’t take anymore. I was done with everything.
My club was burnt to ashes.
Only thing left standing was the walls, but even they were covered in water and soot.
Smoke billowed up into the sky as if it was finished destroying the rest of my life that was worthwhile.
Someone set my place on fire. And they would pay for doing so.
Cooling my pure rage and fury, I stepped out of my parked car, drawing attention to the nearest firefighter and cop as they stood back, watching to make sure the place was as safe as it possibly could be in its current state.
“You the owner?” the cop asked, tipping his head up to meet my eyes.
“Yes. Zachariah Melendez,” I answered. “What happened here?” I nodded my chin towards my building.
“We got the call about three hours ago for the fire, and by then the place wasn’t salvageable. No one was in there, but from the looks of it, the fire started in the back room,” the firefighter answered. “I believe this fire was started by an arsonist.”
“Just fucking great,” I mumbled to myself. I ran a hand down harshly over my face, willing life to just let something go right for once for me.
“Do you have anyone that would want to burn this place down, or someone who wanted to hurt you?” the cop asked.
“Everyone wants to hurt me and my family,” I deadpanned.
He must have been new to the task force, as it was pretty common my family was either hated or looked up to.
“Alright,” the cop said, fear starting to make its way through his body. “We’ll check the cameras and see if there’s any video showing who started the fire.”
“Why didn’t my fire alarm go off?” I asked. I had every safety measure in place, there shouldn’t have been any way a fire could have been set unless someone knew the inner workings of my building.
“Not sure, sir,” the cop replied. “Could it have been one of your employees?”
“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “Only three employees know how to disarm it. One of which is not in town right now. The other I trust to keep this place opened if I’m not here.”
“If you think of anyone, give the station a call,” the cop said, making his way to his car. Yeah, he was new.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called Jonas. I knew he wouldn’t do this, but he may have an idea who did. I would hunt who burned my club to the ground and they would pay for doing so.
Luckily, Jonas picked up on the first ring. “Sir?”
“The club is closed. It’s burnt down to the ground,” I said, making my way to my car.
“What? No way!” Jonas said, sounding appalled and pissed at the same time.
“Yeah. Some fucker set it on fire,” I said.
“Any idea who?” Jonas asked, still trying to process what I had just told him.
“That’s why I called you,” I stated, my voice hard. I was not in the mood to play around.
“I’ll look into it,” Jonas said. “No one was there when I left last night. Possibly could be one of the men that wants in but wasn’t allowed a membership.”
“Most likely,” I huffed. “Just not sure which one. There’s a few of them I won’t ever allow in.”
“Well, at least you have the casinos,” Jonas said. “It’s not like you’re losing money. Insurance will kick in and you can rebuild or buy a new place.”
“The casinos are all under the Don’s care,” I explained. “But yes. I will restart it up after the fucker is caught. You know what to do you when you find him.”
“Got it, boss,” Jonas said, hanging up with a click.
I could easily get into the casinos and help run them, but my father had that handled without me. We protected our own, and I wouldn’t hesitate to step up if needed. But I wanted my own well known business outside of the Las Vegas strip. I wanted to have my own say on how I could do things.
And now it was burnt down to the ground.
It wouldn’t be for long. Oh no.
First thing first, file a claim, then start looking for a place that would be bigger and better.
No one would bring me down this way. I would be coming back, stronger than ever.