C29 No Use

Dante was losing his mind.

He was damned sure what was left of his fucking mind would be turned into shreds by the damn thoughts that wouldn’t leave him.

Shadows deepened around his dark eyes as the hours dragged on, each minute adding to the storm brewing inside him. No matter how he tried to focus on his work, one report kept gnawing at his mind like a relentless itch. Annabelle was pregnant.

He couldn't stand it. The thought of her carrying a child...someone else’s child was a bitter pill he could barely swallow.

As much as he tried to shake it off, the image lingered, infuriating him.

It was none of his business. He had told himself that countless times.

But each time he thought of her, of some man touching her, being with her in that way, his blood boiled.

Aguillar had confirmed that the report was correct. It was Annabelle's report all right.

“It is a miracle that she didn’t lose the baby in the accident, sir. She needs adequate care though. She seemed low on nutrients even before she lost all that blood,” Aguillar had said.

Dante had snapped at him that that wasn’t what he asked him. How she ended was none of his business, after all she had chosen her path.

After the doctor had left his office, Antonia requested to see him.

When she said to him in that cheery tone that was so much like Isabella’s, “Tay, let’s go do something fun. I am getting so bored. You know I can’t go shopping with these bruises on my wrists and face. What if someone saw them and told Dad?”

The guilt he felt at the reminder of Isabella while he was having inappropriate thoughts about a girl he hardly knew made him snap at her. “I don’t have the time to babysit you. I have never had the time to sit around with you and I don’t know why you expect that to change now.”

He didn’t know why she had such a hook on his thoughts though.

He couldn't believe how angry he was. He was damn furious on her behalf. For he could well guess who the father might be.

Even though she had not said it out loud, he was sure the relationship between her and her stepfather wasn't that simple.

He doubted she even knew she was pregnant.

And the fool had decided to run away from his protection!

He seethed as he imagined two possibilities that grated on him like sandpaper.

Was Tad the father? He had suspected that her bastard stepfather was doing more than choking the life out of her.

“I should have just killed him that day,” he muttered to himself.

“Sir, are you talking to me?”

Dante’s thoughts were interrupted by that voice and he looked up with a glower on his face that made his top executives shift uncomfortably in their seats.

His gaze went to his corporate COO who was giving his reports on the projector in the meeting room.

The man swallowed hard before saying in a quaking tone, “Mr Cazador, if there’s something you are not pleased about, please let me know and we will change it immediately.”

The others quickly nodded in agreement and he could see the sheen of sweat running down his COO’s neck.

Dante’s mouth twisted in disgust and his eyes darkened.

The man was a fucking coward and Dante hated cowards. He had only kept the man around for this long because he was good at his job.

“That would change.” he thought to himself as he stood up suddenly.

All twelve of them quickly stood up from their chairs and he heard a clatter as one of the chairs fell to the ground due to the occupant’s haste.

He was angry that he had not been able to change anything by coming into the parent company of the Cazador conglomerate.

He normally had the reports sent to him, but when he caught himself seriously considering going to Stoneraine to put a bullet through that motherfucker’s head, he had decided to go into the office instead.

“Yet, he had not been able to concentrate on the damn thing that the man had been yapping about.

“It’s fine. Send me the reports later,” he said before turning to leave. He added as he paused again, “And yes, things will change around here soon. I will let you know when I decide.”

The executives looked at each other uneasily and they quickly bowed to him in greeting as he left.

“Or perhaps it was her little boyfriend?”

The persistent thought stirred in his heart again as Angelo opened the door for him.

Either answer was infuriating. He felt an urge to strike out, to put his fist through something, or better yet, someone.

“Where to, boss?” Angelo asked as they got outside the mega-company with its massive sign which read CAZADOR INVESTMENTS.

Something in Angelo’s voice alerted Dante to the fact that his consigliere had information he didn’t want to tell him yet.

Dante’s look was enough to make Angelo say gruffly, “I think the kid is out of the city already, boss. The latest lead came up empty.”

Dante’s expression didn’t change as he said simply, “To the pit.”

The fact that he continued searching for the kid even after her sister made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him was another thing adding to Dante’s dark mood.

By the time he got to his wrestling centre, he had convinced himself over again that it was because of his honour. He had given his word and he always fulfilled his promise.

He waved aside the protective gloves the attendant handed to him as the men in the nearby ring quickly stopped their rounds and left.

Angelo quickly removed his suit as his boss handed his to another attendant.

They didn’t need words. Angelo sensed Dante’s mood and prepared himself, already knowing what was coming.

As they began sparring, each punch, each dodge, was more intense than the last. Dante didn’t hold back.

Blow after blow, he unleashed his fury, hammering away as if each hit could knock the aggravating thoughts out of his head.

But it was no use.