Choices We Make: The Moretti Brothers Series (23 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Anna sat in the parking lot of the Melton center and wondered why Mark had come there. She had been following him for several days trying to figure out what he was up to and if she could convince him to get back with her. Mark was in the building for an extremely long time so Anna decided to go into the building to see where he might’ve gone. She walked over to the guard’s desk but no one was there; she looked at directory of businesses located in that building when she spotted Bouvier and Hart. She scanned the other businesses she couldn’t imagine, which company he was meeting with. 
Huhh, this is impossible.  I’ll never be able to figure out where he went.
She thought as she walked towards the exit, deciding to go home. 

Just as she was about to exit the building, she saw Victoria walk through the door.  She quickly turned to avoid Victoria seeing her. Anna noticed how beautifully dressed she was and wondered who she was meeting in the office building.  “Oh hell no, I know she’s not meeting Mark.”  She waited for Victoria to go up in the elevator before looking at the directory to see what floor her company was located.   She walked towards the elevator and hit the up button. 

*****

Victoria walked into her office and noticed that it was extremely quiet. “Where is the security and the police?” she said softly as she rounded the receptionist desk and headed towards her office.  She noticed the light on and walked in slowly.  She was already standing in her office before, she noticed Mark sitting on the sofa with a smirk on his face.  She looked into his eyes and could only see a cold void in his stare.

“Come in and sit with me.” Mark said to her as he waved his hand that had a gun in it, motioning her to come in.

“What are you doing here Mark and where is the security guard?” Victoria asked with a shaky voice, unable to mask the fear on her face.

“Your security guard is a little indisposed at the moment; come in and have a seat here,” he said wanting her to sit in the chair across from him.  “I want to talk to you.”

Victoria walked towards her desk, placing her small clutch under her arm.  Mark inhaled deeply as he could smell the light floral fragrance that filled the air.  He also noticed the beautiful dress she wore. “You look beautiful.”  He walked up to her and rubbed his face against hers.  “And you smell delicious Victoria.” She back away looking as him; his eyes were momentarily closed before they sprang open when he felt her move.

“What are you doing here Mark?  You know you’re not supposed to be here, our companies are no longer doing business together.”  Victoria was trying to quickly think how to get herself out of this situation or at least scan the room for a potential weapon. 

“Victoria I’ve had a very difficult couple of weeks, so please don’t piss me off right now, sit the fuck down.” He said erratically as he waved the gun.  Victoria walked over towards her desk and sat.

“What is this about Mark?” Victoria tried not to show fear. 

“I think it’s time we talked about renegotiating our contract.”  He said as he folded his arms in front of him still clutching the gun.

*****

Anna got off the elevator and instantly noticed the something was not right, she walked into Victoria’s office suite and went in search of Victoria. She heard voices and walked towards the sound.  She immediately noticed that one of the voices belong to Mark; she froze as she continued to listen to what was being said. 

*****

“When you canceled the contract with our company my father and brothers were livid; and of course they blamed me.  But it wasn’t my fault Victoria.  It was because of your incompetence, you caused everything to go wrong, so I’m going to give you a chance to redeem yourself.  All I need you to do is call my father and tell him that you have reconsidered your decision and you’re willing to work with our company again.” 

She looked at Mark and tried to gauge his stableness.  “Mark that’s not going to happen, you can’t make someone sign a contract under duress.”  Victoria tried to stay calm as she spoke in a soft tone, she could tell that Mark was becoming more agitated. 

“Victoria you are such a stupid bitch, you could’ve had everything, including me. I have loved you since the first day I saw you and even after you opened your legs and got pregnant by that punk, Dominic Moretti, I still waited for you.”  He began to pace wildly.  “And how do you show your appreciation, by canceling the contract with my family’s company.  You are just like the rest of those whores out here, just take, take, take.”  Mark yelled.  Victoria was shocked by his admissions. The hairs on the back of Victoria neck began to rise as she realized that Mark was truly crazy. She could feel her phone vibrating in her clutch that was on her lap.  Mark continued to pace.  “Even after I was able to stop acquisition that Mr. Moretti was trying to secure, you still continued to live with him, probably fucking his brains out every night.  Why couldn’t you see how much I loved you and would do anything for you.” 

“Wait, you were behind the deal not going through with Dominic’s company?  But we’re not a couple Mark, we are raising our babies together.”  Victoria needed to think fast because she knew this situation wasn’t going to end well.  “Mark why don’t you have a seat so we can talk.  I never knew you felt that way about me, you never expressed your feelings.”  Victoria was hoping that she could talk to him long enough for someone, anyone to come help. 

“I don’t want to sit down, I want you to sign these fucking papers giving my family a new contract and agree to our weekly meetings again.”  Victoria looked into Mark’s eye and could tell that they were void of any emotion and rationality.  Maybe is she could convince him that she was willing to consider it, she would leave this office alive. 

“Mark if you had told me how you felt sooner, maybe we could be together now.”  She lied. 

“We can still...” 

“You bitch!  I knew you were a conniving gold digging whore!” Both Mark and Victoria’s head spun around to see Anna standing in the doorway. 
What the hell is she doing here? 
Victoria thought and was just about to ask her when Mark spoke. “What the fuck are you doing her Anna?” Mark said enraged.  Victoria was so confused. 
“How does he know Anna?”
This entire situation was freaking Victoria out.  As Mark was yelling at Anna, Victoria she slipped her phone out of her small purse and hit the redial button and prayed whoever was trying to reach her could hear what was taking place in the office. 

*****

Dominic looked at his phone and smiled.  “Hello beautiful, you better have a good excuse for being late.” He said as he began to hear multiple voices on the other end arguing.   He then heard Victoria voice,
“What are you doing in my office Anna and how do you know Mark?”  “You shut the fuck up bitch, if you think you can steal him from me, you are sadly mistaking.”
 

“What the fuck!” Dominic said so loud that everyone in the entire room turned to look at him. 

Marco was quickly at his side.  “What is it Nick?” 

“Something is wrong, I need to get Victoria’s office right away.”

Jackie quickly walked over to Dominic.  “What’s wrong Dominic?” She said trying to keep up with him as he and Marco headed towards the exit.

“I don’t know, but something is going on at your office and Anna is there.”

“Your ex-girlfriend Anna why is she at their office?”  Marco asked totally confused. 

Dominic put his phone on speaker so that everyone could hear what was going on “I don’t know but I’m going to find out.”

“Victoria sent me a text and said that there was some sort of break-in but that security and the police were there and she was just going to check on her office. I’m going to call office security and the police again to make sure that they’re there.” Jackie said she retrieved her phone from her purse.” 

By this time all of Dominic siblings were gathered around wanting to know what was going on as Dominic and Marco raced out of the building.

“Talk to Jackie she’ll explain.” Marco said as he ran through the door, trying to keep up with Dominic. 

Marco told Dominic he would drive as they sped away in Marcos sports car heading towards Victoria’s office; they continued to listen to the on the other end of the phone. 

“I’m not going ask you again Anna, why the fuck are you here?” Mark was furious.

“I’m here because I followed you; I was hoping that we could talk.   I knew if you just gave us a chance we could be great together, I love you Mark, and now I hear you confessing your love to this bitch.” She said as she pointed at Victoria giving her a glaring look.   “I altered my entire life for you, whatever you asked I did.  I followed you to Ohio and what did you do, fired me when your wife suspected we were sleeping together, but did I give up on us, no, even when you came back to Philly and wanted to see me, I was right there.  I had two abortions because you said you weren’t ready to have children then you tell me your wife’s pregnant. Even with all of that I was still willing to be with you.  Now you’re standing here telling her that you love her, that you will give her everything.”
Anna spewed as she pointed wildly at Victoria.  
“
I hate you Mark!” she yelled as she lunged towards him in a fit of rage, Mark swung towards her and the gun went off shooting Anna in the stomach. Victoria screamed as she stood and backed away.  Her clutch hit the floor ending the call. 

*****

“Shit, what happened with the call?”

“I don’t know Marco but we need to get there fast.” Dominic began to silently pray that the gunshot he heard was not Victoria. 

*****

Mark focused his attention back at Victoria.  “Do you see what you made me do, all you had to do was be with me and none of this would’ve happened, this is all your fault Victoria.” he said as he began to quickly paced back and for again.

Victoria put her hands over her mouth and tears are streaming down her face.  “Oh my God, Mark we need to call an ambulance.” Mark did not respond he just continued to pace.  “Did you hear me Mark, we have to call an ambulance.” Victoria said screaming at him. 

He looked up at Victoria.  “Fuck that bitch, I need to know what you’re going to do about the contract?”

Victoria looked at him unable to contain her anger. “Are you serious Mark?  She could die if we don’t get her help?” Mark looked at her and she only saw emptiness in his eyes.  She began to pray because the realization hit her that she might not leave her office alive.  Mark looked down at Anna lying on the floor as blood ran from her body staining the otherwise pristine carpet and a moment of clarity kick in and he realized that the only way he and Victoria could be together was in the afterlife; he pointed the gun at her and said “I love you.” just before he pulled the trigger.  

Victoria seeing the last moments of her life, slumped down and began to fall to her knees to pray when she felt something warm pierce her body.

*****

As Marco and Dominic exited the car racing into the building, they could hear sirens behind them.   They jumped onto the elevator heading to the 30th floor. As the elevator doors open the entire building was eerily quiet, they bolted through the door, heading towards Victoria’s office. 

Dominic ahead of Marco stopped in the doorway as he saw Mark standing in her office. “She belongs to me now.” He said to Dominic as he smiled and put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.  Dominic immediately searched for Victoria.  He found her lying on the floor behind her desk with blood around her.  “No, please God no.” Dominic said as he scooped Victoria up in his arms. 

At that moment the police entered the office with guns drawn. “Get your hands up!” one officer yelled as Marco raised his arms and said,  “We need an ambulance.”  Dominic looked down at Victoria as he pulled her into an embrace. “Please don’t leave me baby, I love you and I need you, our babies need you.” He said as he placed small kisses all over her face.  The EMTs rushed in and began to immediately work on both Anna and Victoria and they were both rushed to the hospital.  Mark was pronounced dead at the scene. Marco stayed to give a statement, allowing Dominic to go to the hospital with Victoria.  After Marco gave the police all the information he knew, he immediately called the family so that they could meet them at the hospital. 

Marco raced through the emergency doors just as the rest of the family arrived.  Dominic was sitting in the waiting room with blood all over his suit clearly distraught.

“How is she Nick?”  Marco asked as Dominic’s family approached and began to hug him.

“I don’t know, they took her back, she was still alive.” Everyone turned as the doctor walked into the waiting room. 

He approached Dominic.  “We’ve assessed her gunshot wound and she is a very lucky lady, the bullet made a clean entry and exited through her shoulder not hitting any major arteries. She should make a full recovery.  She’s sedated right now, but as soon as she’s awake we can have you go back. But not too many visitors at one time and not for too long.” he said as he looked at the large crowd waiting. “If all goes well, she should be home in a few days.”

“What about the other young lady from the scene, Anna, she going to be okay?” Marco asked.

“I’m sorry but she didn’t make it.” The doctor said with a solemn voice.