39. Home

O'Neil was sitting in his office reading through the piles of reports from his businesses. Trent had done all the work but still he liked to check everything even though his son was a perfectionist like himself. As he was reading he heard a knock. Then he saw his door open and his daughter walked in. She quickly closed the door and then gave out a shaky breath as she turned to her father.

O'Neil raised eyebrow "What's the matter princess?"

Clarisa walked towards her fathers desk "I need to talk to you..."

O'Neil said "If it's about hiding you from the beast, you are in the right place. Or do you want help getting him out of the way so you get another boyfriend?" Part of him wished she was tired of the beast finally. Who wanted to deal with him? She could handle anyone without needing help. It had to be the beast that had pushed her to his room.

Clarisa shook her head with wide eyes and she put her hands on the table "You can't say that. He will get very angry if he finds out you said that."

O'Neil said "Angry is his middle name. What's the matter child?"

Clarisa paused and then looked around "Where are those telegrams that he sent you. He said he sent you some information about my ... activities..."

O'Neil nodded "Yes. If it's about your stunt in Sicily, I know all about it. I have my people releasing your bodyguards... but it's on the beast's terms. I have no leverage over him unless you threaten to break up with him." He then chuckled at her shocked expression "Its only jokes. Relax child...."

Clarisa closed her eyes "He is super jealous, don't joke about his territory or who's in it..." She then opened her eyes "Aren't you mad? I did break the rules."

O'Neil said "Mad? Terza Clarisa. I raised you knowing you will turn out like your mother. I am not mad. I am proud of you for trying to put the beast in his place. He doesn't dictate his terms to you... He is mad you left the sanctuary of Milan boarding school. But I would rather if you rebel you take bodyguards with you which you did. Vitale busted you. Next time instead of going through the door climb the wall..."

Clarisa really expected her father to be mad "I don't follow."

O'Neil rolled his eyes "Next time... Just surprise whoever you want to ambush. If one way failed to deliver results it doesn't mean another way gives you the same outcome... "

Clarisa whispered "I am ... shocked you are not mad I left Milan without telling you..."

O'Neil said "Agostini told me. I said let her leave. Don't intercept her... You will always be watched Terza Clarissa. I know you never will do as I say so I just watch you. I won't revoke permission for you to go back. You are free. Do as you wish but I am watching you... I knew in Rosario harbours you were safe... The beast's reputation has filled the entire island. So is there anything else you want to tell me about?"

Terza shook her head.

O'Neil asked "Are you sure? Actually I do have questions... I am not too concerned with your choices... I am more concerned with what I didn't hear from the beast... The beast failed to mention if his grandfather was keeping his distance like he was meant to. Tell me did his grandfather ever hurt you..."

Clarisa shook his head "He didn't even talk to me much. The last time I heard him was on the plane speaking to the b...,, I mean Vincenzo. He got off the plane and went a separate way."

O'Neil  stood up "Did his grandpa make any comments towards you that you didn't like?"

Terza shook her head "No. I hardly saw him."

O'Neil nodded. He silently stared at his daughter... "You know sunshine... I only have one regret in my life... I regret not killing the beast's grandpa ... but of course I thoughts it's best to ask the beast's papa for permission for it. He didn't give me permission... But I wait... If the beast can't control his grandpa I will end him. Are you sure the crazy grandpa of his didn't look at you funny?"

Clarisa shook her head "No. I hardly saw him.... Can I ask you this ... so if you are not mad ... I can still go back to Milan to finish my final year before I start college in September."

O'Neil gave his daughter a smile as he walked around the desk "There is only one way to find out princess... Wait for your departure date and see..."

Clarisa said "But you said I am not in trouble with you... That's a relief."

O'Neil nodded "Of course princess. You rebelled because I let you... But don't count on your brother to react the same way as I did... The telegrams are in my vault. Shred them if you want but he will find out. Now I need to make an important phone call. I will see you at the dinner table, Terza Clarisa."

Clarisa sighed in defeat and walked away glancing at the vault. His father was right. Tristan was going to be mad and as Vincenzo called him the raging bull only did what he wanted done."

O'Neil watched his daughter leave the room. He sighed and poured himself some Irish cream whiskey.

Terrence Emanuel O'Neil liked his alone time with his liquor. Then he could do some thinking about what he did next. At at moment he only had Paulo Rosario on his mind. He was the useless father that he never was to Francesco. He was in New York and Francesco let him be. It made no sense to him. He had his differences with his father but he never hurt him. Families were not meant to hurt each other. Francesco's father was Francesco's blood and not necessarily deserving to be called family. Francesco's father didn't even deserve the title of a father. A father who was never there to take Francesco fishing or to football games or to teach him how to ride a bike or ride a car... What kind of a father was he?

O'Neil walked to his wall of photos of his youth. He looked at photos of himself with his own father. He was a true father. He was always in the picture. He was on the trips they had, he was present at his graduation. While Francesco never saw his father unless the guy had business or wanted to beat Francesco up. But if course the beatings had stopped when Francesco jk

had turned eighteen. He had become bigger than his father. He joked with Francesco what do they feed you Italian kids... In fact Francesco became so big, O'Neil could never beat him in any sports and he didn't dare take him on in many sports. In chess it was fairer. Yet after all, when O'Neil thought Francesco was going to go after his father at twenty five, when he took over the organisation, he didn't. Francesco chose Adele over his revenge mission. Women could change men. Adele was proof of it.

He felt nostalgia as he looked at his old pictures that he kept as reminders of where he came from. He never chose this life. He had dreams. Francesco and him liked racing a lot back in the day. If they had the choice they would have become engineers in car racing competitions. That was the dream. There was a picture of them on the wall where they were too young to drive but had found a deserted road to practice driving in their cars. He was meant to be at Francesco's house so his parents didn't know of all the dangerous activities he did that time. There were no curfews because Francesco's father never cared. Paulo never cared where his sons were as long as they went to their father when they were meant to. It was more of a blessing that Paulo didn't give a damn. The way he showed his love was disturbing. O'Neil wished he had killed him years ago but he needed Francesco's blessing for that. He wished he had the heart to do it and make it look like an accident but again Francesco always always found out everything. The man found every hidden secret there was effortlessly. He was intelligent and had a tangled web of intelligence everywhere or rather everywhere he wanted. The only place Francesco stayed away from was the government. O'Neil didn't agree. He had his spies in lower ranks of FBI. But he knew some Irish families had their eye on the prize. They wanted their children to become the government. People like Jonas were kept out for that reason partially.

He felt strange. In the picture him and Francesco where they were driving illegally they were around the same age as their kids but irony was that what he did he never allowed for his kids. Back in the day there was no health and safety. They learnt to drive illegally. They were sitting in Two ancient cars ready to race on a hot day in the middle of a muddy road. It was dangerous what they did. He didn't want his kids to ever try half the stunts he did. It was a crazy youth. Now it was over. Now it was the turn of his kids to rebel. He could see a lot of himself in his daughter mostly. She rebelled and tried to hide it. Not that she managed to do that successfully. He was a father so he knew everything. It was his job to watch over her and know of her mistakes before she made them.

He turned around and looked at his phone. He walked to it to diall a number. As he tried to reach he heard the phone ring. He sighed. Of course, he was right on time. He picked up the phone "O'Neil speaking." He then rolled his eyes at his efficient greeting. "Hi. Francesco, long time no hear."

O'Neil laughed "No. I won't wait outside your door to come to dinner. I will break it down. Come on. Let's have dinner now the kids are back..."

O'Neil cleared his throat "How is the beast? ... What do you mean, what kind of question is that? I am not trying to deflect the question..... I am not trying to get my daughter transferred to Italy permanently. Why would I do that? Are you planning to get the beast to set up camp over there? I would pay for the arrangements and visa. Why not get him to revoke the American citizenship? .... I know I know... He is American first .... Perhaps he needs the passport to become the president in a couple of years ... How careless of me to think he would denounce his American heritage... Over your dead body? Come on Francesco the kid can be the president. Let him be. He can make you Secretary of State maybe? Or you prefer the head of FBI? He can arrange that..." He then chuckled "No. I am not deflecting the question and wasting time. Of course not... You deserve an honest answer... I know why you called me.... I know that you know that I know you well... I know you were going to ask me that... Yes I know that the beast is going to propose to my daughter when he turns eighteen in August. That's like seven months away. And yes I am going to kick his backside for not telling me or you for that matter. I find out from the ring the guy at the boutique who sold him the ring with my daughters name on it. He is He planning it big. I will plan his demise to be bigger if he doesn't watch out. How about this? Your son will suffer at my hands if he doesn't come to me... Yes Tristan won't be like the beast... What do you mean? ... Of course I am sure. He knows I am not ready to be a grandpa so soon. I am hardly 43..." He then shook his head and said "Yes. We will talk later..." He then he put down the phone. He then felt like he needed a cold ice bath for this... He took of his top and touched his biceps as looked into the mirror. He sighed. Where did this beast come from? He always declared that he wanted to be related to Francesco but not by giving away his daughter. He never saw that coming. He then headed to the next room to get himself some ice. The beast made him go into binge icing.