Unmasked: A dragon shifter paranormal romance (Alice Novella Serial Book 1) Read online

  Magdalena nodded. "Lorenzo is to receive my art collection. Every painting in this house and in my personal vault is his." She started tapping her fingers against the chair arm again. "In addition to all of this, each of my grandchildren is to receive an equal portion of my personal finances. Once again, this excludes Matilde."

  The butler entered the room. "How may I be of your assistance, Ms Russo?" He droned.

  "Bring me the emerald box on my dressing table," she instructed. "Would you like anything to drink, Alice?"

  Astrid didn't bother to correct her this time. "I would take a glass of water, if you're offering." The butler nodded and left the room. "What else would you like me to include? Any lasting remarks for your family?"

  Magdalena smirked. "Those children already hear enough from me. The less the better."

  "So standard will and testament," Astrid noted. "Is there anything in your estate that you haven't included in your will?"

  "The rest of my belongings will go to the oldest, Beatrice. She can do what she would like to with the rest of it." Magdalena leaned forward in her chair. "Tell me, where are your parents from?"

  Astrid wasn't prepared for that question. "Well," she scrunched up her nose, trying to figure out an answer. "I know my mother is from eastern Tennessee. My father is from Europe. Germany, I think."

  "You think?" Magdalena repeated.

  "I don't know my father very well," Astrid admitted. "I lived with my aunt for most of my childhood."

  The butler returned with a glass of water and a green wooden box. He gingerly placed the water on the table in front of Astrid and set the box next to her briefcase. "Is there anything else I can get for you, Miss Russo?"

  "That'll be all, Gerald," she waved him off. "Now, young Alice," Astrid tried not to cringe, "I would like to give you something." She motioned to the box. "Go on, open it."

  "Ma'am, as a solicitor yourself you know I can only accept token gifts." Astrid pushed the box across the table toward Magdalena. She tried not to wilt under the older woman's glare. "I'm sorry, Ms Russo."

  "Please," her voice softened, "I need you to take this, Astrid." The solicitor straightened her back. So, the women did know her name. "My life is almost over, so I can no longer protect this. Someone new has to take this on. Someone who can utilize its power in a way that I cannot. It has no monetary value." She shoved the box back across the table.

  Astrid reached for it hesitantly. She opened the golden latch and flipped the lid open. Inside lay a jade dragon pendant on a silver chain. "I, oh," she gasped softly. "I don't really know what to say." Astrid picked up the pendant and cradled the pendant in her hand.

  "Don't say anything," the older woman winked. She snapped the box shut before Astrid could put it back. "Gerald?" She said. "I need you!"

  The butler entered so quickly Astrid assumed he was waiting just outside the doorway. "Yes, Ms Russo?"

  "Prepare me a sandwich of your choosing." She looked at Astrid. "Would you like something to eat as you finish writing?"

  Astrid hung the pendant around her neck, rather than offend one of the firms best paying clients. She would have to declare the gift later. "Oh, it's not an issue. I can eat when I get back to the office." She felt the matriarch's judgmental stare. "I could go for a small bite of a sandwich, if you're offering."

  Gerald nodded and exited the living room. Astrid removed her computer from her briefcase and quickly began working on the draft for Magdalena. It was an easy copy and paste job for the general will, filling in the rest of the more specific details with her notes. The Russo butler returned with a hefty sandwich and placed it in front of Astrid. "Please, Miss Pfeiffer, help yourself."

  Astrid balanced her computer on her left knee, tapping out the rest of Magdalena's with one hand and picked the sandwich up with her right. She took a bite, surprised by the combination. It was a turkey sandwich with pepper jack cheese and slices of jalapeños, Astrid's go-to sandwich order. Astrid looked up at Gerald, entertaining the notion the old butler was psychic. There was no other way he'd know what she liked unless he either followed her around prior to her meeting. Or if the Russo family just really liked spicy sandwiches.

  "How is it coming along?" Magdalena had switched to tapping the other arm of her chair. "If it's all the same to you, dear, I would like to get this done as soon as possible."

  Clearly, Astrid thought to herself, this woman is planning on dying soon. "Ms Russo, if I may ask, what made you want to draft a will so late?"

  Magdalena accepted her sandwich from Gerald. "Are you perhaps suggesting I should've done this sooner?"

  "Forgive me for saying so," Astrid looked up at the woman. "But at your age you could die at any time. Age and diseases of affluence are common causes of death for a 95-year-old woman, in addition to other common risks such as traffic accidents and acts of violence. Your neighborhood does put you at a lower risk of the latter two, but these days you can never be too careful." She took another bite of the sandwich. "You never know. You might even just spontaneously combust."

  Gerald and Magdalena shared a look, hiding a secret like small children on the playground. "Perhaps," Magdalena started, "I had the intuition that now was the time." She picked her sandwich up again, the lettuce visibly shaking in her grip. Magdalena was sharp as a whip, but she was still old. Her body was ageing faster than her mind.

  Astrid tapped out the last few letters and saved the document. "Alright Miss Russo, I need you to sign this for me." She turned the computer around so Magdalena could see it. Astrid removed a black trackpad and pen from her briefcase and plugged it into her computer. Handing the pad and pen to Magdalena, she looked up at Gerald. "Are you a witness?"

  "Naturally," he said. "Gerald Vitrano, at your service."

  The Russo matriarch looked at the pen like a new toy. "Fascinating," she murmured to herself. She dragged the pen across the trackpad, signing the will. "Your technology gets more and more intricate every day."

  When she was finished signing, Astrid packed up her equipment and asked Gerald to wrap up her sandwich. When the matriarch offered to host her for the rest of the day, Astrid politely declined. "I need to go meet with another client," she explained. "They're in the process of suing a minor pharmaceutical company for a family member's death after ingesting an alleged 'miracle drug'." She shook her head. "They're good people, just victims of the system."

  As she gathered her things, Magdalena and Gerald followed her out of the house. Astrid went to open the door but turned back, thanking them for their time. "The will should be processed in a week's time at the latest. Is there anyone you'd like me to contact with the will, please have Gerald e-mail me at my work address." With two fingers from her sandwich hand, Astrid pulled a business card out of her pocket and handed it to Gerald. She turned at the exact moment someone else was opening the door and slammed her sandwich into someone's chest. "Oh my god," she said, "I'm so sorry."

  The man she bumped into wiped a mayo-covered jalapeño pepper off his crisp button-down. "It's a good thing this wasn't Armani," he chuckled.

  Astrid looked up at the man. He was a full head taller than her and then some, not considering her hair. He was clean shaven with slick black hair. What stuck out the most was his easygoing grin and the lightness in his eyes. Somewhere, Astrid had seen his curious gaze. She couldn't place where.

  "You have beautiful eyes," he said suddenly.

  "What?" It wasn't the first time someone had told her that. It wasn't, however, the kind of thing you said to someone after they decorated your designer shirt with a sandwich. "I mean, thank you." She backtracked in hopes to smooth over the sandwich thing. "Sorry about the shirt."

  He shrugged, letting a slice of turkey fall to the ground. "Don't worry about it. I can always just buy a new one."

  Astrid flinched. It ate at her when her wealthy clients flaunted their status so casually. "I'll be going, then." She squeezed past sandwich man and left the Russo estate. As she headed to catch the A-Line
again, Astrid dug through her memories. She recognized the man from somewhere. It wasn't possible for him to be a previous client, as most of her clients were dead or dying. She could've seen him on the street. Was he famous in the Cities?

  Magdalena's words about her grandson Christian came back to her. A wealthy fashion line owner needed to be well dressed. In his line of work, Astrid felt the sandwich to the shirt wasn't the worst thing he'd experienced. That still didn't explain where she'd seen him before. Astrid didn't frequent the Bright Daze headquarters. Now that she thought about it, she was sure she'd recognize Christian if she saw him somewhere else. She'd remember that chiseled jawline and the playful grin.

  The A-Line dropped her off at the Snelling and University Station. An eastbound Green Line train sped through the intersection. Good, Astrid thought. They're back up and running. She crossed the street to the westbound platform and texted her next client to make sure they were going to be on time.

  Before she could put her phone away, a text came in:

  Thank you, Miss Pfeiffer, for all you've done for our family. We have decided to drop all charges against VidaCo, as our assumptions were false and unfair to the local company. We are also withdrawing our request to examine the deceased's will. Thank you.

  Astrid read the text twice over. She pressed the call button, still in complete shock. "Hello?" She said into the receiver. "Hi, yes, this is Astrid Pfeiffer from Lionheart Law. I'm just calling to make sure you are dropping your lawsuit against VidaCo?" When she met with the family for the first time, the son was adamant the company's miracle cancer treatment had in fact sped up his deceased mother's cancer. He couldn't prove it scientifically, but he'd heard whispers on the internet from people who had experienced a similar case.

  The son's voice answered her. He was much happier than last time, to the point Astrid felt like sugar was about to start pouring from his side of the line. "Indeed we are! We've found that VidaCo goes above and beyond to make the best local drugs that a patient can buy, and for quite the affordable price too!"

  It felt strange that a man who'd previously been swearing up and down the wall about a company was now acting as its spokesperson or at least spouting their advertising. "Mr. Cooper, are you positive this is the action you and your family want to take? When we spoke last, you were positive that..."

  "Oh, but that's in the past now!" He cut her off. "What matters for you is that we no longer require your assistance. I hope that is not too much of an inconvenience. Have a good day, Miss Pfeiffer!"

  He hung up on her before she could get another word in. Astrid looked at her phone, frowning, before dialing her office's number. "Hey Sally, it's Astrid," she said to the receptionist. "I just had a client cancel. Yeah, connect me to Tom."

  Astrid waited for the call to go through, thinking to herself about how ridiculous her day had been. As she reflected on the strangers she'd met, the Russo matriarch, and her client's strange request, the jade dragon around her neck began to warm up. She touched it in confusion. "I'm just not catching a break today."

  It was two weeks later when Astrid got the call. Magdalena Russo passed away in her sleep, surrounded by six of her grandchildren and her three daughters. As the executor of Magdalena's will, Astrid was to gather the heirs together and read their grandmother's last will and testament. She arranged the reading with Magdalena's oldest daughter, Maria. It became clear from the beginning Maria wasn't too pleased with how her mother divided up her wealth. The way Astrid understood the situation, the Russo house was a status symbol that got passed down to every other eldest child. It was poor luck for Maria she wasn't born in the right cycle.

  Maria was the spitting image of her mother, right down to her piercing glare and signature knowing smirk. She even asked Astrid to make it quick, as she had 'things' she needed to get done. It was a strange response to have at your mother's funeral, but Astrid reminded herself we all grieve differently. She was there to read a will and get paid, not to mourn a woman she met once.

  As Astra approached the house, a familiar sinking feeling hit her stomach. The street was lined with cars way beyond her pay grade. A sleek black Jaguar pulled up just as she approached the house, its inhabitants were two wildly beautiful women in designer black gowns. One of them, a dark-haired woman Astrid assumed was a Russo, examined her over the rim of her sunglasses. She felt self-conscious in her black pantsuit. It was comprised of a well worn blazer and slightly dirty black pants, both of which she'd got from Goodwill.

  Just keep walking, Astrid thought to herself. False confidence and good posture were her friends, keeping her sane as she walked up the driveway.

  Gerald was waiting for her at the entrance. "Miss Pfeiffer," he droned, "it's a pleasure to see you again." Astrid noted the deep inflection in his voice. Before, his hoarse tone was devoid of emotion which she had passed off as a sign of his age. Now, she could hear a tinge of sadness. Examining his face, she noted the dark bags under his eyes. He rubbed them, trying to distract her from how wet and red they were. He was close to Magdalena, Astrid decided. At least someone in this family was showing some emotion regarding her death.

  The butler held the door open for her and instructed her to return to the day lounge. She followed the path, getting closer to a quiet hum of voices murmuring to each other. The first thing Astrid saw when she stepped into the room was a familiar man staring out into the garden. That distracted her from the rest of the Russo family who turned to look at her. The garden man didn't flinch.

  "Hello," she said, wide-eyed. Astrid flushed and tried to gather her composure. She hadn't realized the rest of the Russo family were absolutely beautiful. She recognized Maria and two similar women, who must've been her sisters Flora and Aurora. They each wore their hair up in a sleek ponytail, with Magdalena's sharp cheekbones and their father's broad frame. Each woman had her husband hanging off her arm, all of whom were particularly handsome though they were of different ethnicities.

  Astrid deduced the rest of them were the grandchildren and their spouses. Two woman and an androgynous person occupied the couch, all dark haired and with sharp gazes. The two women stood out from the rest with their sparkling light blue eyes. A trait from their father, Astrid guessed. Either way, everyone in the family was just insanely attractive.

  The woman from the car and her partner entered from behind Astrid. "What are we all waiting for?" The woman in the sunglasses asked. She removed them and gave Astrid a pointed glare. "You're the solicitor, right? Shouldn't you be reading a will or something?"

  "Calm down, Matilde," a man said from the corner. "She's getting her bearings."

  Astrid turned to thank him but stopped, her jaw dropping and her blood running cold. The businessman from the A-Line stared back at her. His hair was combed back neatly. With the right hair gel and less facial hair, he would've been a spitting image of Christian. Astrid then looked at Christian beside him and sighed. They were twins. Not exactly identical, but close enough she would've mistaken them for each other had she not worn contacts.

  "Yes, thank you." Astrid smiled at him, silently thanking him for shutting the woman down until he looked away without responding. Pompous ass, Astrid thought to herself. "Well, if this is everyone, we should start the proceedings."

  "That's what I was saying." Matilde strutted past Astrid and took a seat in a comfy chair. She crossed her legs, nearly flashing Astid. "Begin."

  Astrid looked to Maria for confirmation. The older woman nodded.

  "We now begin the reading of Magdalena Corazon di Russo's last will and testament, witnessed by Gerald Vitrano and the lawyer at hand, Astrid Pfeiffer." She felt a heated stare on her neck but refused to turn around. She wasn't here to get threatened by Magdalena's rude grandson who she could sense glaring at her again.

  "The division of her estate will go as follows. To her eldest grandchild, Beatrice Russo, goes the entirety of this current property with everything in it, aside from Magdalena's collection of paintings and her personal vault.
This is under the condition that, when this reading is finished, she moves into the house immediately."

  One of the women from the couch nodded. Beatrice looked weathered yet composed, as if she'd just touched up her makeup to hide any sign she was crying. "I'll accept this honor," she said. Her voice was airy and not at all what Astrid expected it to be. She sounded more like a fairy than like the rest of her family. Probably her dad's side again.

  "To the second eldest, Nicole Russo, goes Magdalena's summer lake properties in Wisconsin." The other blue-eyed woman nodded at Astrid. She didn't speak, choosing to squeeze her sister's hand over the back of the couch. Astrid acknowledged her acceptance and turned her attention to the twins. "For Christian Russo, Magdalena has left her stock holdings, which she requires he invests in his company."

  Christian smiled at Astrid. "I accept wholeheartedly," he said, winking.

  His twin brother rolled his eyes. "Must you flirt with every attractive woman you see?" He muttered under his breath. "It's Gran's funeral. Keep it in your pants."

  I am going to pretend that didn't happen, Astrid thought. Men were sometimes too much trouble for their own good.

  "Giovanni Russo," she continued, "will receive ownership of Magdalena's former law firm. She hopes he can rise to the occasion and take responsibility for the company." She kept a straight face as the subtle dig registered in Giovanni's head. He frowned and opened his mouth to complain.

  Astrid continued before he could speak. "To Irene Russo goes Magdalena's private jewel collection. The rest of the contents of the vault will also go to Irene, which she is to donate to any charity or association she pleases."

  Irene nodded. Of all the Russo cousins, Irene was perhaps the most different. She kept her dark hair cropped in a pixie cut, but the main difference was her sparking green eyes rather than the blue Astrid associated with the family. When she rose along with Nicole and Beatrice, Irene stood a good foot shorter than the rest of them. "I appreciate Gran's donation," she said.