“Bodies we might not have been able to recover but that’s normal. There may be questions. All of Italy knows Gio has many enemies. As long as it’s not one of our main guys there, it'll be hard to trace them to us. Still, we don’t like to leave our men behind. We’re different than most.”
She nods and bends to pull on her jeans and I can’t deny that I enjoy watching.
“Stop.” She catches me.
“What, I can’t admire the woman I love?” I pull her back into me, so my hips are aligned with her butt in front of my hard-on.
She turns and lets out a grimace as it jarred her shoulder. “What are we going to do?”
“Well, we can make love right here, that’s my vote.” My mischievous grin makes her laugh.
“Or we can go to our business meeting with Angelo. I know the bosses will be there after that,” she dutifully replies.
“You’re not fun,” I say and slap her ass. “Right. Okay then, I can’t be there with you. It will make it look like we’re taking over your organization.”
“I know.” She pats my crisp designer shirt before rolling forward on her toes to kiss my lips.
“Please get word to Sofia that I’ll find out about Guido. I know it’s not safe to contact her right now.”
“I’ll be sure to. I’m going home for a few days. Give you some time to adjust and get things squared away here.”
“You have a few men with you. Do you mind leaving Matteo with me for now?”
She looks at me with those gorgeous green eyes, eyes that belong to the woman who is in love with me, and I can’t refuse her much, least of all a man to keep her safe when I’m not around. I understand her completely. If anything, our raid of the compound answered all my questions and I understand her better than before.
“Sure, il mio amore.”
“I love how you say that.” She smiles before slipping into high heels and putting on a suit jacket.
“I’ll be here when you get out of the meeting.”
“Thank you.” She walks toward me with all the confidence in the world but I don’t know how I would handle being in her position.
“No need to thank me for anything.”
“Without you and your family this wouldn’t be possible. Not that I wanted this position, I just wanted Sofia and the girls freed.”
“I know.”
But inside, I’m dying to know if she will choose her family business over me. We both can’t own her heart. I won’t share her, but I might have to because I believe she is the new don. And I don’t want to live without her.
25
Francesca
The meeting with Angelo went easier than I anticipated. It didn’t hurt that I saved his life and freed his men. In the middle of the meeting, I hear the church bells ring from the monastery up the hillside and I take it as a good omen that this union will be blessed.
“Angelo.” I shake his hand and sit at my father’s desk as he and hisconsiglieretake their places.
“Francesca, so happy to see you doing so well.”
“Thanks.” I need some of that whiskey to take the edge off and Luc, Angelo’s right hand man, pours for us.
“All of us,” I offer when it’s customary for just the don and top members to drink unless invited.
I raise the glass to my lips. “To a prosperous relationship.”
“Saluti,” we chime in unison like the bells.