How can she even be a Moretti? They were such a shitty family. I’d never have guessed she was one of them. She’s obviously the best parts. The worst got shared out between the others.
I know what I can do for her when this is over. I know what will make her see how serious I am about committing.
Because that’s what this is all about. For the first time, I can see myself settling down with just one woman for the rest of my life. Maybe the problem was I never met the right one. I only ever met one night stands who fawned over my every wish.
She’s not like that at all. She’s submissive but in the right ways. She still holds her own opinions. She’s willing to argue with me, not just agree with whatever I tell her.
Life with her will be a life worth having. She won’t be a nodding dog toy forevermore. She’ll be a whole human being. Not to mention good in bed.
When we get to my apartment block, she looks up at the building and seems impressed. “You own the whole thing?”
“I own it but we’re just staying in the penthouse. The other units are rentals.”
“Nice.”
“Gives me some pocket money off the books for when I need it.”
“And Giovanni won’t find us here?”
“As far as the family is concerned, this business is nothing to do with me. Matteo has the books buried deep. We’ll both be safe here.”
I get the building super to help carry our cases inside. Once we’re upstairs with the bags piled up and the door locked, I relax.
I turn to face her. She’s looking out at the view, a smile on her face. “I never thought the city could look so pretty,” she says, turning to grin at me. “We’re so high up, it’s amazing.”
I take her in my arms and I’m about to kiss her when my cellphone rings. I I step back, digging it out. “Giovanni,” I say down the line, walking through to the bedroom and closing the door behind me. “You keep ringing. I’m touched.”
“You’re not at home,” he says. “Where are you?”
“Out. Why?”
“I came to see you to sort all this out.”
“I bet you did.” I breathe a sigh of relief. We clearly got out of there just in time.
As he talks, I can sense the gun in his hand. “If you get rid of that Moretti bitch, we can come to an arrangement.” He sounds like he’s trying to keep his temper in check.
“Call her that again and see where it gets you.”
“Come on, Nico. She’s a Moretti. You can’t seriously be thinking of marrying her?”
“Anything else? Only I’m pretty busy writing my speech for the wedding dinner.”
“Name your price and I’ll pay it when I take over. I’ll sell half my holdings if that’s what it takes. Just agree not to marry her.”
He knows as well as I do that he’d go back on his word the instant the commission confirm him as Don. He keeps upping his offer.
I wait until he runs out of steam to answer. “You running scared?”
“Scared? Of you?”
“Maybe we should meet without your minders. Sort it out with a good old fashioned fist fight.”
“Do the right thing, Nico. Let me have this. I’ll give you anything.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to bribe me to quit, Giovanni.”
He snarls down the line. “You marry her and I’ll kill her cousin. Think about that for a while. The only thing in the world she’s got left and I wipe her out. Gone. I know what flight she’s on. I’ll pick her up and torture her to death.”