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His daughter, Nikita, had turned twenty-one the previous week, the age it had been agreed she would become mine. At twenty-nine, I was eight years her senior, an age gap that didn’t bother me in the least since I didn’t want her. I didn’t want any wife. I was perfectly fine fucking the strippers I owned at Segreti.
Unfortunately, Father demanded I honour his deal with Ashe, and when Father demanded anything, no matter who you were, you obeyed—even me as his son.
Father also insisted it would forge a beneficial friendship between our two families. I disagreed. My trust in people, except those I'd known for years and who had proven their loyalty over and over, was non-existent.
"Mr Abruzzenesa." Elijah offered his hand, and I shook.
“This is Gaetano Cocciola.”
The two men shook hands, and I took note of how my right-hand man studied Ashe. He was an excellent judge of character, and I never doubted his opinion.
We had never openly dealt with Ashe because Father had never trusted him. Nikita's father was most likely oblivious to the fact his casino was our primary venue for laundering.
I raked my eyes over the man who technically was about to become my father-in-law. He was tall, dressed in a grey suit, ruby-coloured shirt, and grey tie. His obviously dyed dark hair was styled short, his beard was cropped short and his blue eyes studied me briefly before we were invited into his home.
The interior was tastefully decorated, honouring the era of the home with oversized antique pieces of furniture and soft furnishings in pastel shades. The home spoke of elegance and refined taste. I suspected the décor was the result of a professional decorator.
We were led through the house and into a living room with wall-to-wall bi-fold doors that had been opened, allowing a cool morning breeze to waft into the space. The views over Middle Harbour almost rivalled those from my home. Almost.
A full-length deck had a table and chairs, and we were led in that direction. Shortly after we sat, a young woman, smartly dressed in long blue pants and a white shirt, appeared at Elijah's side. I was disappointed that she was average in appearance, and certainly not to my taste, but I reminded myself she was ideally suited to work at the strip club for which she was destined.
Our 'wedding' would not be a grand affair, it was arranged to take place in the living room of my home with only Father, Ashe, and my closest men present as witnesses. No one else would be aware of our union, and I doubted Nikita would speak of it after I threatened her father with bodily harm if she didn't stay quiet.
“Gentlemen, this is my housekeeper and cook, Serina.”
Gaetano glanced my way; he'd obviously thought the woman was Nikita, as I had. We acknowledged the introduction, and when she asked if we would like something to drink, Gaetano and I requested mineral water with a twist of lemon, while Ashe requested two fingers of rum. I filed away the fact that the man wasn't averse to drinking hard liquor early in the day.
Serina left to fulfil our orders, and I glanced at my watch. Ashe noticed.
“Do you have another appointment?”
I shook my head. “No. I am merely impatient to be done with our business.”
Ashe looked bothered and I suspected something was wrong.
“I would like to conclude our transaction as soon as possible,” I reiterated.
Elijah’s eyes jerked to mine. “You consider my daughter a transaction?”
"One of yours and my father's making, and one I would have preferred not to become involved in, but I was given no choice."
“Would you be open to a cash settlement in place of my daughter?”
I sat back in the chair and crossed my arms. I didn't want to accept his daughter. In fact, I detested the thought of being forced to accept some whiny, spoilt woman in my life. But an agreement between gentlemen, even if they were criminals in the eyes of the public, was not something to be challenged.
I found it curious he was attempting to offer an alternative. This man knew I was head of a famiglia who owned every official and anyone of importance in the greater city of Sydney. They were all instrumental in helping to maintain our criminal activities without threat. I had the means and contacts to ensure Ashe disappeared permanently, or better still, bring his businesses to their knees and completely destroy his empire if he attempted to step back on the agreement.
"A cash settlement was not the agreement between you and my father. For some fuck knows why reason, he wants a legal union between me and your daughter. My father's health is failing rapidly, and it seems his life here on earth is very limited. I do not want this union, but it will happen, so my father's wish to see me married is realised."
The man's shoulders slumped, but he had more sense than to attempt another offer. He was well aware I would regard it as offensive.
Serina placed drinks in front of each of us, and Elijah instructed his employee to inform someone called Howard that Nikita’s presence was required on the deck.
Chapter Two
NIKITA
It was early morning, the sun barely having crested the horizon, and I swam laps of our Olympic-sized pool. The angrier I became, the faster I swam. I'd known about this day for years. Daddy had told me when I was twelve years old that I was promised to a man on my twenty-first birthday, and I had fought against it ever since.
