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“More than you know,” Giuseppe admitted.
Then that’s good, especially if we can devise a plan that will positively impact both our families.” Valentina regarded him again to ensure he really understood what she was trying to say.
“For our own benefit.”
He understood.
They talked more, specifically about the details of what they meant and what their plan could mean to their families.
“I would like to get started as soon as possible,” Giuseppe observed.
“Oh, the sex part?” Valentina blushingly asked.
“Well, when you make it sound like that, it sounds tawdry and cheap.” Giuseppe chuckled.
“It doesn’t have to be,” Valentina acquiesced.
“I hope it doesn’t,” Giuseppe maintained. “That’s not at all how I think of you, nor is that how I remember our past encounter.”
Valentina allowed her mind to drift back to that time and found that she agreed with him.
“It was good,” she observed, wearing a sultry smile.
“It was,” Giuseppe noted. “And I hope it will be good again.”
It can be,” Valentina offered.
“I hope it will be.”
Massimo had some time to consider things. He thought about the business end of things, making sure there were no loose ends he had yet to finalize. He met with his father regularly, so he understood all the inner workings of the family business. Where once he wasn’t as concerned with the intricate details, he had become more so, especially since he wanted to solidify a place with an heir. Massimo also met with Giuseppe because he wanted to understand the mechanics of how business was done. He no longer wanted Giuseppe to be the authority on all things mechanical or computer-related because Massimo understood he needed to know more than how that worked.
Massimo prepared himself for what he felt would be the next phase of his journey to truly being the head of his family. That part of the equation pleased him, but there was still a matter of family, his personal family. Down in the library, Massimo drank a glass of brandy as he sat in front of the window, contemplating the next steps. He had done what he needed to do with Isotta and much in the way he needed to do it. Doing so gave Massimo a sense of personal satisfaction. He treated Isotta just how she needed to be treated, as an appendage to his person, like property.
But did he really feel that way about Isotta?
Massimo sipped his drink as he thought. He thought about the question long and hard. There had been one point where he had softened up with Isotta, and things seemed to be going well. They were communicating, making sweet love to each other. Everything was moving on the track. But a mental switch had been flipped, and Massimo had sunk back into old ways of doing things, treating Isotta like she belonged to him, like he was the owner, and she was indeed his property.
But there was a part of Massimo that wanted Isotta to feel like his wife, with her own opinions and own voice. Yet, the health scare that she faced, the possibility of her not being able to have a child, helped to flip the switch back to a place where Massimo saw her more as a thing than as a person. They had had lots of unprotected in the hopes of Isotta getting pregnant. That’s what he needed to have happened to insulate his rise to the head of the family.
Massimo strolled to his bedroom and opened the door. He found Isotta sitting in a chair, reading a book. He stood in front of her as he spoke.
“I want you to get a pregnancy test.”
“Why?” Isotta asked without looking up.
“Because I want to see if you’re pregnant.”
“I don’t think I am,” Isotta answered.
“Why not? Have you had a regular period or something?” He asked, trying not to immediately sound frustrated.
“Because Massimo. The doctor doesn’t think I can get pregnant, remember?”
“No,” he replied. “What the doctor said was that you had a greater chance of not getting pregnant, but that doesn’t mean no chance.”
“I don’t feel pregnant.”
“What do you expect to feel? Something moving around?” He asked the question, but it was rhetorical and chastising in its tone. It would be early if you were. What would you expect to feel right now?”
