“Giuseppe.”Not loud.Not commanding.Just firm enough to make me pause, my fingers frozen on the cool brass.“A moment.”
I didn’t turn around.Didn’t dare hope that Antonio’s intervention meant anything other than more lectures about duty and obedience.But I didn’t open the door either.Just stood there, my back to the room, trying to control my breathing while my heart continued its frantic hammering.
I heard movement.The soft whisper of expensive shoes against carpet, then Antonio’s voice again, quieter now.Close enough to Papa that I shouldn’t have been able to hear, but the study’s acoustics carried sound in strange ways.Fragments reached me despite the deliberate low volume.
“… strategic advantage we can’t ignore…”
Papa’s response was too quiet to make out, but the tone was sharp.Angry.Dismissive.
Antonio continued, unperturbed.“… De Luca territory spans three regions.Their reach into the northern territories alone…”
More from Papa, his voice rising slightly.I caught “disrespect” and “undermining” before it dropped again.
I turned slightly, just enough to see them in my peripheral vision without making it obvious I was listening.Antonio had moved closer to Papa, one hand resting on my father’s shoulder in a gesture that looked supportive but was probably restraining.The consigliere’s other hand gestured at something on the desk.Papers, maybe, or the ledger Papa kept with family finances.
“The Vitale alliance brings us two million in immediate assets,” Antonio was saying, his voice just audible now.He tapped the desk for emphasis.“Marco’s family controls four territories, yes, but three of them are contested.The Castellanos have been pushing into their eastern holdings for six months.By this time next year, the Vitales might control half what they do now.”
“Marco’s family has connections --”
“Connections the De Lucas also have.”Antonio’s interruption was smooth, deferential enough not to be insulting but firm enough to keep control of the conversation.“Plus territory that isn’t contested, and a reputation that makes other families think twice before challenging anyone associated with them.Giuseppe, I understand your anger at Caterina’s methods.Her approach was disrespectful and should be addressed.But the alliance itself?We’d be fools not to consider it.”
I felt something flutter in my chest.Hope, maybe.Or shock that Antonio was actually arguing my case.The consigliere wasn’t known for his sentimentality.If he was pushing this, it was because the numbers genuinely favored the De Luca deal.
Papa was silent for a long moment.I could see his profile from where I stood, could see the way his jaw worked as he ground his teeth.The vein at his temple was still visible, still pulsing with barely contained rage.
But his hands had come up to the desk again.Not slamming this time.Just resting there, fingers drumming against the wood in thought.
Antonio pressed his advantage, leaning down to point at something in the ledger.“The De Luca family controls the northern ports.All shipping from those territories goes through their people.An alliance gives us access to trade routes that would take us years to establish independently.We’d see returns within the first quarter.”
“At what cost?”Papa’s voice was still hard, but the volume had dropped.The volcanic rage cooling into something more dangerous -- cold calculation.“The De Lucas don’t make deals without extracting their pound of flesh.What does Dante want in return for this generous alliance?”
“Ask him.”Antonio straightened, removing his hand from Papa’s shoulder.“Bring him here.Negotiate terms.See if the deal is as advantageous as your daughter claims.If it’s not, then proceed with the Vitale arrangement.But Giuseppe --” He paused, making sure he had my father’s full attention.“If it is as good as it looks on paper, walking away from it would be the kind of mistake that costs us deeply.”
The silence stretched.I kept my hand on the doorknob, kept my position at the door, but inside I was screaming.Say yes.Say you’ll consider it.Say something other than no.
Papa’s fingers stopped drumming.He looked down at the ledger, his expression unreadable.When he finally spoke, his voice was flat.Emotionless.“The De Luca boy better be worth twice what Marco offered.”
My breath caught.That wasn’t a yes.But it wasn’t a no either.
“Set up a meeting,” Papa continued, his gaze still on the numbers Antonio had been indicating.“I want to see Dante De Luca face-to-face.I want terms presented formally.I want everything in writing before any announcements are made.”He finally looked up, his gaze landing on me with the weight of a physical blow.“And if this falls through, Caterina, you’ll marry Marco without another word of complaint.Understood?”
I turned fully now, meeting his eyes.Letting him see that I understood perfectly.
“Good.”He sat back in his chair, his posture somehow more rigid than before.“Antonio will reach out to the De Lucas to arrange a meeting.You will be present.You will behave appropriately.You will not embarrass this family again.”Each sentence came out clipped, controlled.“This is a business decision, not acceptance of your rebellion.Don’t mistake my pragmatism for approval.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”I kept my voice level, neutral, giving him nothing that could be interpreted as triumph or satisfaction.
But inside, I was celebrating.Screaming.Doing mental backflips of victory.
Papa wasn’t happy.Was probably already planning how to make me pay for the disrespect of going behind his back.But he was agreeing to meet with Dante.Was considering the alliance.That was more than I’d dared hope for when I’d walked into this study.
Antonio nodded once, his expression returning to its usual neutral state.“I’ll contact the De Lucas today.We should have a meeting scheduled within forty-eight hours.”
“Fine.”Papa waved a hand dismissively.“Caterina, you’re dismissed.Luca, stay.We have other business to discuss.”
I didn’t wait to be told twice.I turned back to the door, pulled it open with hands that were somehow steady despite the adrenaline flooding my system, and stepped into the hallway.
The door clicked shut behind me, and I sagged against the wall for just a moment.Long enough to take one deep breath.Two.To feel the victory settle into my bones alongside the fear of what came next.
