Page 4 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Surgeon

I had not liked Gia Santoroat all. Why the hell was my dad bringing her up? A feeling of trepidation came over me.

Once we’d ordered, Dad turned to me and said,“Paolo, Geno Santoro and I want a family alliance. We want you andGia to get married.” He leaned in closer. “And the business needs the alliance. If you don’t marry her, you’ll be letting your entire family down. The business could go under without the Santoro contract.”

My eyes got wide, but I saw that Valeria didn’t look surprised at all. I wondered how close she’d gotten to my dad. I hoped like hell he wasn’t about to divorce Mama and that Valeria would become my new stepmother.

“Jesus, Dad. I thought the business was doing great. I just talked to Raphael the other day and he was so pleased with everything.” Raphael, or Raphe, was the next oldest Lanetti brother after me. He was an excellent businessman, a ruthless killer, and, strangely, a chronic worrier. Seriously, he worried more about the family members than my late grandmother or my mama ever had.

“Raphe. He lied.”

I blinked at my father, waiting for him to say more. He didn’t. The knot in my stomach got larger. “Do the Santoros still live in Foggia?”

Dad nodded. “Off and on. What does that matter? Gia’s going to be visiting the states for a while and plans on staying with your mother while she’s here. I expect you to show her around town.”

Pretty sure that was code for marry her and get her knocked up.

“I’ll leave you two to talk about this for a bit while I visit the facilities,” Valeria said.

When Valeria stood to go to the restroom, Dad and I both stood as well. I’d been raised as a gentleman, after all. As soon as she was gone, however, I crashed down into my chair.“What the hell? I’m not the son you want to create an alliance with. Surely, everyone in Foggia knows that. I have five brothers, andthey’reall in the family business. Why wouldn’t Geno want Gia married to one of them?”

My father looked at me, quiet.“Are you finished?”

I sat back in my chair, nonplussed.“I guess so.”

“Geno thinks you’re the smartest of my sons, and he wants brilliant, beautiful grandkids.”

I shook my head.“From what I remember of Gia, he might want to re-think that.” She’d been smart, but she sure as hell hadn’t been beautiful.

He leaned forward.“She doesn’t look like she used to, son. She’s a hot piece of ass now.”

‘Hot piece of ass’ was my dad’s highest compliment to women. I was pretty sure most women wouldn’t love to be described in that way, but no one ever tried to correct my father. I craned my head around, hoping Valeria hadn’t come back and heard him talking about another woman like that. She hadn’t.“My God. If she’s truly good-looking now, which I doubt, she’d be worth a few nights of fucking. Butmarryingher?” I pulled at my collar.“That… that doesn’t really interest me.”

He stared at me, and I could see his brain working in his intelligent, dark brown eyes.“You’re almost in your mid-thirties.”

I waited, convinced he would have more reasons as to why I should get married than just my age. The silence grew between us.“That’s it? I’m close to my mid-thirties so I should get married to some girl I haven’t seen in twenty-five years?”

He sucked his teeth, looking very displeased.“You listen to me, Paolo. I’m planning to increase my community presence. I’m going to start attending more charity events and galas with your Mama. I expect you to have dates to those functions. No more showing up alone, dancing with a few women, and taking one home to fuck all night.” He pointed at me and gave me ‘dad eyes’ so I knew he meant business. “I’m talking about proper women as your dates. No floozies.”

“Pretty sure the only people who’ve ever said ‘floozies’ are gangsters from the 1920s and seventy-five-year-old church ladies.”

He waved an impatient hand at me. “I’m fucking serious, Paolo.”

Well. I didn’t like the sound of this at all.“Does Mamaknow you’re planning on going to all those galas and benefits with her?”

He huffed out a breath, which was Dad’s way of saying nowithout really saying it.

“That’s what I thought. I don’t know how excited she’s going to be to have to go with you to all those society functions.”

“The feeling will be mutual,” he murmured, picking up his glass of whiskey and taking a long drink.“You don’t want to marry Gia Santoro? Fine. Maybe I’ll save her for one of your brothers. But you will at least make progress towards settling down. I’d like you to marry an Italian woman, but if that’s not possible, then she at least has to be of your status and class.”

I had to force myself to stay through the rest of dinner, and I wasn’t able to eat much. I couldn’t wait for Dad and Valeria to leave so I could go hang out with Nico at Cayenne, the sex club he owned with his sister Carmen.

I said goodbye to Valeria, trying not to imagine what her large breasts would feel like in my hands.“It wassonice to meet you,” she said, her hand brushing against my dick. I had to hold back a groan as she started running her hand up and down my cock through my pants.“I’m very good at lots of things,” she grinned, whispering in my ear.

“I understand,” I said, stepping back with effort and hoping my suit jacket hid my hard-on from view. She might be gorgeous and interested in fucking me, but that sure as hell wasn’t worth pissing my dad off over.

I gave my father a quick hug and excused myself as soon as possible. I saw the look of disappointment on his face, and it left me with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hated letting him down. I didn’t hate it enough that I would marry someone just to keep him happy, though.

As I walked to Cayenne, which was only a few doors down from Salt, I thought about four things. One, I was glad I’d gone home to change into a suit before meeting my father at the restaurant. The dress code at all the Salazar clubsrequired a suit. Not just any suit, either. It had to be a top-of-the-line bespoke suit. Anyone who thought men didn’t care about style or judge each other based on how much their suits cost was crazy. Men were every bit as bad as women at that.