Although every part of me itches to get her the fuck out of here.
If I’m feeling the high tensions so acutely, she must be drowning in it. Discomfort bleeds through her posture. I watch every small movement she makes. The way she folds her arms, barely listening as Matteo says something to her. He’s probably telling her exactly how to act when the tearful reunion starts.
She keeps glancing towards the doors and has steadfastly refused to look at me since we arrived here thirty minutes ago. I know we were told to keep our distance, but it bothers me.
In the time we’ve spent together, I’ve become so accustomed to those amber eyes and there’s a heaviness in my chest in their absence.
“Relax, Rafaelle,” I mutter.
This will be over soon enough. And then it’ll all be mine. Liliana’s eyes. Her smile. Her laughter. Her curiosity. It’ll all be fucking mine.
I pull my phone from my pocket, a frown on my face as I send her a text. I’ve never had any reason to do that before but I watch as she pulls out the buzzing phone from the pockets of the pants she has on.
Me: As soon as this is all over. I’m taking you out on a date. We can even go to one of those diners and I’ll join you in stuffing your face with unhealthy carbs. You can reward me by sucking my cock when we get home. After I’ve made you come thrice.
As soon as she reads it, she looks up at me. The contact should fill me with comfort but the blatant sadness and despair in them, has me feeling dread. She offers me a small smile that’s fake and entirely disingenuous. She doesn’t reply my text though. My fingers ball into fists.
She’s been acting weird since she got back from meeting Carlos. But I thought it was just nerves over this impending meeting. Now I’m starting to think there’s something else going on.
Just when I’m about to fuck it all and go to her, Matteo approaches, blocking my line of sight.
“Everything’s ready,” he says to me unnecessarily.
I make a disinterested hum, my mind filled with thoughts of the woman I’d rather have in my arms and far away from here.
Matteo scratches the scruff of his jaw, his eyes studious and intent, “You’ve got a scary as fuck look on your face right now, Raf.”
“What look?”
“The one you get right before you do something stupid.”
“I’ll behave,” I say dismissively.
But my brother isn’t exactly wrong. Every inch of me itches to stop this trade right now.
“The Don will arrive in a couple of minutes. Ignacio Navarro won’t be far behind him,” Matteo continues speaking. “The trade won’t take long. He’s already aware about our terms. He just needs to see his daughter, sign the documents and then hopefully all hell doesn’t break loose when we tell him that she’s still going to continue staying with us.”
I scoff, “Yeah, that’ll happen.”
Everyone, especially our men are poised for a men. I just hope I can get Liliana out of here before the bloodbath ensues. The Don arrives soon enough, Elio right behind him, with his guards in tow.
He nods towards I and Matteo, who immediately moves to stand at his side. I stay put, doing my best to keep my cool as Iwatch over everything from the corner of the room. I watch as Salvatore introduces himself to Liliana and offers her a light comforting smile.
My brother takes a seat at the table and gestures for Liliana to take the one beside him. She does so hesitantly. Almost immediately she does, the warehouse grows quieter and the air seems to chill even further.
Ignacio Navarro steps through the doors of the warehouse. Sliver streaks cut through dark hair at his temples and deep lines bracket his mouth. His face is weather but strong, his expression unreadable. Despite the fact that he’s been fucking with me all these years, I’ve only ever seen the old man two or three times.
He’s in his late fifties, perhaps sixties, but age has done nothing to diminish him. The opposite actually. He looks sharp in a well-tailored dark charcoal suit. A dozen armed men trail behind him. There are more outside I’m sure, ready and waiting for the first signs of trouble.
Navarro moves with the confidence of someone accustomed to being obeyed. He glances around the warehouse, cataloguing every inch of it. For a brief movement, his eyes find mine and a faint smile touches his mouth. It’s not friendly, but assessing. I scowl back at him in reply.
He looks away from me and refocuses on the Don who hasn’t stood up at his entrance. And the woman beside him, shifting under the weight of all the attention.
Looking at them so close, it’s pretty clear that they share a familial relationship. Navarro’s eyes are softer as he takes in his daughter, then the look clears and his attention returns to the Don.
“Salvatore Vitale,” he says in a voice that carries, not loud but powerful. “A pleasure.”
My brother gets to his feet to grasp the hand stretched towards him.
