Gianni leaned back slightly, unconvinced.“And if someone decides to make a name off your head anyway?”
I gestured lazily around the room.“They’re welcome to try.”
His eyes flicked outward, tracking the subtle placements, the quiet watches, the men who didn’t look like guards until you knew what to look for.
Recognition dawned.
“You brought them back in.”
“I recalled them last night,” I told him.“The second I knew I realized I’d probably need them now more than ever.”
“Paranoid much?”
“I prefer prepared.”
He hummed like he might argue it, then let it go.
Silence settled between us for a moment.
“What do you want, Cavalho?”
I wasn’t going to bother with pleasantries.The way I saw it, my business with the Cavalho family was over.
He arched a brow.“Straight to the point, huh?”
“We’ve never been friends,” I said flatly.“And I’m fairly certain I’ve just secured my position as persona non grata with your family.”
“That so?”
“Your cousin tried to cave my skull in,” I reminded him.“In case you missed it.”
Gianni’s mouth twitched.“Hard to miss.”
“Especially for you,” I added.“Given our history.”
That got a look.Not hostile, but not quite friendly either.
“Yeah,” he said after a beat.“We’ve had our share of disagreements.”
I huffed a quiet, humourless breath.“That’s one way of putting it.”
After another pause, he leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the bar.
“I’m not here to start anything.”
“No?”
“No.”His tone shifted—less flippant now.More… intentional.“I’m here because, despite everything, I want one thing more than your destruction.”
At least he was honest about his feelings towards me.
“What’s that?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“I want Tone to be happy.”
I went still.I didn’t trust myself to look at him.
