Page 26 of Mafia Obsession

“No,” he says immediately.

Given the floor we are on and the size of this office, I assume Ares is the CEO. Something tells me he doesn’t answer to anyone. He also doesn’t sit, just rests one hand lightly on the edge of his desk.

“You bought Nathan’s company,” I say, feeling stupid.

“I did,” he admits proudly, his eyes never leaving me. “And moved them where the business can be more profitable and less subject to intimidation.”

“Did Nathan tell you I couldn’t move?” I ask quietly.

“No. From the way your husband manhandled you that night, he didn’t strike me as a man who would move for his wife’s job,” he says coldly. “And so, I created a position for you.”

The mention of David makes my stomach drop. I’ll have to explain this all to him when he gets back from his trip.

“Why?” I rub my hands together nervously.

“I want you,” he says, low and controlled. And without any elaborate explanation.

Like I’ll just say ‘okay’ and leave it there. Clearly, he doesn’t know me that well. What I’ve been through and how I questioneverything.

“For what?” I ask, forcing my voice to remain steady. “What is the job?”

That lone desk outside this office is a hint, I imagine.

“Let me show you something.” He motions to the seating area with a sofa and two chairs atop a woven rug on the other side of the office.

My father taught me to recognize luxury. His tutelage is failing me because I’m awestruck.

Ares gestures toward a tall architectural model positioned near the windows, something I hadn’t noticed before. I amble that way, calculating every step and every word that will come out of my mouth. Men like Ares Zervas eat people for breakfast when they smell weakness.

“This is the Aurelian,” he says, hands splaying proudly over the detailed white model that depicts an elegant and imposing building with four towers. “It’s a converted church. Despite landmark status, I’ve been able to renovate the interior.”

“It looks beautiful.” I smile at the fake little trees in an open courtyard.

“And this is the primary residence.” Ares removes the model’s miniature roof to reveal a series of rooms that make up a luxurious apartment. “I’ll move in when the time is right.”

“What will you use it for besides your home?” I ask.

“It won’t be open to the public,” he replies. “It’s neutral ground. Where men who command empires sit across from each other instead of sending soldiers. It will be the new symbol of my power to welcome the heads of such empires.”

“Like the U.N.”

“Exactly.”

My fingers skim one of the printed brochures with renderings of several floors. “It reminds me of the Paris UNESCO headquarters. All you need is your own Fall of Icarus.”

“If I want that thirty-foot Picasso in my lobby, I’ll steal it,” he says wickedly.

Steal…Uh oh…

“When will the Aurelian be ready?” I ask to move the conversation forward.

“The grand unveiling will be New Year’s Eve,” he says proudly.

“I guess you’re pretty far along.” I suspect he’s never encountered a deadline he couldn’t bend or buy his way around.

“Just finishing touches and providing tours to prospective members.”

“Like the Italian Mafia?”