Page 93 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

This wasn’t a fairy tale that would end happily.

They weren’t star-crossed. They were impossible.

Christmas was just a week away. Emma had been inAffonso’s office when Calisto barreled in, pissed off and looking for a fight.Or rather, wanting answers. Emma was going over the plans for the large NewYear’s party that Affonso had planned. His daughters were supposed to bearriving home from boarding school the next day.

Emma sat on the couch and acted like she wasn’thearing a thing. Affonso hadn’t kicked her out of the office when Calistoarrived. Her husband rarely did, although she wasn’t sure why.

It made it a little harder.

All of the stolen moments with Calisto over the lastmonth came rushing back to her memory, intent on burning her up. A searing kissin a hallway. Calisto’s hand finding hers under a table. His fingers skimmingher knee, up her thigh, and under her dress when people left a room. Her pantspulled down to her knees in the backseat of his car when they were supposed tobe driving to one of Affonso’s monthly dinners with his associates.

Moments that made her heart ache and race at the sametime.

They were playing such a dangerous game together.

It was deadly.

Mistakes were a death sentence.

Emma couldn’t stop.

Calisto was a drug—a needle to her vein.

Time with him was heaven while it lasted, but it wasgoing to send her straight to hell.

She just wanted more.

“This is becoming too personal for it to be aboutbusiness, zio,” Calisto snapped.

Emma broke out of her reverie, and decided to listento the conversation a little more closely. Something important was happening,clearly, but she didn’t have a clue what exactly it was.

“So they burned one of the warehouses,” Affonsomuttered, waving a hand flippantly as if to dismiss Calisto’s concerns. “Whatdoes it matter?”

“Not just one of them. A warehouse that you own. TheO’Neils could have picked any one of our businesses to mess with. Any ofthem—we have hundreds between all of our men. But no, they picked yoursspecifically. One you frequent at least three days out of the week. That wasdeliberate.”

“Your point?”

“It’s a message, Affonso. A clear one. You’re notwilling to sit down with the Irish boss and discuss whatever this issue is.Why?”

Affonso sighed. “Calisto, leave it alone. They willget tired of it all and move on to something new. It’s a territory scuffle, andnothing more.”

“It’s not. That’s what you wanted me to believe. Themore I think about the things they were doing before, the more it makes sense.They killed a young soldier to gain attention. They irritated and caused issueswith one of your best Capos. They could have picked anyone. They could havekilled anyone.”

“Calisto—”

“If this was about territory they would have taken itby now because you stood back and did nothing to stop them!”

Affonso slammed his hand down to the desk with a loudsmack. “You are walking on thin ice at the moment, boy.”

Emma sank her teeth into her bottom lip to keep quiet.The two men glared at one another, and neither seemed like he was ready to backdown.

Then, Calisto spat out a bitter laugh. “Boy, huh? WhenI was younger, you used to throw that at me all the time when I angered you ormade you disappointed in me. It worked then, zio, but it doesn’t worknow.”

Affonso stilled, his gaze narrowing on Calisto with awarning flashing behind his eyes. “You’re to stay out of the Irish and thoseaffairs. I won’t tell you again. You’re allowed to hate me all you want, Cal,but you cannot disobey me as your boss. If you want a different outcome, oneyou approve of, then there’s only one way for you to get that. Take my seat.I’ll even hand it over to you with a smile.”

Calisto’s fists clenched at his side. “You’reunbelievable.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is clever.”