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Enzo smiles, which isn’t something you see all that often.
“Now, I’m here for a proposal about merging California and Arizona together. I have to say, I’m intrigued,” Enzo says, glancing at Hunter.
It might come as a shock to others, but not to me and Ace. We knew Hunter's heart wasn’t in it. It was a duty, not an honor. His heart lies with his growing family. As it should.
“Enzo, I’m going to be stepping back and giving it over to Colten to head this family,” Hunter confirms.
Enzo shrugs. “Okay. And Colten, you accept?”
“Yes. I accept.”
“And how do you propose the future merger looks? I assume Gianna is going to be going back to LA to run it for me?”
Gianna shakes her head. “No, Enzo. That isn’t our suggestion. Actually, I’d like to remain here, a true merger. I will have Dom running LA from the ground there, taking commands from myself and Colten. We can streamline our routes between Vegas, Arizona, and LA. Get new warehouses and utilize our men better. LA needs to rebuild, entirely from scratch. I need help with that; I need resources, and I need Colten.”
Enzo picks up his whiskey, eyes on my wife. “Do you think that will work, Gianna? You being here?” Enzo asks before sipping his whiskey.
I think he’s buying into this plan; it’s hard to tell with him.
“I’m confident it will. I trust Dom to be in LA. I trust him to take our orders. He’s never let me down before. We don’t want to be the Milano family. We want the Sterling family to be known as the leaders in LA. I am the head of LA. Gianna Sterling. And I’ll burn down everything my father created there in the process. The old way is done, Enzo. It’s there for us to build something great.”
“And you’d be willing to go to war for me, Gianna?” he asks.
Gianna sits back, and I rest my hand on her thigh.
“If it means protecting my family, then yes, Enzo. We will fight wars for you. For the Sterlings. And I can offer you something else too.”
Enzo leans forward, eyebrow raised. “What would that be?”
Gianna rests her elbows on the table, putting her head on her hand.
“I want to help you hunt down Tatiana. Dom has some contacts we can use, so do I. I know people in high places that you might not be able to tap into. Let us help you kill that bitch, Enzo.”
His face doesn’t change, but I see it: that quick flash in his blue eyes. My girl has him hooked.
“She wronged me. My family went after me and threw me in a prison to torture me for information on you to give to her. That declared war on me, Enzo. So, if you agree to this merger, I’ll get you more people to hunt her down.”
Enzo nods slowly. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, Gianna,” he says, glancing at me.
I shrug. My wife can do whatever she wants to.
“Dom is your man for this, Enzo. You want someone found who doesn’t want to be? Send in my brother.”
“I’ll have Romeo work directly with him. He’s working on that at the moment. He’s actually stationed in California at the moment.”
After what Gianna saw with Dom and Romeo, I doubt either of them will have an issue working in close proximity. I’m assuming they’re already shacked up together in LA. Although the investigations might not get very far.
“So we have a deal? California and Arizona are now one? Me and Colten are the heads of both?”
Hunter grins, looking between me and G. I’d say he’s proud. And probably relieved I’m taking this off his plate.
Maybe my dad getting us involved in this wasn’t as bad as I first thought. His actions led me to my wife, and I can never, ever, be angry about that.
Enzo sticks out his hand to Gianna, and she shakes it firmly. And then I do the same.
“I’ll be in touch soon,” Enzo says as he stands, straightening out his suit.
Hunter joins him, following him to the door, and I let out a breath, turning to my gorgeous wife.
