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He stepped away from me and took a long look. I’d dressed appropriately for a day walking around my father’s territory—a creamy, short-sleeved sweater tucked into navy slacks and Chelsea boots, with pearls in my ears and a delicate gold chain around my neck. I blushed under Liam’s intense scrutiny.
“Gorgeous,” Liam whispered reverently.
A woman could get used to these men’s admiration. When the doorbell rang, it broke the moment, startling us all into motion. I scooped up the last bites of my breakfast as Liam went to open the door.
The domestic scene in the kitchen would drive home to my brother just what sort of agreement I’d entered into with these men. My heart sped as shame washed through me once again, for what I’d done with them, enjoyed with them.
Rian slid his arm around my waist. “Easy, princess.”
I wrung my fingers, listening to footsteps echo on the hardwood floors as Luca and Lorenzo approached the kitchen.
Liam entered first, dropping a kiss on the top of my head as he walked straight to the coffeemaker. “American coffee?” he offered them.
Luca ignored him, wrapping his fingers around my upper arms and leaning in for gentle air kisses. “Are you okay, big sister?” he whispered, drawing me away from Rian, his grip gentle, but insistent.
I wanted to cry with relief. I should have known that Luca would be concerned rather than disgusted. Tentatively, I brought my arms up to bring him into a warm hug.
“I’m fine. I’ll be fine,” I answered, fierce and once again determined to do whatever it took to protect my family.
I climbedinto the backseat of the large SUV, greeting Lorenzo, who was at the wheel. Rian sat up front, and Luca slid in beside me.
Liam pulled out of the driveway ahead of us. His men were already in place along the route, making sure the first several stops were safe.
“Did you have a chance to read the files I sent you last night, on each of the businesses?” Luca asked.
I hadn’t even seen the email, I’d been so completely and utterly distracted by getting railed by my men. Swearing to myself, I thumbed through the file on my phone.
“Busy night?” Luca asked, grinning at me.
I swatted at him and laughed. Why did I stay away from this family for so long? My attention strayed back down to the file where I reviewed monies owed for protection. “Protection.” What a fucking racket. It was extortion, and I was about to take part in it.
We pulled in front of a café. We’d missed the bustling morning rush hour, so the inside was quiet. Rian was out and opening my door faster than I could blink, helping me out of the vehicle and wrapping a thick arm around my waist before releasing me. Lorenzo held open the door, and I led the way in.
It was adorable—cute white tables, a kitschy atmosphere, and smiling faces behind the counter. “Oh, Ginevra,” an older woman said, bustling out as she wiped her hands on her apron. “Welcome back!”
She gave all of us air kisses, then sat us at a table near the back while her staff prepared espressos and plates of pastries for us.
“It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Rinaldi,” I answered with a wide smile.
Her husband sat down beside Luca. “Ginevra, you’ve grown so much since we last caught you convincing Francesco to steal pastries for you.”
I laughed. Their son, Francesco, and I had been inseparable as children. “I hear he’s doing very well these days, with his own construction company.” Luca’s notes, or rather, Pietro’s and Luis’s notes, had been thorough.
Mr. Rinaldi nodded. “He is, thanks to your father. Francesco is the prime contractor for a number of Russo projects. But what are you doing back,piccolina?”
But he wasn’t the prime contractor for the failed building.
“The family needed me,” I said, taking Mrs. Rinaldi’s hand.
“I hear you’ve been quite successful yourself,” Mr. Rinaldi continued. It shouldn’t have surprised me that folks kept tabs on me back here.
This time, my smile was genuine. “I have been. I run a special effects company in Los Angeles.”
Luca took over the story. “Ginevra’s business sense is one of the reasons we’re here today. She’s going to be managing the operational side of the family business.”
Rian raised his eyebrows. “Is that decided? I’d rather hoped she would do the same for us.” My eyes flicked between the two men. Just like that, they’d both elevated me to their equal.
Shit.
