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At thirty-four, Aurelio had dark brown hair, black eyes, and the women claimed that he was the Italian version of Zinedine Zidane; very unapproachable. Nevertheless, he was built like a warrior, and if death scared him, you’d never know it. He was also brilliant with any gun that you put in his hands, smarter than most people gave him credit for, and was loyal as fuck.
That loyalty was the reason that I confided in him more than I did my own brother. Aurelio’s hardened life made him a realist, something that I could appreciate. Aurelio’s advice was always bornout of logic, nothing more and nothing less. Elio, on the other hand, was known to throw a tantrum or two when he wasn’t getting his way, something that I didn’t have the time or patience for. Because Elio was untouchable, he thought that he could do whatever he wanted, and he often did.
I turned to see Aurelio shutting the door to my office. “Are you here to lecture me on the virtues of clean living?”
“I’m here to give you one last chance to change your mind,” he replied evenly.
“Even if I wanted to, it’s too late for that now,” I reminded him. “However, let’s be clear that I don’t want to.”
“You know shit like this never ends well, Nero.”
“What’s she going to do? Divorce me?”
“I’ll say it again, I think that you’re underestimating her,” he said, something that he’d kept insisting on.
When I’d told Aurelio about my plans two years ago, that’d been the first thing that he’d said to me. He’d been quick to point out what would happen if the truth ever came out, but if it did, it’d be too late by then.
“I’m not,” I assured him. “I know exactly what I’m getting myself into.”
“She’s a fucking criminal attorney, Nero,” he reminded me needlessly. “She’s not some docile piece of arm candy.”
While I’d always known who Kasen Milano was, I hadn’t ever interacted with her beyond some polite introductions when our fathers had arranged my marriage to her younger sister. Ready to honor my commitments, I hadn’t given her much thought beyond how beautiful she was. However, both Milano daughters were beautiful, beautiful women being something that there was no shortage of in this lifestyle.
At any rate, it hadn’t been untilshe’d been assigned to defend one of my men that I’d seen her in action in the courtroom. I’d been absolutely enthralled with her incredible intelligence, fiery disposition, and tenacity. Every pair of eyes had been on her every time that she’d spoken, and she had commanded that courtroom like it’d been her own personal playing field. While I had always believed her to be beautiful, that day in court, she’d been fucking stunning. I’d seen her through a new pair of eyes, and that’s when I had begun to form my plan to have her at all costs. Renzo Milano had given her a choice to opt out of our lifestyle, and I’d had to find a way to reel her back in. I’d had to find a way to trap her with no chance of escaping.
Ever.
“If she ever finds out the truth,you’re going to lose her,” Aurelio remarked evenly.
“How is she going to ever find out?” I asked, finally finishing my cigarette. “Do you think Mano’s going to tell her?” I shrugged. “Apart from me and you, he’s the only other person that knows what I’m doing. Even if he didn’t think that I’d kill him for speaking out of turn, he has to know that Renzo will.”
Six months ago, I had called a meeting with Mano Barone, Fia’s bodyguard. I had offered him five-million dollars to seduce and impregnate Fia Milano. Credit to him, he had insisted on a reason why, and when I’d told him, he’d seen the sense in why I would do such a thing, and he had readily agreed. One week ago, he had called me to tell me that Fia was pregnant and ready to run off into the night with him, something that wouldn’t and couldn’t happen. At least, not until I got what I wanted. I had no problems with Mano and Fia running off to live happily ever after together since I was never invested in Fia to begin with, but I couldn’t have that until Kasen had my ring on her finger.
“While you know that I always have your back, I still think that you’re underestimating her,” he repeated. “This could still blow up in your face, Boss.”
For the record, Aurelio only called me Boss to be facetious.
“I’vefaced worse,” I reminded him.
“What did you tell Marco?”
“Itold him the truth,” I answered with a smirk on my face. “I called him earlier and told him that I’d just found out the terrible news, and that I was going to go over to confront my lovely fiancé.”
Aurelio snorted. “You’re going to burn in Hell, Sartori.”
“For a lot of things,” I agreed.
“What did he say?”
“At first, he was pissed,” I said as I walked over to the other side of the office to pour myself a drink. “He wanted to confront Renzo himself, but I talked him out of it.”
“Pour me one of those, will you?”
Normally, Aurelio didn’t speak so casually to me, but he had leave to do so when it was just the two of us. In front of anyone else, he exercised the utmost respect. However, no matter what everyone saw when they looked at us, Aurelio was my best friend, and there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for him.
Handing him a glass of bourbon, I got back to the topic at hand. “I reminded him that it wouldn’t be a good look if my father fought my battles for me.”
Aurelio clinked the ice in his glass. “Doeshe know about Kasen?”
