AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Looking at me affronted, she crosses her arms. “I get nauseous easily in the morning. I have for years, so I’ve always eaten a light breakfast. It’s not for dieting. Nice way to assume because I'm a bigger woman that I consume diet culture.”
Shaking my head and releasing a deep breath, I realize I went too far and she has a fucking point.“That’s not what I meant, and it has nothing to do with your weight, Emelia.”
“Really? Do explain. I’m dying to hear how you’ll dig yourself out of this one.” She sits back, arms still crossed, and I bring my fist up to the top of the table, an ironclad grip on my control.
I don’t answer to people, and now I’m challenged at every corner, fighting with someone I secretly want to ravish at every turn. I once killed a man because he laughed at my table. Laughed at something I said that had no humor. In fact, it was a very serious meeting. We cut the dinner short, because the food and table were suddenly covered with fragments of his brain and copious amounts of blood.
I then attended his funeral and shook the trembling hands of his parents. Grieving while shaking with fear, because I showed up to watch them bury the man I killed.
“All women are dieting,” I finally say.
“My hell, you truly are sexist.” She clicks her tongue. “Can’t say I’m shocked, but you really are dense and stupid for a person who claims to be the most cunning and intelligent man in our world.”
“Waving the white flag clearly isn’t the case this morning, so what version of you am I getting today, Emelia? The cocky, snippy one, or the tolerable one who graced me with her presence last night at dinner with less hostility?” I lift my brows and wait for her to respond.
“Same question for you. Am I going to get the hotheaded, sexist, controlling megalomaniac?”
I tilt my head back, look to the ceiling to somehow find clarity in the woodgrain, and ignore her question. I see her in my peripherals, watching me, but I don’t give her the satisfaction of even a glare, grunt, growl, or spark of male rage.
And as if the gods heard my silent plea for control, they send me a distraction. My phone rings, and Giulio’s name comes up.
“Yes,” I answer.
“Boss. The new shipment of drugs came in. It was fake. The seller sent it, but somewhere in transit, it was switched.”
“What the fuck, Giulio!” I slam my fist on the table, causing Emelia to jump. What the hell is happening in my outfit?
“I know, sir. I'm doing my best to find out who keeps interfering. I have Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York under watch, and so far they’ve been minding their own business. No interference.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. Being so far from home makes me that much more enraged.
“Clearly your best is not enough. You are the underboss. You are supposed to be performing at my level when I’m not there. Do I need to come home and do your jobandmine?” I yell.
“No. No, sir. I will get to the bottom of this.”
“You said that yesterday.” I slide my chair back and head out on the deck.
“How much money did we lose on this?”
“Sir,” he tries to defer, warning me with as much respect as he can.
“How much!”
“Over a million with the guns and the drugs.”
“I want a meeting set up first thing when I get back. All bosses. Someone is fucking with my goddamn business, Giulio, and I want to look each son of a bitch in the eyes and see who fucking bluffs.” I watch the crew arriving with the boat that will take us ashore, and I look over my shoulder at Emelia.
“Keep an eye on the Notellis. Something tells me they know something or have a hand in this.”
“Him marrying off his daughter to you doesn't kick him off your radar?” Giulio asks.
“I told you earlier. I find it interesting that this all began when I made the arrangement to marry his daughter. This could have been a stealth attack and not a fucking alliance.”
“Will do, sir.” He stops then, and I know something clicked in his head.
I don’t even give him a goodbye. I end the call and make my way back toward the bedroom, passing Emelia without a word.
“Rough day at the office?” She comes in a few moments after me as I pull out my clothes.
