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Enemies.
Winning.
Long moments go by, and he finally breaks.
“Emelia, I would like a word with you.” He looks back at me. “Alone.”
I meet her eyes, and she nods. Reluctantly, I give her a nod of approval, knowing I’m on guard and ready to strike if he tries anything.
Isabelle starts asking me about the penthouse and saying how much it reminds her of the one they have in Manhattan. To be honest, I tune her out and make sure my hearing is focused on where Emelia is. If I hear the slightest bit of duress or anything along those lines, I will be there to step in and handle Giuseppe like I want to.
This was supposed to be a time for me to bait him, but clearly I will have to be patient tonight.
“How is married life, Nico?” Isabelle continues to ramble, and I just lean back in my chair and sip my whiskey.
“It’s wonderful. Your daughter is quite the woman.” My response isn’t a lie. I’ve never met a more intoxicating yet infuriating woman.
“Is she? We all worried she would make you want to rip your hair out.”
I swallow the last drop and smirk.“Sass is the zest of life. She’s intelligent and witty. Wouldn’t you agree?” I ask with purpose. I’m curious if she has the nerve to disrespect Emelia again after the first warning.
That’s something I enjoy, watching people fold and learn how to behave in the way I like.
“Y-Yes, she is.” Isabelle’s stutter is like the sound of a victory bell.
“Sal, Lorenzo. You are enjoying the food and my wine. How about you two? Is your father training you on how to run an army the right way?”
Her oldest brother, Sal, looks at me, and he scarfs down the bread roll like he’s never eaten. Seriously, how has the Notelli household been run?
Manners? Fuck those.
Respecting women? What’s that?
Having a sense of how to run a business? Never heard of it.
How has Giuseppe never been voted out?
My dad had an enemy in that coward. But there are times I see why my father never saw him as a threat—until he did. Nepotism was his way into his position and his way of keeping it. How else would someone like him gain any power at all?
New York should be led by a deadly weapon. Right now, it’s just simply existing. If any power were added behind it, then the outfit would have so much more. New York is a ruthless city with a spineless ruler. His men must do all the work, and I meana lotof work. Sure, usually, we have our armies do things for us, but I have watched life leave the eyes of so many. I am a part of every damn thing I run. I do not delegate the majority of the work to be done. There is nothing that happens that I am not at least made aware of, so I can decide what to do, how it should be done.
I call the shots, and when you really fuck with me, I come for you personally. And Sal and Giuseppe? They came for my fucking jugular.
“Please! Stop!” Emelia screams, and I hear scuffling.
I’m up before she even finished the second word. I move through the kitchen and into my living area. Giulio is on my tail as we enter the room. He rushes to separate Giuseppe from Emelia. Her father has his hand around her throat, and there is a fresh red mark across her cheek.
“Don’t touch him, Giulio.” I move past my underboss and grab the back of Giuseppe’s neck, yanking him off my wife.“I told you, you pathetic little man, that if you touched her again, I would handle you like I would any other man.”
Isabelle, Sal, and Lorenzo come rounding the corner, and when they start to run up on me, Giulio stops them, my other guards showing up and helping detain her brothers.
“Please, this is just between her and her father. Surely you understand.” Isabelle panics, begging me to show mercy.
“No.” I tighten my grip, and he buckles a bit. “I don’t understand cowards who hurt women for fun.”
“You are going to make this worse for yourself, if you don’t think this through,” Giuseppe says, attempting to move, but I keep a tight hold on him.
“Oh, I’m counting on it. I have been waiting to watch you bleed in the name of my father.” His eyes widen, and suddenly the room falls silent.
