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“Noon, don’t be late,” he warns, a firm hand coming from nowhere and scrunching my hair. He tugs me closer to his mouth, and his lips are hard and commanding against mine before his teeth sink into my tongue, then pulls away, leaving my room in just the towel.
“So what’s this important thing you just have to tell me?” Gioele sits in the chair opposite mine in my office, looking really pissed at me.
After Riley fell asleep last night, I spent hours and hours lying awake, thinking about my next move. When I figured out what it was going to be, I messaged Gioele and told him to get here as early this morning as he could. I want to set things in motion immediately.
I have a strong feeling Gioele is going to have something to say about it, and usually, the man’s opinions matter to me. Not on this occasion.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said to me the other day, about who I’d leave all this to,” I admit, holding Riley’s cross tight in my palm as I speak.
“Good, I’m glad you’re taking it seriously,” Gioele nods back at me.
“I need a legacy like my father had. An heir,” I explain, watching him nod his agreement.
“Well, that takes time, but yes, that would be logical.” He chuckles to himself.
“What if I told you that I’ve already started working on it?” I wait for the old man’s reaction, and it doesn’t take long for his lips to straighten out with concern.
“The girl?” he asks, already looking displeased, just like I imagined he would.
“The girl,” I confirm, nodding my head confidently so he knows how serious I am.
“Is this a joke, Raphael? Because I should be on a plane to New York right now.”
“No joke,” I shake my head.
“But you hardly know the girl,” he points out. “Yes, of course, I see the appeal. Any man would. But do you really think you know her well enough to have decided that she should mother you a child?”
Leaning forward over my desk, he lowers his tone at me.
“I don’t have to tell you how much you’re worth. And well… she’s just a girl off the street, Raphael.”
I lean forward too.
“Talk about her like that again, old man, and you'll be eating through a tube for the rest of your life,” I warn him as the anger pulses through my veins.
Gioele stares back at me, and I don’t know if it’s shock or fear that’s on his face. The man’s seen me do enough things to know I don’t make empty threats, but I’ve never threatened him before.
I don’t give a shit where Riley came from. All I care about is her never ever going back there.
I take a calming breath before attempting to explain this better to him.
“I know myself, Gioele, and I know that there’s not been anyone since…” I stop myself when I remember that Gioele knows nothing of that part of my past, and for very good reason. No one knows except Adriano.
That part of me is buried.
“It’s time.” I control myself a little better as I continue. “Riley is perfect. She’s young and healthy. You even said yourself that she is good stock. Did you not?” I remind him.
“Well, yes, that’s all obvious, Raphael, but with all due respect, your father didn’t marry your mother because she was good stock. He was in love with her,” Gioele points out.
The man has no idea.
“And that’s what got her killed,” I bite back at him, regretting my harshness when I see the hurt in Gioele’s eyes. I was only five years old when one of my father’s rivals shot my mother. She was running errands, and Gioele was the one accompanying her. I know he’s never forgiven himself for not being able to protect her. Since then, Gioele has suffered his own misfortunes. The man knows loss better than anyone.
What happened to my mother wasn’t his fault, but it is one of the many reasons I lied to Samuele last night. As much as I know it hurt Riley to be treated like a whore, I couldn’t risk a man like him knowing she’s important to me.
“So that’s your plan? Knock the girl up. Have an heir and then keep her like a whore.” Gio puts it bluntly. He really is in a bad mood today.
“That will depend on how my conversation goes with her.” I raise my shoulders before relaxing back into my chair.
