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Hmm. Maybe she finds people as easily read as I do…or she likes cigars. I add it to my list of things to ask her about, trying not to stare as she expertly lets out a gentle puff of cigar smoke.
Keller lights mine and leans back in his chair. "So, Pretty Boy and Russo. Sell me on it, but keep it short. I've already got deals coming out of my ears. I don’t want the FBI up my ass because I went out on a limb that hasn’t been tested.”
My older brother tapped Keller about Vitalen briefly a few days ago when I told him to reach out to the drug lord. I know he didn't speak about the Illuminati since we were instructed not to. Still, the guy is clearly curious about this meeting, so I'm sure Anthony gave him the elevator pitch on the substance when they spoke.
I don’t wait for Giulia to step in, instead jumping in myself to tell Keller everything I know about the drug—which is a lot. Over the last couple of weeks, since my brother came back rearing to get this deal out there and change the name of the mafia, I’ve done my own vetting ofVitalen. Every claim the Illuminati has made about it has proven true, backed up by a shit-ton of research and records. I’ve sampled it a few times, and Gabriella has been raving to my father about how her “bad knee” feels much better since she’s been on it.
By the time I finish giving Keller the run-down, something I didn’t practice since I knew he’d be able to tell if it was genuine, he’s puffing his cigar in deep thought. Giulia sits with her back straight and her attention fixed firmly on him. She wants him to accept the proposed deal for his dealers to start gettingVitalenout there, but she’s doing a decent job of not being too intense or uptight.
I want to take some credit for that after helping her unwind last night. I smile to myself at that thought, and she catches my eye. Her narrowed gaze tells me she knows exactly what I’m thinking about, and it just makes it harder not to let my shit-eating grin show.
Finally, Keller grunts and puffs out more cigar smoke, attention returning to me. “It’s clearly got your seal of approval. And I doubt the head Don’s girlfriend would be on it if it weren't all you say since your Giovanni papa is one protective coot. Tell you what. You said this stuff speeds up cell regeneration? I’ll help get the ball rolling in my circuits after a trial period—you give me enough to see if it helps my wife with her sciatic neuritis.”
Giulia raises a brow. “How long do you propose this trial period should last?”
“Til it’s better.”
I can tell she doesn’t like that unquantifiable answer and is ready to make that clear to him, and I quickly step in. After all, she’s probably seeing this as a very clean-cut deal, a simple business transaction, but I know more about Keller. He’s trying to see if we’re bluffing. He wants to see utmost confidence, not proposed deadlines or more hard facts.
“Done,” I say, shrugging nonchalantly. “Gabriella’s been taking it for just over a week with no side effects beyond her wanting to keep taking it to keep the inflammation in her knee from returning. I’d expect the timeline to be the same for your wife, Frederick. Let’s say we get plenty to you and check in after a month. If you’re not already pushingVitalenout to your top dealers to flood the streets with this stuff by then and singing its praise, I’ll hand you the keys to my Porsche myself.”
His lips curl slowly up before he chuckles. “I knew I liked you, Pretty Boy. What about you, Russo? Wanna throw in something to sweeten the pot?”
“Oh, I’m certain you know enough about pot to understand this is the sweetest deal you’ll get, Mr. Frederick.”
Keller laughs hard at her prim, teasing reply before nodding and putting out his cigar. “You two are my kind of people. It’s a deal. I’ll have my people in contact with yours—and Russo, I’ll be tapping a couple of people I know in California, too. They’ll probably be more comfortable working with your family over Pretty Boy’s.”
I expect her to smirk and say that’s smart of them, but Giulia is the perfect picture of a united front for the Five Families when she shrugs one shoulder. “Whatever makes them comfortable. I’ll tell my family to be receptive to anyone mentioning your name.”
“Good,” he nods. “You know, you two might just earn the mafia a new reputation, after all.”
Chapter 14
Roberto
Kellerwasverypleasedwith theVitalendeal, and we quickly wrapped up the negotiation. Soon, Giulia and I walk back through the underground parking garage alone, her looking deep in thought while I can't stop stealing glances at the beautiful Russo beside me.
Maybe I can invite her to my penthouse apartment for more of the decadent sex from last night, or did she even eat breakfast? She might be hungry. I could invite her to a late lunch…
"Not bad, Giovanni."
I stop in my tracks to narrow my eyes at her. So we're back to last names, are we? She really wants to recreate that barrier between us. Me? I'm more interested in recreating last night.
"You didn't do too shabby yourself,cutie."
She ignores that entirely, and I feel my hackles go up when she pulls out her phone, not even looking at me as she blows a curl out of her face. "It seems the next contact here in Chicago isn't open to meeting for another two weeks. Let's move on to the next available connections. We should—"
"Grab lunch together?" I cut in. "Good idea. I know a place with a great view of the Chicago skyline. It's not a dancing place, but we can find somewhere else to tango afterward, preferably on a bed."
She meets my wink with an aggravatingly calm demeanor. "Thanks, but no. I'll eat on the plane."
As if on cue, an Uber rolls into the underground garage, headed our way. I huff at it and turn back to her, arms folded because I don’t trust myself not to grab this stubborn creature and hold her close so she can't run away from everything we were doing last night.
"You're just going to run away now, huh? Come on, cutie. Stay and play with me some more."
"Vitalenisn't a game, and I'm hardly running. I have work to get back to."
I roll my eyes. "That's an excuse. Your work will be there even if you stay here a while longer. Who knows? You might enjoy yourself more than you did last night—I know, that's hard to believe because last night probably blew all your recent pathetic dates out of the water."
