Chapter Twenty-Seven
ORAZIO
Each tick from the clock on the wall irritated him, its monotonous rhythm echoing through his office like a death toll. The countdown had begun. It was one day before the Cattaneo Gala, and Raz was dreading every second that passed.
He sat behind his massive desk, a dark frown creasing his forehead as he conversed with the family consigliere. His mind should be on the forms and numbers before him. Instead, he was lost in thought, wondering if this was the life he truly wanted for himself.
A knock sounded at the door, jolting him out of his thoughts. His gaze flicked toward the security camera feed, catching sight of Leo.
"Come in," he called out, his voice tense and impatient.
Tense and impatient. Those two words perfectly described his mood lately. Leo entered, nodding respectfully to the consigliere before turning his attention to Orazio.
"Ms. Isla Miconi has received her gift from you and has confirmed that she'd be honored to be your date to the Gala," Leo informed him, attempting to sound posh or some shit.
But as the guard’s words sunk in, Raz's stomach dropped, a wave of dread washing over him. He'd hoped she'd reject his last-minute invitation. He'd issued it while riled up, and now, he regretted it.
However, it was too late to rethink it. And her father was too important to piss off. Sighing heavily, Raz rubbed his hand over his face.
"Thanks, Leo. Anything else?" he asked, irritation coloring his tone.
"Yes. Mr. Miconi would like to meet with you for lunch today."
"Why the fuck would he want to do that? We're scheduled to meet next week to discuss him investing in Cattaneo Corp," Raz snarled.
"That's business. I think this is personal. You've shown interest in his daughter. Perhaps he wants to see where your head is," Leo replied.
Jaw clenched tightly, Raz leaned back in his seat. He wants to see where my head is , Raz thought to himself. He wants to know my intentions for his daughter. Raz gritted his teeth. Old man Miconi was thinking too much. Or was he?
In families like theirs, an invite like the one Raz issued to Isla would signal something more than just a date. He'd invited her to the Cattaneo Gala, an event where he'd make his first official appearance as Don.
Whoever was holding his arm that night would stir up speculation. To outsiders, it would signal a potential merging of powerful families. And that carried a burden Raz wasn't sure he was ready to shoulder. Raz knew that when he ordered Leo to issue the invite,
At the time, he'd been willing to do anything to make Monique cease coming within his line of vision. Now that it was time to actually do it, he wanted nothing more than to protect her from ever knowing he'd even considered having another woman on his arm.
And therein lay his problem. He couldn't move on and didn't want her to move on. However, this in-between shit was going to destroy them both. And the whole point of leaving her side was to protect her.
Even if it meant hurting her one last time. Raz took another deep breath and released it slowly. His gaze drifted to the clock on the wall. It was only 9 a.m., yet he felt like he'd been working for hours.
"Leo, reserve a table somewhere for Miconi and me to meet for lunch," Raz ordered.
"I've already done that. The table is reserved at your cousin's restaurant. We should leave in an hour to beat the downtown lunch traffic."
Raz nodded, his mind racing ahead to what he would say when Miconi asked him what his intentions were for his daughter.
"Raz," Leo called out.
"What?" Raz snapped, a headache forming.
"You should at least meet Isla before you make any life-altering decisions."
Even Leo understood the gravity of this situation.
"Also," Leo continued. "Don't upset Miconi. His investment is important."
"That is true," the consigliere added. "We lost a few investors after your um... killing spree. A union between the Cattaneos and the Miconis could smooth some of those ruffled feathers out there who believe you're crazier than your father. Also, Isla Miconi would make a great addition to the Cattaneo family. Many families are interested in her. But she never accepts their invites. The fact that she accepted yours means she also has her eyes on you, Don Cattaneo."
Raz glared at the family consigliere. "Are you done?" Raz growled.
"I'm finished." The man stared down at the forms he'd been going over with Raz.
Raz's gaze drifted to his office window. He stared outside as birds chirped. What the fuck were they chirping for? Today wasn't a good day. Why was the sun even fucking shining? The world was a dark place. Even the sun couldn't brighten this shit up.
"I'll let you two get back to what you're doing," Leo excused himself and left the office, leaving Raz to continue his meeting with their consigliere.
"Did you hear me, Mr. Cattaneo?"
Raz stared across his desk. Oh, right. He needed to pay attention.
"We have all of these forms ready to be e-signed," the consigliere told him. "Since you wanted them printed off to go in your personal files, you must also sign the paper copies. Therefore, we have to review both versions to ensure they're all correct. We can't leave any loopholes."
Nodding, Raz shifted in his seat and began reading over the forms again. About an hour later, after he'd signed so many forms that his hand felt cramped, they were done going over and signing all of the transfer forms, transferring rights from his father to him.
Of course, they'd had to forge his father's signature because his dad refused to sign them. Oh, well. They'd gotten the shit done. The consigliere was leaving the room when Leo reappeared, letting Raz know it was time to head to the restaurant. Raz stood up from his office chair, ready to follow Leo out.
Leo stopped him. "Are you sure you want to do this? Meeting with Miconi could lead to a Cattaneo-Miconi engagement," Leo pointed out.
"I'm aware of that," Raz confessed.
"But are you okay with that?"
Was he okay with that? Did it matter if he was or wasn't?
"A Don has to have a wife," Raz finally said.
"You didn't answer my question," Leo countered.
"Who I marry doesn't matter to me," Raz told him. "I need to keep up appearances. Families have already started contacting my consigliere, wanting me to meet their daughters. I'll have to marry someone soon, preferably someone who can strengthen our hold in the business world here and overseas. If she can't do that, there's no point in me getting married."
Especially since I can't marry Monique.
"Isla Miconi comes from a prominent family. Her father is about to become one of our major shareholders. If she's to be my wife, so be it," Raz continued.
"But that's not what you really want."
"I'm the Cattaneo Don now, Leo. What I want no longer matters."
Shaking his head, Leo stepped to the side, allowing Raz to exit the office.
As Raz strode past, he could've sworn he heard Leo mutter under his breath, "You're gonna regret this soon."
Raz stopped and faced his guard. "What did you say?"
Leo frowned. "I didn't say anything, boss."
Raz stood there staring at Leo for a long time.
Leo glanced down at his watch and said, "We should hurry. You don't want to keep your future father-in-law waiting."
Motherfucker! Rage surged through Raz as he turned and stormed away from his office, ready to get this damn meeting over with. They arrived at the restaurant at the same time Miconi did.
Miconi smiled when he saw Raz. Though Raz was tall, the older gentleman was a few inches taller than him. Miconi's gray hair was combed to the side, and he was dressed in an all-black suit with silver cufflinks.
He looked like money. Money that Raz hoped would soon be flowing through Cattaneo Corp. He also looked like someone who shouldn't be fucked with. Raz understood why many in their circle feared crossing Frederico Miconi. Raz respected the man. He hoped they both left there today, still respecting each other.
"It's nice to see you, Mr. Cattaneo," Miconi greeted Raz.
"Likewise," Raz drawled, shaking Miconi's hand.
The older gentleman had a firm grip.
"I was surprised when my daughter received a special invite from the don himself," Miconi told him. "I know this meeting is last minute. But when it comes to my princess, I become a papa bear, or at least that's what she tells me."
Raz forced a smile, trying to remain cordial.
"As you should," Raz told him as Leo held the door open for both men to enter the restaurant. "After you," Raz stated, motioning for Miconi to enter before him.
With a nod, Miconi strode forward. Raz's smile disappeared as he followed the man inside. They didn't get to the point of the meal until after their food and wine was served. Miconi sipped from his wine as he stared around the restaurant.
"This place is nice," Miconi observed. "It reminds me of home. It's good to see you haven't forgotten your Italian roots."
"Never. Italy runs through my veins."
Miconi nodded. "It's important to remember where you come from. My daughter loves America. But I never want her to forget where she's from. This is why I hope she marries a man who will uphold many of our Italian traditions. And I would like for my grandchildren to have Italian names. That's important to me."
Raz nodded but remained silent. He didn't have shit to say to that.
"I'm old now," Miconi stated.
Raz chuckled. "You don't look old at all."
The compliment made Miconi smile. "I may not look it, but I feel it. I'm definitely not getting any younger. My daughter has remained by my side because she doesn't want to see me alone. Lately, she's been pestering me to date."
"Do you have plans of remarrying?" Raz asked before taking a sip of his wine.
Miconi shook his head. "No, I'll never remarry. But, once I've settled Isla down with her future husband, I will consider dating. I don't want a wife. I just want someone I can talk to and spoil. Isla has gotten me used to going on shopping sprees. I hope to date a woman who loves to shop and travel."
Raz chuckled. "Finding a woman like that shouldn't be too hard."
"But she must also be kind and not a gold digger," the older man added. "That's where the challenge comes in," Miconi joked.
I found someone like that, Raz thought. But I pushed her away.
"What about you, Orazio? What type of woman are you looking for?" Miconi asked.
A beautiful black woman with curves that take my breath away and a smile that shines brighter than the sun. Raz couldn't say that, of course.
But he also didn't want Miconi to believe that he was some knight in shining armor who was ready to sweep his daughter off her feet. He was the don. Love wasn't necessary in his marriage.
"I'm not looking for a love match," Raz confessed.
Miconi nodded as he cut into his steak.
"My wife needs to understand that as the don, I won't have time to take her shopping or traveling. But she can take my card and go wherever she wants. And she'll have to be happy with just me because I don't want kids," Orazio told him.
"Who will you pass your title down to?" Miconi asked.
"If my brothers have kids, I'll pass the title to one of them. Or a younger cousin. Whoever exhibits the qualities of a good leader," Raz answered.
"Hmmm," Miconi nodded as he ate his steamed broccoli.
"I'm not a young man anymore," Raz continued. "I don't believe in fairytales. I want a wife I can get along with. One who can attend events with me. One I can converse with about day-to-day things. But I don't want to be her world, neither will she be mine. I want her to have her own career and her own hobbies. I am not a romantic man, Mr. Miconi," Raz continued, hoping he was painting a picture Miconi would not approve of. "I don't want a woman who is looking for a love match. I need a woman who can handle the lifestyle that comes with me being the don of the Cattaneo family. That is all I require."
Miconi picked up his napkin and dabbed the corners of his mouth. He lowered his napkin slowly. Raz readied himself for the rejection he was about to receive.
"Your ideals may not align with what I hope for my daughter," Miconi stated.
Raz cheered on the inside.
"But, they do align with what my daughter wants for herself," Miconi continued, knocking the wind out of Orazio's sails. Shit !
"My daughter stopped believing in fairytales when her mother passed away. Because she witnessed how hard losing her mother hit me, she fears love and everything that comes with it. She's looking for more of a business arrangement than a love that lasts a lifetime. I think you and her will get along well, Orazio. But I can't make that decision for my daughter. After the Gala tomorrow night, she should know for herself if you're the man she wants. And if you are, I would be happy to unite our families in marriage."
"Mr. Miconi," Raz started, feeling like the man was getting ahead of himself.
"And not only will I contribute to the Cattaneo Corp, but also the new casinos you're building in Italy. As a wedding gift to my daughter, I will also hand over some shares to Miconi Shipyards in Italy to you, Orazio Cattaneo."
"Sir, I think you..."
"I hear you've been trying to get your shipyard built in Italy, but your family there has been in your way," Miconi spoke over him, determined to say his piece. "If my daughter marries you, I'll also ensure they no longer interfere with your endeavors in our home country." Miconi smiled before scooting his chair away from the table. "This was a very good meeting. Unfortunately, I must leave now. I have to go shopping for a few suits. My daughter hates the suits I brought with me. She complained about me only wearing black and said it was a depressing color. I'm off to find something lighter to wear."
Miconi stood and stretched his hand to Orazio.
"I see a bright future ahead of us, Orazio Cattaneo," Miconi stated, smiling.
Orazio stood and shook the older man's hand but remained silent. He remained standing there long after Miconi had left the restaurant. He didn't move until Leo called his name. Blinking, Raz's gaze drifted to Leo.
"I called your name three times," Leo told him.
Orazio swiped his hand over his face and sighed. "Sorry, my thoughts were a hundred miles away."
"How did the meeting go?"
"Not well," Orazio told him.
"Did you offend Miconi?"
"No. But I think I just gained Miconi's approval to marry his daughter," Raz explained.
"You asked for her hand?"
Raz shook his head. "I said all the wrong things, and his silly ass was still like, yeah, you're my future son-in-law. "
"I think they already had their eyes set on you," Leo mused.
"So do I."
"Fuck!" Leo muttered.
Yes, fuck was a fitting word for this situation. Raz was fucked. But such was the life of a don. It was about time he got used to it. But could he really share his home and his life with anyone other than Monique Rose? Raz sighed.
Yes, he could, but only if he turned his emotions off and truly became the don his family needed. For the rest of his life, he'd be more of a robot than a man. Was this truly the life he wanted for himself?