Chapter 3
MASSIMO
“So, how’s it been taking on more of Dad’s responsibilities?” Guilherme asks.
I grab three bottles of water out of my fridge and toss one to each of my brothers. “Not bad. The capos have already started corresponding directly with me, so the transition will be smooth once he decides to fully retire.”
“And when is that going to be?” Giovanni asks, using his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
The three of us just went a few rounds in my home gym, sparring with each other like we do a few times a week to make sure we’re staying in shape. But with me taking over for Dad, we haven’t been able to get together all week.
“I don’t have an exact date, but it’ll be soon.” I chug half my water then add, “There’s just one thing I have to do before he’ll let me fully take over.”
“And that is?” Gui asks.
“I’m surprised you both haven’t heard yet.”
“Who would we hear it from? You’re the one who has the inside scoop with Dad,” Gui says.
“Yeah, you know you’ve always been his favorite. Him and Mom only had me and Gui so they would have two more options in case you fucked up,” Gio says. “And you know their asses were shocked when they went in for that ultrasound and found their one backup heir turned into two.”
I laugh, then let out a sigh. “Well, unless I can figure out the last thing Dad wants from me before taking over, you two might have a chance at leading this family.”
Gui raises a thick dark brow. “What exactly does he want from you? You’re making it sound like it’s nearly impossible.”
I shrug. “Not impossible, but I don’t have a plan yet, so it might take me a little longer than Dad probably wants it to.”
“Alright, out with it already,” Gio says with an exasperated sigh. “You have me on the edge of my seat.”
“You’re not even sitting,” Gui says.
“Fine.” Gio narrows his gaze on his twin. “You have me on my tippy toes.”
“Is that even a saying?” Gui asks, and I have to fight back the laugh that wants to spring from my lips at my younger brothers.
“I don’t fucking care,” Gio snaps, pulling his gaze back to me. “Out with it, Massi. What does Dad want you to do before taking over?”
I chug the rest of my water and toss the bottle in the trash. Letting out a sigh, I say, “He wants me to get married.”
“Ahhh, the inevitable arranged marriage,” Gio says. “Well, we all knew that was coming eventually. I’m surprised Dad didn’t make you get married sooner, to be honest.”
“Yeah, and it could be worse,” I say with a shrug, “he could be the one picking out my bride.”
Gui chokes on his water, spitting it back into his bottle before lowering it to the kitchen counter. “He’s not?”
“Nope. He had a list for me, but I told him I had it handled and that the woman I have in mind will make an excellent alliance for our family.”
“Well … are you going to spit it out already?” Gio asks.
“Yes, please. You have me on my tippy toes,” Gui says slyly, and Gio shoots him a glare.
“Liana DiMaggio,” I say, and my brothers are silent, staring at me like I’ve lost my damn mind.
Gio clears his throat. “While, yes, the DiMaggios would make a strong alliance, how exactly do you think you’re going to get the Liana DiMaggio—New York City’s most sought-after fashion designer. Hell, soon to be the entire country’s most sought-after fashion designer.”
“She’d make a perfect wife,” I say with a shrug.
“Yeah, except she’s known as being a diehard businesswoman. I don’t think she’s going to want to get tied down to someone like you,” Gio says.
“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” I snap.
“It means she’s kind of fucking known as being an ice queen, and you’re known as … What’s a nice way of saying this … NYC’s most-eligible bachelor.”
Gui laughs. “Yeah, something like that,” he mumbles.
I shoot a glare at both of them.
“There’s no way she’s going to go for it. She doesn’t even date, from what I heard,” Gio says.
“I know she used to date at CU, but then she just stopped one day. I heard one of the last dates she went on was with some dude that shit himself on the car ride home,” Gui says. “With her in the car.”
“Damn, can you imagine you’re about to get laid, and then you just fucking shit yourself? In front of your date. I’d fucking die of mortification,” Gio laughs out.
I do my best not to have a reaction that would give myself away to my brothers.
They have no idea Liana and I met in college at a masquerade party, which means they have no idea I’ve spent the past six years obsessed with the idea of having her to myself one day.
That also means, they have no idea every time Liana went on a date, I sabotaged it, including paying off the waiter to drug that last date of hers.
I remember that night like it was yesterday. She was a senior at CU, and one of the sons of our family’s lawyer took her out on a date. Things were going well with this one.
Too well.
Liana was acting differently compared to the other dates she’d been on.
She was getting comfortable with him, and I didn’t fucking like it.
It’s almost as if I knew how the night was going to end, so before I could lose her to a fucking lawyer, I paid off their waiter to give the kid laxatives.
I would’ve gotten rid of him myself, but since his family works for mine, that probably would’ve been a bad look.
Fortunately for me though, he barely made it out of the parking lot before the laxatives took effect and he let it all out while Liana was in the passenger seat.
I remember the horrified look on her face when she jumped out of his car and ran back to the restaurant. I waited around until her cousin picked her up and brought her back to their apartment, satisfied that I ended yet another one of her dates.
It’s what I’ve done since that night I met her at the masquerade party. That night, the mechanics of how my brain works changed, and I knew Liana would one day be mine.
However, that wasn’t enough. I knew I’d get her one day, but until then, I wasn’t going to stand by and let another man lay his hands on what’s mine. So I made sure of it.
Ever since that explosive date, Liana hasn’t been seen with another man. Fortunately for me, her drive and ambition to build her fashion brand has seemed to supersede any want or need to go out on dates. It’s made my life these past few years extremely fucking easy.
“So, why Liana?” Gio asks, snapping me out of my thoughts of the past. “I mean, I get what the alliance with the DiMaggios would mean for our family, but you really think you have a shot with the ice queen?”
“Yeah, you’re complete opposites. You’re a fuckboy who’s seen with a new model every other week, and Liana’s, well …”
“Well …?” I say, raising a brow at Gui.
He shifts his gaze to Gio, then back to me. “Well, she’s kind of too good for you, bro. She’s an independent, career-driven woman. Why would she want to settle down with you when her life seems to be going perfectly fine as it is?”
My phone rings, and I snap my attention to it, seeing it’s one of my capos calling. I answer it, bringing it up to my ear.
“Tomasso, what can I do for you today?”
“Massimo, I received an unexpected phone call. I thought it might interest you.”
“Go ahead,” I say, intrigued on what this could be about.
“Liana DiMaggio wants to meet with me.”
My spine straightens at my future wife’s name. “For what?” I growl out.
“She didn’t say.”
“When’s the meeting?”
“Today. In an hour.”
“And you’re just informing me of this now?” It might be unprofessional, but I can’t contain the annoyance in my tone. Why would she be meeting with my capo?
“I just got off the phone with her. She was determined to meet immediately.”
I close my eyes and spread my fingers across my forehead, rubbing my temples with my thumb and middle finger. “Alright. Whatever it is she wants, don’t give it to her. Have the meeting, tell her no, then call me right after and fill me in on what’s going on.”
“Will do,” he says, and I hang up, tossing my phone on the counter.
“Everything all right?” Gio asks, raising a brow at me.
“Liana called a meeting with Tomasso.”
“For what?” he asks.
“He doesn’t know yet. The meeting is in an hour.”
“Hmm, maybe she’s more ready to settle down than we thought,” Gui says with a laugh, and I snap my gaze to his.
“What is that supposed to mean, Guilherme?” I snap, placing my hands on the edge of the counter and gripping it tightly.
He holds up his hands. “Damn, calm down. No reason to use my full name when I’m just pointing out a possibility. Caruso has a son—a single son—and if memory serves me correctly, he’s the same age as Liana. Why else would she be there?”
“And you think she would be the one to set up that meeting to discuss an arranged marriage?”
Gui shrugs. “Why not? Seems like something an independent businesswoman would do.”
I grind my teeth and my nostrils flare at the thought of Liana approaching Tomasso to set up an arranged marriage with his kid, but that can’t be it.
“I don’t know about that,” I mumble out.
I’ll never forget the recognition on Liana’s face when I called her bellezza.
“I don’t get involved with mobsters.”
She has a wall up when it comes to our world, so I know that’s not what she’s going to Tomasso about. The question is, what else could it be?