Chapter 6 Liana #2
I study him for a moment. If he was just a regular guy—a white-collar worker coming here right from Wall Street—I might be interested in entertaining this.
His black slacks match his black button-up that’s undone at the top.
Everything is perfectly tailored to his tall, broad frame.
Then I take in the tattoos on his hands and the scar that runs down one of his thick brows, and I’m reminded he’s not your average, everyday Joe Schmoe.
He’s a made man whose life is dedicated to danger and illegal business tendencies.
“Fine, let’s hear it.” I finally concede, that twinkling look in his eyes warning me he’ll refuse to leave my boutique until I give him what he wants. So if I need to entertain whatever proposition he has for me, then fine.
“Is there somewhere … private where we can have this conversation?”
I roll my eyes. “Seriously? You need privacy too?”
“Hey, I just offered that for you, but if you want everyone to hear your business,” he says, getting louder, “then fine. I have no qualms about that.”
I glance around the store, and Lainey is standing nearby, trying to keep busy by spacing the hangers on the rack, but I know she’s trying to eavesdrop. Drawing my attention to other sections of the store, I take in the several customers enjoying a nice day of shopping.
“Fine,” I say, stopping him from continuing with whatever he was about to say. “Follow me.”
I brush past him and make my way to the fabric room. I would go to my office, but Izzy is there, and I don’t want to bring her into anything that has to do with Massimo.
Opening the door, I usher him in and shut it behind us. “Okay, you got your privacy. Now, out with it.”
Massimo glances around the room filled with different fabrics. “This career you’ve made for yourself … it’s quite impressive.” Bringing his attention back to me, he adds, “You should be very proud of yourself.”
“Of course I am,” I snap, not wanting to spend any of this time bonding with him. “Now, out with it.”
“Alright, alright, alright. I heard you paid one of my capos a visit the other day.”
Shit.
That is not what I thought this was going to be about. When Tomasso said a higher power, I assumed he meant Massimo’s father.
“Your capo?”
“Oh, yes, you probably haven’t heard yet. I’m taking over for my dad soon, so he’s been having me be the direct contact for everyone.”
“Wow,” I say, rolling my eyes, “congratulations. How exciting for you.”
Massimo chuckles. “Your sarcasm is very appreciated, Liana.”
Folding my arms across my chest, hugging my iPad, I say, “What does this have to do with my meeting with Tomasso?”
“He informed me of what it was about,” he states.
I freeze, not sure how to respond to that. “Okay?”
“Alessia Caruso … How important is she to you?”
Not liking that he’s asking me this question, I narrow my gaze on him and say, “Why does that matter to you?”
“The longer you take to answer my questions, the longer I’m going to be here. I’m sure you want me gone, right?”
He’s baiting me, and I don’t like it, but I do want him out of my store. “I’ve known Alessia for a few years. I see a lot of myself in her, so yes, we have a good relationship. Why?”
A smirk curls Massimo’s lips. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“Enough dancing around what you’re trying to tell me. Just spit it out,” I snap.
“I’m here to help you, Liana. I know Alessia’s boyfriend’s dad owes Tomasso a lot of money, and you tried to pay it off for them to keep Tomasso from ruining the kid’s career in football.”
I’m silent, waiting for him to continue because I’m still unsure where he’s going with all of this.
“It’s really quite sweet of you. Such a romantic, you are.”
“Massimo”—I start tapping my foot—“get on with whatever you’re trying to say.”
“I’m here to offer you a deal. One I don’t think you’ll be able to resist.”
The conniving look in his eye and the sinister grin on his face have me uneasy. I’m not sure what this deal could possibly be, but if it involves Massimo Bonetti, then I know I’m not going to like it.
“I’m willing to speak to Tomasso about letting you—or whomever wants to—pay off Gregory Taylor’s debt. I’ll even put in a good word for Colton to Tomasso—see if that gets him on his side. But there’s just one thing I want in exchange for my help.”
I give him a few shakes of my head and let out a scoff. “Of course there is. Why wouldn’t there be strings attached? You can’t just do something out of the kindness of your heart.”
“On the contrary, this is all out of the kindness of my heart, whether you choose to see it that way or not.”
“What is it that you want, Massimo? I don’t know what you could possibly need from me.”
His words ring back through my ears—we’re inevitable—and I freeze on the spot, my heart pounding so loudly it thrums in my ears.
“Wait a second. You’re not going to ask me to …”
Massimo raises a brow at me. “To …?”
“I swear, if you ask me to have sex with you in exchange for your help, I’m going to—”
“Oh, that’s not all I’m going to ask of you. Not only do I want you to have sex with me, but I also want your hand in marriage.”
Deafening silence fills the room. Did he just say what I think he just said? No, it can’t be. I did not just get propositioned like a damn prostitute by Massimo fucking Bonetti.
“I’m sorry, I think you’re going to have to repeat yourself. Surely, I didn’t hear you correctly.”
“I assure you, you did, but for your sake, I’ll repeat exactly what’s going to happen. In exchange for me helping Alessia and her boyfriend out, you and I are going to get married.”
My jaw drops, and before I realize what I’m doing, I pull my hand back and let it fly through the air, making contact with Massimo’s cheek.
The deafening silence is replaced with the echoes of the crack of my hand against his face.
“Get out,” I say.
“Liana—”
“I said, get out!”
I’m vibrating with anger as I walk over to the door and open it for Massimo to leave. He doesn’t move at first, but after a few silent seconds and my lack of eye contact, he walks toward me.
Before he exits, he stops in front of me and looks over. I stare straight ahead, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of my attention.
“You know where to find me when you change your mind,” he says.
I snap my heated gaze up to his. “If you think I’d ever change my mind about something like this, you clearly have no idea who I am. Now get the hell out of my store and never come back.”
Massimo’s cocky grin pulls at his lips, but he doesn’t say another word as he leaves, taking the suffocating feeling with him.
What the hell just happened?