Chapter 10 Massimo
MASSIMO
“And what about this one?” I ask my architect, Shane, who’s been here for the past hour going over the plans for three residential buildings we broke ground on last year.
“I want the top five levels to be penthouses only. These three buildings need to be Manhattan’s most sought-after living spaces. ”
“We can do that,” he says, marking something down on the plans.
“I already have buyers for the penthouses in the other two buildings. Once the plans are finalized for this third building, I’m going to get the brokerage on it. The goal is to have all of the apartments sold before the doors even open.”
“Can do, boss.”
“Are they still expected to be complete by the end of next year?”
Shane nods. “We’re still on track.”
“Great. Anything else we need to go over?”
“Nope. I’m going to make a couple adjustments to the penthouses in this building, and I’ll get it sent over to you tonight for your approval.”
“Great. I’ll keep an eye out for your email,” I say.
Shane packs up his stuff and exits my office.
My family has been in real estate development since my dad took over as the don several decades ago.
It’s been the best way to make sure the feds stay out of our business.
Not only has it made laundering money a piece of fucking cake, it’s also legitimized us to the public.
The properties we’ve managed to build and sell over the years have made our name extremely well-known in the city.
Everyone knows not to mess with the Bonettis because of the influence we have in multiple facets.
A knock sounds at my door, then it’s pushed open, and Gio and Gui walk in.
“How’d the meeting go with Shane?” Gio asks.
“It went well. He’s going to adjust the plans so the top five levels of the building in Hudson Yards are penthouses too.”
“When will we be able to start selling those?” he asks.
“Soon. Once the new plans are finalized, we’ll get the design team to make the 3D models of each for buyers to take a look at.”
“Still on track to complete by the end of next year?” Gui asks.
“Yup, even with the slight alteration to the plans. How’d both of your meetings go today?”
“Final inspections on the commercial building passed, and the new tenants have all confirmed their move-in dates,” Gui says. “Consistent cash flow on that will start next month.”
“Good timing. We have a huge shipment coming in next week, and we already have a buyer for it all. We need to move that money somewhere, so let’s funnel it through the commercial building.” I nod to Gio. “What about Tribeca?”
“I scouted the area and signed the contract to purchase the land. It’ll make a good spot for another residential high-rise.”
“Sounds like a successful day, then. Everything’s going well.”
“Too well?” Gui asks with a lift of his brow.
“It would seem that way.”
Ever since Angelo Mancini and Giuseppe Silvestri were taken out, things have been quiet.
They were the heads of two other families here in New York.
When Mancini was taken out, Matteo DiMaggio took over his territory, and when Giuseppe Silvestri was taken out, his son, Niccolò, took over.
Our family has good relations with both dons, so threats to territory and power control issues haven’t been a problem. We’re all functioning well together.
“So, what about Liana DiMaggio?” Gio says.
“Yeah, you make any leeway with the ice queen yet?” Gui asks.
“Don’t call my wife that,” I grumble.
My brothers raise their brows. “Your wife?” Gui says.
“That sure escalated quickly. Does she know she’s your wife yet?” Gio says.
“We’ve talked about it,” I mumble.
“Talked about it … So, she doesn’t know, then,” Gio says.
“Don’t worry. My plan on how to get her is in the works as we speak. Liana knows we’re inevitable, so it’s just a matter of time before she’s wearing my ring and my last name.”
“That’s awfully confident of you,” Gui laughs out.
I give him a loose shrug. “What can I say? I know what I want, and what I want is Liana. Since when have I let anything get in the way of what I want?”
My brothers shake their heads, with shit-eating grins on their faces. “This is going to be fun to see,” Gio says.
I’m about to speak when the intercom beeps and my assistant’s voice filters into the room. “Mr. Bonetti?”
Pressing the intercom button on the phone, I say, “Yes, Sheila?”
“There’s a woman here to see you—Liana DiMaggio?”
I raise a cocky brow at my brothers, whose eyes are wide in surprise.
Sheila continues. “She doesn’t have an appointment, and I told her you’re extremely busy—”
“Send her back,” I say.
“Right away, sir.”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Gio says.
“I can’t believe she’s here,” Gui adds.
I gesture to the door. “You both need to leave.”
“Aww, come on, my day was just about to get interesting,” Gio says.
“Yeah, we’ve been busy working, and now you’re not even going to give us our source of entertainment?” Gui asks.
“Out. Now. Both of you,” I bark, but before they’re able to exit, Sheila pushes the door open and in walks Liana looking gorgeous as fucking ever in a long ivory coat with her loose waves draped around her shoulders. When I look at her eyes, there’s a fire behind them I’m sure everyone can sense.
“Uh, excuse us,” Gio says.
“But—” Gui says, as Gio continues to push him toward the door. Liana watches them until Sheila shuts it, leaving us alone. Only then does she turn back around to look at me with that fire still in her eyes.
“Sheila, huh?” she says with a lift of her brow.
That wasn’t exactly what I expected to hear out of her.
“I didn’t realize you’re in the habit of dating your employees.”
Ahhh, of course. I forgot I brought Sheila into Liana’s boutique a few times and asked her to dress her for some events we had to go to. They were all work events, but I’m sure Liana has no idea of that little detail. That was my intention after all.
“Does that bother you?”
“Now, why would it bother me? What you do with your personal life doesn’t affect me.”
“Is there a reason you’re here, Liana?” I ask, raising a brow at her. I know Tomasso told the kid to throw the Combine, and the way she’s fidgeting her fingers tells me she’s here to have a conversation she didn’t think she’d be having.
It brings a fucking smile to my face.
She narrows her gaze and squares her shoulders. “Don’t smirk at me. You know why I’m here.”
Pushing myself up from my seat, I stroll around my desk and stop in front of Liana. Her delicious scent draws me in, captivating me with a desire that’s consumed my life for six years.
“Can I take your coat?”
“I don’t plan on being here long, so I’m good. Thanks.” She brushes past me like I’m nothing, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from my desk.
When I sit back down at my desk, she’s sitting tall in her chair—chin up—poised like a fucking queen, and her gaze is sharp on mine. It fucking excites me for what’s to come.
“Tomasso Caruso wants Colton Taylor to throw his performance at the Combine,” she says, getting straight to the point. I like it.
I raise my hand and rest it under my chin, waiting for her to continue.
She raises a brow at me. “But I’m sure you already knew that.”
I smirk. “It’s possible.”
“How can you sit there smiling, knowing you’re about to ruin not one but two people’s lives? People who haven’t done anything to you.”
“I can do it with a smile because I know it’ll get me what I want in the end.”
Liana’s pretty pink lips part, but no words come out.
“Well?” I say, eager to hear what else she has to say on this matter.
She tilts her head at me, a crinkle forming in her brow. “You truly do not care, do you?”
“Why would I?”
I’m running out of time when it comes to finding a wife. I have zero plans of making anyone else mine, so if I need to target this weakness of hers, I fucking will.
She shakes her head. “Wow, you really are a selfish son-of-a-bitch.”
I let out a deep chuckle. “You have to be sometimes to get the best things in life.”
“Do you hear yourself? Best things in life? Extorting me to marry you? How is this possibly the best thing in life?”
“I told you years ago that you were going to be mine.”
“And I told you I wasn’t interested.”
A smirk tugs at my lips. “It’s a good thing we’ll have forever to change your mind, then.”
“I haven’t said yes.”
“But you will.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because why else would you be here?”
“To convince you of how much of a piece of shit you’re being.”
I press my hand against my chest. “Your words wound me, Liana.”
Ignoring me, she says, “There must be something else I can do to convince you to speak to Tomasso and end this game you’re playing.”
“There isn’t. It’s either marriage or nothing.”
“You don’t know me, Massimo. I assure you, a marriage between the two of us would not end well.”
I cock a brow. “And why do you think that?”
She gawks at me. “You don’t know anything about me, and from what I know about you, I don’t like you.”
“If I made my money from some strait-laced job, would that change things?”
Her eyes widen. “What?”
“If I was some doctor or financial douche bag off The New York Stock Exchange, would that change your feelings toward me?”
“N-no,” she says, shaking her head.
“You sure about that? Your answer didn’t seem too confident.”
“I said, no,” she repeats, this time with more force, as if she’s trying to convince herself of those words.
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“Your belief in me doesn’t matter. I came here to figure out another way to get you to talk to Tomasso. I came here to get you to see what you’re doing to Alessia and Colton. To talk some sense into you.”
“Liana, I couldn’t care less about Alessia Caruso and her boyfriend. To be honest, I think it’s pathetic her dad is using his career in football against them—”
Liana’s eyes widen, and a twinkle takes over them. “See, exactly! So help me help them.”
“But you’ve shown me how much they mean to you, which means if I have to use them to get what I want, I will.”