CHAPTER 6
I arrive at my warehouse early, part of me dreading the meeting I’m about to have, even though it’s necessary to achieve the goals I have for my family. I shouldn’t have allowed my brothers to talk me into having Viola over to our home last night for dinner. She’s a distraction I can’t have in my life right now, no matter how welcome I seem to find it.
She is going to make what I want to achieve difficult. Massimo thinks he has been hiding it from me this entire time, but I know he’s wanted her from the start. I can’t fault him for it. Viola is a beautiful woman on the outside.
Last night I discovered she’s beautiful on the inside too. She has much more to offer than I originally thought. It’s fucking with me and last night I could feel her chipping away at the walls I’ve erected around my heart.
I know people out there build those kinds of walls because of some sort of betrayal, one which leaves them believing there’s no such thing as love. I’ve never been in love; I’ve never allowed myself to feel that much for another person. I don’t push the idea of a relationship away because I don’t believe it’s possible.
I do it because my family comes first. My brothers and the drive I have to get us to the top is more important than anything else. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone I bring into my life, and I have my doubts a woman would handle the demands of what I want to achieve.
I saw the way Viola lit up while talking to Massimo and Marco. She was a breath of fresh air in our home. She was sweet with my youngest brother and playful with my middle brother. She gave them exactly what they needed and mirrored their personalities.
I sat back and watched the show, part of me wishing I could be part of it. I knew I couldn’t. I can’t lose focus—it needs to be on the business.
Still, somehow Viola Guidice has wormed her way deeper inside of me than any other woman. The idea of using her, which is how this all began, doesn’t sit right with me anymore and I’ve only been buried inside of her one time.
What the fuck kind of voodoo does she have over me, over us?
It’s both scary and exhilarating.
My heart was racing last night when she looked me in the eye, the challenge there clear, before she turned to Marco with an arched eyebrow. “You mentioned when you demanded my presence here that you’ve been watching me?” Marco had the wherewithal to look sheepish as he nodded, and I steeled myself to be thrown under the bus. It was my directive after all. She let out a humming sound as her gaze swept across myself and my brothers. “How long have you been watching me? What did you learn about me?”
“On the outside it looks like the life you’re leading is one which would be expected of a mafia princess,” Marco responded smoothly and shamelessly. He wiggled his eyebrows, his voice turning sly, “I admit I’m curious about the lingerie you buy from all those high-end stores you love to shop in.”
Viola blushed a light pink, but she didn’t shy away from my brother’s intense stare. “I’m sure you would love for me to model them for you,” she teased with a wink.
Her bravado had a smile threatening to curl along my lips as Massimo chuckled and Marco grinned like the cat who ate the canary. There wasn’t any strain between us, the energy flowing as if Viola had simply been missing from our circle our whole lives.
Viola waved her hand dismissively. “What can I say? I like pretty things. There’s no reason for me to deprive myself.”
“No, there isn’t,” my voice was deep and rich as the words rolled from my mouth without me thinking about them first.
Viola blinked at me before smiling in a way which felt like a punch to the gut. My brothers looked at me out of the corners of their eyes, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the woman at our table. Nor could I shake the feeling of something coming together, of completion.
I forced myself to crawl back into the darkest and coldest parts of myself, not giving her much more the rest of the night. She is danger personified, for so many fucking reasons, but I still felt like a moth to her flame.
My brothers, it seemed, didn’t feel the need to protect themselves from the temptress and she lapped up their attention. I couldn’t help but compare her to our sister, Bella. Bella was one to demand attention and act like a brat when it wasn’t granted. Viola simply basked in the attention, happy to get it, but not necessarily needing it to thrive.
It amazed me how women born of similar circumstances could turn out differently. It confirmed that Viola is different, unique. Worthwhile.
By the time she left, it felt like I was buzzing with excitement, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Maybe it was possibility. I don’t know, but I excused myself the moment the door closed behind the woman who captured my attention because I didn’t want to listen to my brothers rehash the evening. Living through it once was enough to make me feel off kilter.
When I hear the door to the warehouse open, Remy and Armand, two of my top men shift a little closer to me and the table I’m sitting at. My spine straightens and I stare at the spot where I know Juan Martinez will be momentarily. I can almost feel his slimy nature fill the room around me before he actually does.
I might not like doing business with the man, but business is business. If he can pay and we can keep our relationship to the guns, I don’t have a real reason to refuse the man. Not yet anyway, not while I’m still building the weight of my name in the city.
Later, I might come to regret this decision, but, hopefully, by then I’ll have enough power to take the man out. I don’t have to agree with everyone I do business with. I just have to use them, just like they’re using me.
“Mateo,” Juan’s voice booms as he enters the room, his arms outstretched as if he is greeting a long-lost best friend. It takes everything in me not to sneer at the man. “I’m so glad we could find time in our busy schedules to sit down and talk business.”
I give the man a curt nod and sweep a hand toward an empty chair at the table. “Mr. Martinez,” my voice has a bored quality to it, one I’m sure he won’t like.
I don’t give a fuck. This is business. I’m not one to blow smoke up another person’s ass. This isn’t politics and I see no reason to pretend this is more than it is.
“I’m happy to sit down with you and talk business,” I force the words past my teeth, hating even giving that much politeness to the situation.
Juan, who is gaining a little too much weight around the middle to be considered formidable still after being in the business for the years he has, sits down and flashes me a smarmy smile. I’m sure he thinks that I’m going to be easy to make a deal with and that I’ll give in to his expectations. He’ll learn quickly that is not how I do business.
The fact is, if he doesn’t want to pay the price, I can always find another buyer. There are other people out there who want the guns I have to sell. I don’t need him and if he thinks I do then this association won’t go past this meeting.
He looks around the room and sucks on his teeth, the noise loud and disgusting. “What a pity you don’t offer a beautiful woman as a business side dish.” He grins at me as if I should find his comment funny, or maybe it’s a dig.
I really don’t give a fuck.
“I don’t peddle in skin.” Juan narrows his eyes as if I’ve offended him. I shrug one shoulder casually and offer, as way of explanation, “Too messy.”
Juan’s laughter is a booming sound and I fight myself not to cringe. “You’re right, it is a messy business.” He rubs his chin, the gold of the rings on his fingers glinting in the florescent lights. “It’s lucrative though and,” his eyes flash with something sinister, “I don’t mind being able to try out the merchandise.”
“I prefer my pussy willing and begging,” I keep my voice and face neutral.
He shrugs as if I didn’t just call the man a rapist piece of scum in my own way, like it’s no big deal what he does to innocent people. I might not be what most would call a good man, but even I know the skin trade is all sorts of wrong.
“I can see the appeal,” there’s a joking quality to his voice as if I’m the one who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
I hide my clenched fist under the table and fight myself not to pull the gun from my holster and shoot the man sitting at my negotiation table between the eyes. If I give in to my impulse, it would start a war I’m not prepared for.
Not yet at least.
Maybe one day I’ll be able to show Juan just how much disgust I feel for him.
“Let’s talk about what I do have to offer by way of product,” I lead the conversation back to where it should be and away from a topic which will want to send me into a murderous rage.
Martinez smirks and nods. “I heard you hooked up with a Russian up north to bring some assault rifles and handguns into the area.” I arch an eyebrow in question, not giving away whether such a rumor is true. The man has the gall to throw his head back and laugh. “I hear about most things that go on around here. A deal like that would make some big waves and people are bound to talk.”
There’s something about his tone which sets me on edge, but I beat back the reaction in my gut. This is business and nothing more.
Nothing fucking more.
“Those rumors may have some truth to them,” I concede, but don’t say definitely. “If hand guns and assault rifles are what you’re looking for then I would be able to help you as long as we come to an agreement on price.”
“What kind of numbers are we looking at?”
I fire back, “What kind of numbers are you needing?”
Juan laughs again and grins at me like we’re old college roommates or something. I’m seething on the inside, but I keep my face impassive. It’s best to not give anything away when dealing with a man like Juan.
“I want to buy out what you have.” His eyes flick around as if he’ll find the answer hanging on a chart in the room; I barely hold back my scoff.
“I can sell you 500 of each.” Juan isn’t as good at hiding his emotions, and I can see how impressed he is flit across his face quickly. “Two million.”
“One point five,” he counters.
I curl my lip up in disgust. “Two. Million.”
I don’t leave any room for argument as I stare at the man who came to my table. He thought it was a negotiation. It wasn’t ever going to be. I know how much I spent; I know how much I want to make.
Could he find a better deal out there? Probably, but I’m the one who controls the price and I’m interested in making a profit, not making a friend here. Getting a little more out of this cockroach of a man is just a bonus.
I lean back in my chair as if I don’t have a care in the world. In this case, I don’t. I’m not going to apologize for making money off him. A deal like this is exactly what we need and I’m not going to back down.
If I can show Orlov that working with me is lucrative then I know I’ll be able to do more arms deals in the future which is what I want. Using Martinez to get there doesn’t bother me in the least.
Juan nods and sticks his hand out toward me. “Deal.”
I take his hand and shake it once. “Pleasure doing business with you,” my voice is ice cold. I stand. “Once you’re ready to transfer the funds, you can inspect the product and we’ll work out the logistics of transporting everything.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Juan stands and shakes his head. “Guess I’ll have to find pussy elsewhere to help me celebrate.”
I make a humming sound as the image of Viola taking my brothers at the same time flashes in my mind. I wouldn’t mind burying myself deep inside of her to celebrate.
Where the fuck did that thought come from? I shake it off and go about making sure that Juan leaves my warehouse and the area. Just a few more days and my business with the man will be done. Then I’ll be one step closer to where our family was always destined to be.