Chapter 5
Five
Marchello
I hunched over my father’s desk, scrutinizing the plan. This shipment we were about to move for the cartel was crucial. If I fucked this up, people would know I wasn’t a suitable replacement for my father.
That couldn’t happen.
Lissia burst into my office. “Marchello!”
I glanced up from my paperwork and glared at her. It was bad enough this entitled woman had plagued my thoughts for days, but now she barged in unannounced and took me away from business.
“Didn’t I tell you to go back to the arms dealer?” I flipped through the papers that didn’t need my signature until tomorrow, but I would not allow her to believe she was important enough for me to drop everything for her drama.
“Didn’t I tell you I don’t listen?” She closed the door. “No one was out there, so I came in.”
“Without knocking?”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Do you want me to go out and knock?”
“Yeah.” I leaned back in my chair, admiring the way she filled out that sexy red dress. “I do.”
“Are you serious?”
I returned to reading my paperwork.
“Fine.” She huffed as she turned and stomped out into the lobby.
I got up from my desk and walked around the other side as she knocked. The fact that she did what I told her to do with little resistance caught my dick’s attention.
What else can I make her do?
“Who is it?” I asked.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Watch your mouth or you might not like how I make you watch it.” I could shove my cock so far down her throat; she would think twice about ever using foul language in front of me again.
“It’s Lissia Gallanti.”
I loathe her last name. “Come in.”
She opened the door and stepped in, shutting it behind her.
“What brings you back here?” I trailed my gaze along her flawless body. “When I was so specific the last time you were here.”
“You weren’t that specific,” she said. “And I don’t believe you really wanted me to go.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I could tell by the way you kissed me.” She dropped her gaze to my mouth. “You didn’t want me to leave, but you were conflicted. You think I’m the bad guy.”
“I know I’m the bad guy in this scenario, and you’re going to find out how bad I can be if you keep provoking me.”
“I didn’t come here to provoke you.”
“Why did you come?”
“I have a proposition.” She set her bag on the table by the door. “One you’ll be extremely interested in.”
“How can you be so confident that I’ll be interested? You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know a thing or two.” She bit her bottom lip. “I pay attention.”
“You only pay attention when it has a big price tag and a designer name.”
What would she do for a shopping spree in Italy? I could have us on a private jet within the hour. Fuck, no! I don’t want that. I don’t want her.
“What is it you think you know?” I asked.
“You want your dad back.” She said those words so casually, as if she could make that happen.
“Don’t go there.” I gripped the edge of the desk. “It won’t end well for you.”
“What else is new?” She sauntered farther into the room, swaying her hips. “I have some information for you.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not going to hand it over that fast.” She plopped down on the couch, and her perky breasts peeked out of the top of her dress. “I’ll tell you what I know, but I need something from you in exchange.”
I would have thrown her out if she wasn’t so pleasing to look at. The last few days had been hectic, and I could use a break from all the shit I had been dealing with.
“Did your father send you?”
“What? Why would he send me here?”
“I don’t believe you came here in good faith.” I prowled closer to her. “Your father isn’t the most scrupulous man, but sending his daughter into enemy territory dressed like that to gain information is low, even for him.”
“That’s not what’s going on.” She crossed her legs and leaned forward. “Don’t you want to hear what I have to say?”
“Why do you need my help?” I sat down next to her. “What do you think I can do for you?”
“Protect me.”
“From what?”
“I can’t tell you yet.”
“Don’t waste my time.” I rested my hand on her thigh. “Why do you need me to protect you?”
“If I give you this information, I would be betraying my family and…” She lowered her gaze to her lap as I slipped my fingers higher, caressing her inner thigh.
“And?” I inched closer to her, breathing in her sweet scent.
“My father has these ridiculous plans for me, and I don’t want to agree to them.”
“You think I’m going to help you manipulate your father?” I tangled my other hand in her silky hair as I continued to rub the smooth skin of her inner thighs. “You won’t do what he wants, and I’m supposed to help you defy him?”
She squeezed her legs shut when I trailed my fingers in the direction of her panties.
“No. I have information about your father.”
“Stop it.” I yanked her hair and forced her face closer to mine. “I’m not going to tell you again to shut your mouth when it comes to my father.”
“But I have something you’re going to want to hear.”
“No, you don’t.” I pressed my lips to hers. It was an effective way to shut her up.
Why was I torturing myself this way? I made choices that benefited me and kept my family on top. I had been taught from an early age that family always came first. She could prove to be my biggest mistake.
So why does it feel so fucking good to kiss her?
She whimpered into my mouth, but the sound didn’t stop me from tightening my hold on her hair.
“Wait.” She pushed against my chest. “Are you going to help me?”
“That depends.” I released her hair. “What are you going to give me?”
“I already told you.” She hopped off the couch and paced the room. “I have information that could help you and your father.”
“I don’t want your information.”
If her father sent her here, whatever she wanted to tell me would be a lie or some kind of bait to get me to make a mistake. If she did come here on her own, why would she be willing to betray her family?
This stunk of three-day-old trash in a New York City alleyway.
“You don’t even know what it is,” she said.
I knew more than she thought. Gian had plans to import a huge shipment that my father would never allow to move through the ports. With my father out of the way, he thought he had free rein. He was wrong.
I had my men monitoring the docks, ready to intercept any move Gian made.
“I don’t care what information you think you have.” I stood and stalked toward her. “I don’t need your help, but it’s obvious you need mine.”
She backed away from me until she hit the wall.
“I like your dress.” I placed both my hands on either side of her, caging her in like a trapped animal. “Did you wear it for me?”
“No.”
“Liar.” I dug my fingertips into the wall, trying to keep from touching her. “What makes you believe I want to deal with someone who won’t be honest with me?”
“I’m trying to be honest with you, but you need to agree to my terms.”
“Your terms?” I laughed at the absurdity. “Here’s how this is going to work, princess. You came to me, so that means I set the terms. I’ll tell you how it’s going to be.”
“Can we get on with it then? Because I don’t have a lot of time.”
She ducked under my arm, but I caught her shoulder and pushed her against the wall. As I stared into her eyes, I silently cursed myself. How could I even consider what I was about to offer?
“I’ll help you.” I ran my fingers through her silky hair.
“You will?”
“But not for your useless information.”
“You don’t even know what—”
“Don’t talk.” I pressed my lips to hers, kissing her harder than I had a few minutes ago.
She gripped my upper arm when I slipped my hand under her dress and to the edge of her panties.
“You think you can come here and seek my assistance in getting what you want from your daddy?” I slid my finger inside her panties. “Did you think it wouldn’t come at a price?”
“Don’t.” She pushed on my arm, trying to get me to remove my finger.
“Isn’t this why you came?” I pushed my finger inside her core. “Isn’t that why you brought me the cookies? So I would do this?”
She shook her head.
“What did I tell you about lying?” I shifted my hand, adding another finger. She clenched around me. Tight, hot, wet…making me lose my fucking mind.
She bit her lip, but if she was trying to suppress a moan, it didn’t work.
“We can be beneficial to one another.” Even if I did despise myself for thinking about fucking the enemy.
This would serve Gian right for sending his daughter here to provoke me and tempt me in ways that should be forbidden.
I shoved her with my solid form as I attacked her mouth. The more I played with her, the more aroused she became.
“You’re dripping for me.” I licked her lips. “I want to taste you. I need to see if you’re as sweet as you smell.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes narrowed with lust when I withdrew my fingers and smeared her juices across her lips.
“No…” she breathed out.
“Yes.” I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth and trailed my tongue across it. “You taste like sins I have no business committing.”
“Stop it!” She pushed my face from hers, stunning me enough for her to create some distance between us.
A feisty brat.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. If I didn’t get a hold of myself, she wouldn’t like how I chose to deal with her.
“Fighting me will only make me want you more.” I stalked toward her. “Are you sure you want to provoke me?”
“You don’t even like me. Why would you want to…”
When I laughed at her, she looked away from me. Did I humiliate her? Embarrass her?
“I don’t have to like you to fuck you.” I glanced at my watch. “I have a meeting in thirty minutes. Do you want to seal this deal?”
“You’re no better than…” Her lip trembled as if she was about to cry. I didn’t expect that. “What was I thinking?”
“I couldn’t tell you.” I wasn’t entirely sure what I was thinking, but I had to stop before she blew up my already chaotic life.
“You’re an asshole,” she said, quickly getting a hold of her emotions.
“I tried to tell you that.”
“It was a mistake to come here.”
“I’m not going to argue.”
“You’re all alike.” She retrieved her bag from the table. “You don’t care who you hurt—who you have to destroy to get what you want. Stupid alliances and power plays.”
I let her rant because this no longer felt like it was about me. This had more to do with why she came to see me, and now her reasons didn’t seem at all what I thought.
“I’ll figure this out on my own,” she said.
When she turned to open the door, I moved behind her and slammed it shut, keeping my hand on the door so she couldn’t leave.”
“I want to go,” she said.
“Do you?” I wrapped my hand around her waist, pressing her back against my chest. She had a huge attitude, but physically, she was soft and fragile. I could snap her in half with one swift move. “Tell me why you’re here.”
“Open the door!” She gritted her teeth. “I made a stupid miscalculation by coming here. You can’t help me because you’re just like them.”
“What does that mean?”
Why do I care? Let her go.
“It’s none of your business.” She violently jiggled the door handle. “Let me out.”
“I’ll let you go, but first, you’re going to listen to me.” I spun her to face me. “You’re playing a dangerous game. This is a war you don’t want to be caught in the middle of. I suggest you go home to your daddy and do what he tells you to do.”
“That’s the whole problem.” She gazed at me through her long lashes. “But I don’t expect you to get it.”
She turned and stormed out of the office without looking back.
“Good riddance.” I went to the shelves and poured myself a drink before sitting on the couch to clear my head.
I couldn’t let her get to me. She was as insignificant as her father. Our families didn’t mix for a reason. I didn’t ask for her nonsense, and I didn’t have time for her.
After draining my vodka, I slammed the glass down on the coffee table. I took a deep breath, calming myself so I could get my head back in this game. My father counted on me to fulfill his duties in his absence.
A quick knock on the doorframe drew me away from my thoughts. One of the men on my security team, stood in the doorway.
“Boss,” he said.
“What is it?”
“There’s something outside you might be interested in.”
“What?” I stood.
“The girl who keeps showing up here.” He motioned for me to follow him. “Gallanti’s daughter.”
“What about her?” I wouldn’t put it past her to be out there smashing some of my cars.
“She’s out there with Danny Collins, and the conversation looks pretty heated.”
We headed downstairs, through the showroom, and out the back entrance. The lot was dark, except for the lights that we left on when we were closed.
“We were going to intervene, but I know Collins could be a potential problem, so I wanted to check with you first.” He pointed in the direction of Danny’s car. “They’re over there.”
“Get some backup,” I said. “Don’t do anything until I give the order.”
“Okay.” He took off to grab a few of my guys.
I crept closer so I could get a better look at the situation. Danny and Lissia argued in the alleyway. His car headlights illuminated the space as she backed away from him.
Is this why she needed my help?
When he yanked her arm and tried to shove her into his car, she swatted at him and struggled to get away. I reached for my gun as my men joined me. I nodded toward the conflict, silently ordering them to follow me.
“Get away from me!” Lissia shouted.
“I told you to stay away from him,” Danny said. “Now you’re going to pay, you stupid bitch.”
“She isn’t the only one who is going to pay.” I pointed my gun at Danny. “I can promise you that.”