Chapter 13 Charlie #2
“Not anymore. Tell Luciano if he has a problem with it, he can come find me,” I tell him.
Mattia shrugs. “Better listen to the boss.”
I glare over at Rocco, but he’s staring out the window silently. “I suggest you stay the fuck away from me for the rest of the day.” He looks like he wants to say something but keeps his mouth shut.
Pulling out my phone while Mattia and I walk to the media room, I send off a text to Luciano.
Fuck Rocco off, I want someone else.
His response is instant.
No
The balls on this man.
I’ll have Mattia kill him.
Mattia’s phone rings seconds after I press send. His face is stern, and I can tell it’s Luciano on the other end. I reach over and snatch the phone from Mattia, catching the last part of Luciano’s rant. “Touch him and I will punish you the exact same fucking way.”
“Does that count for me as well, or just Mattia?” I call out.
“Principessa,” Luciano says. He’s trying to use my nickname as a deflection, but I’m not having it today.
“Don’t fucking Principessa me. I’m not a fragile doll, Luciano.”
He chuckles through the phone. “Far from it.”
“Did you make him my bodyguard to torture me or Rocco more?” I question him, glad he isn’t in front of me right now.
“Both.”
“I want someone else,” I demand, barging through the media doors. I motion my hand in the air for Mattia to shut the door and he obeys.
“No,” Luciano says right before hanging up on me.
I throw Mattia his phone and flop into the recliner. “Fancy getting baked?” I pull a fat bud from my pocket.
He laughs. “You naughty troublemaker.” He scoops me up from the couch like I weigh nothing and spins me around the room. His laughter is infectious, and for a second, the heavy weight of the family, of Luciano, of everything, slips away.
“I’ll handle the setup,” Mattia says, grabbing the bud from me and already moving to the mini bar in the media room. I decide to ransack the mini bar, grabbing anything that looks like it’ll be great for our munchies.
“Grab it all,” he calls out, eyes dark with delight. I dump everything on the floor, throwing pillows and blankets off the couches to build our own little sanctuary.
In no time, Mattia has rolled a couple of joints, his hands almost too skilled for someone so young. We collapse back against the chair, lighting up and letting the smoke curl around us.
I exhale thick clouds, feeling the tension start to melt away. “This stuff’s amazing.”
“Only the finest on the coast.” Mattia takes another drag, his eyes reflecting something deeper.
“So, how’d you get tangled up in all this?” I ask.
He shrugs, gaze drifting. “Got into some trouble as a kid. Luciano found me in juvie and offered me to come be part of his family.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Did you know he was Cosa Nostra back then?”
“Yeah, everyone knew Luciano was Caterina’s right-hand.”
I hesitate, then ask, “Were they… close?”
“He grew up with her since he was a teenager. Over twenty years by her side he served,” he says, shrugging like it’s just another fact.
“Out of curiosity, how old is everyone?”
“Stefano and Luciano are thirty-six, Stefano is four months older though. Carlo is twenty-nine. I’m twenty-six and Gabriele is twenty-five,” he says. Huh, that surprises me. I thought they were a bit older, especially Stefano.
Mattia pulls me closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “You know, you’re just like Caterina.”
“How so?”
“You’re both feisty and know how to stand your ground, both smoking hot—” I whack him on the shoulder. “Joking. You’re determined like her. You know, she was around your age when she started taking over?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yeah, rumor is she disappeared for nearly five years and came back one day and just started calling the shots.”
“And my grandfather just let her?” I ask.
“Yep. It’s not written in the journals, but Luciano said he was dying. Only had a couple years left to live.”
“So that’s why my mother had to come back. My grandfather only gave her five years because he knew he wouldn’t survive much longer after that.”
It’s all starting to make sense now. But if my grandfather died not long after my mother returned, why didn’t Dad let us come be with her? What was the other reason for keeping us away?
“I guess so.” He shrugs, then turns to me. “Tell me something no one else knows?”
“I’m scared…” I start to say, trying to find the right words.
Mattia pulls me closer to him. “What are you scared of? Us? If I’m around, I’ll protect you, Red.”
“I’m scared that I will fall in love with everything that my dad fought so hard to shield me from.” I gulp, fighting back the tears.
Mattia puffs a ring in front of us. “What was he like?”
“He was strict, very protective of me. My whole childhood feels like a lie now. I understand he was trying to protect me, but shouldn’t I have had the choice to get to know her?”
“Families do fucked-up things when they think they’re protecting you…” Mattia pauses. “Just remember, your family is who you choose, fuck blood relations.”
Mattia let slip yesterday that there’s a meeting this morning with the Capos and brothers—one Luciano conveniently forgot to mention to me. Am I mad? No, I’m furious! How am I supposed to learn about the businesses if he doesn’t start including me?
Rummaging through my closest, I put on a tight black pencil skirt with a slit that runs halfway up my thigh.
I match it with my favorite new red corset and matching black blouse and Louis Vuitton pumps.
Wanting to look every damn inch the sexy mafia principessa I am, I draw my eyeliner sharp, my mascara thick, and red lipstick to match my anger. My main goal? To piss Luciano off.
Looking at my watch, it’s been fifteen minutes since the meeting started. Perfect. I stride out of my room with Rocco hot on my heels, much to my dismay, and storm into the office, flashing my sweetest, deadliest smile.
“Hi guys, sorry I’m late,” I say to the room full of men. “Someone forgot to tell me about the meeting.” My gaze zeroes in on Luciano, sharp and challenging.
The brothers? Mattia’s barely holding in his laughter like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Carlo’s his usual stone-faced self, but he’s starting to become more readable to me: he’s amused.
Gabriele, glued to his tablet, pretending I’m invisible like normal.
Stefano, the guy looks genuinely caught off guard.
The five Capos standing in the room are looking at me completely shocked.
I can’t help myself. Turning towards them, I give them a big wave. “Hi Capos, I’m Charlotte Carlisi.” The stunned faces keep looking at me, unsure if they should believe me.
Luciano’s voice cuts through the room. “Charlie, what are you doing?” I walk toward the desk, his tailored Armani suit clinging to his muscular frame. I’ve come to notice he wears Armani a lot—must be his favorite brand.
“What does it look like? I told you, I want in on every meeting.” He rubs his temple, muttering, “Non ho tempo per queste stronzate.” I don’t have time for this bullshit.
I shoot back, sweet as venom, “Did you say something, Luciano?” I push his buttons with a smile. When in company, he should be addressed as the Don.
“Just sit down,” he grumbles from his seat behind the desk.
I stand tall, pushing him harder. “I can’t.”
“Why the fuck not?” his voice snaps. Finally, victory is mine!
“Well, you’re in my seat.” My fingers trace along the mahogany desk, making my point crystal clear as I stand beside him.
“That seat,” I say, pretending to pat down the collar of his Armani suit, “is for Carlisi blood. You may be running things for me, for now, but since I’m here, I should be sitting right there.
” I run my hands down the front of his suit until I land on his crotch.
His blue eyes lock with mine, my face inches away from his.
“Charlie, sit down or get the fuck out,” he says, grabbing my hands and pulling them off him.
From behind us, I hear Mattia pipe up, “I don’t know, Don. This is a pretty good show.” Luciano shoots him a glare that could cut through glass.
Not ready to back down, I plant my ass right on Luciano’s lap, wiggling just enough to drive the point home. I swear he flinches underneath me, just a smidge.
“Now, where were we?” I say, folding my hands in my lap.
Luciano clears his throat, shifting me to the side while trying to show that he’s in charge in front of our men. “Stefano, status on the latest firearm shipment?”
“On track. Mateo’s team are ready to pick it up from the port tomorrow morning,” Stefano confirms. One of the tall men in the corner nods his head, so I take it he’s Mateo.
“Good. Gabriele, what about Dominix’s bank accounts?”
“I hacked into every account, transferred the funds offshore where they can’t trace them. Banks will be foreclosing shortly. The takeover should be easy.” Gabriele’s voice is flat; no emotion, just facts.
I roll my eyes. “I want to check Dominix myself to make sure it’s a good fit for our business.” Stefano scoffs across at me, but I push on. “Who’s coming? I need an escort to leave the house.”
Mattia sighs, dripping sarcasm as he raises his hand in the air. “Alright, don’t need to twist my arm.”
“No,” Luciano barks. “You’re not going to Dominix.”
“Why the fuck not?” I snap.
His hand slides beneath the slit of my skirt hemline, his fingers matting over my skin before he grabs my thigh with his rough hand. “Because I’m the Don, and I said no.” His eyes darken; the demon is close to being unleashed.
“Out!” I shout at everyone, not breaking eye contact with Luciano. They all hesitate, unsure if they should listen to me, until Luciano nods, giving them the order to leave. The Capos leave the room first, followed by the brothers.
“Behave, you two,” Mattia says as he closes the door behind him.