32. Massimo
Chapter 32
Massimo
I stare at my left hand, idly spinning my wedding band with my thumb. Ever since the night Margot was assaulted in my club, I’ve kept it on. Something about it affirms my commitment to her, to us. I’m far more accustomed to the feel of it on my finger than I thought I would be.
“Massimo?” Daniele calls, his voice snapping me back to reality.
Blinking, the room around me refocuses and I smooth my hand down my face before clearing my throat and readjusting my position in my chair. “Yes?”
Daniele leans over, muting the landline on my desk. “Luigi wants to know if we’re accepting the offer from the Russians?”
I nod and unmute the phone. “We have no reason to accept Kuznetsov’s offer. It’s an insult more than anything. In fact, I’m certain that they’ve lowballed us to see how desperate we are and I have no intention of negotiating with them after this stunt. I suggest you stay clear, Luigi, or risk losing everything your family built.”
Luigi sighs, sounding like a man at his breaking point. He’s been the head of his family since before I was born. It’s only natural that he would consider taking an offer that would grant him relief of what can sometimes feel like a burden. But I’ve always been taught to be wary of wolves in sheep's clothing, and that’s exactly how the Russians operate. They want to take over our weapons importation, keep us partially involved, and push their own drug and human trafficking. Shit that I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
“I don’t know, Massimo. Not all of us are as young as you. Besides, I have no family to leave this to. It wouldn’t matter if they robbed me blind.”
We fall quiet, the memory of Luigi’s loss coating us in a blanket of darkness. His wife and three children were on a plane when it exploded midair. He lost everything that day, and what’s worse is, the authorities have been unable to pinpoint the people responsible.
“It’s your decision to make, Luigi. But DeMarco lost his entire area to them. Now they bring in their own guns and drugs, having cut him out entirely.”
My attention shifts to Daniele with a question in my eyes. He lifts a shoulder, shaking his head, as puzzled as I am at why Luigi is even contemplating the offer.
“I’ll take your advice into consideration, Massimo.” He pauses, and when I open my mouth, he continues, “I’ve been asked to speak to you about your wife.”
My gaze flicks to the phone, as Daniele stands and crosses the room, shutting the door behind him as he leaves.
Once I’m sure we’re alone, I ask, “What about my wife?” My annoyance is barely contained as I bite out the words.
There’s a beat of hesitation before Luigi says, “Antonio informed us of your dinner.” God, they’re like old ladies gossiping . The heads of the other families in the tri-state area are Luigi, who they count on to deliver any bad news, Antonio, who surveys the situation and reports into Luigi, and Marco. He’s the quieter one of the three, always watching and guarded.
“I’ll come right out and say it, Massimo, she’s a distraction to you, and because of that, she’s a liability. Antonio said he’s never seen you behave like you did the other night. You are the head of your family and she is young and inexperienced in our world. We promised your father when he passed that we would look out for you. God rest his soul.”
I grind my jaw, biting my tongue to keep from snapping at him. How fucking dare he? If it were anyone else, I’d tell them exactly where they could shove their advice. But Luigi has my respect. Barely .
Forcing calm into my tone, I reply, “I’ll take your advice into consideration.” I know it won’t be lost on Luigi that my response mirrors his own.
Silence greets me.
“Was there anything else?”
“No, nothing. Take care.” Luigi sighs, cutting the call.
I blow out a breath and refocus on the contract I was studying. I will admit, Margot is a distraction. Hell, she’s been on my mind and occupying my thoughts since the moment I knew of her existence, but she is my wife and Luigi had no right to discuss her with me. If she is a liability, she’s mine.
My problem.
My responsibility.
My wife .
There’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” I call, my voice stiff.
Aldo enters, inclining his head as he crosses the room. “Boss.”
I don’t speak, instead, I pick up my pen and sign the contract in front of me and wait for him to say whatever it is he came in here to say. And it had better not be about Margot.
“I found Margot in the library and I know you gave strict instructions for nobody to be in there.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I drag my thumb and forefinger over them before pinching the bridge of my nose. “This house is as much hers as it is mine. She is free to go into any room she pleases, including yours.”
Aldo smooths his hand over his tie before clearing his throat. “Of course, my apologies. It just caught me off guard that she was in there.”
Why the hell would that ‘catch him off guard’? I frown, but before I can question him, Daniele enters, his phone pressed to his ear.
Pulling it away, he taps the screen and sets it down on the polished surface of my desk. “Leonardo, we’re all here.”
“Okay,” Leonardo replies, his voice sounding distant. “I’ve found Haven. She’s…” he trails off. When he speaks again, his tone is dejected. “She’s in the hospital.”
In all the years we’ve worked together, I’ve never heard Leonardo sound like this. I sit forward, my focus on the screen, willing him to continue. All we’re met with is background noise, and tension coils in my gut with every second that passes. “What’s happened, Leonardo?” I urge.
“Christ,” he mutters, before exhaling sharply. “She had an accident. The baby is fine, but she’s unconscious and they might need to induce her.” He pauses, the sounds of the hospital filling the line before he continues, “Look, boss, I know you need me back, but that’s my baby. I can’t…”
I cut him off. “Send the hospital details and I’ll update her mom. She’ll want to travel up, so just be prepared for her.” Maria is still angry with me for sending her daughter away and I don’t blame her. “Do whatever you need to do to bring Haven and the baby home safely, Leonardo.”
“Thanks, Massimo.” Someone calls his name. “The doctor’s here, I've got to go, but I’ll keep you updated.”
The line disconnects and Daniele pockets his phone. “I didn’t see that coming. Leonardo, a father. Who’d have thought?” He smirks.
My mouth twitches into some semblance of a smile, and I shake my head as I roll up the sleeves of my shirt. Turning the conversation back to business, I ask, “Any update on Anastasia? Preferably one where she isn’t having your child.”
Daniele barks out a laugh, the sound bouncing around the room. “Not a chance of that happening. It won’t be my dick I’ll be putting in her but my bullet.”
My smile fades, images of Aurora when we found her curled up in the corner of the room, barely hanging on but ready to fight, flash through my mind. It’s a fresh reminder of the torture she endured at the hands of Anastasia. My jaw tightens to the point of pain.
Anastasia’s still out there.
Still breathing . But not for much longer.