Matteo frowns, stroking his wispy black mustache. “I know, boss. He’s getting far too confident. Hitting this many bars in a single day means he clearly prepared for this. It wasn’t just some impulsive attack. This was a planned move.”
I sigh, cracking my knuckles and feeling the bony snap move up my arm. The desire to pass off this business to Matteo and return to the mansion to be with Lena almost overwhelms me with its fierce compulsion.
But of course I can’t let myself do that, not until I know the fighting is done. I didn’t build the most powerful empire in the world by running away from my problems.
I handle my business myself, especially when it comes to matters of war. A powerful general leads from the front, showing his men what it means to be strong by filling himself with heroic power, by puffing his chest like a beast and proclaiming to the world that fucking with him is hazardous to your fucking health.
And that’s me, a beast, ready to tear off my ten thousand dollar suit at a moment’s notice and tear my competition to shreds.
I can’t let my mind skirt too close to Lena and her revelation that she’s a virgin. If I do, I won’t be able to stop thinking about her. I’ll sink into the rabbit hole until all my thoughts are about her. I can’t wait to see her later, though, and tell her exactly how I feel about her being a virgin.
“Boss?” Matteo says, walking up beside me. He shows me his cellphone, flashing up silently with an incoming call. “Unknown caller, but I bet it’s Diego.”
“I bet you’re right,” I snarl. “That prick loves to gloat.”
I take the phone and wander over to the collapsed wall, standing in the rubble as the scent of destruction wiggles up my nose. I answer the phone and hold it to my ear, waiting for him to speak first.
In all my long years of dominating the mafia and business worlds, I’ve learned that letting men tie their own nooses with their words is often the best strategy.
“Lorenzo, listen. It’s me, Diego. I wanted to let you know that I didn’t want to have to do this, but I just had to. You forced my hand.”
“Explain,” I mutter, forcing myself to sound calm as violent images of wringing his neck cycle through my mind.
“How many times have I told you that marrying my daughter is the only way we can solidify our alliance?” I can hear him scowling, which is just typical for a man like him. He thinks his feelings matter where business is concerned. “I don’t see what the problem is, Lorenzo. She’s a good girl. She’ll do whatever you want. She was raised in this life.”
I shake my head as a wave of revulsion washes over me. This man is talking about his daughter the same way a man would about cattle.
He doesn’t know that I’ve already found my queen. And even if we have to discuss what she told me – that she’s a virgin – it doesn’t change the fact that I’d rather spend the rest of my life alone than with a woman like Diego’s daughter, a woman trained to basically be my slave.
I don’t want a slave.
I want a partner.
And Lena, with her supple curves and her fiery as hellfire eyes and the sweet untouched place between her thighs …
No, not yet.
I stamp down on that thought with a mind made boot and kick it away from me. If I let myself stray too closely to that train of thought, I won’t be able to stop myself from leaping on it and riding it to its final steamy destination.
“You made a mistake, Diego,” I snarl. “I’ve found a woman. I’ve found a queen. I’ve spent my whole life searching and now I have her. And there’s nothing in this fucking world that could make me turn away from her. You need to get that into your thick goddamn skull before I do something drastic. Do you understand?”
He intakes a deep breath, trembling like he’s about to let out a whimper. “I … I …”
“I said do you understand?” I growl.
“Yes, Lorenzo, I get it,” he whispers. “Who is she, this woman? Is she part of a rival Family?”
I snort. “She’s none of your business,” I snap. “She’s the only woman I’ll ever want, that I’ll ever need. I’d kill a thousand men for her, Diego, and that can include you if you ever bring her up again. She’s my queen and that’s all you need to know.”
I hang up the phone and pass it back to Matteo, a cord of tension moving through my forearms. I feel the fabric of my shirt stretching under the pressure of my muscles, as though any second it could erupt and tear down the middle, revealing my muscled torso.
“I’m happy for you, boss,” Matteo mutters. “I didn’t know you’d found someone.”
I nod. “See to the repairs. Post extra guards on our other businesses. I’ve got something I need to take care of.”
“Of course,” Matteo says.
I stride out into the sunlight and head towards my Ferrari, which I drove here instead of taking one of the chauffeured sedans. It’s a deep orange, almost red, like rusty blood dried to concrete, a color that reminds me of what it took to get to where I am today.
A color that Diego needs to remember if he ever thinks about crossing me again.
I unlock the car and the doors swing up like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
Climbing into the seat, I grip the steering wheel and let my thoughts return to Lena.
Now that I know there’s no more imminent danger to the bars, I can let Matteo take care of the more admin type jobs. A general leads from the front, it’s true, but only when
