Page 37 of The Virgin I Desire

“I'm taking care of you.”

“We understand how things work,” said Perla, risking being reprimanded.

“You shouldn’t.” He crossed his arms.

“We are already adults, just like you.”

“Go have lunch.” He moved us towards the stairs and patted each of us on the shoulder to get us down.

My brother wanted to protect us, but maybe he was doing it the wrong way.

Perla and I finished going downstairs and I saw Dad talking something to one of the soldiers in the room. He was so focused that he didn't even notice us. I felt butterflies in my stomach and wondered what issue they could be dealing with that would cause my brother to come home bloodied.

For a moment it crossed my mind that Uncle Mateo and his IT team might have discovered my conversations with the head of the Russian mafia and were preparing to take action. However, I quickly dismissed that thought, because I imagined that if they had known, they would have come to talk to me, even if it was just my father to scold me.

“You stopped, didn't you?”

“Stop what?” I moved my head to face my sister when I noticed her question while we were on our way to the dining room where our lunch was always served.

“Talking to him,” she spoke softly, tilting her head towards me so that only I could hear her.

I just nodded. It was half true since I had hung up the call after our last conversation and he still hadn't called me back.

“Our family doesn't need any more problems, Pietra.”

“I know.” I pushed her towards the dining room so that the matter could be concluded with the presence of other family members.

Chapter fifteen

I sat on the bench and picked up the dumbbell that was on the floor. I straightened up, correcting the posture of my shoulders and began to lift the weight. I tried to, as always, mentally count the movements, but that day it was more difficult, as my mind was completely scattered.

I was still thinking about the direction the conversation I had with Pietra had taken. For me there was no different relationship between man and woman than the carnal one. I wanted her from the moment I first laid eyes on her, but it didn't seem like enough.

What that woman wanted from me and my possibility of giving in was what was making me most disturbed. She was right, I could have anyone in Russia, including one who was already married, I had that power, but it was restricted when it came to Italy.

I wanted Pietra Bellucci for myself, that should be enough.

“Sir...”

I dropped the dumbbell on the floor and lifted my head, feeling the sweat run down my temples and around my face until it dripped onto the floor.

“What happened, Sergei?”

“There's a shipment of heroin arriving next week, and some bosses are wanting a little more than what we usually give out.”

“Do we have enough?”

“No. Unless we leave some places without receiving the goods this month. The siege is closing with the presence of police on the streets. Your father was already having difficulty smuggling drugs into the country.”

“We need to change strategy.”

“I've been saying that for years. Perhaps changing the routes or the people who do the collections could be a good alternative.”

“Buy the police officers who are causing us problems. Everyone has a price, if they are not willing to tell you theirs, remove them from their position.”

“Are you talking about killing the police?”

“You heard me.” I got up from the bench and walked to a bar near the wall and grabbed it by pulling my body up and down.

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