Page 3 of The Coldest Season

He better make his mind up quick before I just run his ass over and call it a night.

It's not as if I actually need him, I justwanthim.

And frankly, I can find someone else to entertain me if he doesn't hurry up and-

My thoughts are cut short as he moves around to the door.

Good soldier.

He climbs in and I scrunch up my nose as his scent invades the car. It isn't as bad as I expected but it's still enough to let me know I'll need to have my car detailed tomorrow.

I shift the car to drive and slam my foot on the gas just as he moves to pull his seatbelt on, and he lets out a grunt. I smother my smirk.

"Tell me what I need to know."

"What?" he asks, and I see him turn his head in my peripheral vision.

"Tell me everything I need to know about you," I clarify. "Everything that makes a good resume for you."

"A resume for what job?"

He asks far too many questions, I'll have to fix that.

"My brother is going to ask a lot of questions when I present you to him and my job is to sell you, in a sense. So give me a rundown of your military experience." There, that sounds completely normal. And I'm not lying exactly, Givoanni will ask a bunch of questions about the man, he's an outsider after all and the family doesn't do those.

But I do.

In fact, Ilovethem.

"Oh, umm," his voice is low and he clears it before giving me a brief rundown of his history that I listen to with half a mind while the other half starts spinning a story to give Giovanni.

By the time we've pulled up to the compound and the gates open, I've got the perfect idea in my head.

Enzo is wide eyed as I park the car and we climb out. I understand, I guess, if I didn't grow up around money, I'd find the mansion more impressive.

Instead, it’s nothing but a reminder of all the sins this family has committed to reach and remain at the top of the food chain, including destroying our own flesh and blood.

"When we get inside, let me do all the talking," I tell him, taking another look at his clothes. It'd probably be best to find him something else to wear when I present him to Giovanni, but this will have to do. "Follow me." I open the front door and close it behind Enzo before moving through the mansion, stopping when I get to Giovanni's office.

I press the passcode in and I open my mouth, prepared to go right into my spiel. But my lips snap closed as I find another person sitting just across from my brother.

The last fucking person I want to see.

Vito Bianchi turns in his seat, his green eyes meeting mine and I have to push back the irritation that wants to flare up.

The goal right now is to hide the real Maximo.

It's the only way Enzo won't go running within seconds and the only way to play on my brother's heart strings. He's much more susceptible to me when I'm not being a complete ass. Especially if Vito isn’t in the room opposing every word that comes out of my mouth.

"Maixmo," Giovanni says, looking up at me. Many say that his face is a near reflection of mine, but I’ve never seen it. I like to think I have a subtle coldness, more of aI’ll make sure it’s funbefore I kill you face while Giovanni has aI’ll just put a bullet into your head without preambleface. Even now, his lips instantly pull into a hard line, a crease between his brows as he glances behind me to Enzo.

Vito's reaction is a little less subdued as he climbs to his feet, his eyes hard. "Who is this, Maximo?" he asks as he looks at Enzo, his hand moving to his side where I know his gun is.

I only smile at him, moving further into the room and gesturing for Enzo to step inside. When he does, I close the door behind him. I look at Giovanni before looking back at Vito. "This is Giovanni's new guard."

And with just a little corruption, my new toy soldier.

CHAPTER THREE: GIOVANNI

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