Page 38 of (UN)Bounded

“The sheikh is here? What for?” I ask, incredulous.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because he wants to do business with you? Wake up, bro.” Dom snaps his fingers in front of me, and the first thing I think of doing is to call Bella.

“Hi, G. Are you on your way?” she answers after the second ring.

“Hi, Bella mia. Actually something came up.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, a sheikh is here, and I need to take him to dinner—a business dinner. Are you okay with starting our week off tomorrow morning?” I hate it. It hasn’t even been a full day since I committed to making time to hang out with her, and I’m already asking for time to work.

“Oh, sure. It actually works out perfectly,” Bella answers in a chirpy tone.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, my classmates are going out tonight, and I had said no because we were leaving but now I can go. Good luck with the sheikh! See you later, G.” Bella hangs up, and I stay with the phone against my cheek. I thought she would be disappointed, but I guess she can bounce between plans like no one's business. I can’t help but feel the jealousy forming inside my chest. The thought of Goody Two-Shoes Giacomo being there makes me uneasy. No one is ever that clean.

“What? She hung up mad?” Dom asks.

“No. She said she could just make other plans, then.” Dom barks out a laugh, and if I wasn’t so intrigued by what the sheikh wants to talk to me about, I would swat his head.

“Sheikh Khalid, welcome. What a pleasure to have you here,” I say as I welcome him into Verona, my restaurant. His entourage is at least twenty people. For someone who doesn’t like drawing attention, he sure knows how to make an entrance.

“Mr. Godoy, I appreciate your flexibility to see me with such short notice.”

“I must admit, I was surprised when I learned you were in town. What can I do for you?” The sheikh smiles at me as he sits and looks around for someone to fill a glass of water for him.

“It’s quite simple, Mr. Godoy. I want you to build me a palace. Something humanity has never seen before.” I raise my eyebrows at his statement.

“I see.” I take a sip of my water, and I wish I had something stronger in hand, but out of respect for the sheikh, I only have water, like him.

“May I ask, why me? I’m flattered, but I would be lying if I said you didn’t catch me by surprise.”

“I like humble men, Mr. Godoy. That speaks highly of you. But I also like attention to detail and in that regard, in my opinion, you are second to none.”

“I’m grateful for your vote of confidence, Sheikh Khalid. Is there a timeline? Any specifications? I currently have a few projects going, and I’m about to embark on one of the biggest projects of my career. I want to make sure I can give your project the attention it needs.”

“I can appreciate that. I have a few projects going on myself. That’s why I came personally to speak with you, because there are some matters that cannot be delegated if you want them to go perfectly.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more. Let’s talk business.” He smiles at my words and asks one of his bodyguards for a tablet.

The evening goes by with us eating and talking about his vision for his newest palace. I guess this is my sign to finally get out of my comfort zone.

“Rocco, where are you guys?” I ask over the speaker as I start my Lamborghini Aventador SV. I can’t wait to see Bella.

“Mr. Godoy, we’re outside of Fuoco. Miss Bianchi and her classmates are inside.”

“Okay, I’m on my way,” I say as I disconnect the call and punch in directions on the navigation system. The time flew by speaking with the sheikh, and I’m beyond excited to embark on that project. I can’t wait to tell Bella all about it.

It’s an easy drive to Fuoco, and I’m parking in front of the place in less than ten minutes. I didn’t get a chance to change, so I leave my suit jacket in the car and roll up my shirt sleeves. Everyone in line is ogling my car, and as long as no one touches it, it’s fine. I guess it’s not often you see one of these since they went out of production a couple of years ago.

The bouncer nods for me to cut in line, and I pass him a five-hundred Euro bill.

“Thank you, Mr. Godoy,” I hear him say before I disappear into the throng of people inside this place. I make my way to the bar and ask for a whiskey on the rocks. I take a fortifying sip as I scan the area, looking for those azure eyes that I can get lost in. Finding her doesn’t take me long—she’s the most beautiful woman on the dance floor. She’s wearing a barely-there black strapless dress and sky-high silver heels. Her hair is down in flowy waves, covering her back. She’s dancing to the beat in a circle with other girls, all of them dressed to the nines, but I only have eyes for the Argentine fairy who has enchanted me since the moment I saw her descending from my jet.

I’m enjoying watching her dance, waiting for the perfect moment to join her when a kid, who I can only assume is Giacomo, gets behind her and dares to put a hand on her waist. This wimpy motherfucker decided to hit on the wrong woman.

I finish my whiskey in one big gulp and reach the dance floor in four strides. People make way the moment they see me barreling through the crowded space—they’re smart to do so. When I get to Bella, I see she has stopped dancing and is saying something to Giacomo, but he’s still holding her. I get between them and look down at the kid, effectively breaking their connection. I’m not the tallest person, but I’m taller than this idiot.

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