Page 13 of Empire of Temptation

The lies I’d prepared sat heavily on my tongue. I intended tomake up a story to get her on a plane quickly, then turn her over to Palmieri. What happened next was not my problem. If she or Segreto died, so be it. I had my own problems. I needed to get Niccolò out of prison before he toppled my entire empire.

But this was before I saw her holding onto this place by her fingernails. Before I heard her stomach growl because she took care of everyone else before herself. Before I noted a weariness in her eyes that made me want to help in whatever way possible . . .

And she’d just confessed that Segreto shows up here every now and again. That meant he was close, keeping tabs on his daughter, as I’d suspected.

Maybe I could give Flavio Segreto directly to Palmieri without using Valentina.

I needed to consider this.

Meeting her gaze squarely, I lied. “No. I am here for business.”

“Oh, good,” she said softly, almost dreamily, then her cheeks warmed and she bit her lip in the most adorable way. “I mean, good that it’s not about my father. I really don’t know much about him and I don’t want to, either.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“I think I caught a glimpse of him at my mom’s funeral.” She dragged a polished fingernail over the white tablecloth. Her nails were a deep red, a color I happened to find very sexy. “But he didn’t speak to me.”

Because Segreto knew it was dangerous to be seen with her. But I would bet anything he’s close by, or at least keeping tabs on her.

Before I could comment, she asked, “Do you have family back in Italy? A wife? Kids?”

Was she fishing? “I have never been married, but I have two sons. They are sixteen and eighteen.”

Her brows lifted. “You weren’t in love with their mother?”

I almost laughed. Not because I thought loving a mistress was impossible, but because I didn’t believe myself capable of the emotion. I hadn’t experienced romantic love once since I startedfucking at thirteen years old. And children outside of wedlock were common in the ’Ndrangheta. Every don I knew had at least one child from a woman who was not his wife. “Mothers, plural, and neither one was interested in marriage with me.”

“I find that hard to believe. Having kids is a lot of work.”

“Not when you have money. I gave both as much help as they needed and my sons had the best of everything.”

A flash of something—disappointment?—crossed her face, but it was too quick for me to decipher. “So you weren’t around.”

Ah. She was comparing me to her own father. “I helped raise them. Hardly a day has gone by since they were born when I haven’t seen both of them.” Leo and Gabriele were my heirs, my legacy. Benetti through and through. It was my responsibility to see them shaped properly for what their future would bring. There could be no weakness or hesitation when it came time to take over.

My mobile buzzed again in my pocket, but I ignored it. Probably my men outside checking in. I brought seven guards with me to Paesano, though my brothers had argued for more. I overruled them, thinking I wouldn’t be here long. Now that seemed foolish on my part.

Valentina propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm. Her lips curved into a smirk. “Are you telling me you changed diapers in your bespoke suit?”

“I hired a nanny to change diapers.”

“Of course you did.” She rolled her eyes heavenward.

“Gabriele vomited on me twice. Does this make you feel better?”

“It does, actually.”

I found myself smiling at her. “I make you dinner and this is how little you think of me, eh? Ma dai, signorina.”

She stared at me, her gaze slightly cloudy. I couldn’t tell if it was lust or the wine, but I hoped it was the drink. I was already trying to resist her. If she encouraged me, I was lost and fucking her was a bad idea. My dick had already caused enough trouble. She wasn’t much older than Leo, for fuck’s sake.

The kitchen door opened again, disrupting the moment, and we both looked away. I willed my cock to calm down as John approached with my suit coat dangling from one finger. Had he checked the pockets for clues about me? If so, I was pleased to disappoint him. I wasn’t as stupid as that.

I pushed back in my chair and rose to my full height. I had at least three inches on the dishwasher, which I wasn’t afraid to use to intimidate him. I held out my hand for the jacket and he passed it over. “Grazie, John.”

He ignored me. “You ready to go home, Val?”

“Yes, I think so.” She stood up out of her chair. “Let me turn off all the lights and lock up.”

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