Page 94 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

"Leo, reserve a table somewhere for Miconi and me to meet for lunch," Raz ordered.

"I've already done that. The table is reserved at your cousin's restaurant. We should leave in an hour to beat the downtown lunch traffic."

Raz nodded, his mind racing ahead to what he would say when Miconi asked him what his intentions were for his daughter.

"Raz," Leo called out.

"What?" Raz snapped, a headache forming.

"You should at least meet Isla before you make any life-altering decisions."

Even Leo understood the gravity of this situation.

"Also," Leo continued. "Don't upset Miconi. His investment is important."

"That is true," the consigliere added. "We lost a few investors after your um... killing spree. A union between the Cattaneos and the Miconis could smooth some of those ruffled feathers out there who believe you're crazier than your father. Also, Isla Miconi would make a great addition to the Cattaneo family. Many families are interested in her. But she never accepts their invites. The fact that she accepted yours means she also has her eyes on you, Don Cattaneo."

Raz glared at the family consigliere. "Are you done?" Raz growled.

"I'm finished." The man stared down at the forms he'd been going over with Raz.

Raz's gaze drifted to his office window. He stared outside as birds chirped. What the fuck were theychirping for? Today wasn't a good day. Why was the sun even fucking shining? The world was a dark place. Even the sun couldn't brighten this shit up.

"I'll let you two get back to what you're doing," Leo excused himself and left the office, leaving Raz to continue his meeting with their consigliere.

"Did you hear me, Mr. Cattaneo?"

Raz stared across his desk.Oh, right.He needed to pay attention.

"We have all of these forms ready to be e-signed," the consigliere told him. "Since you wanted them printed off to go in your personal files, you must also sign the paper copies. Therefore, we have to review both versions to ensure they're all correct. We can't leave any loopholes."

Nodding, Raz shifted in his seat and began reading over the forms again. About an hour later, after he'd signed so many forms that his hand felt cramped, they were done going over and signing all of the transfer forms, transferring rights from his father to him.

Of course, they'd had to forge his father's signature because his dad refused to sign them.Oh, well.They'd gotten the shit done. The consigliere was leaving the room when Leo reappeared, letting Raz know it was time to head to the restaurant. Raz stood up from his office chair, ready to follow Leo out.

Leo stopped him. "Are you sure you want to do this? Meeting with Miconi could lead to a Cattaneo-Miconi engagement," Leo pointed out.

"I'm aware of that," Raz confessed.

"But are you okay with that?"

Was he okay with that? Did it matter if he was or wasn't?

"A Don has to have a wife," Raz finally said.

"You didn't answer my question," Leo countered.

"Who I marry doesn't matter to me," Raz told him. "I need to keep up appearances. Families have already started contacting my consigliere, wanting me to meet their daughters. I'll have to marry someone soon, preferably someone who can strengthen our hold in the business world here and overseas. If she can't do that, there's no point in me getting married."

Especially since I can't marry Monique.

"Isla Miconi comes from a prominent family. Her father is about to become one of our major shareholders. If she's to be my wife, so be it," Raz continued.

"But that's not what you really want."

"I'm the Cattaneo Don now, Leo. What I want no longer matters."

Shaking his head, Leo stepped to the side, allowing Raz to exit the office.

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