Page 68 of The Deal

“You are?” I ask, gently cupping her face and tilting her head back. Those words catch me off guard, but when I look into her eyes, I see her truth clear as day.

I lean down, placing my lips against hers. I’m going to miss her too, more than I care to admit.

Her hands fist in the back of my shirt, tugging me closer. I deepen the kiss, but as soon as I feel my dick begin to swell, I reluctantly pull away. The chopper will be here shortly, so I don’t have time for this. I need to talk to the guards before I leave.

“Can I trust you won’t leave the house while I’m gone?” I ask, my tone serious. “I don’t want you taking any chances,bella. I’ve got extra men patrolling the perimeter, and as long as you stay here, you’ll be safe. There’s a lot happening right now, and the last thing I need is to be worrying about your well-being.”

“I’ll behave.”

I smile down at her as the pad of my thumb skims over her bottom lip. “Do you even know how to do that?” I tease.

She lifts one shoulder. “Sometimes.”

I bark out a laugh as I lean in and brush my lips with hers one last time. “I’ve made sure my men know that nobody gets in or out. Carmella has enough supplies to lastthe next week if need be. This place is in lockdown until I return.”

“Are you going to lock me away in my room until then?”

“No.”

Her eyes slightly widen. “You’re not?”

“Do I need to?”

“No.”

“Good.” I release her and reach for the handle of my suitcase, lifting it off the bed and striding towards the door. “If all goes well, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.” I can only hope I’m not walking into the middle of a warzone.

“Alex,” she says, reaching for my free hand and wrapping her dainty fingers around it. “Be safe.”

I lift our joined hands to my mouth, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. Our eyes meet for a fleeting moment, and a silentsomethingpasses between us. I’m not sure what it is, but it sends a chill running up my spine.

I drop her hand, turn, and leave the room. I need to get out of here before I do something stupid, like tell her I love her.

I’m not surprised, under the circumstances, that my father doesn’t come to the airport to greet me. He sends two cars that contain some of his best men to collect me instead.

He may be disappointed in the man I’ve become, but he loves me all the same. I’m his heir apparent, and keeping me safe is likely somewhere near the top of his priority list.

Even though he was the one who gave the orders, he knows the gravity of his actions will not go unpunished. He’ll keep himself out of harm’s way for the foreseeable future.

Antonio and I slide into the back seat of the first car; my other two men get into the vehicle parked behind ours.

Other than a few greetings, the journey to my father’s estate is a silent one. The air is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Do his men realise what an idiotic mistake this was too?

None of us are safe from this, and the fallout may well be cataclysmic.

As I surmised, my father’s vast estate is crawling with his men. It’s locked down like Fort Knox. My eyes scan the landscape as we travel down the long driveway. It’s been a while since I’ve been back here, but nothing much has changed.

When I reach the house, my men hang back as I make my way inside. I head straight for my father’s office because I presume that’s where he’ll be.

I knock once before turning the handle on the heavy wooden door. “Alessandro,” my father says, his arms raised in greeting when he spots me. A smile spreads across his aging face as he rises from his chair and rounds his desk to greet me.

We may not be as close as we once were, but I can tell he’s genuinely happy to see me, just as I am to see him.

A heaviness settles in my chest as I think about the fallout of his actions. I may not share his beliefs or support the life he’s chosen, but I don’t want any harm to come to him—or to my brother.

When my father reaches me, he grasps my shoulders, leaning in to kiss both of my cheeks. “Welcome home, Son.”

“Hey, Papa,” I reply, reciprocating his greeting.

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