Page 13 of Savage Prince

“I thought this meeting was to meet your son, Enrico… who the fuck is that?” Dante growls. “He looks like he could be your father.”

The male who just entered offers a smile, wisps of silver hair barely covering his scalp. “Excuse me for the intrusion.” He extends his hand, butPapàeyes it warily, glare unflinching. “Michele Salerno, a fellow businessman.”

“I hope you don’t mind,” Enrico interjects. For a second, the air thickens, the tension in the room palpable.

“And if I said I do?” My father’s eyes narrow at the two men before a smile slides in. “Fuck it, I don’t have time for this. Let’s get on with it already.”

When the men move past the preliminary introductions, I’m relieved to just stand there in anonymity as they begin to discuss the tedious details of their new agreement. At some point in the conversation, the guard who escorted us in, reappears with another man. This one I’m more interested in.

With bright green eyes that sparkle like the finest emeralds and a strong, square jaw, he flashes me a smile. “Excuse the delay.” With his gaze still pinned in my direction, he offersPapàa hand. “Federico Sartori.”

Pa is not as interested in the newcomer as I am. “Let’s move this along. I have a jet home to catch.”

“Of course.” Federico finally peels his gaze from mine and the four men gather around the enormous desk, while I’m left to wander the study. Rows of bookshelves line the back wall, so I entertain myself by reading the spines. I’ve never been a big reader, not like Bella who spends hours with her nose buried in the pages of a good romance novel. I’d rather be living my own smutty fantasies in real life.

“…Antonio Ferrara…”

My head spins at the familiar name on the lips of a male voice. Antonio Ferrara is Raf’s brother, the new head of theFerrara crime organization. Bella’s bodyguard never wanted anything to do with the family business and after everything went to hell last month during her internship in Rome, his eldest brother, Antonio, assumed the role ofcapo.

I turn toward the four men and find Enrico speaking. Inching closer, I strain to make out bits of the conversation without being overly obvious.Papàdid say he’d been in Rome. He isn’t working with Antonio, is he? It’s not possible after everything Bella went through…

Unless Uncle Luca doesn’t know, and my crazy-ass father is working on something on the side. I vow to get the truth out of him before he steps foot on that jet back to New York. With Bella still living in Rome, I have to make sure she’s safe. She’s my baby cousin, and I don’t care that her boyfriend thinks he’s the most lethal bodyguard that ever lived.

“The Ferrara empire will be no more within months. The pieces have already begun to crumble.” Federico smiles, not the kind that has heat unfurling between my legs, but rather a calculating, cold-blooded one. “With the Kings, Sartoris and Salernos working together, they will be forced out.”

“And you’re certain Antonio Ferrara won’t be a problem?”Papà. His back is to me, so I can’t see much from the corner of my eye as I continue to pretend to peruse the bookshelves.

“I will make sure of it,” Federico whispers. “Though my father has moved his permanent residence here to Milano, I will remain in Roma and see to it that the Ferraras are destroyed.”

“And if they attempt to retaliate?”

“Antonio is weak; he’s not cut out for the cutthroat role. He’s new to leadership, and his men cannot possibly be that loyal yet. It takes time to rebuild an organization like theirs. He’s on the brink of destruction as it is, and we will be sure to push him over the edge.”

“I’m counting on you, Sartori,” saysPapà. “If my niece gets caught in the crossfire, I will hold your son personally responsible.”

My breath hitches, and I barely restrain the gasp from seeping out.

“Federico insists he has everything in control, and I trust him.”

“Bene.”

The conversation takes a turn to logistics, and I lose interest once there’s no further mention of Antonio. As soon as I talk to Pa, I have to warn Bella. Raf needs to know what’s happening so he can take the necessary precautions.

An hour later andPapàand I are back on theNaviglienjoying ourgelatoand the warm night air. He’s tense despite the heaping spoonful’s ofnocciolaice cream he shovels into his mouth.

“Does Luca know what you’re doing?” I finally ask. I hoped he would offer the information, but it’s late and he hasn’t said a word. In less than an hour, he’ll be on his way back to Manhattan.

“What are you talking about?” He dips the spoon into thegelatoonce more, staring at the creamy treat.

“With the Ferraras… You know very well that’s Raf’s family.”

He rolls his eyes, a rueful grin tugging at his gelato-smeared lips. “His ex-family from what I understand.”

“It doesn’t matter. Bella is still in Rome and if Luca knew what you were up to, he’d rip you a new one.”

“Both the Sartori’s and Salernos assured me they could handle Antonio without any collateral damage.”

“And if they can’t?”

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