Page 13 of Massimo

Gemma shuts the door. "Massimo."

"Would you like a drink?" I turn to her.

She crosses her arms and glares at me. "Will you listen to me?"

"I'm all ears." I sit in the chair behind my desk. I'm itching to fire up the cameras in the basement room to watch my little captive's reaction.

"You're a dick."

"So you've said."

Gemma glares at me and sits in a chair on the other side of my desk. "You're making a mistake. Don't handle her this way."

"You're being played, Gemma. Now go meet Gabe at the front door; he'll drive you to the estate."

"Don't fucking dismiss me."

"Don't presume you can tell me what to do," I snap, my calm and control slipping. All because of the snake's fucking princess. She's already slithering her way into my head and under my skin; she's already poisoning things here. "This isn't Italy, Gemma. This is my territory."

She leans back in the chair, regarding me with guarded eyes. "You're the Don here, the almighty powerhouse. I know that, Massimo. But—"

"I won't be fooled, Gemma," I say coldly. "And that princess." I point at the door. "That snake's fucking daughter is hiding who she truly is."

Gemma's expression softens. "Mass, what happened with Lixin and Amazu wasn't your fault."

"I didn't say I was shouldering the blame." I sip my drink, then set it aside as it curdles my stomach.

"No, but it's coloring how you look at this. Just listen to me, okay? The girl I met and hung out with in Italy isn't the one you think she is."

"She's playing you, Gemma."

She shakes her head. "I approached her, remember? Nova had no idea who I was; why would she lie and pretend otherwise? She wasn't anything like how Mancini portrays her to the world; she was fun and humble. She's so fucking nice and kind—a panhandler asked her for change, and she bought the guy an entire mealandsat and talked with him while he ate it. Neither you nor I would've ever done that."

I lean back in my chair, resting my ankle on my opposite knee. "So she's an entirely different person than the one on the car ride here."

"Yes, she's—" Gemma snaps her mouth shut, realizing what I did.

"So you're admitting that she's not being the same person. That's she hiding who and what she is."

"That's not what I meant. Stop twisting my words."

I smile, but it doesn't make Gemma relax. "Go and visit the family, Gem.Mammawill be very pleased to see you. Did you hear that Sophie and Creed are expecting? Oh, and you'll be able to meet Eden, too."

As long as I can keep her and Vito safe so they don't have to go on the run.

The work of being Don is never finished.

"Massimo." Her blue eyes glisten when she sees my resolve. I've only seen Gemma cry once, and that was when Gabe was bleeding out after saving us. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

"Go, Gemma," I order stiffly.

She rises and walks to the door but turns back to me. "You know what she said to me on the plane?" She doesn't wait because it's a rhetorical question. "One hell to another. One trapped cage to another. One monster to another."

My jaw flexes.

"You're not a monster, Massimo." Gemma's eyes glisten even more. "Don't prove her right."

I stare at the closed door long after Gemma leaves.

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