Page 58 of Massimo

"There's never been a decision like this before, Massimo." He huffs in frustration. "To have had Mancini, to have caught him red-handed... To have him in your clutches… I don't know how you did it,nipote."

"Exactly. I let Mancini go when I could've fucking ripped him apart or let Vito have him for his sins against Eden. I'm respecting the vote,Zio."

Well, pushing boundaries way the fuck out while I respect the decision that allows Mancini to continue breathing. For now.

A rare flash of enraged fury coats Marco's face; he's usually calmer and more controlled than me. "Silvestro and his kids are all fucking vile vipers."

That's what I thought, too—until the fog of rage and hate for Mancini and being duped by Lixin and Amazu, finally cleared enough for me to see who Nova really is.

"Mancini is spreading rumors that you kidnapped his daughter to violate and ruin her, Massimo."

I am, one hundred percent planning on being blessed with—not taking—Nova's virginity. I'd never violate or ruin her, though. Her consent will drive everything we do.

"I don't give a shit what Mancini is spreading, or what the gossipy assholes in the criminal underworld think."

He huffs in frustration again. "Your gruesome reputation in our world is well know, but yes, most will believe you wouldn't destroy a woman like that." He leans closer. "But Julien Moreau himself has added more to the bounty for getting Nova back."

My possessive anger bursts like a geyser, and I try to keep emotion off my face. "If he thinks Nova isruinedand no longer has her virginity, then why?"

"I can't say. My contacts are limited within the French mafia, and those I have talked to are mystified as to why the powerful French would align with a small-time fry like Mancini."

I grunt at his analogy of Mancini, but the same question has bothered me.

"The increased bounty…" Worry pinches Marco's face. "We're powerful in our territory, with many allies. But this will draw our enemies closer, giving them more incentive to strike at us. Men like Ivan and Sean could see this as their opportunity, especially since their factions are already within our territory."

Therefore we couldn't just kill them for trespassing—they could be the perfect snakes in the grass. And they could be motivated to get something over me to influence the Chamber's decision.

"This is why Gabe needs to remain behind,Zio. And why I'm insisting that our travel plans be so tight and short."

We're leaving tomorrow morning and will arrive in Catanzaro at six a.m. local time. The flight is twelve hours, and there's a nine-hour time difference; we'll sleep on the plane and then roll in just in time for the two days of meetings to start. It will be a grueling trip.

He sits back. "Anything else you need of me?"

"No, thank you,Zio. See you in the morning."

Now that my last work task is completed, I want to devote the entire evening to Nova. I power off my laptop and reflect on the progress I've made with her today.

After our breakfast and her powerful orgasm, I carried her upstairs and tucked her into bed. She slept soundly as I watched her over the security cameras and worked in my home office. When Jerome brought her to me for lunch, I sat her in my lap again to feed her, helping her conquer the demons in her mind so she could feed herself without needing permission. After we finished, I asked Nova to choose what we’ll have for dinner tonight. She hesitated, understandably, because this was something she’s never been allowed to have any control over.

To some, the progress might look like baby steps, but I innately knew these were mammoth ones for Nova. She obviously didn’t trust me yet, even though she was letting me touch her—which made me want to grin like a fucking psycho. But I'm making headway, and the 'Ndrangheta meeting couldn't come at a worse time.

Not only because I didn't want to leave Nova, but because of Mancini's threat and the Chamber still needing to resolve the urgent matter regarding expanding the membership.

Dom was still vehemently opposed; the rest of us weren't thrilled, either, mainly because increasing to a seven-member ruling body complicated things. But the fact remained that the Serpents were just as strong—if not stronger—than the Fire Clan. We couldn't kick someone out just because the power balance had shifted; that would lead to chaos and instability with the constant change—because power in our world is always in flux. But we couldn't ignore it, either, since Ivan had made a public stand.

A knock pulls me from my ruminations of the Chamber. Gabe opens the door, then Nova steps into the office.

I smile, standing from my chair. She's quiet as she studies me, but her chin is up and her shoulders back—it's not the curled-inward protective posture, nor is she the demure meek princess Mancini tried to showcase her as.

Gabe leaves us alone, closing the door behind him. I come around my desk and lean against it.

She's beautiful.

Pure.

Too damn good for this world, or even for me.

I push the thought away and wait in the silence. She hasn't told me, but I suspect one of her hard-learned lessons was to keep her mouth shut unless spoken to. I'm determined to unravel the training and conditioning Mancini did to make her the meek, obedient Mancini Princess. I want her fire and fight.

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