Page 6 of The Vatican
Uncle Luca’s lips curved. “I love my son, and he may very well betheBenetti heir, but, like he knows who he is, he also knows whoyouare.” He winked.
Before I could comment, Francisco walked in. He glanced at me before turning his gaze on his father. “I heard voices,” he explained. “Am I interrupting?”
Uncle Luca looked at me. “Is he?”
I smiled, full-on, all my teeth. “Nope,” I replied, standing up. Uncle Luca stood up with me and tried to hide his smile.
“Christ, Dad, why don’t you just get it over with and hand her the keys to the kingdom already,” Francisco grumbled.
Uncle Luca did smile then. “Because she’s not a blood Benetti, Son.”
I turned to look at Francisco and grinned. “Good to see you, Benetti,” I laughed.
He lifted a black brow. “Fiore.”
We’ve never called each other by our names for some reason. It started when we were small, and we’ve been doing it ever since. I didn’t know why he called me Fiore, but I called him Benetti just to let him know that I knew exactly who he was, but I didn’t care. There was only one time I’ve ever called him by his first name, and I had to look away as the memory crept up on me.
Francisco Benetti was six-foot-one of pure male perfection. He had black hair that looked like silk, and black eyes that ran right through you. His face was sharp and angular, and the only things that softened it were the thick lashes he sported and those full, soft lips of his.
And, because of that memory three years ago, I knew what he looked like underneath the suits he wore. Francisco was built like a machine, and if he could hold a woman up against the wall and fuck her without struggle when he was only twenty-one-years-old, I couldn’t imagine what he could do to one now.
His dick was another thing he’d been blessed with. When he had torn through my virginity the night I killed Trent Hendrick’s for raping my friend, Holly Brim, it had felt like my entire body had been split in half. The pain had been excruciating, but it’s what I had needed at the time. I had been lost in my emotions and rage had still coursed through my body. I had tortured Trent for hours, but it still hadn’t been enough. When Francisco had ripped my clothes off and took control of my every thought and emotion with his body, it had been the single most electrifying experience of my life.
When we were done, he had dressed me in some of his clothes from his locker and had taken me home. None of the men at the funhouse had said a word as Francisco carried me out of the showers and out of the building. He had taken me home, tucked me in, and had disappeared sometime during the night.
We never spoken of that night, and I was glad for that.
Otherwise, I would have fallen in love with Francisco Benetti.
Chapter 4
Francisco~
Even though most of our meetings were held at the Benetti Home, I preferred when it was just us at my dad’s. The Benetti Home felt…cold. There was a chill in the air as if ghosts were bemoaning in the walls. Or maybe they were demons coming out to celebrate our company.
Whichever it was, it was creepy.
Of course, since there were no Capos in attendance, it wasn’t really an official meeting. This was more of a…staff meeting between the heads of the Benetti Family. It wasn’t something we did often because Dad didn’t like having us all in the same place at once, but sometimes it couldn’t be helped. And, once I came along, Uncle Sal and Dad felt more comfortable being around each other.
Today, we were meeting to discuss my generation’s progress.
“Sal,” my father said, kicking off the meeting.
“Emilio’s turning out to be a fucking wiz with computers,” he remarked. “I think he’s going to excel with security.” Dad nodded. “Sal Jr. is developing some kind of new tracking device that supposed to be undetectable. Christos has decided he wants to go to college, and Antonio is thinking he might want to do the same.” Christos and Antonio were still in high school, so there was time for them to cement their decisions later. “Vincent is doing a hell of a job overseeing everything, and let’s just say, I’m happy Ria is on our side.”
Dad gave him a simple nod, and then looked over at Uncle Leo. “Leo.”
“As I’m sure you already know, Angelo’s mind might as well be a calculator,” he began. “He catches patterns like nothing I’ve ever seen. He’s already caught three guys skimming.” We already knew this. My brother had shown signs of genius at a very young age. “Camilla’s already started using her degree to our advantage and is already revamping our tax and audit shit. Georgia keeps blowing my fucking mind with her stock market shit, and she’s making us traceable, legitimate money.” Uncle Phoenix chuckled, and I felt him. The last thing we needed was more money. “Daniel decided he wants to go to college, too. But that might just be Christos influence, I’m not sure. And Matteo is looking to work with Ciro once he graduates from high school.”
“And Malia?” Malia was Leo’s only daughter.
“She wants to work with Remy’s non-profit with the kids.”
“Okay,” Dad replied. “I’ll talk with Remy.
Dad turned to Uncle Ciro next. “Ciro.”
“Dante is going to inherit the funhouse because, at the ripe old age of twenty-three, he’s a certified psychopath.”
