Page 115 of His to Have
“I need to take care of something once we’re finished here,” she deadpanned, her fingers moving rapidly over the keyboard on her cell. Her expression darkened with every word she typed.
“Everything good?”
“Yeah, nothing I can’t handle.” She grunted, shaking her head. “Niggasthink I’m some kind of joke... that’s all.”
The slight smirk that crossed my face wasn’t intentional, but I couldn’t help it. My sister was a force and whoever pissed her off was about to get a very rude awakening. She was just as made as any of the men. You had to be in this family.
“Well, before you go on your one-woman crusade, Bash and I need to holla at you about something important.”
Sophia’s eyes flicked from her phone to the workers still moving around us, then settled on something beyond my shoulder. She tucked the device into her back pocket.
“I was wondering what he was doing here.” Her eyes settled on my brother-in-law and his men filing out of their vehicles right outside the bay door. “Thought he was still cleaning up the mess in Atlanta.”
“Shit, he is. But this is pressing and can’t really wait.”
Her eyes met mine, with a flicker of concern. “The meeting?” Her brows pulled tight as the pieces clicked.
“Yeah,” I acknowledged, closing the containers and walking toward the group of men heading toward the warehouse. “You’re gonna handle something for us.”
All of the power players and decision makers in the faction met earlier in the day to discuss the free-for-all Isabella had caused. Especially in the north. Her moves disrupted the delicate balance, where everyone stayed in their respective lanes. With the oldest traditional family losing their leader, Don Ricci, his territories had been in complete chaos. My focus had been on keeping my wife protected, and Gianni had lost complete control over his family. Shit had been wild, and it was spilling into the way we operate and coexist with each other.
It wasn’t good for business.
The vote was to determine Gianni’s fate, then decide how to handle his territories. The decision to task Sophia with finding a suitable replacement for Gianni’s operation wasn’t a decision taken lightly. This could very well start another war.
But, war was easy. Restoring and then maintaining peace was a far more delicate endeavor. We needed someone who could navigate this world with finesse, and perhaps a woman’s touch. It also had to be someone who had the time todedicate to searching for the right person who also wasn’t easily intimidated.
My sister was all of that. She had been proving herself for years, quietly earning respect from every family in our network. I had no doubt she could find someone to fill a void that would soon be left by the Vitales. Now it was time to make it official, the first order of business for the faction under our new leadership.
We all moved toward the office building, Bash finally meeting us at the entry with his gang of security. Hedappedme up, then pulled Sophia into his embrace. “What’s good girl? It’s been a minute. Since the wedding, right?”
“Yeah, way too long. How you been holding up?” she asked genuinely as we continued to somewhere more secure, and out of reach of prying eyes and ears.
Bash and Sophia’s voices faded to a murmur as my attention shifted. “Lock this area down. Family only.” I told the nearest person, who nodded and began instructing the other men to secure the perimeter.
A buzz from my phone prompted me to pause before entering the medium-sized office. Yanna’s name on the screen made me smile.
Yanna:Meeting went great! Supplier has everything I need for the self-care section.
Me:That’s what’s up. When did he say they could deliver the first batch?
I finished typing my message and dimmed the light on my phone, before shoving the device in my pocket. Pushing open the door, I stepped into the room where Bash and Sophia had slipped into a conversation about ways he could save money. Itwas her specialty. Everyone that knew her, always found a way to pick her brain on cutting costs. She was the best in the business.
Before the door was fully shut all the way, another message from Yanna came in. Glancing at my screen, I smiled, happy that she was able to work on her boutique while we dealt with Gianni.
Yanna:As early as next week.
Me:Damn… that fast? I thought you said he was booked for the month.
Yanna:I did. LOL.. but I guess being a Donatelli has it’s perks.
Me:As you found out this morning.
Yanna:And did.
A loud laugh escaped me, and two pairs of eyes landed on me. Bash shook his head with a knowing grin while Sophia only smiled knowing it could only be one person bringing a genuine smile to my face. But, their stares also made me realize, I needed to get this situation handled. Everyone’s time was money. Reluctantly, I sent Yanna a text letting her know how much I loved her and would call her later. Right now, I needed to ensure I could keep my promise to Yanna.
She hated being under heavy security and not able to move freely. And I wanted to make my wife happy. Dealing with Gianni once and for all, would make sure she felt safe.
