Page 23 of Ruthless Rival

“Take me home, please,” I told the driver while settling back into the seat with a pleased sigh.

I touched my fingertips against my lips, remembering how surprisingly soft Alberto’s lips felt against mine. The gentle scrape of his short beard against my face gave me a throbbing sensation between my thighs, coaxing me to press my legs together. If I wasn’t already attracted to the man, I certainly was now.

As expected, he was a charming gentleman, but I could play the flirty card too. He might’ve been Houdini Mancini, but I worked my magic on him, making him laugh and even scheme. In typical crime family fashion, he tried to drag me into a plan of his own.

I didn’t realize he had taken such an interest in the governor, but I supposed it made sense because the governor held a majority of the power in the city. If Alberto had the governor in his pocket, he would have the city too. What an impressively smart man. Then again, stupid crime bosses didn’t have a long shelf life, while the Mancinis had been around forever.

His interest in the governor was a perfect opportunity to hook Alberto and the rest of the Mancinis into my plan. It would be easy to convince the governor to give the Mancinis another chance. The governor still blew up my phone days after the wedding, so I went to his ball after he sent me an invitation, just so I could mingle, as was my plan. I knew however that he would be desperate enough to do anything to please me.

If Alberto needed a favor from me, I could get a favor from him. It was a fair trade-off, and it made my plan easier since I wouldn’t be bringing nothing to the table to sway him with, other than my words. Those only went so far, especially nowadays with all of the fake, scheming people around.

I wouldn’t be running back to him just yet, though. I had to make him desperate like I did driving the governor crazy. Worrying over me for a few days wouldn’t kill him.

However, deep down, I knew a part of me would miss him.

Tonight was only supposed to be about business, but Alberto Mancini certainly charmed me. When the governor told me how beautiful I looked and how glad he was that I was on his arm, I didn’t feel anything. I was grateful, but I didn’t feel the warm tingles and a racing heart like when Alberto told me those things.

Plus, that kiss was one of the best I had ever experienced, even if I cut it short. It took everything in me to pull away, but it left him wanting more. I saw desire written all over his handsome, bearded face.

When I returned home, I went into my bedroom and slipped my clothes off, letting them form a pile on the floor next to my bed. I slid under my soft sheets to stretch my arms and legs like a relaxed cat, my lips curling up into a pleased smile.

Tonight had been a good night and in just a few days, things were going to be even better.

I could only hold out for two days. Alberto continued to linger in my mind no matter what I was doing, whether I was running errands, showering, or trying to sleep. I felt the ghost of his touch drifting all over my body and brushing over my lips when I least expected it, and I craved more.

I couldn’t indulge in my desires, though, even if I wanted to do so. Badly. I needed to put the plan first and that meant staying focused and not letting my thoughts trail away from my next steps. Maybe once everything was said and done, we could see where we were at emotionally, but the war against my father could very well break us apart.

My father was a master manipulator. Alberto was strong, but my father was no easy opponent. If he saw a weakness, he struck it relentlessly, and he knew that Alberto’s weakness was his family. The last thing I needed to happen was for me to become another one of Alberto’s weaknesses. It put us both in danger.

With a black pencil skirt and a sheer, white, long sleeve shirt tucked into its waist, I got into my Mercedes. I had the driver take me to the Mancini mansion. While in the backseat, I touched up my makeup in a pocket mirror, shading in my lips with red lipstick. At this point, it was my signature look because it felt the most like… me.

Soon, my driver drove along a driveway leading up to an old, plantation style mansion. I nearly pressed my face against the glass of the backdoor window to take a better look. Marble pillars loomed over us as we pulled up in front of the entryway.

“Wow,” I murmured. My estate was beautiful and grand, but his place was impressive as well.

I didn’t make it far out of the car before I was approached by a guard who had to be almost seven feet tall. A few other guards lingered in front of the large arched front door, watching me closely. Even with all of this security, my father could find a way to his target. With my help, I could protect Alberto and the Mancinis from the greatest threat they had ever faced before.

“Gabriela Mora,” I introduced myself politely and with purpose. “I’m here to see Alberto Mancini.”

The guard didn’t seem surprised or confused by my presence. He stared at me like he recognized me. “Follow me, Mrs. Mora,” he said before turning and heading up the stairs toward the front door.

Now that I thought about it, he looked somewhat familiar for some reason. I followed him, smoothing down my pencil skirt once I reached the top of the stairs. I was prepared for an impressive foyer, but the reality of it blew me away even more. The foyer was huge, panning out into different hallways with a set of stairs that winded its way up to the second floor. White tile stretched out in front of me, glistening from the sun pouring through the large windows throughout the mansion.

The very tall guard led me up the stairs and down a hallway to the left, pausing at an open door and rapping his fist against the doorframe. “Sir, a visitor has arrived for you,” he spoke into the room.

“Iso, I told you that I didn’t want to see anyone. I’m busy,” Alberto’s voice sounded from inside the room. He seemed more bitter than he was two days ago.

I smiled to myself, knowing I had driven him crazy by going MIA since our night together. He would be dying to fix things between us.

“I’m certain you would want to see her, boss,” Iso replied before he stepped back from the doorway, gesturing for me to go inside.

I strode inside of the office, letting my eyes wander for a second. His office sat at the back corner of the house, hosting four windows on each of the exterior walls that let in plenty of natural light. The floors were sleek and wooden, while his desk was large and made of mahogany wood.

Alberto sat at this desk in a black office chair, situated right in the middle of the room. He stared at me, but his surprised expression only lasted for a second. He cleared his throat and moved a stack of papers he’d been working on to the right out of his way. He joined his hands together and rested them on his desk. “How can I help you?” he asked.

I almost laughed. He must be so indignant about my sudden disappearance, but I intended to make it up to him. The conversation we would have today would change both of our lives, and my two days of silence would be the last thing on his mind.

“I have a business proposal,” I told him.

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