Page 48 of Sins of the Son

It was like I was finally seeing the complete picture but it was hazy, like I was viewing it through a fogged window. There had to be more to this, but I was certain I was at least on the right track.

Whether or not she realized it, Milana had finally shown me a crack in the wall she had built around herself.

And I’m about to take a sledgehammer to it.

Milana pulled back on my grasp. “Cesare, I don’t want to face those people.”

I winked at her. “Trust me.”

She tried to dig her heels in. “You are literally the very last person on the face of the earth that I would ever trust.”

Fuck, that hurt.

I turned abruptly on the stair landing and pulled her against me. I wrapped my free hand around the back of her neck. “I know, baby. And that’s my fault. And I’m going to do something about it. Starting now.” I gave her a hard kiss on the mouth and turned to pull her down the last flight of stairs.

I walked into the main area of the office and called out, “I need everyone’s attention.”

“Cesare, what the hell are you doing?” she whispered harshly.

“Hang up your phones. I want your complete attention.”

Milana yanked on my arm as she tried to leave. I pulled her back and anchored her to my side.

“First, I want to apologize for the scene you witnessed earlier, but when you hear our news, you will know why I was eager to get Milana alone as quickly as possible.”

Milana stepped on my foot with her heel. Grinding my teeth as I ignored the pain, I reached down and cupped her recently punished ass cheek, squeezing it. Hard.

She gave out a squeak of pain and lifted her heel off my toe.

I gave her a warning look before turning my attention back to my staff. “I want you all to be the first to know, Milana Fiorella Carbone has done me the very great honor of agreeing to become my wife.”

Milana immediately struggled in my grasp.

I tightened my grip on her. For a little thing, she was surprisingly strong when cornered.

A confused silence fell over the staff as they exchanged looks. Then Matteo gave out a shout and began to vigorously clap. The staff followed his lead, with several of them standing up. A few started to cheer and whistle, although it was mostly the men. The women remained seated.

A few approached to shake my hand and offer their personal congratulations.

Milana pasted a wide smile on her face and said through clenched teeth, “I’m going to kill you.”

I shook the hand of a longtime manager and friend and clapped him on the back as we shared a laugh.

Milana nodded as he then turned to her and congratulated her. “Thank you.” She then whispered to me under her breath, “I’m going to slip a knife between your ribs and kill you dead.”

Another well-wisher stepped forward and shook my hand. “She’s quite a catch.”

Milana smiled wider, her jaw tight as she murmured, “Seriously, I couldn’t hate you more than I do at this very moment.”

I moved my arm to enclose Milana’s shoulders as I pulled her against my chest. “Yes, I’m a lucky man.” I kissed the top of her head.

Since Milana could be unpredictable when cornered, and that was putting it mildly, I cut off any further felicitations and hustled her out of the office and down the central marble staircase. A sharp October wind greeted us the moment we exited the building.

I turned to Milana with a frown. Shrugging out of my suit jacket, I draped it over her shoulders.

She immediately tried to push it off. “I don’t want your coat.”

I wrenched the coat back into place and yanked her to me by the lapels. “I've got news for you, la mia piccola gattina selvaggia. From this point forward, you not only get my coat, you get my name… my protection… and if I get my way… soon my baby.”

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