Page 23 of Dangerous Attraction

“Hang on a second, Papà. Carlisle,” I called out as I covered the phone with my hand.

“Yes, Sir?” He poked his head in my office.

“I’m giving you and Julie access to Fantasia as members. Sign the appropriate paperwork.” I lifted the phone to my ear.

“That’s not necessary, Sir.”

“Carlisle, I don’t care who you fuck. I only care where. Use the club. Trust me.”

Carlisle blushed, realizing I’d heard them in the storeroom. “I understand. Um, sorry…”

“Don’t apologize.” I waved him off. “Just don’t let it happen there again. Close my door, please. Papà,” I spoke into the phone. “How are you and mother?”

“Fine, Massimo. I have some bad news.”

I sat up in my seat. Had he heard about the missing shipment already?

“What is it?”

“Grandfather has suffered a heart attack. I’ll be returning to Sicily.”

“What did you say?” I shook my head. Surely, I had heard him incorrectly. My grandfather was the patriarch of our family. He was the head of the mafia in Sicily and controlled most of the area.

“Grandfather had a heart attack. My mother found him last night and called an ambulance. He is in the hospital, and it is not looking well.”

“Fuck…” I rubbed my palm down my face. I knew what this meant. If Grandfather didn’t survive, everything my father had been preparing me for was happening. He would return to Sicily for good to take over as the head of the family there, leaving Las Vegas for me. Last night I went to bed as the eldest son of the Anastasi family… and this morning, I’d likely woken up as the Godfather—the Don. I was now my father.

“Have you told the others yet?”

“I’ll leave that to you to tell them. Your mother and I are leaving in an hour. I expect all of you in Italy by the week’s end.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Fino a domani.”

“Fino a domani.”

Disconnecting the call, I blew out a breath. This could not have happened at a worse time. With the Sureños fucking around in our territory, the last thing I needed was to leave Vegas, but it was expected. I needed to see my grandfather before it was too late to tell him I loved him. Dreading the next call, I put my phone on speaker and set it on the desk.

“Massimo?” Vincenzo's voice filled the line. “Any news on our friends?”

“No.” Antonio must have filled him in on the latest. “That’s not why I’m calling,” I sighed into the phone.

“Shit, whatever it is, it must be bad. Just spit it out. I’ve got to get ready for the lunch rush.”

“It’s Grandfather. He’s had a heart attack, and it doesn’t look good. Father has requested us in Sicily by the end of the week.”

“Fuck.” The line grew silent. “He and Mother are already gone?”

“They leave this morning.”

Vincenzo’s deep sigh filtered through the room.

“Does Antonio know yet?”

I knew why he was asking. Even though we were across the ocean, we visited regularly. Antonio was extremely close to Grandfather, and they spoke almost daily. If he hadn’t already heard, this would surely fuck him up.

“No. I thought I’d go see him, tell him in person.”

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