Page 5 of Running

The council approved his position this past Sunday at their monthly gathering. It needed to be approved, as the position should have gone to Val. He didn’t want it. His skill set aligns with another position I want filled, and quickly. Consigliere. Santo is near age to retire and his verbal brawls with Bosco are grating on everyone’s nerves.

When I take over, Val will become my adviser which will work well with his computer and sleuthing skills. The Council meeting was a reminder I didn’t need. Three years. I’ve got three years before my wedding. Shortly after that, I will also be sworn in as Don. Bosco will stay on as a secondary adviser, as will my father.

I am looking forward to being Don. I am not looking forward to being tied to Milan. Over the years my fears have come true. She is exactly like her mother. A spoiled pain in the ass. She’s fifteen years old, dresses like she’s going to the club, wears heels that would make a stripper trip, and make-up so heavy that I’m surprised her cheek muscles can move.

I feel sorry for her. Her mother has manipulated her into thinking that short tight dresses, heels and makeup are what a man wants. Not me. Absolutely not me. I like natural beauty. I like a woman who is comfortable in her own skin. I suppose it doesn’t matter what she looks like. We’re not marrying for love. I only need to have sex with her to have an heir. The rest of the time we can have separate bedrooms. Maybe even separate wings like the Don has with Ravinia.

That woman is going to drive the Don to a stroke someday soon. To keep her out of his hair he has given her a credit card with a near endless limit. Massimo and I have agreed that she has taken it as a challenge to max it out.

The closer we get to the office the more a sense of dread washes over me. I stop and look around the hallway. Squinting to see into the shadows. I see nothing out of place. My instincts are on high alert. I know better than to ignore the feeling. There’s something I’m not seeing.

“Everything alright Luca?” Asks the Don.

“Not sure Sir. I have a bad feeling.”

“Quit with the sir shit. How many times I got to tell you? I ain’t that old.”

“Still the boss sir.”

“Bosco.” He reminds me with a huff. “For fucks sake. Quit being so damn formal. You’ll be taking over for me before you know it.” He says it with a reassuring smile. It is anything but. It is a deadline hanging over my head. Three more years to get my fill of women and sex. Other Dons and Capos choose not to be faithful. They keep mistresses. I won’t be one of them. I will be like my Don. Shit. Bosco. I will be like Bosco. I won’t have a mistress. I may not love my wife but I will honor my vows.

I open the door to the office. The hair on my neck instantly prickles. Someone’s in here. I use one hand to pull Bosco behind me, the other goes for my gun. Before I can aim I feel a gun press against my temple.

“Drop it.” Holy shit that voice is sexy. I want to look at the woman who owns it. It’s deeper than the women I have spent time with. I lower my gun to the ground. “One strapped to your ankle too.”

Fuck was that a good guess or did she know? Shit how did she get in here?

“You too Bosco. One on your back and the blade in your breast pocket.” Holy hell she has been watching us. No one can guess those specifics and not have been watching.

I hear Bosco dropping his weapons. Assuming she is watching him and her attention is off of me, I spin to knock her gun loose. She was expecting it. It was like she knew what I was going to do before I did it. I missed the gun and she sent a right hook to my left ear while I was still swinging. Followed by a kick to my dick and a knee to my gut. Damn. I don’t know whether to worship her or kick her ass. It’s been so long since someone has bested me in a fight. Never a woman.

I’m still gasping for breath, one hand on my gut one covering my goods in case she tries to kick me again when I feel the press of the gun to the back of my head. “Have a seat.” Her voice is calm. No hint of fatigue from giving me an ass kicking. She stays behind us. There is a click. Without looking I know it is the door. Locking us in. Normally I wouldn’t be bothered. It’s two against one in here and the compound is crawling with guards. Then again. The mansion should be impenetrable, yet somehow she didn’t trigger an alarm and made it into the Don’s personal study undetected.

Bosco moves to take the seat behind his desk. A quick tut from the woman behind us and he stops. We both turn to look at her. She is picking up our weapons. Hers is still trained on me.

Damn she is beautiful. Young. Maybe early twenties. Her brown hair is long and wavy. Not a stitch of make-up on her face. She wears skin tight jeans that hug her every curve, and a loose black V-neck long sleeve shirt. Her blue eyes hold my gaze. She doesn’t look away. The men in the family avoid my eyes. I’ve been told that my intensity scares them. She doesn’t cower. If anything she looks intrigued by me. Like she’s studying me.

Look away baby, I’m all yours.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t know her. She still has her damn gun pointed at me. Clearly she is the enemy. One we didn’t know existed. I wonder which family sent her. I have heard no rumor of a female enforcer in our city.

If she was in our family, I wouldn’t risk her. She is too beautiful. Too delicate looking to be doing a man’s work like this. Not to say women aren’t strong. They sure as hell are, some more so than men. It takes strength to raise children in this family. To send husbands and sons out onto the streets while they wait at home. Women in our family are protected, cherished. Clearly this girl’s family doesn’t share that sentiment. If she were mine, I’d chain her to our bed and never let her out.

My increasingly dirty thoughts are thankfully pause when Bosco speaks up. “Who are you? What is it you want?”

She smiles. She fucking smiles. It’s beautiful. Brilliant white, straight teeth shine in the light of the sun. “Have a seat. We’re waiting on a few more people to arrive.”

Reluctantly the two of us sit. I keep my eyes trained on her. Biding my time. That’s what I need to do. She’ll drop her guard or make a mistake soon and when she does I can make my move. She’s proved she’s got training. Even so, if I can catch her off guard my muscle strength should be enough to overpower her.

Moving gracefully she flits behind the desk and takes the seat in the Don’s chair. She kicks up her feet. I see and feel Bosco tense beside me. She is being intentionally disrespectful.

A knock at the door disturbs the silence. She kicks her feet down and grabs the keyboard. A few seconds pass as she taps away at the keys before she smiles again. “Good. They’re here.” Well that sounded ominous. Did she mean one of our men is here, the one she wants, or was she waiting for back up? I don’t have to wonder long. She pushes another few buttons and the lock for the door clicks and disengages. I didn’t know Bosco had that feature installed. The look on Bosco’s face shows he didn’t either. Fuck. How long has this woman had access to the compound?

She stands and straightens her shirt. “Come in.” It sounds false and higher than she previously spoke. Like it’s coated in sugar when this situation is anything but sweet.

I turn to watch as my dad and Santo walk in. She still has her gun drawn. It’s pointed at Santos. The smile is gone from her face. “Ricco. Be a dear and lock the door.”

Ricco looks from her to me to Bosco clearly surprised by what he has just walked into. Bosco gives a nod. He is being smart. Don’t piss off the woman with the gun. Especially until we gather more information. Who is she? How did she get in here undetected? What does she want?

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