7

Gianni

"That's it, baby. Open up and let me see just how eager you are. Show me what I desire."

Damn it. A low, involuntary sound escapes me as the fantasy consumes my thoughts. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, right now, I'm at my desk getting ready for a meeting in thirty minutes. But the meeting—about the status of several new cargo planes for our shipping expansion—seems insignificant compared to the overwhelming distraction in my mind.

This plan has been in the works for months and has required countless hours of research, vetting, and inspection. We’re close to finalizing the deal with the current owner of the small air fleet, and somehow, all I can do is sit here and do everything in my willpower to resist the ache in my cock.

She’s sitting in front of me, her thighs spread wide to reveal the pink, shining slice of heaven between them. Fuck, business is the furthest thing from my mind, my tongue craving each drop of sweet nectar that will inevitably leak from her perfect pussy by the time I’m done with her.

Caterina. You have no idea how much more difficult you’ve made my life.

A sharp knock at the closed door is the equivalent to pouring a bucket of cold water over my head.

I clear my throat, sitting up straighter before calling out, “Come in.”

The door opens, and Roger walks in, his steps heavy. His face is masked, cold. A mask worn as armor, I suppose. He has a habit of letting no one see too deep inside, even if parts of his mask are cracked and chipped.

“I assume everything is in place for the meeting?” I ask, chastising myself for letting my thoughts roam yet again. I cannot afford to fuck this up. There’s far too much time and money invested in this. My head needs to be clear. I need to be conscious and alert, not dreaming about fucking someone completely out of my reach.

“I sent the link to the parties involved, and everyone has copies of the contract.”

“Excellent,” I praise, though I’m hardly surprised. If there’s one person I can count on, it’s my most trusted second-in-command. I’ve known Roger since he was a little boy. His mother begged me to take him under my wing, and he’s been by my side ever since. There are few men I trust with my shit and even fewer with my daughter. He’s proven himself to be a valuable asset.

Which, of course, reminds me. He’s had a special assignment as of late. “Do you have any information to share?”

If he finds anything strange about me ordering him to keep tabs on Caterina, he shows no sign of it. I’m sure after working together for so many years, he’s learned to expect the unexpected.

He presses down into the leather chair across from my desk and unbuttons his suit jacket, settling in. “She’s moving. I’m not sure where, but she spent the day taking boxes up to her apartment and then loading them into her car.”

“She’s moving?” I tap my jaw with my finger.

“Yes. She broke up with her boyfriend the other night at the club. They were talking about it when I took them back to her place, and when I say talking, I use the term loosely. It was more Tatiana telling her she deserved better, that the guy was a twat for cheating on her, and that it wasn’t her fault. Caterina started crying, and it got worse from there.”

A sudden flash of white-hot rage threatens to consume me before I get a hold of it. What a stupid bastard. Someone that dismissive of the perfection he was so fortunate to partake in doesn’t deserve her. He tossed a diamond in the garbage for a piece of trash. I want to beat the hell out of the fucker, but there’s no point. His punishment is losing her and watching her find happiness elsewhere.With me.

Suddenly, my thoughts drift to an uncomfortable place. I remind myself that this situation means nothing and shouldn't affect me, but the crumbling barrier in my mind keeps intruding. I lift the glass of water to my lips, trying to ease the dryness in my mouth.

"Are you sure she's moving?" I ask, striving to keep my genuine curiosity hidden. Fortunately, I’m adept at masking my true feelings, even from those close to me.

"From the number of boxes, it looks like she’s moving out. Or she could be decluttering, but I doubt it. When I delivered the boxes, she asked me to check if the place was clear before she went inside. It was pretty empty. I’ve had Mark change the locks just in case her ex shows up."

Good. This unexpected urge to protect her presses against my temples. It's not a paternal instinct. My thoughts about Caterina are far from fatherly; they’re more about desire and possessiveness. I want to shield her from everyone, but especially from myself.

"Okay, so we don't have concrete information on her new place. Has Tatiana mentioned anything?"

"No, but I’ll keep an eye on it."

I dismiss the concern with a wave of my hand, though inwardly, I’m very concerned. I feel an intense need to know everything about her—where she’s moving, if she’s safe, what she can afford right out of college, and if she might move back with her father. The thought of him makes me bristle. It’s not my business, and logically, I shouldn’t care, but I do.

Roger’s expression remains neutral. "Should I be worried? I can have someone else handle the surveillance if you prefer."

His intuition is as sharp as ever, though he’s missed the mark. "There’s no immediate concern, but if that changes, I’ll let you know."

Roger nods, and thankfully, we’ve finished talking because the door to my office flies open. There is one person in this world, only one, with the balls to barge in on me unannounced, and that would be my daughter. Tatiana saunters into the room, a leather tote bag slung over one arm, her phone in the other hand. She’s beautiful, courageous, and sassy. The one and only perfection in my life. She tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder and scowls at the sight of Roger sitting across from me.

Sneering, she directs her words at Roger. “I need a minute with my father.”

He remains in place, an unmovable boulder, as he gestures a hand for her to continue. “By all means. Speak.”

A heavy sigh escapes her, and she folds her arms across her chest, a flash of impatience in her eyes. “Alone. Without you in the room.”

Roger remains sitting, and I can feel the tension between them. Their interactions are strange enough, but I don’t have the time to look deeper into it. Knowing Tatiana, she’s tired of dealing with Roger’s shit. He’s been her bodyguard since she was a teen.

Shooting him a look, I murmur, “Give us a minute.”

He makes a point of glaring at her as he stands, buttoning his jacket once again. It’s like he wants to make sure she knows he’s leaving because I told him to and not because she did.

“What’s going on? Why are you still here? I thought you would be on your way to the airport by now.”

“That’s the nice thing about flying privately. The plane can’t leave without you.”

She knows I don’t appreciate her flippancy when it comes to the ease my wealth has awarded her, and I growl my disapproval.

“But seriously, there was one more thing I had to do before I left.” She plops a ring of keys down on the desk. “My house set.”

I lift a curious eyebrow. “Do you plan on staying in France? Isn’t this something we should have discussed before now?”

She treats me to a patented eye roll before explaining. “They’re for Caterina.”

If only my cock wouldn’t twitch at the mere mention of her name. Not in front of my daughter, for fuck’s sake. Good thing I’m seated, or else I might have some explaining to do. “Why would she need them?”

"Please don't get upset," she starts, her tone indicating potential trouble. "But I might have forgotten to mention something. Caterina broke up with Luciano a couple of nights ago and needs somewhere to stay. I offered her a place in my wing of the house since it’s empty. I tried to convince her to come with me, but she declined, saying something about responsibilities and being an adult. You know as well as I do she won’t cause any problems. You probably won’t even notice she’s there."

Her naivety is both charming and frustrating. At least she’s unaware of my darker, inappropriate thoughts, and I intend to keep it that way.

I'm caught in a tough spot. Refusing now feels impossible, not just because it's being sprung on me at the last minute, but because it would be unfair to deny Caterina if she’s already en route. I can’t explain to Tatiana why this might be a terrible idea without revealing things I’d rather keep hidden, like the incident on the patio less than a week ago.

"You know I dislike when you surprise me like this," I say, narrowing my eyes. "I don’t appreciate being put on the spot." It would be wiser to prevent this situation altogether. I know what will happen if Caterina stays here. With Tatiana gone, there’s nothing to stop me from indulging my cravings, possibly to the point of inviting numerous women over just to keep myself in check—if I can resist claiming Caterina right from the start.

"Dad, it's Caterina. She’s practically family. What else was she supposed to do? Move back in with her father? You know he’s overbearing and controlling. It wouldn’t work out. She’s not a bird to be caged; she’s a phoenix that needs to fly."

But the truth is, she does need to be confined—by my arms, in my bed, with me dominating every part of her.

Tatiana crosses her arms, her lips forming a small pout. "Besides, I feel terrible leaving her in such a situation. Friends don’t abandon each other in times like these. I’d never enjoy myself knowing she’s here struggling and worrying about what Luciano might do."

At her core, Tatiana is genuinely warm and generous—a trait she didn’t inherit from me. Instead, it's my own cool demeanor that she has picked up. She can switch it on and off as needed, much like I can, but it’s something she learned instinctively rather than through any direct teaching from me.

I can’t fault her for wanting to support her friend, even if it puts me in a difficult position. Having Caterina alone with me while Tatiana is halfway across the globe—without any distractions like a boyfriend—creates a dangerously tempting situation.

Unable to resist, I ask, "You mentioned they broke up. What happened?"

Her pout quickly shifts to a smirk. “Oh, so now you’re interested in gossip? I didn’t think you’d care about something like that.”

“Be as sarcastic as you like, but I need to know if there’s a chance an ex might try to get back into her life and potentially cause problems.”

Her expression darkens. “That cheating jerk better not try to reach out to her.”

Just as Roger had said. “Well, I hope she’s holding up okay.”

“She seems to be managing well for now, but once the moving excitement fades, she might struggle. At least with me gone, she’ll have a safe place to stay.” She checks her phone and grimaces. “I wish I could stay longer, but I’m already running late.”

Fatherly instincts kick in as I stand and embrace her. “Call me as soon as you land, and again when you get to the rental. This is your first time without a bodyguard. If anything seems even a bit off—”

“I know, Dad.” She rolls her eyes but with a fond smile, standing on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “Christopher is with me, and he can handle himself if needed.”

“I’m not going to stop worrying anytime soon, so don’t waste your breath trying to change that.” I kiss the top of her head and guide her to the door. I keep my arm around her until we’re at the entrance. “Have a great time, but stay alert. If you run into any issues, call me immediately. I’m just a flight away.”

“You know I will. Nobody messes with me.” She growls with a determined look, and I can’t help but shake my head. If I thought she was joking, I’d laugh it off, but I know she genuinely believes she’s invincible—a confidence that only youth can bring.

I watch as Tatiana skips down the walkway. Christopher waits for her in his Mustang, and I give him a nod. He acknowledges with a wave, his gaze steady. From what I’ve gathered, he seems like a decent guy from a respectable family. I had Roger dig into him and his background when they first started seeing each other. If there had been any doubts, I wouldn’t have approved of this trip. Tatiana might be an adult, but I still support her financially, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.

Once Tatiana is safely in the car, I close the door and head back to my office. I pause at the window, surveying the grounds with a sense of pride. My empire is a testament to my hard work—building a network of associates and earning their trust, all while remaining cautious. In business, you can never fully trust anyone; friends and foes often look the same.

The fruits of my labor are evident. Eighty acres enclosed by high walls and guarded by my most reliable men. A fleet of cars, a boat, a private jet. The freedom to go anywhere and do anything, all while knowing that the law can’t touch me. I wrap my operations in layers of complexity, making everything appear completely legitimate.

Sometimes, I think people might envy me a bit, even the detectives who can never quite pin anything on me.

“Boss?” Roger’s footsteps announce his presence behind me. “It’s almost time for the call.”

I nod in acknowledgment and continue to my office. It’s almost possible to forget the intense desire that grips me. The thought of having Caterina—sweet and innocent—under my roof, completely under my control, with nothing standing in our way, is almost overwhelming.