CHAPTER SEVEN

RIO POV

“Dante.” Mama Agness exclaimed with joy. “The Rafe Boys are back with me again.”

“Ciao, Mama Agness. It’s good to be home.” Dante said, beaming at her. He turns, acknowledges me with a slight nod and then his eyes darken when they land on Mel. I could feel her shiver in response.

Dante sure knows how to make an entrance.

“Mel, meet my elder brother and heir to Rafe dynasty. Dante Rafe.” I grin when Dante snorts at me for calling him the heir. “And Dante, meet Mel. Your future sister in-law.”

“Sister in-law? I thought I heard wrongly before.” Dante turns his eyes back to me. “Are you feeling alright, brother?”

 “Yes, I am. Brother.” I respond sarcastically.

“What dirt does she have on you?” He questioned.

“Nothing.” I said flatly.

 Dante seemed puzzled. I was enjoying this.

“Then she has to be pregnant.” He decides.

“Oh, are you?” Mama Agness gasped.

“I am not.” Mel blurted.

“The fiancée can speak?” Dante mocked.

I chuckled at Mel’s disgusted look. I was really enjoying this.

“Stop your questioning, Dante. Mel is not pregnant, not yet though.” I winked at her.

“In your dreams.” Mel murmured.

Without thought, my fingers reach to touch her arm. I frowned when she shifted away in response. “Mama Agnes, please take Mel to her room. Dante and I need to catch up.”

“She is staying here?” Dante asked

“Problem?” Mama Agness hissed at him.

“I’m just asking.”

“You heard your brother. They are to get married. Nothing wrong with her staying here since it’s to be her home. You should be happy that Rio finally brings a girl to this house through the front door and not sneaking her out late at night.” Mama Agness ranted.

“Really, Nonna.” I turn to her shocked.

Dante smirked. Mel stood, stealing glances at him.

“Come, let’s leave the men to argue.” Mama Agnes said to Mel. “Let me show you to your room.”

Dante walks to the side of the stairs, presses on a tile and it moves, revealing a secret stash where he keeps his cigars far away from the peering eyes of Mama Agness.

I frowned at him. Dante only smokes when stressed.

“Surely, I’m not the reason why you are smoking.”

“Oh, you just added to it, little brother.” He lit the cigar and took a long drag.

“What happened?” I ask

“First things first, little brother. What exactly is your game here?”

“What game?”

“I can just see the headlines now, ‘Hottest billionaire playboy finds his match’. Imagine all the pretty little hearts you are breaking right now.” He mocked me but his eyes looked stern.

 I studied him for a while, both of us silent.

“So?” Dante finally said. “What’s the deal with her?”

“She is my ticket to a new image and a way to finally smoothing things over with the investors at the shipping company.”

“Yeah right.” Dante arched a black brow.

“I say the truth and nothing else.”

“After bringing all of hell’s wrath down when he suggested it, you expect me to believe you took Dad’s idea to get a bride seriously.” Dante said in the most curious tone.

“I gave it some thought. It might be the best idea for me”

“I’m not buying this shit”

“Believe what you want then.”

“Why her though?” Dante half turned to face the stairs. “You have a ton of eligible young ladies at your beck and call. Why did you go for a nobody from the streets of Tuscany?”

“Don’t call her that” I warned him

“Hmm. Rio Rafe is protective over a female. Something to wonder about, I will say”. He leaned back against the chair and raise his cigar in a toast to me.

I wasn’t enjoying this anymore.

“How’s the deal with the Russians going? When are we expecting a new batch of weapons?” I changed the subject.

His brows drew together in a scowl and he took a deep breath.

Something was definitely wrong.

“Spit it out” I urged him.

“They haven’t been responsive to my calls for the past month, but our mole there tells me of rumors circulating of them taking their supplies elsewhere, leaving us dry”.

“What? They can’t do that. Their major market is Italy. Or are they thinking of pulling out of the Italian market?”

“No, in fact, the capo of the Petrov bratva was seen in Florence few days ago, but he didn’t bother to inform me of his presence”.

“That makes no sense. We are the only ones dealing here” I paced the foyer. “Unless, someone is trespassing on our territory”

Dante sighed heavily. “Took you long enough. The question now is, who would dare?”

“A lot of names come to mind” I rubbed the back of my head.

“I’m not saying we are without rivals but they all know better than to trespass” He gazed at walls for a minute.  “I hate distractions like this. They mess with the flow of business and I’m not in the mood for another gang war.” He complained. “That doesn’t mean I’m an easy target though” He added, eyes gleaming.

I smiled at his confidence.

The last gang war had been deadly. Rafe family had been caught in a crossfire between two rival families in the Tuscany province. We came out on top for sure, mostly because Dante had taken the fall for us and spent a year in prison. The groups have been in debt to us ever since.

“Trust you to never run from a fight.”

“A little blood never hurt anybody.” Dante smirked.

A huge grin lit my face and I realized I had really missed my brother.  The familiar jokes, the constant bickering and the air of confidence he carried. But I will be damned before I ever confess to Dante that I missed him. I will never be able to live it down.

“Earth to Rio. Thinking of your little doll upstairs” He teased.

Yeah, I definitely missed him. “Fuck off” I return. “So, what’s your plan for the traitor?”

“Well, I have to find him first. Then….”

A maid walked into the foyer. “Excuse me, But Mr. Rio, Someone is at the entrance demanding to see you”. She sounded stressed. “He says his name is Jack and has refused to leave even after we said you aren’t receiving visitors”.

“Jack, who?” Dante questioned.

I pinched my forehead in annoyance. “Your future brother-in-law”.