~ Chapter 3 ~

They sat outside in the car, looking at the restaurant and Val’s stomach was in knots.  She hadn’t spoken to Donatello before and it had been four days since she had seen Vinny, since her dad told her the news.  And here she was, meeting them both so they could talk about contracts, about what each party wanted or would like.  In here, she was going to have to be the perfect mafia princess; her father had already warned her.  No yelling, no acting bitchy; she promised.  But would Vinny hold true to not being an asshole?  That part to her was doubtful.

                “Are you ready, bella (beautiful)?”  Valentina glanced at the building and then at him.

                “No, but I don’t have a choice, right?  Let’s go.”  He helped her out of the car and she took his arm as they walked in, quickly spotting the single table.  This was Donatello’s place and they didn’t open for dinner until six, so they had place for the next two hours. 

                “Rafael,” Donatello said, shaking the older man’s hand before looking at the young lady.  “Valentina, you are absolutely stunning.”  He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it.

                “Thank you Mr. Constantini,” she smiled at him.

                “You know Giovanni,” he said, waving his hand at Vinny who stood behind him.  Like any Italian greeting, she walked over and barely pressed her cheek to his, giving him an air kiss.  She stepped back and allowed her dad to shake his hand before Donatello told the group to have a seat.  All three men took off their jackets and she watched Vinny silently.

                She hated to admit it, but he was a good looking young man.  Stood about 6’1, black hair, deep chocolate eyes, rather muscular and quite a few ink marks on him.  She could say their kids would be gorgeous, and yes, she loathed the idea, but she was a practical person; Italian’s didn’t believe in divorce, so this union would be an all out stop for them.  Huh, one heir; the question that comes to mind, would their son take over both families?  Would he take it away from her cousin?  Probably something to ask about; and if that got a rise out of Vinny, all the more better.

                “Would you like anything to drink, Valentina?”  

                “A wine would be nice, thank you.”  Donatello nodded and waved the server over, quickly ordering a round of drinks.

                “We all know why we are here, should we get down to business?” Rafael asked, resting his forearms on the table.  And with that, the topic turned to business.  They discussed what the terms were to be, how each party would stop hunting and hounding, and how no word was to be breathed about this until each family was ready.  All basic and all fair of course.

                “I don’t want a wife who will be a bitch all the time, who won’t fight tooth and nail to get her way,” Giovanni spat out and Val gritted her teeth.  She wasn’t always bitchy, but he always lit a fuse under her.  In fact, he was probably one of the few who really ever saw that side of her, and that’s just because he had a tendency to push the buttons.

                “I wouldn’t want a husband who slept his way through half the female population either.”

                “Kids,” Donatello started, “we will say that Giovanni can’t sleep around or have any mistresses until five years in, if he chooses.  And Valentina, while out in public, must be a dutiful and respectful wife.”  She stared at Vinny but nodded.

                “And if those are broken?”  Valentina asked for she had a very rough faith that Vinny would stay loyal through those five years.

                “They won’t, we will make sure of it,” Rafael said, grabbing her leg under the table roughly.  She got his meaning loud and clear, stop pushing!

                “Don’t worry Valentina, Giovanni will remain faithful.”  They stared at each other, both letting out a breath and nodding.  Honestly, there was no choice in this; they just had to be the respectful kids.

                “I have one more question.”  Giovanni lifted a brow as she glanced from his dad to her.  “Our first male child, would it be the heir to just the Constantini family, or both families?”  Giovanni spat out the wine he had just taking a sip from and the look on his face was so worth it.

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                Giovanni stared at the woman as he slipped out of the bed to get dressed.  In a few days time, they would be signing that damn alliance and he would be forced to sleep with only that woman.  Not that she was ugly, but he wasn’t a one woman type of man.  He loved the ladies and they loved him.  But he knew his father and if he broke that rule, he would be in trouble.  Givoanni wouldn’t quite know if his father would kill him, but he wasn’t ready to test that.

                He had family that could fill his spot as the leader if need be.  So, there wasn’t that as an excuse to not harm him.  He knew his dad though, knew his temperament; he had already experienced that anger once, still had the mark to prove it.  So, yeah, he was better not to test it again.

                His eyes trailed over the woman again and he grabbed his jacket and left the room.  Everyone he went to bed with knew he would never stay the night.  And he never took anyone to his house.  In fact, when they got married, Valentina would be the only woman that wasn’t family or staff to have slept in there, let alone set a foot in.

                His thoughts turned back to her.  His dad had told him that when they got together, he would like Giovanni to have a ring for her.  And hell if he knew what to get.  Sure, she was attractive and he saw that, but beyond her snotty attitude, he didn’t know a lot about her.  So, what the hell would he know in getting something that she would wear for the rest of her life?  He could call one of her friends, but that would raise way too many questions.  So, he would have to ask his mom.  Maybe she would like a red stone to march her firey spirit.