Page 16 of Untouchable Queen
Glancing at Aldo, I tilt my chin. “Give us the room.” Then I turn my eyes back to Luca. “Did he say what this is about?”
Luca shakes his head.
“Let him in.”
The men shuffle, Aldo slipping out the door before Luca closes it behind him, and I comb my hair back from my face with my fingers as I think about why the yakuza leader could possibly be here, at my office in the real estate investment firm I use as a front for my real source of income.
In the few moments of silence, I contemplate what might be behind this visit. Considering I just married Tatiana, the new head of Saturo Takumi’s rival family, maybe he’s here to see where we stand—or offer me congratulations on crushing her father’s reign.
The door swings open, Luca escorting Saturo and two of his men into the room with my second guard, Tullio, following them silently inside. My guards take up position at the door, readyto engage if necessary but remaining a respectful, unobtrusive presence until they’re needed.
Turning my attention to my unexpected guest, I study Saturo curiously as he approaches. He’s slight, with just a hint of gray in his hair to remind me that he’s a few years older than me. Dressed in a turtleneck sweater and a tweed blazer, he looks more like a professor than the head of an organized crime family, but his dark eyes study me with an open cunning that would fit a man in our position.
“Lucian Agosti, it’s a pleasure to finally speak with you face-to-face.” His voice is calm, collected, and capable of putting me at ease as he reaches across the desk to offer me his hand.
Rising, I debate the meaning behind his gesture, but I shake it anyway, confident that rejecting it would be a stronger statement than anything—and I have nothing against Saturo personally. Only curiosity for why, after all these years, he’s chosen to seek me out now.
“This is a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe the honor of your presence?” I ask.
“I hear congratulations are in order. You managed to tie the knot with the Sokolov heir—and not long after she came into her full inheritance, eh?” His clean-shaven cheeks lift in an angular smile as he settles into the chair Aldo vacated minutes before, and without an invitation.
His two men stand behind him, silently watching me, their hands casually resting in their front pockets. The pose could almost look relaxed if their shoulders weren’t so tense, like they expect a fight to break out at any moment.
I bristle instinctually at the implication—that I married Tatiana for her inheritance. And though it would have been nice, that’s not the reason behind my choice at all. I brush the thought aside, staying focused on the reason for this meeting. “I hopeyou didn’t come all this way just to offer your congratulations,” I state, reclaiming my chair as well.
Saturo chuckles, his hand reaching up to massage his jaw. “Of course not, but I thought a few pleasantries might be in order before simply…diving in.”
“To the reason you’re here, in my office? Please, skip the small talk. I’m curious what could possibly compel you to visit me now, after we’ve been neighbors for all these years and never sat down like this before.”
Saturo’s eyebrows lift, amusement flickering across his features. “I have a business proposition for you.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, I heard you’re in need of moving some…recently acquired merchandise, and I have an interested party looking to buy in bulk.” Saturo’s eyes glint knowingly as mine narrow.
“And where did you hear that?”
“Does it matter? If it’s true, I have an opportunity that could prove very lucrative for both of us.” Theoyabunleans forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the table to give me an intense look. “I’m hoping that you and I might find an understanding since our goals seem to align. I spent many years trying to work with Boris Sokolov, but the man was impossible to reason with—a conclusion I can only assume you came to since you’re the one who finally took him out.”
And possibly shot myself in the foot in the process, though I can hardly blame Saturo for calling Boris impossible to reason with. The man made unnecessary enemies wherever he went because his younger daughter, Natasha, could simply clean up his messes when the day was done. With him gone, I imagine all our lives have become easier when it comes to business.
“You say you have a buyer—and I have the merchandise. So, what does that mean you expect out of the deal?”
“Thirty percent of the profits, as a finder’s fee. And I’ll set up the meeting to ensure discrete and smooth delivery.”
“Five percent.”
“Twenty-five.”
“Ten. Final offer.”
Silence fills the room as Saturo Takumi’s eyes narrow, his head tilting. “Ten,” he finally agrees.
“How can I trust that this buyer of yours is legitimate?” I ask.
His smile curves coyly across his face. “Don’t worry. You’ll know as soon as you see them.”
8
