Page 1 of Midnight Revelations

Chapter One

Lucrezia

I sat in the living room of our home in Tuscany and glared at Papa.

“You will dissolve this partnership and forget this notion of being a businesswoman,” he ranted as he paced in front of me.

I crossed my legs and looked out the window. “No.”

He stopped, his presence filling the room with his bad temper. “What did you say?” His Scottish accent was more pronounced because of his emotions.

I turned my full attention to him and met his deep hazel glower. “I said no. Ash is my business partner and Jordan wrote the contract. It’s airtight to protect both of us.”

For the first time in my entire life, I finally saw the man the rest of the world saw. He was scary and oppressive and sent ripples of fear racing down my back to settle deep in my stomach.

“You are my daughter, Lucrezia.”

“I am, and if I were your son, I would be sitting beside you in business meetings. Just because my testicles are on the inside doesn’t mean that I can’t succeed in business.” I refused to back down. If he pushed me, I would be on the first flight to London to Ash. I finally had options in my life.

His head canted to the side to study me. “What happened to my baby?”

I pushed myself to standing. “She grew up.” I sighed and raised my gaze to his. “People tried to take advantage of me in business because I was just a girl. Ash protected me by just being there. I want this, Papa. My designs were a success, and orders are still coming in from the jewellery show. I’m not asking to go to university like Sofia, I can work here. All I’m asking for is that you give me the respect you give Xavier.”

He flinched back as if I’d struck him across the face. “Lucrezia!”

“It’s true, Papa. If that success had belonged to Xavier, you would have celebrated it. All I’m asking is the same.” I continued to stare at him because he needed to accept who I was. For years, I hid behind closed doors to train in jewellery making. Now, he knew I needed his support. “Please, Papa.”

I thought he was going to snap at me again, but instead, he opened his arms. “When did my baby grow up?” I stepped into his embrace. “I will need a list of the men who tried to take advantage of you. I will personally visit them to inform them who you are.”

I laughed at the low grumble of his tone. “Ash and Jordan have already put the fear of God into them. Considering that you trained them, technically you have already visited them.”

He boomed out a chuckle that vibrated against my cheek and squeezed me. “Ash lectured me that you needed a proper room with tools in it to work. Typical fucking accountant!”

“Hey!” I protested. “That’s my business partner. One of us has to be good with figures or I’d spend my profits on shoes!”

“That would be Catarina,” Papa said. “You have never been frivolous with money.”

Since a truce had been drawn, we walked through to the conservatory for lunch. Madison had laid out our meal on the table. I picked through my plate of food because I was restless and worried. Ash hadn’t texted me in two days. I knew he was going on a mission with Jordan and said that he would be off the grid for a few days. Those days felt like years and my heart resided in my throat.

“There is a charity dinner I have to attend two nights from now in Paris. Since you are now a celebrity, perhaps you should accompany me and wear some of your jewellery?” He watched me intently as if to test my business ethics.

My lips tipped up in my practiced smile. “That would be wonderful, Papa. With you beside me, no man would dare to try and rip me off again.”

He leaned back and smiled, and I knew I’d given him the right answer. “Perhaps instead of keeping you all here in safety, I need to let the world know what would happen if they dared to harm any of my babies.”

Papa pretended to be a businessman who owned distilleries and breweries, but my sisters and I learnt long ago that he was the head of an international crime organisation. Only the strongest and most vicious wielded that sort of power.

“You’ll need to send all the details to my schedule so that I can organise an outfit,” I said, diverting his attention from the murder and mayhem in his head as he killed any threat to his family.

“Of course. I will have the travel arrangements made.”

Catarina loved Paris for the fashion, Sofia loved it for the architecture, but I had always wanted to walk along the moonlit streets of Paris hand in hand with the man I loved. Another lump formed in my throat and I sipped my glass of water.

“I have some designs to work on,” I said, pushing myself up.

“You have not been eating.” His hawk gaze moved to my plate. “Sit and tell me what is on your mind.”

I sat, but since we all knew dating was against Papa’s rules, I could hardly tell him that I was worried about my lover. If he suspected that I was in an elicit relationship with Ash, he would hunt him down and assassinate him.

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