Page 101 of Isabella

His words make me want to smile, but I force my face to remain neutral.

“I appreciate your support, Gabriel.”

He gives me a nod before saying, “Do you know when you’ll be making this shift?”

“I have one last meeting this afternoon, and if all goes well, I’ll be moving forward with taking over once my dad gets back from Miami.”

Gabriel chuckles. “Now if that ain’t an ambush, I don’t know what is.”

“I have to do what I have to do. You know how my dad is.”

He chuckles again. “That I do. I’d wish you luck, Niccolò”—he looks at me like he’s studying me—“but I have a feeling you don’t need it.”

“I’ll keep you updated, Gabriel,” I say, pushing myself up from my chair. I extend my hand out while he stands.

“I look forward to it,” he says, shaking my hand.

Turning around, he goes to exit my office, and Leo says, “I’ll walk you out.”

They exit, leaving Dante and me. I walk around from behind my desk with my hands in my pockets. Dante has a grin on his face and says, “Damn.”

“Yeah, it’s all falling into place. Now I just need to make sure my meeting with DiMaggio goes just as well.”

Dante laughs. “Why do I have a feeling that’s not going to happen?”

I let out a humorous scoff. “Yeah, well there’s no other option. I’m not leaving his place until he accepts Isabella and I.”

59

NICCOLÒ

Rocco opens the door, leading us both into Matteo’s office. As I approach his desk, I say, “Gentlemen” and give him and Enzo a nod before taking the only open seat across from Matteo.

Enzo glances over from next to me and raises his brow before shaking his head. “Alone today?” he asks with a smirk.

Without taking my attention off Matteo, who seems to be studying me, I say, “I gave Leo and Dante the rest of the day off.” My intention with leaving them behind was to show a little faith to Matteo. I didn’t come here to start shit. I came here to end it.

“I’m here to call a truce.” My gaze remains pinned on Matteo, who eyes me with a certain regard.

A few beats of silence fall between us before he finally speaks. “You know, I didn’t peg my sister as someone who’d be interested in a man that clearly lacks even a speck of intelligence. You coming here with or without your men has to be one of the dumbest fucking things you could do.” His controlled tone should be seen as a threat, but if I’ve learned anything these past few years, it’s that fighting for the people you love is worth any fucking threat you could receive.

“You’d be surprised at what I’d do for the love of my life.”

Matteo’s expression remains blank, but his eyes darken. “What did you just say?” From what Isabella’s told me about him and his wife, he should know where I’m coming from. He remains silent, so I take advantage of the opportunity and continue.

“I’m here because you allowed me to be here. If you weren’t interested in what I have to say, you would’ve shot me down at your gate.”

“What makes you think shooting you isn’t still in the cards?”

“Because shooting me wouldn’t solve anything for you, Matteo.”

He raises a dark brow and leans forward, resting his arms on the desk. “Now that’s where you’re wrong.”

I lean forward so my gaze is level with his. This conversation needs to be had before we can come to any kind of agreement. “I had no idea my dad was going to call that hit on your parents.”

Matteo’s jaw clenches, sharpening the already rigid lines, and his fists tighten, whitening the knuckles on his hands. On my right, Enzo takes the leg he had casually strewn atop the other off and leans forward, surely expecting some kind of altercation between Matteo and me.

“I didn’t know about it until Leo and Dante called me to let me know what had gone down. Had I known he was going to pull that shit, I would’ve figured out a way to get my ass back here to stop it.”

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