Page 23 of The Proposal

Once we’ve eaten the feast my wife has prepared for us, we can have our meeting here, in the dining room, because I don’t have another option right now. I’m unsure how many of our men will come, but the office won’t be an option if they all show up.

I got along with everyone when my father ruled. I was far more personable than he was, but it was a known fact that my brother would take over, so I’m not sure how they’ll feel that it’s me.

Alexander barely had a relationship with any of them; he was never around, so I’m hoping that swings in my favour. My biggest obstacle will be Edoardo, my father’s closest friend and confidant.

I have no doubt I can handle the job. I’m young, and Papa was stuck in his old ways. My vision for the future aligns with the world as it is now. Things have changed a lot since he started, and while he made some adjustments over time, I’m confident I can do better.

I’d never take away what he built. He created our empire from almost nothing.

In the early days, many immigrants who settled in the regional town of Griffith worked as fruit growers. Griffith is known for its rich agricultural industry, especially citrus and grapes, which is why it’s often referred to as the ‘City of the Vine’. It has a strong Italian heritage, which is reflected in its food, culture, and annual festivals.

My father was always secretive about his past. Although he had strong ties to Sicily, he kept his cards close to his chest, even with his sons.

Like many others in the community, he eventually started growing small marijuana crops between the fruit trees because there was more money to be made there, and that’s when everything changed. This eventually led to massive plantations being cultivated in the area, and the fight for control came with that.

I’ve been led to believe that’s when the family feud between the Mancinis and the Mortellis began, which still holds strong today. I initially didn’t understand it, but over the past few years, I became conditioned to loathe them just as much as my father. After the shooting, that hate only intensified.

I glance down at my watch as I pace and see it’s a quarter to nine, so my men should be here any minute.

After helping Arabella carry all the trays of food into the dining room and set the table, she returned to our bedroom to get dressed.

Once she’s eaten, I’ll have Dario take her shopping. I don’twant her around for the meeting, just in case things get heated.

I’m a little anxious to introduce her to my men. Apart from the two guards I flew to Italy and my driver, I haven’t informed anyone that we were married.

I’ve always been a ladies’ man, what some may call a player, wild, living a fast-paced life with little or no responsibility, but I’m ready for this. My partying days are behind me. Having a wife will allow me to focus entirely on the business.

My hands are shoved deep into the pockets of my trousers as I move back and forth, only pausing when I hear the clink of Arabella’s heels as she approaches.

I turn towards the entrance, and when she comes into view, I’m again struck by her beauty. She’s a fucking sight, that’s for sure.

She’s wearing a form-fitting white dress that stops just above her knees. It hugs all those delicious curves of hers. I instantly want to tell her to turn around, march her sweet arse back to our bedroom, and get changed. If my men look at her the way I am now, I may have a bloodbath on my hands.

It’s crazy how, on the surface, I get to call this woman mine, but in reality, she’s anything but.

“Does this look okay?” she asks.

“It’ll do,” I mutter, hoping my response is enough to hide my true feelings. I want this woman more than I care to admit, but the fact that she doesn’t want me in return is maddening.

When her face falls, I feel like an arsehole. I can see she’s put in a lot of effort.

I drag my hand out of my pocket, bring my money clip with it and hold it out to her.

Her eyes narrow slightly as she glances down at my hand. “What’s that?”

“My money clip.”

“I can see that. Why are you trying to give it to me?”

“After we eat, Dario will take you to the grocery store. You’ll need money to pay for the things you buy.”

“Oh, okay.”

When she reaches for it and slides the entire thing—the money clip containing the wad of hundreds—into her ample cleavage, I tilt my head back and let out a frustrated groan. For a prude, she’s a fucking tease.

Our eyes lock, and something unspoken passes between us. What it actually is, I have no clue, but the air around us feels charged, with what I could best describe as hate-filled lust.

For a brief second, it’s as if the whole room falls away, and it’s just her and me, caught in a quiet understanding neither of us is ready to name. The tension between us is stretched thin, and neither of us knows how long it will hold.

---