Page 107 of Empire of Seduction

“I told you,” was my brother’s reply.

“Vito,” Paloma said. “She must be strong to be a D’Agostino. If she can’t withstand a little challenge now and again, then she is not the right woman for you.”

I folded my arms and leaned against the counter. “When the time comes, I will decide who is the right woman for me,sorellina. Not you. Not Maz, and certainly not Enzo. Capisce?”

She held up her hands, but there was a secret smile playing at the edges of her lips. “Understood.”

“And you will apologize to her.”

My sister inclined her head and walked over to sit on the stool next to Massimo. “If that is what you want, then yes. I will apologize.”

Massimo covered his mouth with his hand and muttered something under his breath. Paloma nodded in understanding.

“What did you say?” I asked my brother.

Cheerfully, he said, “I told her that you’re going to marry Maggie, so we should be nice to her.”

I rubbed my jaw, wondering why I was cursed with the world’s most annoying siblings. I wasn’t going to marry Maggie, but arguing this seemed pointless. Maz and Paloma would believe whatever they wanted. They always did.

Meeting my sister’s stare, I asked, “Are you ready to hear why I asked you to come?”

She smirked. “I thought it was to meet your fiancée, no?”

I didn’t take the bait. Instead, I pulled open a kitchen drawer where I’d stashed some cigarettes. I quickly lit one and inhaled, my nostrils flaring as I drew the chemicals into my lungs. Exhaling, I felt myself relax ever so slightly. Before I could speak, my sister was pointing at the cigarette.

“Put that out. You’re going to stink up this place.”

Reaching behind me, I flicked open the kitchen window to let in cold air. “Happy?”

“I don’t like you smoking.” My sister held her cappuccino cup in front of her mouth so I couldn’t see it, then said something to my brother.

With a wry grin, he said, “Sì, certo.”

“Cazzo madre di dio,” I snarled. “I will throw you both out if you don’t stop talking about me.”

Paloma’s smile was all teeth. “I asked Massimo if you started smoking more often because of your ragazza.”

I put the cigarette out and threw away the stub. They were doing their best to get under my skin and I had to remain calm, focused. “Paloma, I would like for you to serve as my consigliere.”

Her mouth fell open and she slowly lowered the cup in her hands to set it on the marble. Maz shifted in his chair, his gaze on the island, but I would address my sister first.

She blinked a few times. “Vito, I-I don’t know what to say. Shouldn’t you be asking Maz?”

I glanced at my brother, who still hadn’t looked up. “He’s welcome to the position at any time. But it’s my understanding that he doesn’t want it.”

“I don’t,” Massimo confirmed, heaving a sigh. “But it’s weird hearing you offer it to someone else.”

“Maz,” Paloma said, tugging on his shirtsleeve. “You should do it. The position is rightfully yours.”

“No. I asked to get out and now I’m out.” Massimo blew out a breath toward the ceiling. “Give me one of those cigarettes, fratello.”

I didn’t know whether he was serious or not, so I took the pack out of the drawer and tossed it to him. He dug out a stick and lit it.

“You two are gross,” Paloma said, waving the smoke away from her. “And I’m telling Enzo that you’re both trying to get cancer.”

I rolled my eyes. “Not if you’re my consigliere, sorellina. Everything stays between us, no matter what. That means you can’t even tell Maz, let alone Enzo.”

She tapped her manicured nails on the marble. “That makes having brothers a lot less fun. I love gossiping about the three of you to each other. It’s a never-ending game of who I can piss off the most.”

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