Page 14 of The Enforcer's Possession
“Enter.”Papa’s voice carried through the wood, clipped and cold.
I pushed the door open and stepped into his domain.
The study was exactly what you’d expect from a man who’d built an empire on blood and intimidation.Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined three walls, filled with leather-bound volumes Papa had probably never read but kept for appearance.The fourth wall was all windows, overlooking the estate grounds with a view that reminded everyone who entered exactly how much power the man behind the desk wielded.That desk dominated the room -- massive oak that had probably cost tens of thousands of dollars, its surface precisely organized with the kind of obsessive control Papa applied to everything in his life.
He sat behind it now, perfectly postured in a high-backed leather chair that looked more like a throne.His suit was navy, expensive, tailored to hide the slight thickening around his middle that age had brought.But there was nothing soft about Giuseppe Lombardi.His face was all hard angles and colder eyes, his jaw set in that expression I knew meant he was already annoyed before I’d even opened my mouth.
Antonio Rossi stood at his shoulder like a shadow made flesh.The consigliere’s presence shouldn’t have surprised me.Papa never made decisions without his advisor’s input, but it still made my stomach tighten.Antonio was harder to read than my father, his expression perpetually neutral, his wire-rimmed glasses catching the light in a way that made his eyes impossible to see clearly.
And there, in the corner chair that usually sat empty during these kinds of meetings, was Luca.
My brother looked uncomfortable, his long frame folded into the chair like he was trying to take up less space.His gaze found mine immediately, and I saw the concern there.The worry.He knew what I was about to do, had probably guessed it when Papa summoned him to this meeting.Luca was too smart not to have put the pieces together.
“Sit.”Papa gestured to the chair across from his desk without preamble.No greeting.No acknowledgment that I was his daughter rather than just another subordinate being called to account.
I sat.Crossed my legs.Placed my hands in my lap where they couldn’t betray me with nervous movement.Met his gaze with a steadiness I absolutely did not feel.
“You asked to speak with me.”He made it sound like an imposition.“Speak.”
No softness.No patience.This was Giuseppe Lombardi in full don mode, treating me exactly how he’d treat any member of the family who’d dared to defy him.Which, I supposed, was exactly what I’d done when I’d thrown wine at Marco and walked out of that dinner.
I’d prepared for this.Knew he’d be cold.Knew he’d try to intimidate me into submission before I even started.I couldn’t let it work.
“I want to discuss my engagement,” I said, keeping my voice level.Professional.Like I was proposing a business arrangement rather than my own future.“I have an alternative that I believe serves the family’s interests better than the current arrangement with Marco Vitale.”
Papa’s jaw tightened.Just slightly.Just enough that I noticed.“The arrangement with Marco Vitale is already finalized.”
“Then unfinalize it.”I leaned forward slightly, showing engagement without seeming desperate.“The Vitale family offers connections and territory, yes.But their reach is limited compared to what I can bring you.”
“What you can bring me.”He repeated my words like they were a joke.“You’re not in a position to bring me anything, Caterina.You’re in a position to do what you’re told.”
“I’m in a position to offer you the De Luca alliance.”
The words hung in the air between us.I watched Papa’s expression shift -- not softening, but sharpening.Interest, maybe.Or fury that I’d dared to mention the name at all.
Antonio’s hand tightened on the back of Papa’s chair.Just slightly.Luca shifted in his seat, and I could feel his gaze on me, probably trying to telepathically tell me to be careful.
I pressed on.“Dante De Luca has agreed to marry me.”Even though Dante hadn’t been one hundred percent clear on what my family would gain from this, I needed to spin the marriage in a way that would make my father agree to it.“The alliance would give you access to their territory, which is three times the size of the Vitales’ holdings, and their network.The De Lucas have reach that Marco could never match.Their connections span not just our territory but three neighboring regions.Their reputation alone would strengthen our position with families who currently view us as…” I paused, choosing my words carefully.“Less formidable than we could be.”
Papa’s hands were flat on the desk now, fingers splayed.I recognized that gesture.It was what he did when he was trying very hard not to reach across the surface and strangle whoever was sitting opposite him.
“You approached Dante De Luca.”His voice had gone quieter.More dangerous.“Without my permission.Without my knowledge.You went behind my back to negotiate with another family.”
“I went to secure a better future for this family.”
“You went to defy me!”The words cracked out like gunshots, and suddenly Papa was on his feet.The movement was so fast it made me flinch despite myself.His hands came down on the desk hard enough to make everything on its surface jump -- the papers, the gold pen, the crystal paperweight.
But his volume didn’t rise.That was worse.That was so much worse.
He leaned forward, his knuckles white against the dark wood.“You think you can make decisions for this family?You think you have the right to negotiate alliances and arrange marriages?You’re a child playing at politics you don’t understand.”
“I understand them better than you think.”I forced myself to stay seated, to not shrink back even though every instinct screamed at me to run.“I understand that Marco Vitale beats women.I understand that his family’s territory is being encroached on by the Castellanos and they’re losing ground every month.I understand that in five years, the Vitale name won’t mean anything, and this alliance you’re so proud of will be worthless.”
Papa’s face had gone red.Not flushed.Red.Like all the blood in his body had rushed to his head and was trying to find a way out.A vein pulsed at his temple, visible even from where I sat.His jaw clenched so hard I could hear his teeth grinding.
“You know nothing.”Each word was bitten off, precise.“You know nothing about what this family needs.About what I’ve built.About the sacrifices required to maintain our position.”
“I know you’re willing to sacrifice me to maintain it.”
