I was only a year away from graduating with my business degree, and then I was planning to finally move home. When I mentioned to my father that I wanted to work for Russo Property Group alongside him and Lorenzo, he shocked me when he agreed, saying he would love to have me work for our family’s company. Now that his business partners were dead and Dominick had taken over, things were different, and he was making the city safe once again.
Now, my dad is gone.
Both my parents are gone.
“We need to meet with Michael for the reading of the will,” Lorenzo says, referring to his attorney. “If you’re not up for it today …”
“I am,” I tell him, still sitting in the front pew, not making any attempt to move.
There’s a funeral reception being held at the Antonovs’ house since Larisa—the Antonov matriarch—was close with my parents. But I can’t fathom going there and having to socialize with people I don’t know. Most of whom were probably closer to my parents than I was.
“Okay,” he says, standing. “Let’s get this over with.”
Forty-nine percent.
That’s how much of the company Dad left to me.
Lorenzo gets fifty-one percent.
To say Lorenzo is shocked is an understatement, leading me tobelieve that Dad never told him about my plan to move home and work with them.
“When did Dad change his will?” he asks Michael.
“Six months ago,” Michael says. “He also left a letter for each of you.” He hands us each a white envelope with our respective names scrawled across the front in Dad’s handwriting. “If you have any questions, please let me know.” He hands me his business card and then stands.
“Should we read the letters now or …” Lorenzo begins, his brows furrowed in confusion, most likely due to the change in the will.
“I know you might be upset about sharing the company but?—”
“What? No.” He shakes his head and turns toward me. “Confused, yes, but I would never be upset about having to split the company with you, Dani.”
“I spoke with Dad,” I tell him. “It must’ve been why he changed his will. I told him I wanted to use my business degree and work for Russo Property Group, and he agreed. I was tired of being away, and I wanted to come home.”
Lorenzo’s eyes widen.
“I missed my family,” I choke out, tears filling my lids. “But now, they’re gone.”
As sobs rack my body, I’m about to wrap my arms around myself when Lorenzo pulls me into his arms.
“Our parents are gone,” he says, “but I’m not. I’m your family, too, and I would love nothing more than for you to come work alongside me at Russo.”
“Really?” I murmur, looking up at him.
“Hell yeah. I didn’t even know that’s what you wanted. That’s why I was confused. Not because I don’t want you here. Once you finish your degree, whatever position you want is yours.”
He hugs me tighter, and I cry against his chest, hating that I barely know my big brother but so thankful that I still have him.
“Thank you, Lo,” I say, using the nickname Mom gave him. “That means the world to me.”
“How are you doing, Little Russo?”Matteo says with a soft, sympathetic smile.
Because of the age difference between my brother and me and my parents shipping me off to boarding school, I don’t really know my brother’s business partner and best friend well.
When we were younger, I’d see him hanging around the house, but as I got older and came home less, I didn’t see him as often. From what I can remember, he’s a jokester, and he doesn’t take much seriously. Lorenzo has mentioned on several occasions that he’s ruthless and hotheaded, but he would do anything for the people he loves.
What I forgot, thanks to being gone for so long, was how good-looking he was. His brown hair is short on the sides and a bit longer on the top, giving him just enough length to run his fingers through it. He has a few days’ worth of stubble covering his face, and there are several tattoos running along his neck and disappearing under his dress shirt. In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him wear anything but a T-shirt and jeans, but he looks damn good while dressed up.
Despite his harsh exterior, with his dark blue eyes that remind me of the deepest part of the ocean and his disarming smile that contradicts the hardness in his features, when he looks at me, I feel like he can see into my soul.
