Chapter Eight
Massimo sat in thechanging room and waited for Lily-Mae to make her appearance.His patience was growing thin.After the party three nights ago, Isabella had come to him.Adelina was unaware that his sister had gone to the bathroom just moments before her and had been about to step out of one of the stalls, when she heard Lily-Mae.His sister had told him everything Lily-Mae had said to his wife.
It had taken him three days to get himself under control, and during that time, he had waited for the right moment to talk with Lily-Mae.
There had been several talks with Lily-Mae’s family, the Ricardos, about there being a possible union.The Ricardos and Salvatores were very wealthy.It would have been a powerful union.The only problem was, he couldn’t fucking stand Lily-Mae.Sure, she was a beautiful woman, but that was all.Beauty on the surface.He couldn’t stand her laugh, or the way she talked, or even the scent of her.Whenever he was near her, it was like it was choking him.There was a lot about her he couldn’t stand.
He teased the ring on his wedding finger.He had known there was something wrong with Adelina when she came out of the bathroom, but he didn’t know what.She had been tired when they got home, and he had seen her withdraw.
Hearing what Lily-Mae had said to her, he could understand, and he didn’t like it.He had no choice but to deal with it.His father had wanted to go to her father, but Massimo felt the only way to deal with Lily-Mae was to go to her.She’d release the waterworks to her father.There would be no lies between him and Lily-Mae.
“You know, I don’t think this is right.Can you not get anything fucking right?”Lily-Mae stepped out, and it looked like she had raised her hand, as if to slap the sales assistant.
The outfit looked fine to him.It was a pair of pants, with a matching vest over a white shirt.It actually looked elegant.
She paled and then smiled when she saw him.
“Hello, Massimo.I had no idea you were here.Is there something you’d like to talk to me about?”She started to go all flirty.
“You like this life, don’t you?”
She frowned.
“Being able to buy clothes you don’t need.Expensive designer bags, jewelry, beat the staff that is only intent on helping you.You like it all.”
She didn’t say a word.
“And if you dare come to my wife, I will make sure that never happens again.”
Lily-Mae laughed.“Please, I know you’re powerful, Massimo, but you and I both know you can’t take my family’s wealth.”
He struck quickly, moving with a speed she didn’t anticipate, and he had his fingers wrapped around her neck, squeezing off the air.
“Do you think you’re so powerful that you’d be able to stop me?”He tutted.“You’re a foolish girl, Lily-Mae.Do you not know what I am capable of?How easy it would be to strip down you, your father, your mother, and every business he has his fingers into.With a simple phone call, I can stop all funds coming your way.I can squash you all without even lifting a finger.The Ricardo name has been failing for quite some time.It is just a name.Your brothers do not have what it takes to surge the family forward.”He squeezed her throat even tighter.“You talk to my wife, say shit to her like what you did at that party, and I will take great pleasure in watching you suffer.I will make it my personal mission to create a life of misery, and I will not allow you to die quickly.You’ll die when I say, is that understood?”
He saw the panic and fear in her eyes, and he waited for it to dance merrily within her, and only when he knew she had gotten the message completely, did he finally let her go.
“Have a good day.”
Stepping out of the dressing room, he pulled out his cell phone, and to make the message even clearer for Lily-Mae when she got home, he struck a deal that would weaken the Ricardos in an instant.
Once that deal was done, he then pulled out her father’s number and let him know his current predicament was because of his daughter, and it was about time he pulled her in line.If she stepped out again, he would end the whole lot of them.
