"Not for a few months. Lukas keeps me updated."
As I think about that, movement near the entrance draws my attention. Alessandro approaches, his wife by his side.
Emilia is even more striking in person than she appeared during our video calls. Her figure is petite and she carries herselfwith an innate elegance. Chestnut brown hair falls in glossy waves over her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes are dark and expressive. There's no denying her beauty, but I find myself comparing her to Violetta and Emilia comes up short.
Lorenzo and I rise to greet my cousin and his wife. I hug Alessandro, then kiss Emilia's cheeks.
"It's nice to meet you at last," she says warmly.
"And you."
We take our seats as a waitress arrives with a chilled bottle of champagne and four glasses.
"Shall I pour?" She addresses the question to Emilia.
"No, thank you. We'll handle it when the moment is right."
The waitress nods and quickly withdraws.
"When the moment is right?" I ask. "Are we celebrating something?"
Without meaning to, I let my gaze drift to her stomach. Emilia laughs.
"I'm not pregnant." She glances lovingly at Alessandro. "Not yet."
"Then what is the occasion?" I look to my cousin but he shakes his head.
"This is all Emilia."
"Sounds intriguing," Lorenzo says.
Emilia takes a breath. "I want out."
I frown, not sure what she's referring to. "Out?"
"Yes. I want no part of my grandfather's legacy."
Her grandfather left her control of his territory along the Amalfi Coast. Until his assassination she hadn't even been aware he was a mafia boss. Her reluctance to be involved in his business has been clear from the start. Lorenzo and I have been running things for her, taking a percentage of the profits for our trouble.
"So what do you propose?" If she wasn't family, we would simply take the territory from her. But she's Alessandro's wife. I have to admit, even if she wasn't married to my cousin, I'd be loath to screw a good woman like her over.
"I want you to buy me out."
"You've already delegated control to us," Lorenzo points out. "It's not like you're on the streets waging war on your enemies."
"True." Emilia's voice remains steady. "But I don't want any connection to it."
"Do you have a figure in mind?"
She meets my gaze. "Thirty-two million dollars."
"What?"
"Thirty-two million." Emilia nods decisively. "For my grandfather's entire organization."
"Why that specific amount?" Lorenzo asks. It's a ridiculously low figure.
"There's some property I wish to acquire." She glances nervously at Alessandro, who nods encouragingly. "And there is something else I want from you."
