Rodrigo held Giana's gaze. The fire in her eyes mirrored the inferno of his own possessive need, but it was a different flame.Hers was forged in defiance and the demand for agency. His was forged in obsession and the terror of loss.
Could they burn together without consuming everything? He was just crazy enough to find out.
"Full access," he stated, finally finding his voice. "Every file. Every feed. Every operational detail. You want a seat at the table? You want to be a partner?" A ghost of something dangerous flickered in his expression. "Then prove you can play the game. Prove you can handle the fire."
A challenge and one terrifying step onto uncharted ground.
Giana's small smile met that challenge head-on, like always. The light in her eyes intensified, a fierce, predatory gleam that made desire burn through him.
She straightened, wincing only slightly, her bandaged hand a clenched fist at her side.
"Show me the board, Rodrigo," she said, her voice filled with steely confidence. "And I'll show you how to checkmate them."
A smile quirked the corners of Rodrigo's mouth before he could hide it. Their council had just gained its queen, and the game that had always been between them had irrevocably changed.
"Give her what she wants," he said, a thrill of dark anticipation running through him.
Leo brought up the photo of Vincenzo again. "This is…"
Giana interrupted him, her eyes lighting up with recognition. "Fuck, Vincenzo Falcone is on your list?"
"At the top. Vincenzo wants his uncle's throne, but needs money to do it. He seems the likeliest person to try and grab you to make some quick money," Leo told her.
"You know him?" Rodrigo asked, a thread of jealousy in his voice.
"Yes, I do… I mean, I did," Giana replied and glanced back at him. "Before my father decided to declare war on your mother, he was in talks with his uncle, Enzo."
Rodrigo's eyes narrowed. "What talks? I didn't know about this."
"No one knew except for them and my mother." Giana stared back at the man on the screen. "I was meant to marry him."
Dario swore under his breath. "Did you have to tell him that?"
Rodrigo couldn't hear a thing over the roaring in his ears. "Did you have…feelings for him?"
"Uh oh," Athena whispered.
"What?" Giana looked at Rodrigo.
"Did you havefeelingsfor him? Is that why you were engaged?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Giana raised an eyebrow. "Not that it's any of your business, but no. We had met a few times at social gatherings. He was sweet to me. He seemed…kind. My mother and his were already making plans, but it was yet to be announced."
"Vincenzo must have been pissed to lose you like that," Frederica commented, letting out a low whistle. "Makes sense that he would try and make a grab for you as soon as you were back on the market."
"She's not on the fucking market," Rodrigo snarled. "She's not fucking meat."
"Shecan speak for herself," Giana snapped back. "If Vincenzo is really the one after me, then I know a way we can find out that won't put any of our lives at risk."
Dario spoke before Rodrigo could. "And what would that be?"
"Simple." Giana shrugged her shoulders. "We send out an announcement about our impending nuptials. Maybe, you could even smile for some photos, Rodrigo, if you can manage one."
"Maybe I can send Vincenzo a car bomb instead," he replied hopefully.
Giana waved his comment away. "Don't be so dramatic. Save it for when they try to siege us."
From the other end of the table, Leo burst out laughing, and Rodrigo wanted to throw a knife at him. "She has got you cornered, big brother. Just do it her way."
