Page 12 of The New Godfather

At least with him there’s a chance I won’t wake up bruised and bleeding. I must protect my heart though. I must stay cold and detached, keep any real feeling locked away behind the thick strong walls I’ve built so carefully… Until the day comes when I can make up some excuse and leave. That’s the plan. That’s the only way I’ll make it through this without losing what little of myself I have left.

I square my shoulders, lift my chin, and meet his gaze head-on. “I accept,” I say. “But all terms must be laid down clearly in a contract that we will both sign. No loopholes. No surprises. Everything has to be clarified in writing.”

His lips start to twist upwards.

And my heart skips several beats—actually stutters in my chest like it forgot how to work for a second. I’ve never seen him smile before. Not once in all the years I’ve known him. This one seems so genuine—slow and real, softening the hard lines of his face until he looks almost… Breathtaking. It steals the air from my lungs and sends a warm flush racing over my skin, as heat pools low in my belly despite the warning I’ve given myself to remain utterly detached emotionally.

He shakes his head, still smiling faintly, the expression so rare it feels like a secret meant only for me. “My word is worth much more than your legal contract.”

I hang my head with disappointment. Ah, it was too good to be true.

“However,” he says softly. “If a contract will give you peace of mind, then sure. Go ahead and draw one up. I’ll take a look at it, and if all’s well, I’ll sign it.”

He agreed. I can’t believe he agreed. The relief is so sudden and overwhelming it makes my knees weak. I nod, swallowing hard against the stone in my throat.

“Is that all?” he asks, voice low, almost tender.

I nod again, not trusting myself to speak.

He gives me a look then, like he’s seeing the real me under all the armor, the terrified girl I’ve hidden away for so long—and it hits somewhere deep inside me. I didn’t know there was still anything soft in me that was still capable of feeling anything at all. Then he turns around and walks away, the heavy library door closing softly behind him with a finality that echoes in my chest.

I stare at the closed door in disbelief. Once again, it seems the trajectory of my life has been changed with a few words from a man. But where will it take me? Toward yet another cage disguised as safety… or, somehow, toward actual freedom?

I don’t know, but I must keep my wits about me.

Chapter Twelve

RICCI

She said yes!

As I head down the stairs, each step echoing on the marble, I almost can’t believe what I’ve just done. I’ve betrothed myself to be married to a girl I hardly know. Me. Ricci Santori. I’m the man who’s never stayed with anyone longer than it took to scratch an itch, sometimes less than the time it took for the sheets to cool.

Commitment was a trap that women were always trying to trick me into. I always cut the cord well before it could tighten.

But this surprise proposal feels… perfect.

Like the last missing piece of a puzzle falling in place all of its accord. All the blood spilt, the lies, and the nights when I could barely sleep for thinking have ended. The trap has clicked into place with a quiet, satisfying snap. And I can’t think of a better conclusion. My blood is still humming from the way she looked at me when she said she’d accept. Her eyes wide and searching, held my gaze as if she was trying to decide if I was her savior or executioner. I will not make her regret her decision.

I reach the bottom of the stairs, and people swarm me immediately to deferentially congratulate me on becoming the new Godfather.

The air carries the scent of espresso pulled fresh from a machine, aged prosciutto sliced thin on silver platters, and too much Creed Aventus cologne. I nod, shake hands, and murmur the appropriate words⁠—

“Thank you.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Sure. Sure. We’ll talk soon”

But my mind is somewhere else. Upstairs. With her. What is she doing now? Is she sitting on her bed wondering what the hell she just agreed to?

I cut through the crowd, and mutter a few sharp words to my closest aides, men who’ve bled for me, who know better than to question anything I say.

“I’ll be absent for a couple of days. Handle anything that comes up. If it’s important, you know how to reach me.”

They nod, eyes carrying that essential mix of respect and fear. That is the only blend that keeps loyalty sharp in this business. I slip out the side entrance into the cool evening air. The sky is darkening to deep indigo, and the setting sun glows gold against the distant line of cypress trees.

The driver opens the door of the black Escalade before I even reach it—silent, efficient, the way I like it. I slide into the back and tell him to head to my apartment in the city. As we pull away, my mind drifts back. I let it. I need to remember how far I’ve come, to feel the distance between the boy I was and the man I’ve become.