The Mafia’s Forbidden Desire

ANTONIO

It’s been a week since I last saw Rosalinda and Carlo. Camilla returned after Sergio’s death, but Rosa didn’t, saying she needed more time to process her thoughts. I missed her so much, and it was never my intention to hurt her.

I had just arrived at the Moretti mansion to complete the signing of the modified agreement. Now that Sergio was dead and the coast was clear of any danger, we could proceed with the wedding arrangements. I still wondered who killed Sergio, though, saving me from having to do it myself and losing some of my men in the process. Anyway, that wasn’t really my problem. He had a lot of enemies, so the bastardo had it coming.

The front door of the Moretti mansion swung open as I approached it. I immediately stopped in my tracks, my eyes narrowing as I stared at the person that appeared before me.

Liam Romano.

I thought Roberto was done doing business with the Romanos. What the hell was he doing here?

“Look who we have here.” Liam remarked, a mischievous smile touching his lips as he approached me.

Pressing my lips tightly together, I continued on my way, determined to ignore him and walk past him.

“So that was your plan all along. To make Rosalinda yours. You know she was supposed to be mine.” He said, catching my attention.

She was supposed to be his? The thought of that infuriated me as I angrily turned to look at him, pointing a threatening finger at him. “Keep her name out of your mouth.”

He raised a brow, titling his head as he responded. “And if I don’t, what would you do? Kill me like you did Lorenzo?”

“Touch my family, and I wouldn’t even hesitate.” I groaned.

If I didn’t have his father, Diego, to deal with, I would have definitely ended his miserable life at that moment. I hated his guts.

“But Carlo isn’t your family. Why did you kill Lorenzo for him? Or…” He took a step forward, raising a questioning brow. “Is there something I am missing?”

Blowing out a sharp breath, I turned around and continued walking towards the front door. I couldn’t waste my time and energy on him. He wasn’t worth it.

Roberto was in his office, skimming through some papers, when I got there.

“Good morning, Antonio.” He said as I approached him.

“Good morning.” I drew the seat opposite him and settled on it, planting both elbows on the desk. “I saw Liam Romano outside.”

“He just left here.” Roberto said as he took off his glasses and placed them on the desk.

“If I may ask, what was he doing here? What business do you have with the Romanos?” I asked, trying with everything in me to suppress my anger.

“Just as I wouldn’t discuss my business with you with anybody, I wouldn’t disclose my business with the Romanos either.” He stated.

Before I could respond, he changed the subject. “How’s my daughter? I was hoping you’d come here with her.”

I raised a brow, surprised that he didn’t know that she wasn’t staying at my place at the moment. “She didn’t tell you?”

A frown immediately masked his features. “Tell me what?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head. Since Rosalinda had not told her father that she wasn’t with me and was at a coastal hideout, I wouldn’t either.

“Tell me what, Antonio?” He asked firmly, worries evident in his features. “Is something wrong with my daughter?”

I shook my head. “She’s fine.”

He gazed at me suspiciously, not satisfied with my response.

I sighed. “You could call her to confirm. She’s fine.”

He sighed. “I spoke with her earlier this morning.”

“So, you see? She’s fine.”

The thought of what Liam was doing at his place still lingered in my mind, so I asked. “Are you really still doing business with the Romanos? You know, I’m not really on good terms with them.”

“I know about the car you blew off. I don’t know why you did it, but I wouldn’t ask because that’s not really my business. Let’s focus on what we have on the ground-why you are here.”

His words left me speechless, unable to say a word about the Romanos anymore. I still didn’t know how Diego planned to retaliate, but I’d be ready for him.

Silence lingered for a while before Roberto sighed and reached for a document on the desk, handing it to me. “Here’s the revised agreement. Go through it and sign it. I’ve already signed my own part.”

Taking it, I flipped through the pages before closing it. “I’ll go through it and return it tomorrow.” I told him.

I had to be very careful and go through every single word on the document before signing it, as it was a very sensitive agreement. I couldn’t trust Roberto enough to not have changed the clauses that shouldn’t be tampered with.

“No problem.” He nodded. “So, about the wedding. When do you think it should be done?”

Fixing a date for the wedding was a decision Rosalinda should also have a say in. She was the bride, and her opinion mattered.

I never needed anyone to make decisions for me, but here I was needing Rosalinda’s opinion and wanting to please her. That woman had totally changed me beyond my imagination.

“I’ll think about it and discuss it with you to see if the date is fine with you.” Roberto didn’t need to know about my intention to ask his daughter first.

I leapt to my feet and extended my hand for a handshake. “See you tomorrow.”

Taking my hand, he implored. “Please take care of my daughter and my grandson. Please protect them.”

He didn’t need to ask me. It was my duty to take care of them and protect them, and I had every intention to do that, even if it cost me my own life.

Being separated from them had taken a toll on me. I woke up every day, wishing Rosalinda would call me and ask me to come pick them up, but that call never came. Their absence left a wound in my heart-a wound only their presence could heal.

I missed them so much and I couldn’t hold on any longer. I was going to the coastal hideout to bring them back home. Right now.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.