Gabriele’s POV
“I heard our girl is doing extremely well,” Basilio said, stretching on the couch in my office.
I knew he wanted to get accolades for suggesting her in the first place but I wasn’t planning on giving him any.
After all, I was the first to see her competence when she summarized my files the other night. It wasn’t like he had discovered something I wasn’t aware of.
“Oh really,” I scoffed, flipping through the papers in front of me.
Gianni had gone off our radar once again and the event was getting closer. I tried not to think about what he could do but the lack of information was making me restless.
“Yep! Niko told me she didn’t just get the transaction done and sealed, Jane was impressed enough to bring more deals!” Basilio went on.
“Yeah right,” I said absentmindedly.
If the business was getting that amount of customers maybe someday –after I get Gianni– I might just change my mind and become a full-time businessman.
No more guns.
Maybe Arianna could be my actual assistant this time…
“She called the other day and in her opinion, Arianna should be made the Managing Director,” Basilio said.
I paused what I was doing and stared up at him. “Then do it,” I said.
The carefree expression on his face changed suddenly and morphed into concern and a hint of happiness.
“Fratello you really mean that? Or you are just fooling around with me?” He blurted out still sporting the new expression.
“Why will I fool around with you Basilio? You don’t even have a pussy!” I retorted with raised brows.
His concerned face cracked up as he smiled. “Aah, I see… You have fallen in love with Arianna, that’s why you agreed so easily about making her the managing director…”
He jumped off the couch and came closer to my table. “So you have had these intentions for a while and you didn’t think to tell me?”
I had always known that Basilio was going to be the reason why I went to a psychiatric hospital! The guy knew how to drive me crazy!
“Basilio,” I called, struggling with my control. I was so close to screaming at him.
“Yes boss,” he whined, wiggling his brows like an innocent child -which he wasn’t.
The fool knew he was messing with me and it excited him. How did I become friends with him again?
“Leave my office!” I told him in a gentle voice.
“You don’t want to talk about it or you don’t want to admit it?” He said straightening away from the table.
My eyes narrowed as I glared at him and he knew it was only a matter of time before I flared up.
“Fine! Fine!” He exclaimed with his hands raised in a mock surrender –I knew he was going to get back at me with this. He was only letting go for now.
He picked up a handful of nuts on the table by the exit and left.
I took a deep breath and relaxed into the seat.
Why was Arianna giving me so much trouble? In fact, why were all the women giving me so much trouble?
I didn’t need any trouble now. I needed peace to be able to think properly about how to find Gianni! The stress was really starting to get at me.
“Fuck!” I cursed as I got off the chair.
There was no point in sitting here and having a mental argument with myself. I walked out of the office losing my tie. I needed some fresh air.
I went in the direction of the garden and as I got closer, I heard the sound of laughter.
My bored furrowed as the sounds were very familiar –at least one was. I could tell who the person laughing was but I refused to believe it.
She was laughing with a man –no, two men.
“I told you the air in the house was different!” She exclaimed and they all burst into another round of laughter.
It was like a choir. Where her voice was tiny and theirs deep, creating a blend like musical notes.
Rather than feel thrilled by the sound, I felt a dark emotion drive into my veins.
Why was she laughing like that with them?
“Arianna there is no way it will be different! He is a chemical!” Niko said and I could hear the snickers in his voice.
They were having a good time in my garden with my woman!
“It is different because he is here… Trust me once he leaves, it will be pristine and fresh again!” She said and as she laughed this time, I picked up another female’s voice amongst them.
“Are you saying my boss is toxic?” Mike asked and even though he had a firm grip on his voice, I could almost hear the smile on his face!
They were talking about me!
My hands fisted and I walked right through the doors glaring at them.
Arianna was on the swing and Niko was pushing her. Mike was seated on the concrete outdoor chair while Sofia was on a mat.
They were all exhibiting different samples of laughter and this angered me. How dare they laugh like this in my mansion with my woman?
“Is this what I pay you all for?!” I growled throwing daggers at them with my look.
They all stopped laughing at once –all except Arianna who still had a smile on her face.
Sofia, who was the second female in the group, scurried to her feet and packed up the mat she had been sitting on.
“Good evening sir,” she whispered as passed me.
“There is nothing good about this evening!” I retorted angrily but she had already run for her life.
Niko and Mike were both on their feet as well and they had their heads bowed and their palms folded against their belt line.
I walked closer to them and whispered in a low tone.
“You will both be punished for this… Leave!” I growled.
I never thought asking them to protect Arianna would make them become friends! I didn’t want her to become friends with them! I wanted them to watch her every move and report it to me!
That was what I paid them for!
Gianni was somewhere in the city and probably lurking around my mansion and property. Yet my guards preferred to spend time in the company of my woman, laughing like animals!
“Apologies boss,” they chorused before walking away from the garden leaving just Arianna and me.
Her smile was no longer on her face as she stepped down from the swing and walked towards me.
I thought she was going to stop and rudely yell as she usually did but she made to walk past me.
I wasn’t going to allow that!
“And where do you think you are going?” I hissed, grabbing her by the arm.
She glared back at me with such intensity in her eyes, my stare faltered.
“I am leaving. Isn’t that what you wanted?” She asked in a low yet venomous voice.
I was unable to produce a good answer. She had asked me a question and I was stuck. I didn’t know what to tell her because I didn’t even know what I wanted.
Or maybe I just didn’t understand what I wanted…
“You are not meant to spend time with my workers!” I fought back weakly.
“But you gave them to me as my personal guards. They were supposed to make sure I didn’t run? What if I did while I was sitting here, Gabriele?”
Touche!
This woman was too smart for my liking.
“You belong to me!” I hissed as frustration started hitting me hard.
She yanked her arm away from my grip and plastered a deep smile on her face.
“I do not belong to you, Gabriele. I will fight for my freedom until I get it…” She said with so much confidence my eyes darkened with anger.
“You will never leave here. Don’t you ever get it?”
“You are the one not getting it Gabriele. I don’t have to leave before I get my freedom,” she said and I was completely confused by everything.
I would blame it on my overthinking brain dying on me but in truth, I couldn’t think of how she could get freedom while still staying in the house…
“Let me explain what I mean.” She walked closer to me and folded her arms under her chest.
“I am sure before you walked in here you heard us laughing about how the air in this place isn’t fresh or natural anymore…”
“You know why I started that conversation?” She asked and my mouth refused to open to speak up the words my tired brain brought to it.
“I wanted them to see what you are doing to –not just me but all of us. And someday, we will all leave you Gabriele in this cruel profession of crimes you have chosen… It doesn’t matter if we are in this house or not… We will leave.”