Gabriele’s POV
I sat in my office staring at the documents I had to work on but all I saw was Arianna’s pretty smile.
The image of her tucking her hair behind her ear as she smiled at me made the letters in the paper in front of me seem like a shadow of reality.
“Rather than sit here and smile like that, you know you can just tell her right?”
Basilio’s annoying voice broke through my subconscious like some God and I jumped back to reality.
He was standing right across from me with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“What do you want?” I hissed.
He walked closer and took the chair without an invitation. “I want you to get married, Fratello. Arianna will make really strong babies!” He exclaimed and I got filled with the urge to launch something at him.
I turned my eyes to the side, searching for a good weapon but he understood my intentions and jumped away laughing.
“Anyway, I came to tell you that we have a guest…” He trailed as he walked to the door. “A very annoying one if you ask me!” He added as he disappeared behind the door.
My eyes remained narrowed at him. The fool!
He didn’t even tell me who had come around. And I was so lost in my thoughts I didn’t even notice when he walked in!
I kissed my tongue to my teeth and got off the chair. The files were not that important anyway, so I could ask Basilio to finish them.
That would even be a good punishment for him.
An evil smirk covered my face as I marched out of the office and moved to the reception area where we received guests.
My crisp white shirt and black pant trousers straightened as I moved and I couldn’t help but admire the work of whoever had ironed them.
“Good day sir,” two maids chorused and I flashed them a smile.
They stood frozen in a spot as if I had shown them a gun rather than a smile. They were so used to me carrying around a straight face or a scowl. Seeing me smile was an abnormality.
Well, they would have to get used to it.
Ever since Arianna and I made up, my mood has been between the clouds. Excitement bubbled within me and I didn’t know how to handle it.
To make it worse I avoided her because whatever I felt got even stronger the moment we were in the same room together.
“Gabriele!” My uncle Demyan’s voice filled the room and the atmosphere in the house changed immediately.
The smile faded from my face as it got replaced with anger at once.
“What do you want?” I growled as I took the last step to the reception area.
“Oh, nephew, you are always so aggressive! I came to give you your passes!” He said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
I couldn’t wait for the day, I would have all his dirty deeds exposed and that mock surrender he usually did wouldn’t be a joke anymore.
“You may drop them with him,” I said waving towards Basilio who sat on the chair observing the both of us like he was the boss and I was his assistant.
I was about to turn away as my anger already threatened to surface. There was definitely no need for me to be here or even for him to barge into my house unannounced as he did.
“Oh my… If it isn’t the beautiful flower in my nephew’s house… Come say hello to uncle Demyan,” He said and my narrowed eyes moved to the door where Arianna was just stepping in.
She looked confused at the invitation but saw that I was there. She swallowed her questions and quietly moved forward to meet with Demyan.
“Hello,” He said, opening his palm to her.
My chest was rising and falling at a faster pace now as I glared at the action unfolding in front of me.
She took it hesitantly and gave a small mumble of a reply.
“What soft hands you have,” He exclaimed, smiling at her.
I could tell she was not comfortable with his act and with two swift steps I reached where they were and peeled her away from him.
“Demyan, you have dropped your passes, what more do you want?” I was livid at this point.
If he dared say something other than proper, I didn’t care who he was involved with, I was going to shoot his brains out.
“Fratello!” Basilio exclaimed, getting on his feet as well.
I refused to look at him because I knew what he would tell me. I didn’t need that right now.
“Take Arianna back to her room!” I ordered without looking at him.
“Fratello!” He called again but my glare was enough to send his eyes to the ground.
I would not forgive any man who thought it was fine to come to disrespect me in my house!
“Gabriele, I can tell you are not quite pleased to see me but I can assure you I bring forth good news…” He then followed up with a burst of awkward laughter that was full of anxiety.
“Speak and leave!” I spat out through gritted teeth.
My control was hanging on a thin thread. Basilio wasn’t here. We both knew how risky the situation was…
I noticed the small beads of sweat on his forehead as he took an uneasy step back and moved to the seat behind him.
It was then I noticed the bag he had brought with him. I didn’t have to worry, Basilio would have done a perfect sweep for the bag.
Demyan took out a document from the bag and I noticed how his fingers trembled ever so slightly.
“There are some foreign investors we can partner with and forget about this dangerous dark world my dear nephew,” He said as he stepped forward to hand me the papers.
My eyes narrowed further as I glared at the paper and then at him.
“We could have had this discussion at your party tomorrow. Why do you have to take the trouble of bringing it over in person when you could have been fixing your event?”
I saw the fear that flashed in his eyes before he was able to mask it again with a smile.
“I thought we could have a first-hand discussion today and then tomorrow I will introduce you to the investors at the party,” He said.
I eye the documents one more time before moving my jaw to point at the seat just behind him.
“Drop it and leave. We can talk tomorrow,” I said and folded my arms across my chest.
“Of course… That is perfect!” He said as he turned away immediately after dropping the file.
I watched as he forgot his bag and reached the exit then he remembered. He turned and smiled like someone who fell from a bicycle ride.
He returned and picked up the bag, “I’ll leave now,” He said.
As he left, my anger subsided but I was still weary of the documents. Why would Demyan want me to do business with his investors? If they were that good, why did he want to involve me?
Demyan was never one to share.
I picked up the file and trailed back to my office where I knew Basilio would be waiting like a hound.
“What did he want?” He asked as soon as I pushed the door open.
“Check it out!” I threw the file in his direction and walked straight to the bar at the corner.
Basilio caught the file and went through it. His eyes scanned through the papers and then his narrowed eyes raised and met mine.
“American investors… They want to collaborate with our production company?” Basilio asked and I shrugged as I brought the glass of wine I had poured for myself to my lips.
“He mentioned something like that but I find it too good to be true,” I said.
“Why would he even want you to collaborate with his investors? When was the last time Demyan shared anything in his life?” Basilio asked and I raised my glass to him.
“We will just have to wait and see what tomorrow brings. Apparently, the investors will be at the party as well,” I said to him.
Basilio returned the documents to the file and dropped them on the table like they were thorns.
“How are the arrangements for tomorrow coming up?” I asked as I walked back to where he sat and joined him.
“Everything is ready. Your godfather also called, his men are ready. Fratello, if Gianni shows up, we will deal with him,” He assured me and I nodded.
For some reason, I didn’t care about all of that. I was concerned only with Arianna.
“Did Olga bring Arianna’s outfit?” I asked, trying to hide my eagerness.
But Basilio was some sort of wizard, he picked my eagerness.
“She has all she needs except you…” He replied with a smile on his lips.
I narrowed my eyes and focused on my drink. “Good.”
Basilio chuckled and got on his feet. “Goodnight Fratello,” he called and I glared at him wishing I could make him vanish with my stares but he stubbornly remained.
“Stare at me all you want… Deep down you can’t wait to stare at Arianna’s pretty face!” Basilio sang as he left my study.
I wanted to reply but my brain couldn’t come up with a good response. He was right.
I could t wait to lay my eyes on her beautiful body.
I ignored the throb in my pants and enjoyed my drink anticipating the beauty of the next night.