Arianna’s POV
“Angelo-” Agostino started to say but Gabriele raised his hand and stopped him.
“No, I am not letting her roam around with some people! It won’t happen!” He said and moved to sit on his chair.
The maids spurted to action and started serving the meal on the long table.
I remained by the door with Agostino and we exchanged looks. What was wrong with Gabriele? Why was he making this more difficult than it should be?
“What should I do now?” I whispered to him below the soft noises created by the maids as they moved about with the plates.
“I think at this point, you both need to compromise,” Agostino mouthed back to me.
“Compromise?” I cried out in a low voice. I knew what Gabriele wanted. He wanted me to move around the city with a horde of security like I was married to a dictator. There was no way I would go to a party with my friends for a drink and show up with a band of macho men!
“That can’t work Agostino. I can take care of myself. You saw it yourself today, I am getting stronger!” I whined like a child.
But Agostino shook his head and held my shoulder with sympathy in his eyes.
“I know how you feel but we have to understand Gabriele’s point of view as well. He only wants to protect you. That’s why you need to compromise…” He said and I felt my shoulders drop.
This was going to be terrible.
“What if I tell him about my training?” I perked up again as the idea left my lips. Surely, he should feel more comfortable knowing I could handle myself properly.
But Agostino shook his head before the words even left his lips. “Arianna, we have talked about this before… I thought you understood?”
I kissed my tongue to my teeth and threw a look at the man that stole my heart yet he was too stubborn to listen to me.
“I know, I understand. He would feel cheated and incompetent and all of those shit but I didn’t learn it because of that!”
Agostino let out a deep breath and dipped his hands into his pockets. “No, Arianna. This is not the right time. We already agreed that we would only tell him when we have completed the training and he can handle seeing you getting punched without intervening…” I could see the smile on his face and I rolled my eyes.
It was true that Gabriele would never stand by and watch Agostino do the sort of training he gave me. But it was for the best and he was right… I couldn’t tell Gabriele now.
“Fine. I will fucking compromise!” I hissed and turned to join Gabriele at the table. I made sure to pull Agostino along with me.
“Arianna I am not hungry!” He whined but I refused to listen to him. There was no way I was going to handle this conversation with Gabriele without him.
We got to the table and resumed our seats. Gabriele raised his head from his plate and glared at us.
“You have finally finished your secret meeting?” He growled as he munched on his steak.
My eyes narrowed at him and a very cruel response was waiting just at the tip of my lips but Agostino saved him by changing the topic.
“Hmmm, this is delicious!” He mumbled as he chewed on his meal as well. “Arianna thank you for dragging me back! Hmmm…” He moaned noisily.
I rolled my eyes at him and served myself as well. I needed to calm my anger before saying anything to Gabriele.
I ate my meal quietly and swallowed as much as I could.
I felt Gabriele’s eyes on me and I raised my head and saw him watching me. He had finished eating and looked less menacing than he did when he returned home from work.
His enchanting eyes captivated me and I found myself getting lost in his gaze.
He slowly got up from his seat and I watched like in a trance as he walked to my side of the table and pulled back the chair close to me. He sat down and rested his head on his left fist.
“You should frown more, you look more beautiful this way,” he whispered.
I blinked hard as the words shocked me. I want to expect him to compliment me -was that even a compliment?
My cheeks heated and I dropped my gaze away from him.
“Pretend like I am not here guys! Have fun! Hmmm… This is so good…” Agostino munched on waving at us to carry on with whatever it was Gabriele was starting up.
I focused my eyes so deeply on my food they were starting to hurt. My heart flipped when I felt Gabriele’s fingers on my chin.
He wiped the stew that had dropped under my lips and brought the finger to his lips.
“Hmmm… I think the meal in your place was tastier…” He whispered in a hoarse voice.
He was trying to apologize for his actions earlier but without using the proper words. That was why he was trying to turn me on with his intense gaze and teases.
I narrowed my eyes at him and dropped my fork. I wiped my mouth with the serviette and glared at him.
“Gabriele, my friends want me to attend a party they organized for the firm. I want to attend it!” I said in a stern voice.
“Okay… What is the purpose of this party?” He asked in a voice too calm to be his -especially in matters like this.
“We got a major contract and they wanted to just go out and have a drink,” I said dropping my defenses.
“Gabriele, you never let me go out with them. This is important. Please,” I pleaded.
A grin covered his face. His finger moved to my face again and he moved the stray strands away from my face.
“Okay, I will send five troops out with you,” He said with a shrug.
My mouth dropped to the table and Agostino was almost shocked at his steak.
“Sorry! Please carry on…” He said as he grabbed a glass of juice from the table.
Gabriele struggled to keep a straight face and I heard Agostino slip and chuckle then apologize again.
“Gabriele! Five troops!” I cried out. “I am not going out to war, am I? It’s a simple get-together! Come on!”
“I want your maximum safety baby. There is nothing wrong with that,” He said with a smug look on his face.
He was doing this on purpose. He wanted me to refuse. He knew I would refuse such a large amount of men to go trailing after me.
But he was wrong. I wouldn’t drop this
“Gabriele, it is going to be in a bar. For a maximum of forty-five minutes. I don’t need such a large number for security…” I started saying but he shook his head gently.
“Okay, fine. I can live with that but can only a few come into the bar with me. They will occupy the entire space if they have to all come in, don’t you see?”
The smug look on his face dropped and he furrowed his brows as he listened to me.
“And then at the end of the day, they would only be attracting attention to me. I might get attacked just because of them…” I breathed trying to make him understand.
“Look, they can blend with the crowd and stay at a good distance. This way, they can keep a good look at me plus Mike and Niko will be with me throughout. I can even take Sofia for extra protection…”
Now it was my turn to grin at him. My idea was better than his in every way.
“Nice plan!” Agostino said clapping his hands like I had won a Nobel prize.
Gabriele turned to glare lasers at him and he stopped at once.
“Sorry, Angelo but she has a point,” Agostino added and resumed eating.
“Damn it!” Gabriele suddenly cried hitting the table. “It is too risky out there! I can’t let you go, Arianna!”
I got up at this point and my anger refused to stay low. So he was playing with me. I was right. He wanted me to disagree so that he would win this.
“I am not your trophy to keep and admire whenever you want to Gabriele! I am going out there and there is nothing you can do about it!”
“I will like to watch you try!” He retorted towering in front of me.
But I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. I raised my finger and pointed it to his chest.
“I am going out with my friends! If you will send your troop, I will sneak out and never return to this place if it comes to that!”
“Arianna!” This time it was Agostino who cried out. He dropped the food he was eating and wiped his hands clean.
“That’s enough from the both of you!” He growled and even Gabriele stayed quiet.
“Angelo, she is not a child. She is not an object. She is a grown-up woman. You will attach your guards with her and she will go to that party for hers!”
I smiled victoriously. This was perfect.
“And as for you,” He said turning to me, my smile immediately died down as I saw the fire in his eyes.
“I forbid you to say those words out loud or even think of them! You are not leaving Gabriele because of a stupid argument, you understand!”
“Yes, sir!” Gabriele and I chorused.