Luciano
“The ad targets the millennials. Older folks who have witnessed the great recession and can relate to the stock market-”
There were so many things wrong with that sentence. I mused as I listened to the head of my marketing team, William. Another board meeting for the day. Being a CEO was an endless chore. Meetings, lunch, more meetings, more events to attend, and even more meetings as well. Routine killed excitement and I relished excitement.
I looked past William at my assistant who stood on the other end of the board room, taking notes of the meetings. Of course, she didn’t have to take notes, I had a fucking secretary for that but after I had chastised her about it, Raven had done so diligently ever since.
And kept her distance as well.
I peered harder at her, making sure to keep a passive look on my face. She was dressed quite well today. I suppose I should be relieved, but somehow, seeing her looking all drab and fucking faraway made work seem bleak.
I had found her games quite interesting, I’ll admit. It was rare to see a woman challenge me the way she did and it was mildly intriguing. Well, until she lost her charm and decided to be upfront like some fucking barbarian.
I could not and would not condone that. Raven shifted on her feet as if she were tired of standing. There were empty seats in the room and I could offer her one, but that would most likely reveal that I had been watching her.
Why the hell was I watching her?
Anger pulsed through my veins and I tore my eyes away from her before I did something stupid. I was Luciano Moretti. I never acted on impulse.
But damn it all if that crazy woman didn’t make me so fucking impulsive. She made me do shit without thinking, things that made me bend my own fucking rules. At first, I had endured her actions as innocent banter, figuring out that as long as I rejected her, she would get the message.
But then I’d slipped at the fucking ball. Oh, that shit made me mad as fuck. I hadn’t meant to touch her, I never should have. Fuck, how could I have resisted though? She was a beautiful woman. And the dress, fuck me, the dress had been too fucking enticing.
It gave me great joy to see her bedraggled at the end of the ball. Wet and mussed and dirty. It made me forget how much fire she stoked in my veins. But only for a brief moment.
Even now, as she stood meters away, dressed in a high-neck top and a free skirt that grazed her smooth knees, the fire burned still.
Damn her. Damn her to hell.
I could just fire her.
No scratch that, I would fire her. She irritated me to no end and I doubted I’d last that long before I snapped her neck in frustration. It would be a shame to break that pretty neck though. It was long and slender, with smooth golden skin that begged to be stroked and kissed.
“…. Run the campaign,” William concluded and I grunted, willing my body to cooperate with my fucking mind.
“Put a little bit of thought into it,” I told him. “What is the connection between the millennials and the stock market? Find that out then redraft a better campaign. I detest mediocre efforts, Mr. Evans.”
William looked like I had just told him to shove his ad proposal up his ass. He cleared his throat awkwardly, tipped his head in a bow, and walked to his seat.
“If that will be all,” I announced, rising to my feet, “Have a good day ladies and gentlemen. Miss Gonzalez, keep up with me will you?”
She didn’t reply, she simply followed me out of the room, a blank look on her face.
And if that didn’t irritate the shit out of me even more. I wanted her to back down, yes, but that didn’t mean I wanted a dumbass plastic doll following me around. That shit bothered me. Where the hell had her tart mouth gone? And the sly grin that came along with it.
I couldn’t stand the silence which was unlike me. I relished the silence usually, it helped me think properly. But that would be when Miss Gonzalez was not around me to meddle with the things in my head.
“What are your plans for the weekend, Miss Gonzalez?” The words were out of my mouth before I could think them over.
Making sure my face remained blank, I clenched my fists beside me, partly in anticipation, partly in anger at myself for being so fucking impulsive
“Nothing, Mr. Moretti,” Ah, there was the dry arid tone she used with me lately.
Mr. Moretti, I had only heard her say my name once and it had rolled off her lips like a siren’s call. Fuck this, I must be losing my mind.
“Nobody to spend it with?”
I glanced at her briefly and saw her teeth had pulled her bottom lip in. My eyes fixed on the spot. Her lips were so damn plump. It was hard not to imagine biting it, teasing them open to have access to that silken tongue that weaved comebacks faster than a Chinese loom.
“I doubt it’s any of your business, Mr. Moretti,” she said softly.
That wasn’t a Yes, I thought, furrowing my brows together. Did that mean she had someone? I felt the heat of rising anger as I recalled the one time she had made a personal call during office hours.
Freddy Love.
That had been the name of the person.
He’s nobody. She had said he was nobody to her! But what if she had lied? I growled at the thought of another man holding her. Did she wear those ridiculous dresses for him too? Did she try to drive him mad every time they met, seducing him at every turn as she did with me? How could any woman be so brazen-
Stop it this instant Luciano, my mind chastened. I was thinking about it too much. Whatever she did, whoever she fucked was none of my business. Closing my eyes briefly, I shifted my attention to something else.
How on earth do I fucking seal the deal with Caldwell, if he has hightailed his ass out of New York?
***
“Boss,” Marcus said, picking up the call after the first ring.
“Did you find out?” I demanded, grabbing a towel to dry myself off. I had just stepped out of the shower and was preparing to leave the house.
It was Saturday and of course, there was no work at the office. That didn’t mean I didn’t have shit to do somewhere else. Running the mafia was a full-time business. There were threats to crush, bills to settle, and a business to run.
“Which would you like to hear first?” Marcus asked and I growled.
“Don’t play games with me, Marcus.”
“Sorry Boss,” he mumbled. “Miss Raven Gonzalez seems pretty clean. I confirmed her background and the school and neighbors. There’s nothing suspicious that I found… Yet.”
“Did you find out who Freddylove is?” I demanded, hating myself for asking in the first place.
“Ah, it’s most likely an older man that comes to visit her once in a while.” He replied.
My face pulled into a sour look. She was into older men? And here I thought she couldn’t get even grosser.
Gold digger.
That was what she was. I laughed harshly and dragged a hand down my face. To think that I had hoped she would be something more.
My phone beeped, informing me that there was another call. It was from Caldwell. Ending the call with Marcus, I picked it up and waited for the jackass to speak.
“Hello Mr. Moretti,” the gravelly voice of Jean Caldwell filtered through the phone.
“Mr. Caldwell, do I take it that you finally want to seal the contract?”
Jean chuckled. “Always to the point aren’t you, Luciano?”
“Nothing can be achieved through dilly-dallying, Mr. Caldwell.” I deadpanned.
“I suppose you are right.” He sighed. “I am currently in Vegas. How convenient would it be to get your ass here to Vegas and we can sign the contract?”
“This had better not be a game, Jean Caldwell,” I warned and he laughed nervously.
“I wouldn’t dare,”
“Send me your address, I’ll see you in an hour at most,” I ordered and cut the call, dialing Marcus’ number again.
“Boss?”
“Caldwell’s finally agreed to a contract, the bastard is in Las Vegas, however.” I supplied.
“What do you need me to do?” Marcus asked.
“Contact the airlines and get my jet ready. Inform Max to pick up Miss Gonzalez and bring her here. She is to bring along the papers and contract to be signed.”
“Yes, Boss,” Marcus replied promptly and cut the call.
About twenty minutes later, my doorbell rang and when the door opened, Miss Gonzalez stood before it, dressed in black pants and a flimsy top.