Page 27 of Merciless King
“My father always said you were a liar. A bad one at that.” I’m talking a big talk, but I'm off my game some at this turn of events. I rake my fingers through my hair. For a moment, I reconsider my situation. Piper doesn’t want me. Am I about to start a war with another family for no reason? I can’t be sure Caruso will be on my side if things fall apart between me and Rinella. He likes me more, I’m sure. I’m innovative and smart. But I did break an agreement.
When I think of a life with Ava, I feel dead inside. It has nothing to do with her. She’s lovely. But Piper… she’s the one I want. Since the day I met her, she’s been mine. I won’t let anything stop me from having what’s mine. I don’t know how I’ll convince her to give us another chance, but I’ll keep trying until I take my last breath. Which might be sooner than later if things with Vincenzo escalate too much.
“Fuck you, D’Amato.” The line goes dead.
I let out a breath and call Matteo to have him come back to my office. He’s not really a strategist, but I need to bounce ideas off him. I might have talked to Lana about this, but she’ll bust my balls about breaking the engagement.
He walks in with his usual easygoing swagger. “Rinella concede?”
“No.”
He laughs. “The guy has a hard on for you to marry his daughter.”
I nod. “Do you think he plans to use her to worm his way into my business?”
“Wouldn’t put it past him. She gives you a male heir, you have an untimely death, and all of a sudden, he’s looking after the D’Amato business.”
“Fuck.”
“Works both ways. In fact, you’re at a better advantage. She’s your in to take over his business.”
“He has a son.”
Matteo laughs. “That moron?” He has a point. Vinny Junior is about as dumb as they come. He spends all his time drinking and gambling away his father’s profits. “Be glad he’s not proposing that Lana marry him.”
I let out a bark of a laugh at the idea of that. “Lana would eat him alive.”
“I bet he’d enjoy every moment of it until she slit his throat.”
“I need to figure this out.” I sit behind my desk and will my brain to find the answer.
“You could marry Ava.”
I glare at him.
He holds his hands up in surrender. “Okay, so not that. I hope this woman is worth all this. It’s not just you who’s affected, you know?”
“You’re not being asked to marry a woman you don’t love.”
He looks down. “She seems nice.”
“Then you marry her.” I have a sense of déjà vu. Didn't we have this same exchange the other night? “Let’s get back to the issue at hand.”
“We need to respond swiftly. Show them we won't be pushed around,” Matteo says.
I nod, my mind racing as I consider my options. “I’d rather appease him with a new arrangement than retaliate for encroaching on my territory and blocking us from the waterfront.”
He stares at me. “That’s not what your old man would do. You know as well as I do that you’ll look weak.”
He’s right. I can’t afford that. “Okay. So we retaliate. But where does it end? I need something he’ll want as much as a marriage between our families.”
“I can’t imagine what that is unless you walk away and let him have it all.”
“That’s not happening.” I sit back in my chair. “What about Kiplinger?”
“Vice?”
I nod. “We could hand over some information.” I have what Rinella doesn't have, friends in high places, including law enforcement and local government. They keep me from being arrested and I keep them financially secure.