Page 32 of Relentless Sinner

“I don’t want any problems from him. I already have enough with my family trying to take my bride.”

“Then it’s best to watch Salvatore so we have a trail to follow. The worst thing you could do is disrupt that trail. It may leave you hanging dry, then all he’ll do is reconvene after the wedding. Gabriella will still be an asset to him whether or not she’s married to you.”

Fuck. I hate to admit it but he has a point. “I don’t like feeling like I can’t handle my business. That’s not me.”

“I know but sometimes you have to take a step back and observe.”

Observe? Me? Fuck. I’ve never been one to do that. Truth be told, if Salvatore weren’t Gabriella’s father I would kill him. I nearly did earlier and I meant what I said to her about not stopping me next time.

What tamed my rage was her. That means that as bad as her father is, she still feels some love for him. I don’t want her to seeme as the man who killed her father. She’s already scared of me. Part of me doesn’t want her to be.

“You need to cool off,” Micah says in his levelheaded voice. “I’m still checking things out and we both have men watching Salvatore.”

“Alright. I’m just impatient.”

“I know. I’ve got to run. I have a meeting with my father. Are you still seeing Cillian later?”

“Yeah. He’s stopping by tonight. I’ll be talking to him about our ideas.” I miss these types of ordinary discussions. Micah wants to go into business with Cillian and me. His ideas align with my ethos of growth.

“Great. Fill me in later and hopefully I’ll see him in Italy.”

“I’m sure he’ll say yes. Cillian is a lot like me.” That’s why we get on so well. “Speak to you later.”

“Sure.”

I hang up and set the phone on the desk.

I stare out the window, wondering if Gabriella is okay. I know she’s not. How could she be? Her father hit her. He would have done it again if I hadn’t stopped him.

It was foolish of me to leave him with her but I wanted to give them some privacy. That might be the one time when I should have stuck around.

Gabriella wasn’t her fiery self with him. Most people aren’t how they usually present themselves when they’re with their parents but she was completely different. She was afraid.

I can only imagine the type of shit she must have gone through living with him. I just hope her father was kinder to her than mine was to me. Many of the scars I still have physically and mentally come from him. Some will never heal.

I have to find a way to deal with Salvatore. He’s on my mind because I know that he knows the only way he’s getting his daughter away from me is if I’m dead.

The only way he can kill me is if he finds some motherfucker crazy enough to come for me.

I don’t know anyone like that but, just like Jacob, I’m not invincible.

Cillian takes a drag on his Cohiba cigar and stares back at me. I’ve just laid out the business ideas to him with the forecast of the profits and assets we stand to gain if we become partners with Micah.

We’re in my office. I’ve practically been in here all day. I only took small breaks here and there to see how Gabriella was doing but didn’t actually speak to her. I kept my distance because I felt I should give her some space.

I contemplated leaving her alone for the day. It’s almost ten. I have to head out later on some business my father wants me to attend to. It’s Bratva business, so I could be out all night and won’t see her until tomorrow.

Cillian blows out a ring of smoke and pretends to consider my proposal when I know he’s already decided.

“Diamonds, you say?” He taps his temple with the cigar and smiles.

“Yes, diamonds.” I nod. “Micah will be taking over the company in a few months. He thinks we’d be great as a trio of investors because of our innovative ideas. And your shipping company would be an asset if you joined us. Of course, we’d be looking for an additional contract for the shipping services.”

“I’m liking the sound of this.”

Micah wanted me to speak to Cillian because I’m closer to him. Outside of the Creed meetings, they don’t know each other on a social level.

Cillian has also been part of the Creed for longer than Micah. Micah got his membership two years ago when his uncle died, whereas both Cillian and I have been members for close to nine years. I got in when Jacob died.