Dinner with the Mafia ✔

Chapter 17

I looked at the men in the room, and they were too stunned to speak at my actions toward Lazlo. "What? Is this the first time you see a woman defend herself around men?" I asked as I placed one leg over the other. Lazlo did not take my warning to heart since he sat next to me on the couch as if nothing had ever happened. However, I was sure he would not repeat that mistake. 

At least not with me.

Mattia cleared his throat and stood up. He walked toward me and shook my hand. "You sounded like my fierce Enola. I admire you for standing your ground. You fit right in with the mafia; there is an opening, if you want. Be our leader." Mattia looked at Dario with a smirk, knowing that his joke would piss him off.

Although the comment made me smile and feel appreciated, it did not last long since the asshole decided to enlighten me with his reply.

"She will cause your death because she always cracks under pressure when things go south. Need I remind you of your reaction toward the rat, Jolene?" Dario asked with a smug expression, thinking he would make me regret anything I had ever done or said, but I crossed my arms with contentment.

"No need. You'd look insufficient and dirty since it was in your house. Not mine." Mattia, Lazlo, and Basilio laughed, and Dario glared at me. "You asked for it."

"You- you know what? Let's discuss the contract. I don't have enough patience not to grab my gun and shoot you," Dario remarked and turned on the projector. His mood swings were worse than a girl on her period. 

He drains my energy the same way I drain his.

His grandpa sat on my empty side as Dario was busy cursing at the blank screen. "Ehi caro, you are remarkable since you are taming the serio don. If someone else talked to him like that, he would not think twice and would eradicate them. You have something in you that makes him civil, and I like that. If he ever hurts you, I am one phone call away, Jolene," Basilio whispered as he gave me his phone number.

I was more than thrilled to have the mafia don's grandpa on my side. 

"Grazie!" I whispered back, and finally, our meeting began.

~~~

After endless hours of arguing with Dario over every damn clause and condition, we finally signed the contract. "Never let me sit with you two when you want to settle on something!" Mattia declared as he packed his things in his bag. He looked like he wanted to disappear from our sight, and I did not blame him.

Dario and I did not match. We clashed on every single matter, and it was exhausting.

"At least you get to take a break from him for the rest of the day... or what's left of it. I am stuck with Dario, and it is not my choice," I reminded the men that I was staying in the same house as Dario, and Mattia gave me a sympathetic look.

I texted my dad and Phoebe that I was alright and would talk with them tomorrow since it was nine o'clock here and past midnight in New York. "Well, good night, don. Good night, Jolene. Mattia is my ride home, so see you later," Lazlo said when he stretched his back and walked out with Mattia. Basilio patted my back and decided to stay behind to sort out a few documents related to their Real Estate business. For a seventy-five-year-old, he was in good shape. Mentally and physically.

Dario and I walked to the elevator and waited silently for it to get to the parking floor. "Per favore, don't argue with me over anything in the car because I am too exhausted to argue back," Dario remarked as we reached his vehicle.

"I wasn't planning to because I am tired too." We nodded in agreement for the first time since we met, and he drove. It was raining heavily, and the weather made me drowsy. I wanted to sleep comfortably under the cozy and warm blankets.