Sequel to Naive
**This is Book Two of the Challenges of the Heart Series**
SO I KNOW THIS TOOK A WHILE...BUT 3, ALMOST 4 FULL STORIES LATER HERE IT IS!
FAIR WARNING LADIES. THERE WILL BE MANY TATTOOED SPECIMENS IN THIS STORY.
DRUM ROLL PLEASE...
G...
Every day follows the monotonous manuscript of the day before. Wake up before the sun has a chance to brighten the abyssal darkness of his heart and mind.
Thank God for the strength to do what needs to be done for the day. Then get out of bed to throw on some workout shorts.
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Mechanical steps lead down to his gym where he trains for a few hours as if caught in a state of autohypnosis.
Stretch, warm up exercises, calisthenics, boxing, stretch.
Every session ends with a smoothie and some water, before he heads upstairs to wash the workout dew away.
After, he gets dressed, grabs his keys, his wallet, his phones, his knife, his glocks, his trusty alloyed knuckles, and walks into his garage.
He picks a random pair of keys, hits the unlock button, heads to the car, and heads out for the day.
Even his days at 'the office' are the same. He parks his car in the underground garage. His guards bow their heads in respect until he passes them, headed to the elevator.
They follow him inside like well-trained dogs, standing behind him on either side. Filling him in on the day's details, and any issues that have come up during his slumber.
Issues that are usually nothing more than some new kid on the block with a chip on his shoulder, and something to prove.
Easy fix.
Matteo's stoic face and mischievous pale slate-blues are the first things he sees when the doors open. They speak briefly and get to business as usual.
Days at the office always start with his least favorite part of the job, paperwork.
Reading, revising, emailing, re-reading and revising if necessary, then signing, faxing, and filing until he's two pen strokes short of violence.
He'd hire an assistant if he trusted anyone that much.
As if sensing his approaching mental Armageddon, Matteo shows up to pick him up for day rounds in his territory...or acquiring more if he's bored.
Matteo's favorite version of Gianni, is bored Gianni.
Afterward, brunch. Followed by business meetings until close to sundown. Then, it's night business rounds, and 'taking out the trash' if necessary. Another one of Matteo's favorites.
Finally, they wrap up checking up on shipments, before dinner with Nonna, or in some convenient establishment. Sometime after, he gets dragged out by his boys for some 'fun'. Usually entailing half to completely naked females.
Not really his thing, but it makes his boys happy, so he goes along for the free drinks. Sometime around 1am he makes it home to shower and sleep, just to wake up and do it all over again.
But today...today is an off day. Not off as in he has nothing to do. Off, as in he gives himself a chance to feel, instead of being the usual stone-cold Don Gianni Salvatori.
