Static Hearts

Intolerable behaviour

There was a man some distance away, who seemed to be absorbed by the all-embracing panorama of the landscape. With his handsome face shielded from the outside world because of a bulletproof window, he got lost in the reddish clouds of sunset thinking of one particular person.

"You called for me?" a maid's voice interrupted his line of thoughts.

"Did you send her the dress?" he asked his head still facing the window.

"Yes, sir. I didn't mention that you gave it to me, just as you ordered." She responded quickly with her head lowered, afraid to even steal a glance his way.

"Did she take it?"

"No, sir." Of course she didn't.

"Is there something else I can help you with, sir?" The maid said sweating profusely but still trying to hide the fear his presence caused to her. It wasn't simply because of the numerous warnings she received to never look at her employer directly, but also for the reason that everyone knew the tremendous cost of displeasing him.

"Tell her to come in my office." Damien said coldly without sparing her another glance.

"Also," he seemed to remind something. "tell Bernard I would like to open the window once in a while. No assassinator can pass the guards surrounding this place, and I need some oxygen to live."

"Of course." Her words laced with relief didn't seem to reach the man.

Five minutes later someone entered the room. A person who seemingly found it bothersome to knock.

A penetrating gaze settled on Reina's face, as she made herself too comfortable on her father's office. Deep blue eyes which contained sharpness, dominance, and a trace of carefully concealed gentleness were concentrated on her figure.

He glanced down at her and opened his mouth to speak first.

"Are you attending the party tonight?"

"I wasn't planning to."

"You have to come."

"Any specific reason?" her carefree attitude still in continuation with every word that came out of her mouth.

"It's your sister's engagement."

"Any valid reason?" Damien sighed.

"Our in-laws are a respectable family with whom I was hoping to have a long-term friendship. They want to meet me on settlement talks tomorrow, but today I need you in that party acting nice and respectful while your sister cries fake tears of happiness."

"Yea, well I'm not going to the party so I guess I'm not nice and respectful either." were her words as she swindled the chair unperturbed by her father's steely gaze.

"Two hundred thousand." He stated.

"Is that the best offer you can do?"

"No." he said with a mocking smile in his face "Two hundred thousand dollars is the amount of money I 'borrowed' from your secret bank account in Switzerland, and I gave them for charity in Grace De Luca's foundation for sick children in Africa."

The chair's sudden stop made a long screeching sound, which echoed in the fancy room unnaturally.

"You what?" despite her calm manner he could notice the burning rage reflected in those entrancing specks of amber. Rage was something he couldn't tolerate, especially when it had such a ludicrous cause. Damien unconsciously hardened his gaze as he talked with strict authority.

"I think you have forgotten the fact I'm your father, or you simply chose to be indifferent towards it." His words were laden with the overbearingness of a sovereign, but also with a father's rigorousness. "As long as you're under eighteen I have the right to manage your money or personal accounts as I wish, even those you hide illegally in another state."

"How did you found out?" she asked coldly, not even bothered by his sudden power display.

"Hiding them under Gregory's name wasn't a good idea. Did you really thought I wouldn't investigate your friend's profile?"

Reina stared at him for a long minute.

"When do you plan on paying the money I involuntarily lent you?" she asked, continuing to hold him in her stare.

"Never. You can count them as a payback after being grounded. I expect you to attend school tomorrow on time and not to cause any dispute with the teachers." He said returning her gaze.

"And I expect for you not to make me attend this circus show tonight."

"Unfortunately you don't have much of a choice. Not to mention all the events you refrained from attending with the excuse of poor health, even the times you bothered to come 'coincidentally' everything went wrong. And don't make me talk about your rude comments towards a fifty year old lady."

"The fact that I called someone a presumptuous self-centered cow can't be considered rude. It was the truth."

"For that reason and many others my oldest daughter, the first Romano heir is now usually seen as and I quote: 'an inviolable and unapproachable person."

"Miss. Mancini's words I assume." She guessed correctly.

"How about we add the rest of the money to the foundation? Maybe we can..."

After listening to her father's non- profitable idea Reina could only raise her hands in surrender. "Fine. I won't do anything to bother them again."

"Good." All those years as the leader of a criminal related business made him negotiate with terms much harder than anyone could ever imagine. For him this was a piece of cake. "Camille arranged for a hairstylist and several people to make sure that your appearance tonight does not consist of anything out of your own wardrobe. This is a formal event. People will be watching. I can't have you wear T-shirts."

Noticing that she had no way out of this, Reina nodded, murmuring: "No need. Greg will make something up."

"It would be much better if you at least try to appear approachable. Act nice for a change."

"Thanks for the unsolicited advice." With an attitude that showed no appreciativeness she dismissed her father's words. "How about we discuss the terms for the agreement with the De Lucas. That would peak my interest. "

Damien could only sigh towards his daughter's intractable personality which he had already become accustomed to. He extended her a file which contained general information about the family, accompanied by a copy of the contract.