DISCIPLINE✔ (DSD SERIES, BOOK THREE)

Meeting the Mafia Part 2

Jasper looks at me with an apologetic look before turning to Mrs. Silvestre and with a nod exit the room.

Traitor...

I mentally relax my nerves as my tour guide leaves me alone in the room with this woman.

Charles' wife, my fiancé's stepmother and my future mother-in-law... I stare at her observing her as she does to me. It's like she's analyzing me, trying to find faults and by the way her nose scrunches I know she has seen many.

The feeling I am getting is that this woman is a stuck-up bitch but deep down I am optimistic. I have faith that under all that cold, sharp exterior she might be sweet and kind, the total opposite of her husband. I mean opposites do attract right...

Wrong.

"I guess he could have done worse," she says airily with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Excuse me?" I say, shocked. I know she's not talking about me.

Mrs. Silvestre's blue eyes take me in as I speak and she tilts her head. Her left hand is hugging her torso and her right elbow rests on it, her fingers gliding over her chin in thought.

"Forgive me carinosa but Cristiano has never brought a woman home. Then here you are... I'm just thinking to myself it could've been worse..." she replies nonchalantly, a Spanish accent peeking out and I stare at her in disbelief, my temper rearing its head.

"Don't take it as an offence," she continues noticing my hostile look. "You are quite hermosa in a tom-boyish way. I just thought he'd prefer una... mujer."

... and this is where I end this shit.

"Okay listen up, Mrs. Silvestre," I say sharply, glaring at the posh-ass heifer in front of me. "Firstly, I don't give a fuck about that you think of me. I am with your stepson, not you. Secondly, you are very disrespectful and you need to fix your attitude before I fix it for you. Thirdly, if you think your hate for me will get me out of Cristiano's life, you're in for a fucking surprise. Now please take that stick out of your ass and act cordial before I show you how a tomboy kicks ass."

She raises a brow at me with a look of surprise and I cross my hands against my chest giving her my best bitch face. What seems like moments later a grin slides onto her face and it's my time to raise a brow at the words that leave her lips.

"You have a backbone. Good, you'll need it here," she states with a smile before walking towards me, her body language relaxed. "Allow to introduce myself properly."

She holds out a hand towards me and I eye it warily. "I am Elia Silvestre, Cristiano's Stepmother, Charles' wife... and now, widow."

Sadness flickers in her eyes momentarily before it's hidden behind her mask as she stares at me, waiting for me to return her handshake.

I continue to eye her, studying her body language and eyes. That cold look from earlier is gone and replaced by a cautious but inviting aura.

This could be a trick...I remind myself but then I do stretch out my hand to shake hers. It's best to keep your enemies close...

"Indiana Blake, I'm with your stepson," I say sternly, firmly shaking her slender hands.

"Pleasure, carinosa," she smiles pulling her hand back. "Let's take a seat and talk."

Elia makes her way towards the sofa in front of the TV before sitting and I follow her, taking a seat three feet away from her, adhering to the accustomed social distance, after all, she's a stranger.