JOHN PAUL
The walk to the conference room is awkward and silent.
Was it that obvious what Charmaine and I were doing? Her hair was a little ruffled but not too badly.
I know I need to talk to Timo and probably my father now that Charmaine and I are together; my hands begin sweating just at the thought of facing Timo. But then again, Timo has always been partial to me, maybe because of his relationship with my father, but still, I think he would be happy to see Charmaine and me together.
Hopefully.
Maybe.
On the other hand, my father will probably lecture me on keeping my focus on the work that Timo needs, just as he did when I was first starting to go out with my friends and other girls. His warnings about loose and money-hungry women come to my mind, but Charmaine is neither of those things.
As we near the room, the low hum of several voices, flows from the open doors. The room is packed; I glance at Joey, but he looks just as confused as I do; something must be going down.
A path is cleared for my father as he approaches to make his way next to Timo's right side. On the other side of Timo is Annalisa's father, Federico De Luca. He's Timo's attorney, so I'm curious about this meeting as Joey and I slide in towards the back of the room and wait for the meeting to start.
"Gentlemen."
With one word, Timo silences the room.
"Your frustrations have been heard, and I want to address what I hear some are calling, a weak and delayed response, for the direct attacks on the family that we've experienced over the last couple of months."
I push myself off the wall when I hear someone snicker, but I can't pinpoint where it came from in the crowded room.
Timo notices, too, but continues. "Let me be clear we do not attack or make a move until I say. When we do attack, it will be precise, and without question, we will avenge those we have lost."
"We presumed Giovanni Dante was solely responsible for the attacks. But we've learned the attacks on Charmaine, both of them, came at the order of Bobby Cardinale." He pauses, letting the information sink in with the rest of the men.
Several photos of a dark-haired, well-dressed man come up on the screen behind Timo. He looks around the same age as Timo, except he's leaner and not as tall.
"At one point in time, Bobby Cardinale and I were associates—friends even. But he became obsessed with the woman I was involved with, Isabella Dante, and yes, for those who didn't know, she is Giovanni Dante's sister, as well.
We were engaged to be married; however, Bobby went behind my back and arranged with their father to marry her, and they were married instead.
In the end, he lost her, and the grudge, I thought had died, has only grown, and he's focusing his vengeance on Charmaine now."
One of the men, Carlo Venero, sneers. "No puttana is worth all of this trouble."
He must be the same asshole who snickered earlier; I take a step towards him, but Joey grabs my arm tightly. I look over my shoulder, and he shakes his head at me.
When I turn back towards Carlo, I see Timo is now standing behind him. "And which whore would you be referring to, Venero?" Timo asks Carlo so quietly; I'm surprised I could hear him.
I watch in shock at Carlo's boldness when he stands, turning to face Timo directly.
The atmosphere in the room changes drastically.
YOU ARE READING
For the Empire - Inganno
General Fiction[Book 1] Stella and her father had no choice but to move in with her Uncle Timo, in New York, in refuge, after witnessing her mom's murder, as a child. She feels a connection to her Uncle, but his responsibilities as the leader for one of the large...
