Page 117 of Unraveled

It was only hours later, when Gian walked Cara to the waiting car outside of his penthouse, that he finally allowed himself to think of something other than her. He thought about the coming days.

“Message me when you land, Cara.”

She kissed his cheek with a smile. “Yes, Gian.”

“I’m serious.”

“I will.”

“I will fly down to Chicago to spank your ass, if you don’t.”

She grinned. “Don’t tempt me now.”

Always testing him.

Gian gave Cara a quick kiss and helped her into the waiting car. “It’s going to be a busy week, so if I don’t pick up your calls, try not to worry. It’s just business.”

“Got it. I love you.”

“Ti amo, Cara.”

Closing the car door was the last thing Gian wanted to do, but he did it. He watched the vehicle pull out onto the street. It was only when he couldn’t see the car anymore, that he turned and headed back for his building.

At the front door, Chris waited. The enforcer said nothing as he followed Gian inside. Once they were in the elevator, Chris turned to him, his expression blank.

“Are you ready for what comes next, boss?”

Gian readjusted his tie. “For duty, always. For the rest … we’ll see.”

The rest would have to come first.

And then duty would be waiting, too.

Gian answered the buzzing phone, and continued stirring his stir-fry. “Ciao, bonjour.”

“Constantino is on his way up, boss.”

“Thank you, Chris.”

“Call me if you need me, or when it’s done.”

Gian agreed, hung up, and went back to cooking his food. Usually, he was too busy to cook, but when he found the time, it was a relaxing process. God knew that he needed to be relaxed today.

Gian lowered the heat on the stove, covered the food, and headed for the elevator entrance of the penthouse when he heard the familiar ding signaling a visitor was headed up. He tossed a dishcloth over his shoulder, using the ends to wipe his hands off as he went to greet Constantino.

His most trusted friend.

Or … that’s what Gian had once believed. He now knew that to Constantino—no matter the man’s intentions—those words meant nothing. All it had taken was a box, a few careful conversations, and a series of sad realizations, for Gian to understand those words also meant nothing to him as well.

Affection would never cloud his judgement again.

Not after today.

He was not willing to play the blind fool to any man, even if it was to his benefit.

Constantino was half way down the entrance hallway when Gian met up with him. The man wore a big smile, and clapped Gian on the shoulder in greeting as he jokingly looked him over.

It had taken Gian making a phone call to Constantino that included him saying he had overreacted, apologizing for hitting his friend, and promising it was all water under the bridge, to get the man at the penthouse. But that was all it’d taken, because like Gian in the past, Constantino was predictable where his best friend was concerned, and he didn’t want to fight or be on bad terms with Gian.