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He runs his hand along his jaw, shifting his weight forward, elbows on the wooden table. “And how am I to trust a woman callous enough to murder her own father?” he asks, his voice low.

Colten straightens his spine. “That ain’t fair, and you fucking know it,” he spits.

Enzo doesn’t even glance at Colten.

I don’t flinch before saying, “My father abused me for as long as I can remember, Enzo. He beat me. He locked me in a prison. He used torture as a way to keep me as a pawn in his game. I was prepared to end my father's life before I even knew about your deal. He laid his hands on me for the last time.”

Nothing is going to take the shame out of my words. I have to own them. My past is my past, and it has to die alongside my father.

Enzo’s jaw twitches. I tear my eyes from him and look at Dom, who offers me a small smile, some sort of reassurance. If I’m going to win over Enzo and the rest of Colten’s family, I have to start with the truth, even if it hurts.

“So, unless someone under your control decides to try and hurt me, I won’t have to kill any of you. But I know you’ve seen my track record. I stabbed my brother through the heart and slit my dad's throat; blood doesn’t stop me. If anyone betrays me, that is what you will have to deal with.”

Enzo picks up the whiskey in front of him without a word. “I think that’s a fair deal. But I can assure you, any man in my organization knows never to lay hands on a woman.”

It’s interesting how the largest criminal network in the world can have such power, and yet, unlike my father, not abuse the ones around them. It is possible to be powerful without pain.

“I want to keep LA. I have the infrastructure, the money, and the contacts. The Greeks are gone, and we have enough manpower there to settle any issues with the transition from my father to me. But we need you to expand. In return, you will have access to the drug routes in LA and my suppliers. We have vacant properties that need filling. I can prove to be an asset to you,” I tell him.

Romeo clears his throat, and my attention snaps to him. I won’t let this asshole ruin my future because he’s got his dick in a twist about my husband.

“Is there something you’d like to add, Romeo?” I say, keeping my voice light and my smile plastered on my face.

He smirks. “You really do know how to put on a performance, Gianna. I’ll give you that.”

“Some of us don’t need to spend our lives performing for other people,” I counter.

His eyebrow lifts, his gaze shifting beside me, right to Colten. “Is that right? And you expect us to believe you aren’t pretending right now in front of our eyes?”

I let out a laugh. “My God, look, I understand my husband is impressive, and probably very hard to get over. But you are really going to have to move on. Colten is taken. This is not a show for anyone. And you are going to seriously have to get used to being in our presence without being a complete dick, or we will have a problem.”

Colt snickers beside me, so I elbow him in the ribs.

“You think I’m impressive?” he whispers as he leans in.

“Very. Now shut up,” I hiss.

I turn back to Enzo. “I’m being deadly serious. I will not be disrespected by any of your men. And that includes Romeo. If I’m head of LA under this organization, that means he isn’t above me, and he will treat me with the same respect he shows Hunter.”

Enzo glares at Romeo, and he rolls up his sleeves, revealing his tattooed forearms. I can’t help but notice the script inked on his hand, right above a compass. Anima Mia. My soul.

Now the haunted look behind his eyes makes sense. Whoever he lost, or whoever he’s searching for, they’re the imprint on his soul.

“There will be no issues going forward, Gianna. I assure you,” Enzo tells me.

Romeo mutters something under his breath, and Dom’s eyes form slits, that darkness beneath them emerging. If Romeo isn’t careful, my brother will throw him head first out of the window in a minute.

“So, will you be returning back to LA?” Hunter interjects from the head of the table.

A knot forms in my stomach, my hands going clammy. “Colten and I are figuring out the logistics. I will probably split my time and have Dom stay full time in LA. When I come into power, I’m not alone; Dominic is always beside me, and that is non-negotiable.”

Colt’s arm wraps around my shoulder, so I nudge my chair closer to him.

“So, you’re really a couple?” Jett asks. He’s been suspiciously quiet this entire meeting. I’m guessing he and Ace were under strict instructions not to talk, by the way that Hunter is now glaring at Jett.

“Gianna is my wife, Jett. You were at the wedding. Did you get thrown off a bull again and hit your head?” Colt says.

Jett scoffs. “I’ll hold my line of questioning for later before I get in trouble.”