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The floorboards creaked as Gio entered. Ana clutched the phone to her chest and frowned worriedly at her husband, who looked even more worn out than her. Shadows had formed under his eyes, and his cheeks appeared leaner with strain.
“Your meetings are done?”
He nodded tiredly. “The critical ones at least. A few men are staying behind this week, so I’ll have more time to wrap up work with them.”
“You must be exhausted. I don’t think you slept much,” she murmured in concern.
Tilting his head, Gio surmised, “Neither did you.” His gaze was drawn to the scraps of fabric on her desk and her phone, which she held onto like a live bomb. To her relief, he didn’t probe further. Instead, he turned to survey her office with casual interest.
The setup was fairly minimal, with a laptop and two sewing machines. The shelves were filled with boxes of fabrics and materials. Apart from that, there was little décor or personal artifacts.
Rather similar to his office, he’d once said.
In so many ways, they were alike: quiet, dutiful, and loyal. Fuss-free in their manner and their surroundings. But, in other ways, they were so different. Ana envied how confident he was, never falling prey to self-doubt, even when others confronted him.
Why did she have to be so sensitive?
The phone burned in her hand.
When Gio stopped in front of the dress form, which had a corset-style bodice pinned onto it, Ana held her breath. All she could see was his lean back, with his dress shirt half untucked. Whenever she saw him in such a relaxed state, it always made her flush. Like she was seeing a private version of him no one else could…ruffled and undone.
When his hand reached out to touch the corset, one long finger caressing the curves of its form, her flush deepened. If Gio wasn’t so tired from the gala and work meetings, she would have almost thought he was deliberately seducing her. The caress was so blatant.
Ana glanced away, embarrassed.
She was losing her mind.
Their abstinence the past few weeks, combined with her heightened emotions, was making her delirious. And delusional.
“All went well with the guests yesterday?” he asked, turning back to her as she adopted a blank expression. “No issues?”
A dozen issues popped into her mind, but she didn’t voice them. “I think it went fairly well,” Ana said with surprising sincerity. And it was true. Despite her pity party, it had been a nice gathering. “Several guests came up to me and said they were grateful for us organizing the gala. They were full of praise for you.” She smiled fondly.
His eyes dropped to her lips.
“And you?”
At his questioning look, she asked, “Did you find any issues, or was it…okay?”
Gio stared at her, his dark eyes seeing far more than she was comfortable with. Ana fidgeted, shuffling fabrics around. It was their first joint event. Unlike their wedding, the gala held far more significance as it showcased how they would lead the Family.
“It was perfect.”
Her lashes lifted, her brown eyes wide.
“Many of the guests also gave me positive feedback,” Gio said. “They were happy that we wanted to bring the factions closer together…all thanks to your idea.”
Ana started to object, but he insisted, “It’s true. I’ve been so focused on security audits and financial reviews that I neglected the leadership aspect of my job. I can’t just be the Family’s dictator; I have to be their confidante, their protector. Without you, I would have realized it too late.”
Her throat was tight, emotion binding it closed. “The gala was your idea," she murmured. "I just said we should unite everyone.”
Gio shrugged, pocketing his hands. Glancing down at his feet, with his short curls falling over his forehead, he hesitated for a long time–before facing her. His face was solemn and intent.
“Whatever parts we played in it, you have to know that it went very well. I know there were some minor issues, which are hard to avoid. Too many people have their own agendas…” Gio sighed, irritated. “The Connecticut Capo told me that Vitello was acting like a petty asshole yesterday, but that you handled it like a queen…just like the one I always knew you would be.”
Ana froze at his statement.
“I may not express it,” he said gruffly, “but I am proud to have you as mi donna. My wife.”
