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Instead, I had only dark secrets that could threaten everything I had worked my entire life for. Only three people in the world knew my truth; Diego Barbieri, Isabelle Barbieri and Elio, Diego’s brother and trusted consigliere. The truth is that I am not really a Barbieri at all. I am not Diego’s son. And therefore, I have to prove my worth in this family every fucking day.
When I was three years old, Diego found me in a drug den. My mamma was a crack addict and prostitute. There was a heist because the drug lord owed Diego money. The woman who was supposed to love and care for me, tried to sell me to him for her next fix. That was how important my life was to her. Diego took me anyway, free of charge.
Back then, Diego Barbieri had one daughter but no sons. He and his wife had tried to conceive an heir to the empire for many years. Rounds of IVF had been unsuccessful and after a few miscarriages, Cassandra Barbieri was a broken woman who could no longer put herself through the emotional and physical pain anymore. Diego saw an opportunity and took it. He lied to everyone and said he had a mistress who had given birth to a son. That I was his bastard. It was the end of his marriage to Cassandra and she soon disappeared. No one knows exactly where. Their marriage was so broken at that point that Diego no longer cared. He raised me as his heir to the Barbieri legacy. He was able to mould me, define me, teach me everything he had always wanted a son to be. And I was grateful to him for this life. Even though it was a life of violence and crime, it was far better than the alternative of what my life would have been. So I worked damn hard to make him proud. To never fail him or this family.
After a deep tissue massage and a hundred laps in the pool, I felt revived. That’s one thing I never understood about our world. The men in it only seemed to take pleasure in drinking, fucking and killing. I mean…yeah, I got a kick out of all those things too but there was so much more to life than that. We had the money. We had the means. Work hard and play hard. Always. See the fucking world, live each day as if it’s your last. I relaxed back in the sauna, allowing the sweat to bead to an uncomfortable rate. The door opened after a couple of minutes, ruining my peace and meditation. I didn’t bother opening my eyes, but from the burning gaze that I could feel directed over my body, I knew it was a woman.
“Hot in here today,” she stated in a sultry voice. Fucking Einstein we have here. I didn’t respond but squinted one eye open to see a very slim blonde with bright green eyes and high cheekbones. She was clearly a catwalk model or something along those lines. Beautiful but not my type at all. “I saw you swimming. You were good,” she smiled.
I closed my eyes again and laid my head back on the wooden bench. “Grazie.”
“Do you swim often?”
Jesus fucking Christ. “Do you always talk to strangers in saunas? I thought there was an unspoken rule that everyone sits in awkward silence until someone can’t take it anymore and leaves.”
She burst out laughing and I opened my eyes just to catch her small tits jiggling in her skimpy bikini top. “Only hot strangers. We can do something else if you prefer. Instead of talking?”
Cazzo. I looked her up and down slowly. The girl couldn’t be much older than eighteen and seemed like she needed to eat a three-course meal rather than a dick, but clearly that was all that was on her mind. I mean… It was tempting. And if she had looked remotely like Flora, I might have taken her up on the offer. Imagination was a wonderful thing. But the last thing I needed was more fucking drama. And a girl with this much confidence could definitely cause her fair share.
“I’m good with the silence, thanks.”
She huffed like a child and stormed out of the sauna, slamming the wooden door behind her. Yeah. Good call. I sighed and rubbed my face as the sweat tickled my skin. I left the sauna and rinsed under the showers before I grabbed my towel and phone from the locker. Two missed calls from Lorenzo and one from Isabelle. I groaned and rang Lorenzo back first.
“Pronto,” he answered quickly. “Flora has agreed to come in tonight. 9pm.”
My lips twisted into a mischievous grin and I couldn’t ignore the reaction my body had to that information. “Was she angry?”
“No. She seemed more concerned and worried about losing her job than anything else.”
I frowned. I thought she’d be pissed to hear I’d complained about her. I wanted to get her all riled up and feisty like I had seen in that private room. Not worried and scared. That did nothing for me.
“Okay. Fabi and I will arrive at 8. There is something we need to discuss before I meet with her.”
“No problem.”
I hung up and immediately cursed when I saw Isabelle was calling again. I couldn’t avoid her forever. I wouldn’t even put it past her to show up at the club tonight if I don’t give her some attention.
“Ciao sorella,” I greeted through gritted teeth.
“Don’t call me that. You know I hate it,” she snapped immediately. “Why have you been ignoring my calls?”
“I’ve been busy,” I replied, strolling out of the spa and pressing the elevator button, still dripping wet from my shower.
“I miss you,” she changed her tone to one of innocence and tenderness. Something that we both knew she wasn’t truly capable of. “I’m so bored, Alessio. I want to come home and see you.”
“Why? Is your husband boring you? Or is it that you are jealous he is spending more time at his sex club than fucking you, Belle?”
“Fuck you! You know I only married him for you. To get you the deal that you and papi had needed! And what do I get in return? A boring life with a boring husband? Where is the gratitude, Alessio?”
“I sent you Massimo to play with. Just don’t get fucking caught,” I growled, not able to take her shit anymore. “I have to go. I have a meeting with your loving husband to prepare for. You could try to enjoy your marriage, Belle. He seems pretty infatuated with you.”
“Of course he is. But I don’t love him, Alessio! I love-”
I hung up on her before she could finish her sentence. I didn’t need to hear that shit. What is it with all these women and only wanting to cause drama in my life? To everyone else, Isabelle was my devoted and loving sister. But to me, she was a twisted bitch who had been obsessed with us being a ‘thing’ since we were teenagers. Isabelle was three years older than me and we rarely saw each other growing up. She was sent away to a boarding school while I spent all my time learning the business and being home-schooled. She never accepted me as her adoptive brother, but I had hoped that when she married Lorenzo that her crazy shit would stop. Clearly not.
Drunk On Power
“So you won’t be allowed inside the gallery, Finn,” I purposely waited until we were over halfway there before giving him that information. “It is a super strict guest list so you can either stand outside or stay in the car.”
