Elio smiled and took a seat.
Gino’s eyes turned even colder.
“If it will make our future relationship run more smoothly, then let me assure you, I was never serious about marrying her.”
Gino’s expression remained unchanged.
“Siena was always the Esposito I was going to marry.” One day, Elio hoped he’d be able to speak her name without feeling like he had a hot knife plunging into his chest.
“Well, that worked out well for you,” Gino said shortly. “Shall we get down to business?”
“I understand she’s living in one of your apartments.”
Gino took a sharp breath. “You would have her on the streets?”
“It wasn’t a threat,” Elio assured him. “It’s good that she has you and Francesca. But I’m not here to talk about my estranged wife; I’m here to talk business, and the first piece of business is my intention to sell my holding in the Esposito Group. Take the time to think about whether you want to sell with me or hold on to your shares. I assume you don’t want to buy it from me.”
“Why would you assume that?”
Elio shook his head with a wry smile. “We both know you forced them to sell you your share as leverage over them so you could move deeper into their shadowed world. Well, their shadowed world belongs to me now, and I’m open to working closely with you in it.”
Gino’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m serious. That was the other piece of business I wanted to discuss. A new order in our world has been formed with me at its head, and I need men in my inner circle that I can trust. I want one of those men to be you.”
“Are you serious?”
“Always.”
There was a long pause. “Why me?”
Why me, Elio? Whyme?
He blinked Siena’s voice away.
In the long ten days since she’d left the villa, her voice was never far from his ear.
“Many reasons. You’re smart, you’re self-made, and you’re hungry. Our world is dangerous, but your love for Francesca means you will think twice about taking unnecessary risks. Hot-heads have their uses, but not when it comes to conducting business.”
“You’re not afraid that my outsmarting the Espositos means I can outsmart you?”
“You outsmarted them and took a small portion of the Esposito Group. I outsmarted them and took everything.”
Gino held his stare. After another long pause, he shook his head, and his features loosened. “You certainly did that. Drink?”
The change in atmosphere was palpable. “A malt whisky would be good,” Elio said appreciatively.
“Neat?”
“Is there any other way?”
A smile came close to cracking Gino’s face.
Moments later, they were both nursing a hefty measure of aged whisky.
“What happens if I refuse your offer?” Gino asked, leaning back in his chair.
Elio shrugged. “Then you refuse. I’m offering you everything you wanted from the Espositos and more, but I’m not going to put a gun to your head for it. I prefer to conduct business without blood being shed, which is why I am making this offer to you.”