đź–¤ Leonardo
The meeting dragged on long after the Ferraros left. The cigars had burned down to ash, and yet his father still talked.
Don Matteo Greco sat at the head of the long table, his hand gripping his glass like it might explode. "I still don't understand what this nonsense is about," he said, his voice heavy with irritation. "An alliance? You want to marry into that family? That's not power, that's stupidity."
Leonardo leaned back in his chair, expression unreadable. The low light cut shadows across his sharp jawline, catching on the clock tattoo that ran along the side of his neck. He had been quiet since the Ferraros left, only occasionally swirling the amber liquid in his glass, letting his father's anger wash over him like white noise.
"Dmitri Ferraro betrayed this family once," Matteo continued, pounding a fist lightly on the table. "He should've been dealt with a long time ago. You should've dealt with him. Why in Hell's name are you offering peace instead of putting a bullet through his skull?"
Leonardo's gaze didn't waver. "Because I'm handling it."
His father's head snapped toward him. "Handling it? By marrying his daughter? You think sleeping with the enemy's bloodline is handling it?"
Leonardo's tone didn't shift. "Yes."
The room went silent. Luca and Marco exchanged glances, and even the guards standing near the door seemed to straighten up.
Matteo leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "You're forgetting who you're talking to."
Leonardo looked at him then, and the air shifted. His eyes were calm, too calm, the kind of calm that made men nervous. "No, Father," he said evenly. "You're forgetting who's handling this operation. You retired a long time ago. This is my decision."
Matteo stood abruptly, his voice booming. "Your decision could destroy everything we built!"
Leonardo rose slowly, setting his glass down without looking away. "And yet, here we are, still standing. Because I make the decisions now."
There was a beat of silence before Matteo gave a bitter laugh and looked toward Luca. "Then maybe your brother should start looking into the other daughter. The one they're hiding. No one knew Dmitri had another child, that could be useful leverage."
Leonardo's voice cut through before Luca could even respond. "I'll handle her."
The interruption was so fast that everyone froze. Matteo's eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering. "You seem very eager about that, figlio mio."
(Figlio mio: Son)
"I said I would handle everything by myself," Leonardo continued, his voice dropping to a dangerous level. "Therefore, everyone will stay out of it. If I find out anyone meddles, attempts to investigate, or approaches the Ferraros without my explicit permission, I will kill the person myself."
He paused, letting his words sink. Then he looked at his father, his eyes ice-grey chips of stone. "That includes you, Father."
The silence that followed was absolute. No one dared to breathe.
Then Leonardo straightened his cufflinks, turned, and walked out without another word.
---
His office was quiet, the faint hum of the city seeping through the windows. He stood near the shelves, reading over a document he wasn't really seeing. The conversation with his father echoed faintly in his head, not the words, but the tone. The suspicion.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he said.
Marco stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He moved casually, as if the tension in the air didn't exist. "You meant what you said back there?"
Leonardo didn't look up. "I usually do."
Marco whistled softly. "Then I'll stay the hell out of it." He paused, then added, "Though… there's something that's been bothering me. The Nicole girl."
Leonardo's eyes flicked up briefly.
"She doesn't look adopted," Marco said, leaning against the desk. "Hell, she looks more like Dmitri than Grace does. His eyes, everything, she's practically his reflection."
Marco continued, "You think there's something there?"
Leonardo was quiet for a long moment. "I noticed that too."
Leonardo finally looked at him, his tone level but commanding. "Find out. I want you to trace it back. The adoption records, the date, the orphanage, everything. I want to know what you find and let this information be between just me and you."
Marco nodded. "You got it." he turned to leave but as his hand reached the knob, he coughed lightly, pulling Leonardo's attention once more.
Leonardo looked up, impatience flickering across his features. "What?."
Marco smiled, a genuine, knowing flash of teeth. "The girl seems interesting, Leo. You like her?"
Leonardo didn't answer immediately, he paused and then he looked at Marco as if staring straight at the question. His gaze was cold, unyielding he finally answered.
"I don't like people, Marco," Leonardo said, his voice flat, final. "Never have. Never will."