Chapter 7 Seventh

Giovanni

" Elias is already dead. His body is disposed in the river just like how you instructed, sir."

I looked up from my cards and across the dark painted surface before sliding my gaze to the man shivering in front of me. I'd felt...satisfied seeing how they fear knowing I can just snap my fingers and shot their head.

Without mercy. Nor inhibitions.

There was a gray cloud of smoke in the air as I puffed the last of my cigarette and throws it on the floor.

Elias is Gabriella's uncle who tried to swindle money out of their family. He committed treason and tried to hide from anyone. But here's the deal: no one can hide from me. Owning multiple business in New York and with every man willing to worship the ground that I am walking on.

Normally, I don't meddle with family feud since I don't care about anything other than things that will make me money. But with Gabriella, she's different.

Something about her is spectacular. Always had been spectacular from my perspective. I don't know why but the thought of her face full of warm smile makes me smile a little.

Damn it.

My mind is still swirling over the idea that she boldly told about her being...inexperience. It's no problem, sure. But thinking about her, pure and untouched, makes me so damn hard to go about it on my usual day.

If I don't know her, I might think she knows what she's doing. That woman is an undiscovered vixen.

"You're falling for her."

I looked up, only to see the annoying face of my brother playing with his cards in front of me. Unlike me, he was more soft looking with his playful features. Some told that I am just like my father and Sebastian is the epitome of our mother, but I felt like they are wrong.

Sebastian knows what card he is playing at when he laid down royal flush on the table.

" At last, after so many years of losing to me, huh?" I smirked to tease him, accepting a defeat. Gabriella has been running in my head that I cannot focus. " Congratulations, Sebastian."

He scoffed as he leans back to the couch. "Is that your ego talking, brother?"

I raised a brow. " I know how to accept my lose, Sebastian. But you aren't, right?"

It was a fair play, but I lost on purpose. There is a reason ‌my brother visits me in my office during the day without setting up an appointment. It's either father told him to or he is here bearing a problem in his hand.

He smirked. " Father sent me here to deliver his royal message."

My jaw clenches at the mention of our father. It's been a long time since I cut off my affiliation with his gang, but I cannot totally abandon the family where I came from. My liberation right now is due to my effort to escape to my father's commands. A passion to start my own businesses and not just inherit what he has started kicks me off to where I am right now. But even then, I was chased by his greediness.

" Tell father ‌I am not doing any of his favors anymore," I choke hard, controlling the rage blazing within me. "He has many enemies that are waiting for his fall down, but that's on him. The only thing that I am willing to do is to take over his gang and merge them with mine."

" That's not gonna happen," Sebastian looks alarmed.

It made me curious how does he maintain a stoic face knowing where this kind of conversation always ends.

I took my time pouring a whiskey into his glass and just looked at him. In this industry, there are only two essential skills to learn in order to be successful. First, you need how to make more money. And second, you need to know how to read everyone's gesture and intention. Two things. Only two things and you could reign over the world.

Two things that I possess that's why I'm reigning over New York. No one questions my abilities and power. Only I question my ability to read people's mind every time that I look over Sebastian's empty eyes.

There is nothing. No emotions. No reflections. And certainly, no doors to what is going on inside of his mind. Just plain orbs that spits nothing and pretend that everything is fine.

I sit back. " Stop dreaming about father's gang, Sebastian. It's better if you start your own from the scratch."

" So you could take it away as your own?" Sebastian replied with a tone of irritation.

One day, his sharp tongue will roll down the floor. He may be my brother, but I don't tolerate disrespect. Especially if it's nonsense.

I frowned. " I don't have to take it. Father is willingly giving me his gang to lead, but I have my own."

" You're so arrogant."

His angst made me burst into tiny chuckles as I watch the irritation color his face.

" I'm just stating facts," I whispered.

With just one gulp, I drain the glass of my drink and rose in my own heels to walk away. If Sebastian won't open his mind about what our father truly wants then that's not my problem anymore.

He is witty and strong. Like me, Sebastian already knows why father made him stick on his side. The only difference between us? He is turning a full blind eye about everything.

I started to walk away, along with my bodyguards on my side, when his laughter erupted into the air. My steps were halted from‌ moving. All my life, I have never heard him laughing like this.

It almost sounded like our father.

" She's beautiful, right?" I heard him said without turning his gaze away from the empty walls. "Gabriella seems to be so indulge with your marriage, Giovanni."

She is. The thought of my brother daring to speak her name with his filthy mouth is uncomfortable. Like a bad sign for a thunderstorm, it made me uneasy.

Sebastian slides his gaze into mine. " Does she know why you agreed to marry her in the first place?"

That's it.

The control that I am holding on earlier vanished into the air when I heard his words. There is no fucking way I will let him ruin my plan.

My arms lifts him up as I hold his shirt collar. Tight and unforgiving.

" You better not do anything to her, Sebastian. I swear I'll kill you if you do anything that will ruin our marriage," I shouted.

Screw him.

Screw being the older brother who always needs to mend his siblings from the dark.

Sebastian only stifles his chuckles as he looks at me howling like an animal as I pinned him into the wall.

" You mean your plan?" he mocked, licking his lips. " Father told me about it, Giovanni. Your marriage with her is just a scheme for you to expand your power and guess what?" He pushed me away from him. " I'll do anything for power, brother. Anything."