The one good thing I could say at this point was that he’d given me the skills and insights I needed to take my first steps towards succeeding. And now that I was a bona fide success, I could do this without his tutelage. I no longer needed it.
Or him.
I’d learned enough and had built the relationships required to continue the expansion of the drug distribution branch of the business. I’d continue to prove myself, only I’d do it all on my own. I’d show Luca Varasso that I could run this part of the business without him. No ifs, ands or buts.
Stand tall. Stand strong.
And I’d do it by transforming myself into what everyone had already started to call me.
Queen Molly.
21
Luca
I stared out the cockpit window, scrutinizing Molly as she stalked away in her designer business suit. This one was an earthy brown that matched her hair, a jacket and pencil skirt that fit her to flawless perfection. She came across as a confident woman in control of everything around her.
She could’ve gone toe to toe with any pedigreed woman in Manhattan with that attitude.
I would’ve liked to have seen that.
My eyes followed her path as she crossed the tarmac and entered the airport proper with its long sweeping architecture. I’d known this would be difficult. Being with her without being with her. She loved me, and I loved her. But I’d made her believe I didn’t.
I’d created this fabrication to protect her, to keep her safe. But knowing that didn’t help when she glared at me like I was nothing more than a soccer ball she’d dearly love to kick. Now that I was out of her sight, I rubbed my eyes. They felt like I’d been hit in the face with flying grit.
Anna had had a nightmare before dawn. I’d just gotten her back down in time to get ready to go. I myself hadn’t received a wink of sleep. So I’d met with Donovan Bianchi both exhausted and heartsick.
Still, the meeting had gone fairly well. Even though it rankled, I’d agreed with him that my father had been overreaching for no discernible reason. I told him I’d make things right, and he’d analyzed me with his dark beady eyes before accepting my offering. We shook hands on it, sealing the deal.
Only time would tell whether or not that deal would be good enough to maintain the peace between us.
When I texted the itinerary to Molly later that day, she texted me back one of her own. She’d requested to stay in Houston over the next week, directing the processing of marijuana in our main plant just outside of the city. Not anxious to incur more of her resentment, I’d approved her plans, letting her do what she wanted. It was the least I could do.
Once she came back, she made herself scarce where I was concerned.
The only time I could count on seeing her was during the family’s Sunday dinners. I’m not sure why she showed up even then. She wasn’t a Varasso and never would be. Technically, she’d turned into more of an employee than anything else, but that hour in her presence was so important to me that none of my brothers challenged it.
Alessandro must’ve blabbed to Marco and Gabriel, because they didn’t belittle me about my time with Molly. Not in any way, shape, or form. It reminded me of when Alana died, and they’d all treated me with kid gloves. Until Marco had mouthed off in spectacular fashion not all that long ago, but I didn’t want to go there.
Talking about either woman felt like getting stabbed with a serrated blade, anyway.
One of the hardest parts of ruining things with Molly had been Anna. My little girl had grown close to her over the earliest part of our relationship. On the same day that Molly and I had first made love, Anna had called out the word, “Mall.” It was only after she repeated it that I realized she was asking for Molly.
Over the next few weeks, I barely saw the woman I’d given up. She traveled extensively and became so hands-on in her work that if her flight was delayed by even an hour or two, I received texts or phone calls asking where she was. I monitored the accounts with Alessandro and found constant upward movement in the ones she was associated with.
It became something I could count on. She had the golden touch, and she proved this repeatedly. Every time.
She’d done well all a
long, but now that she was on her own, she’d become an absolute dynamo.
I’d had a sense of her potential in the beginning, but she’d exceeded all my expectations. Molly had gone from this smartass in-home chef with a talent for saying things that put her in hot water to someone with enough business acumen to run an entire organization.
If this had been a legit business and I’d been the president, I would’ve made her my CEO.
She had come along out of nowhere and distracted me from my sorrow. Made me feel again. Made me smile again. Laugh again. Love again. She’d lightened the darkness within me. She’d reawakened my humanity and brought me back to life.
How could I not fall in love with her?