Beautiful Seduction

“Maybe. I don’t deal with maybes, Giovanni.” I returned to my desk, yanking a picture from the drawer, studying it as I headed toward him.

He grabbed it from my hand, hissing. “What the fuck?”

“While they are second cousins, Giovanni, it would appear that Filip and Alana were lovers. It was Filip who was behind the majority of attacks, including the one on the airport. And it would seem that your girlfriend betrayed you.”

I watched as his anger increased, his face turning red. “I had nothing to do with this. I swear to God, Valentin.”

I allowed a full minute to tick by.

“I believe you, Giovanni. Sadly, I can’t trust that additional information hasn’t been relayed to one of my enemies.”

“Oh, dear God. I didn’t tell her shit. I wouldn’t do that. I just… She was curious where I came from and my experience in New York and… And I’d been drinking. I didn’t say shit.”

I studied him intently. The man wasn’t lying, but at this point, whatever he’d told the woman was inconsequential.

However, she would need to be handled.

“As you might imagine, I can’t tolerate any moles in my organization. It doesn’t bode well for business. But…” I said, allowing a dramatic pause on purpose, “I will allow you to rectify the situation in order to prove your loyalty to the family.”

“What does that mean?”

“I think you understand what that means, Gio. You certainly understand the operations of our world.”

“So you want me to kill her?”

I took another deep breath, allowing my exhale to take a few seconds. “I want you to handle the situation as you see fit.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then you can envision what I’ll find necessary to do.”

He was obviously distraught, his brow furrowing. “I love her, Valentin. I was going to ask her to marry me.”

“Love isn’t easy, Gio, but it also can’t be blind. You do what you believe is right and so will I.”

His shoulders slumped as he lowered his head. “I understand.”

“I hope you do.” I watched as he walked out, now a broken man. Loyalty was important.

No matter the circumstances.

As my thoughts drifted to Cassidy, I returned to the window.

But so was love.

* * *

Cassidy

Two months later

I stood in the doorway, forced to place my hand over my mouth. Just seeing Valentin with Molly was cause for laughter almost every day. He was still the same brutal, unforgiving man, never accepting failure and certainly not treachery of any kind, but around her, he was entirely different.

It was as if he’d finally been allowed to enjoy life without fear of being chastised by anyone.

Including himself.

“Are you ready?” he asked her, tossing one of her dozens of stuffed animals onto her princess bed, as he liked to call it.