A Bold Proposal

A Bold Proposal
Tatiana

An hour later, Tony arrives at the apartment Lev rented. I decided to set up the meeting here since it’s private, safer, and away from curious eyes. I also need to get my stuff from the apartment before I contact the landlord, so it’d be easier for me.

Tony shows up at the door, wearing a black, tailored suit, his dark hair styled backward with gel, and his blue eyes set on me. He’s a fine man, but also intimidating. Or maybe I am just nervous about the conversation we’re about to have. I wasn’t afraid when I asked him to participate in the mission to Oleg’s mansion, but now I suddenly feel unsure of myself. 

“Miss Romina, it’s good to see you,” he greets, offering me his hand.

I grab it, hoping he doesn’t notice how nervous I am. At least I’m not shaking.

“Angelo,” he adds with a nod, noticing his capo leaning against the window with his arms crossed.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Bellini,” I reply, closing the door behind us once he steps inside the apartment.

“Let’s drop the formalities,” he suggests, turning on his heel to face me. “I think we’ve been through a lot together already.”

I smile at him. “Yeah, sure. I agree. Take a seat, please. I’ll get us some coffee.”

I head for the kitchen, which is basically in the same room since this apartment is so small, and Tony and Angelo engage in a discussion about whatever it is the Saints have going on in Staten Island. I focus on the task at hand, not wanting to eavesdrop or invade their privacy, even though they are not being very subtle with the volume of their voices.

After pouring three mugs of black coffee, I return to the living room and set their drinks on the coffee table. Tony is already seated on the couch, Angelo is in the same place as before, and I sit on the armchair across from them.

“All right, I must admit I’m intrigued with this conversation, Tatiana,” he starts with a smile, leaning forward and grabbing one of the mugs. “Of course, I’ve already heard about the news and I assume I should congratulate you?” It comes out more as a question than a statement. He seems curious, his brows raised, and I understand why he’s unsure of how I feel. He doesn’t know the details of how I became the new leader of the Romina Empire, so he can’t know this was my decision, even if it was voted by the capos.

“Yeah, well, I can’t say it was in my plans, but…” I shrug, sipping from my coffee. The hot liquid spreads through my chest as I swallow, wrapping me in a cozy and comfortable feeling. “The Rominas voted for their new leader, and surprisingly, they wanted me. I wasn’t sure I should accept it, but it is my father’s legacy after all. And to be honest, I couldn’t imagine someone like Yakov putting his hands on so much power.”

Tony nods sharply. “I couldn’t agree more. It was a clever choice. And I think you’ll be fine. It certainly runs in the family, and if what I saw back at the mansion was any indication of what you’re capable of, I can tell the Romina Empire is finally in good hands.”

I wasn’t expecting to feel emotional today, but Tony’s words hit somewhere deep in my heart. Maybe that’s what I’ve been needing; some validation, someone like him, who runs the biggest mob in New York, to acknowledge my potential.

“Thank you. So…” I shift in my seat, anxiety creeping up on me. “I was talking to Angelo and I wanted to propose something to you.”

He leans backward on the couch, stretching his arm along the backrest, and crossing one leg over his knee. “I’m listening,” he encourages me to proceed.

“I know the Saints and the Romina Empire have been enemies for decades, but I was thinking… How would you feel about a merger?”

“A merger?” Tony repeats, clearly intrigued now. He has straightened his back, setting both feet on the floor, and resting his elbows on his knees as he stares at me.

“Yes.” I nod firmly, glad I was able to grab his attention. “We saw how that worked at the mission to get rid of Oleg. And now that I’m running it, I really think we’d be great allies. We are responsible for neighboring territories, and as far as I know, we also deal with the same type of businesses. We could expand them, even internationally, since I have my men in Russia too.”

“The Saints and the Romina Empire? Sounds impossible,” Tony mutters to himself, but I can almost see the wheels turning inside his head.

Angelo is still quiet, his jaw set as he watches our exchange. He doesn’t chime in or make any moves, knowing this is a decision only his boss can make. I can tell he’s nervous though, the way his fists are clenched at his sides.  

“Let’s make history, Tony. We can be great allies. It wouldn’t be the first time that two gangs put their differences aside to become greater, more powerful…” I press, hoping my determination will be enough to convince him. “I also am humble enough to acknowledge I have a lot to learn, and I’d be happy if I could learn from someone like you. And Angelo. It’d mean a lot if I could have you by my side, showing me the way. I know this is not all it takes, but…” I take a deep breath, realizing I’m starting to ramble. “What I mean is that I don’t want to be away from Angelo. And I’d never ask him to choose between me and you guys. And not only that, but I honestly think the Saints and the Rominas can build something great together, putting all the animosity behind us. We have so much more to gain from this than if we remain enemies.”

“I see your point,” he says slowly, his eyes set on me. “I can’t say that doesn’t sound like a great proposition, but there’s so much to discuss before making that big of a decision. There’s a lot of businesses and deals involved, conflicts of interest—”

“That will turn into shared interest,” I cut him off. “We split our profits fifty-fifty. Everyone wins. We double our task force, cover more ground, expand our networking…”

A deafening silence follows, and I decide to give Tony some time to consider my offer. It is indeed a big decision to make and I don’t want to force him into accepting or declining it because I’m too impatient.

One glance at Angelo is all it takes for me to calm myself. His eyes are soft as he stares at me. It’s almost as if they can talk to me and reassure me all will be fine. That only makes me love him more. Even though he’s also unsure of what will happen to us in case Tony rejects my proposal, he’s still trying to make me feel secure and calm.

“You know what?” Tony finally speaks, and I shift my gaze to him. He has a small smile on his lips, his eyes looking playfully at me. “I think you’re right. Becoming allies would be very profitable for both of us. Of course, we’ll need to figure out how to deal with everything, and who’s responsible for what, but I’m sure we can manage everything after a couple of meetings.”

Excitement washes over me as I take his words.

“We have a deal then?” I ask, not wanting to make assumptions.

“We have a deal,” Tony confirms, stretching his hand in my direction.

I hold it as fast as humanly possible, afraid he’ll change his mind if I don’t. It’s just a handshake, but I learned this means a lot in our world. So do our words.

“That’s great! I’m looking forward to working with you,” I add, glancing at Angelo for a quick second. We will have time to celebrate this later, but just seeing how relieved he also seems is enough to make me feel like I just got rid of a huge weight.

There’s still so much to do, and the hard work is just beginning, but knowing I’ll have Angelo and the rest of the Saints beside me is all the reassurance I need.

“Well, I look forward to working with you too,” Tony repeats, getting to his feet and adjusting his blazer. “I have to run now, but Angelo,” he turns to his capo, “make sure to set up a meeting with Tatiana and all the capos, from both gangs, as soon as possible.”

As soon as Tony is out of the door, I run toward Angelo and jump on him, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him into a deep kiss.

“We did it,” I murmur against his lips, pulling away just enough to get some air. 

His hands are on my ass as he supports me, and the sexiest grin forms on his lips.

“We did it,” he repeats, his voice slightly hoarse. His eyes darken as he stares at my mouth, and a wave of excitement mixed with arousal invades me as I realize what just happened. 

This man is mine. 

And we’ll be able to be together.

Without a second thought, I crash our lips together once more, not caring about a single thing in the world other than the two of us. Everything else can just wait.

“Wanna enjoy the apartment a bit more before I have to hand it over?” I suggest when he starts lowering his kisses down to my throat.

“I absolutely do,” he replies, nibbling at the sensitive skin under my ear and causing a shiver to run down to my core.