Chapter 91 Àlvaro's Pov.
Four months later.
I moved my gaze around the big room, seeing so many disgusting faces of Leonardo's underdogs. He called a meeting but was yet to show up.
I knew it was a deliberate act to piss me off even more.
All those years underground, Leonardo was building an empire as big as mine. He even had the Russian empire under his thumb with Dmitri working for him. He carefully swooped in after I took care of Sergei for them. Fucking cowards.
Dmitri was sitting over at my side but still I kept my composure, restraining myself, trying to be on my best behavior right now.
Looking around, I can't help but think about how laughable it was that we have to sit at the same table as if we were partners, friends even but we all knew that if given the opportunity, we would gladly turn this place into an ugly bloodbath. We can't stand each other and it's understandable when money and power are on the table.
But I was too curious to know what Leonardo has to say to jeopardize it. I also wanted an opportunity to explain that I knew nothing of my father's schemes.
After I received the black rose on my birthday as well as the threatening note four months ago, I thought Leonardo was coming my way, finally taking his last revenge for what I did to his daughter but when nothing happened, I felt relieved until I got the invitation for this meeting.
I stared at the empty chair directly across from me at the other side of the table, a thousand scenarios running through my head as to how this evening could end. I don't know how I'll react to being face to face with Leonardo, after everything I now know about him.
Just when I was starting to get bored to death, the door of the room opened and as everyone was talking and laughing, they immediately stopped, staring at the door as if they had just seen a ghost.
What caught my attention and made me turn to the door like all the other stupid men in the room was that I heard the sound of high heels echoing through the room.
When my eyes stopped on the person walking towards the chair, I swear my heart stopped. A part of me walked out of my body and I gripped the handle of the chair tightly in my hands.
Months had passed but that was not enough time for me to even begin to forget. I think that even a whole lifetime won't be enough for me to forget about her.
Camilla Torres walked towards the chair with slow graceful steps in all of her glory. Her head held high, enjoying the confused look of all the men in the room, including mine.
I allowed myself, like every other man here, to look down on her figure. Her toned body is wrapped in a tight black dress, outlining all of her perfect curves. I can still remember running my tongue over it while she writhed beneath me down at the beach in the Maldives. It seemed like ages ago but my memory remembers.
She looked like the Camilla I know but she was so fucking different in a way. There was no longer that naivety about her. I was in a trance, staring at her, admiring her.
Ever since I knew her, she's always had long brown hair but now, her hair was a dirty murderous black color, removing the good girl image out of her.
Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, showing small tattoos that adorned her neck. The dress allowed me to see enough to know that she was hiding more tattoos that she never had.
What has her father turned her into?
But then I looked down at her wrist, relieved to find the Òmertà tattoo still in full view.
She still belonged to me.
I expected her gaze to settle on me as she sat down on the main chair of the round table but what I didn't expect was the way my whole stomach turned inside out, storms raging inside me as her dark eyes stared at me blankly.
I expected to see that warm spark she always had in her eyes but there was no sign of it, like it had been erased from her. Instead, she kept her eyes on me for a few more seconds before turning her attention to the other men who were still staring at her confused, because a woman was never present in meetings involving the mafia.
I started hearing murmurs amongst the men in the room. I could catch the sneer in their whispers.
“What the fuck is going on? Where's Leonardo?” Dmitri decided to speak for everyone. “Is this some kind of a joke?”
Camilla turned her head towards him, crossing her arms on the table, allowing me to see more of her cleavage. Fuck! “This is not the Maldives anymore, Dmitri. So is there a problem?” She asked, raising her eyebrow.
Dmitri looked flushed at the mention of Maldives but he answered anyway. “Yes. You have no place at this table. Leonardo told me nothing of this.”
“And he doesn't have to.” She snapped back, challenging him, which made him even mire angry. I could barely hide the grin that was threatening to show on my face. I was quite enjoying this.
Dmitri stood up, boiling with anger. “Listen young lady—”
“Shut the fuck up and sit back down, Dmitri.” She yelled, hitting the table with such force, making all the demons in me kneel before her without hesitation.
Dmitri looked stunned that she would talk to him like that but the lok in Camilla’s eyes gave no room for arguments so he shamefully sat back down.
“My name is Camilla Torres. Head of Leonardo Toress’ empire.” She said loud and proud as if to shut out the disgusting thoughts of the men in the room. “A right given to me by my father. So the majority of you answer to me now.” The confidence she said it with silenced every stupid man in the room.
I was like an hypnotized idiot staring at her like I was seeing her for the first time. It's being months but she's still able to fuck with me without even giving me a single glance.
I tried to hide the raging storm inside me, I tried to move away my gaze which was always focused on her but it was impossible. It was fucking impossible to take my eyes off Camilla.
“So, any other questions?” She asked out loud, looking proudly into the eyes of the men who were just looking between each other and grumbling under their noses but no one dared to say a word, including Dmitri.
“That's what I thought.” She nodded, her gaze ruthlessly serious. “This meeting was called by my father.” She continued to speak loudly, crossing her arms on the table again, making every man listen in rapt attention, including me. “He thinks it's time to stop lounging in the shadows and come out fully into the mafia world and for that to happen, we're making some changes—”
“No.” Another man interrupted her. I barely noticed him until he opened his mouth to talk. “I have no problem with Leonardo coming out of the shadows but he can't just come and change how we do things.”
“Well, it's going to change now.” She replied sharply.
“I don't want to listen to this bullshit anymore.” Snapped a third man. I don't care that you're Leonardo's daughter. I'm not going to let a woman tell me what to do. Leonardo knows where to find me.”
The approval of the men in the room could be heard around the room in agreement with what he's saying. I just sat back and watched. I found it entertaining.
“It's time you start treating women as your equals.” She replied as her eyes landed on me. “Because putting the cards on the table, almost all of you are useless men with power given to you by my father or your father. Without it, you're nothing.” I knew the last sentence was meant for me. Her dark eyes told me as much.
“Little fucking bitch! How dare you tall to us like that?” The man sitting to my right shouted as he stood up sharply and started walking towards Camilla. Her bodyguards drew their guns out.
But nah, not in my presence…
I didn't even let him take two steps before I stood up and grabbed him from behind by the neck, pulling him back and slamming his head into the table. He cried out in agony as blood trickled down his nose, flowing on the table.
His nose was obviously broken and he groaned in pain for the whole room to hear while all the other men stared at us but no one dared to say a word or do something. They know better than that. My reputation precedes me.
“Son of a bitch.” He yelled in pain and I rolled my eyes in annoyance, slamming his head into the table again, making his screams even louder.
“Talk to me all you want but that's not the way to talk to a woman, you piece of shit.” I muttered in a low voice. “It's in your best interest to shut the fuck up and listen to what she has to say if you want to leave here with only a broken nose.”
The room was deadly silent and the only noise to be heard was the groans of the pathetic man. “Did I make myself clear?” I spoke in a cold voice, squeezing his neck and he whined, nodding quickly. “Good.” I said, letting him go as I fixed my shirt before sitting back down on my chair.
My gaze landed on Camilla who was staring at me, studying my face. I just lifted the corners of my lips in a proud grin but for some reason, she looked pissed.
She finally looked away from me and to the other men in the room. “So, as I was saying…”
No one dared to interrupt her again.