Chapter 4 Feasting with the Enemies

"To the continued prosperity of our families," Vincent Marcello raised his wine glass with a smile that never reached his eyes. "And to the bonds that keep us strong."

The dining room of the Rossi mansion filled with the gentle clink of crystal as glasses met across the mahogany table. Ethan watched the performance with barely concealed disgust, noting how easily his father's guests slipped into their roles. Enemies breaking bread together, pretending friendship while calculating each other's weaknesses.

It was all theater, and everyone knew it.

"Indeed," Diego Rossi replied smoothly, his own glass catching the light from the massive chandelier overhead. "Family bonds are sacred. They transcend petty disagreements."

Petty disagreements. Ethan almost snorted. Last month, Marcello's men had tried to muscle in on their dock operations. Three weeks ago, the Benedetti family, also represented at tonight's table, had attempted to buy out one of their legitimate front businesses. And just last week, rumors had surfaced about the Torrinos planning to expand into Rossi territory.

But tonight, they all sat around his father's table like old friends, discussing business ventures and sharing expensive wine. The hypocrisy of it made his jaw clench.

"Ethan, you're awfully quiet tonight," commented Maria Benedetti, a woman in her fifties who wore diamonds like armor and smiled like a shark. "Usually you have such strong opinions about our business discussions."

"I find actions more interesting than words," he said simply, cutting into his steak with more force than necessary.

A brief silence fell over the table. His father shot him a warning look, but Ethan didn't care. These people weren't friends. They were competitors at best, enemies at worst, and pretending otherwise was a waste of everyone's time.

"How refreshing," Vincent Marcello said with a laugh that sounded forced. "A man who believes in directness. Though I suppose diplomacy has its place in business as well."

"Diplomacy is for people who can't enforce their will through strength," Ethan replied, meeting the older man's gaze steadily. "I prefer clarity."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Isabella, his sister, kicked him under the table… a subtle reminder to mind his manners. Their father's expression remained neutral, but Ethan could see the muscle jumping in his jaw.

"My son speaks with the passion of youth," Diego said smoothly, diffusing the tension with practiced ease. "Experience teaches us that sometimes the indirect approach yields better results."

"Sometimes," Ethan agreed, his tone suggesting he found those times rare and generally overrated.

Marco Torrino, a thin man with nervous hands, cleared his throat and attempted to change the subject. "The casino renovations are coming along beautifully, Diego. When do you expect to reopen the VIP section?"

"Next month, if all goes according to plan," Diego replied, seeming grateful for the shift in conversation. "We're installing some new security features, upgrading the surveillance systems. Modern problems require modern solutions."

"Speaking of modern," Maria Benedetti interjected, her shrewd eyes fixed on Ethan, "when are you planning to fully step into your father's shoes, young Rossi? Surely it's time for the next generation to take the reins."

The question hung in the air like smoke. It was a topic that had been discussed in whispers for months… when would Diego Rossi officially retire and hand over control of the family's vast empire to his heir? Everyone at the table had a stake in the answer, whether they admitted it or not.

Ethan set down his fork and leaned back in his chair, curious to hear his father's response. They'd had this conversation privately many times, always with the same result. Diego wasn't ready to step down, and he always had reasons why the timing wasn't right.

"An excellent question," Diego said, swirling his wine thoughtfully. "Leadership transitions require careful planning. There are many factors to consider."

"What kind of factors?" Vincent pressed, leaning forward with interest. "Ethan has proven himself capable. He's ruthless when necessary, intelligent, respected by the men. What more could you want in a successor?"

Diego's smile was enigmatic. "Oh, my son has many admirable qualities. But leadership in our world requires more than intelligence and ruthlessness. It requires stability. Permanence. A sense of investment in the future."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Maria asked.

Ethan already knew where this was going. He'd heard this lecture before, and it never failed to irritate him. His father had some very traditional ideas about what made a man fit to lead, and unfortunately for Ethan, those ideas hadn't evolved much since the 1950s.

"Meaning," Diego said, his gaze settling on his son, "that a man who leads a family business should have a family of his own. Roots. Something that grounds him and gives him perspective beyond immediate gratification."

There it was. The marriage speech.

"You want him to get married," Marco said, understanding dawning in his voice.

"I want him to demonstrate that he's ready for the responsibilities that come with leadership," Diego corrected. "A wife, children… these things change a man's priorities. They make him think about legacy instead of just profit. About building something that will last generations."

Ethan felt the familiar surge of irritation rise in his chest. Marriage as a business requirement. Love as a prerequisite for power. It was archaic thinking, and it had nothing to do with his actual ability to run the family's operations.

"And until he takes this step?" Vincent asked.

"Until he takes this step, I remain in charge," Diego said firmly. "The business continues as it always has, with me making the final decisions."

"That seems unnecessarily restrictive," Maria observed. "Surely there are other ways to demonstrate maturity and commitment."

"Perhaps in other organizations," Diego replied. "But this is how the Rossi family has always operated. Tradition matters. Stability matters. And marriage provides both."

Ethan finally spoke, his voice carefully controlled. "And if I have no interest in marriage at the moment?"

His father's smile was patient but inflexible. "Then you'll continue in your current role until you do develop that interest. I'm in no hurry to retire, son. I can wait as long as necessary."

The message was clear: marry, or remain forever in the shadow of his father's authority. It was emotional blackmail disguised as family tradition, and it made Ethan's blood boil.

"How romantic," Isabella murmured from across the table, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing says true love like a business ultimatum."

"Love grows," Diego said philosophically. "Respect and compatibility are more important than passion in the long run. Your mother and I barely knew each other when we married, and we had thirty wonderful years together."

Thirty years of a marriage that had been arranged by their respective fathers, Ethan thought but didn't say. His mother had been a beautiful, dutiful wife who'd run his father's household and raised his children and never complained about the life she'd been given instead of chosen.

She'd also died of a heart attack at fifty-two, and Ethan had always wondered if the stress of living with Diego Rossi's dangerous world had contributed to her early death.

"Times change," he said instead. "What worked for your generation might not work for mine."

"Human nature doesn't change," Diego countered. "Men need anchors. Without them, they drift toward destruction. Look at your lifestyle, Ethan… different women every week, no commitments, no responsibilities beyond business. Is that the behavior of a man ready to lead a family empire?"

The criticism stung because it wasn't entirely unfair. Ethan did enjoy the freedom of his bachelor lifestyle, the ability to come and go as he pleased without answering to anyone. But it didn't make him less capable of leadership.

"My personal life doesn't affect my business judgment," he said evenly.

"Doesn't it?" Diego challenged. "When was the last time you made a decision based on anything other than immediate gain? When did you last consider the long-term consequences for the next generation?"

Vincent Marcello cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Perhaps this is a discussion better held privately."

"Nonsense," Diego said with a wave of his hand. "We're all family here, in our way. These gentlemen have sons and daughters of their own. They understand the challenges of preparing the next generation for leadership."

Maria nodded sagely. "My own son struggled with similar responsibilities until he married and had children. Amazing how quickly priorities change when you have something more important than yourself to protect."

"Exactly," Diego said, raising his glass again. "To marriage, family, and the wisdom that comes with both."

The guests raised their glasses dutifully, but Ethan noticed that several of them looked uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken. Family business was one thing, but personal ultimatums were another matter entirely.

As the evening wore on and the conversation moved to safer topics, Ethan found himself thinking about his father's words. Marriage as a prerequisite for power. The idea rankled, not just because it was controlling, but because it reduced something as complex as human partnership to a business transaction.

But then again, wasn't everything in their world a transaction of some kind? Power, loyalty, respect… all of it had a price, and all of it could be bought or sold under the right circumstances.

Maybe his father was right. Maybe marriage was just another deal to be negotiated.

The thought should have bothered him more than it did.