Chapter 3

Derek pov

I sat on my bed, trying to figure out what to do about Matteo. He had been bombarding me with messages about the new deal with the Los Angeles VC, and I couldn’t focus. My mind kept drifting to Silvia’s earlier behavior; her curvy hips were stuck in my thoughts. All I could picture were her curves and ample chest.

The sudden beep from my phone shattered the heavy silence in the room. I looked at the screen, and of course, it was Matteo. That jerk. Despite my clear message—no, my desperate plea—that I was in Morocco, he just wouldn’t stop.

The mafia never allowed for a moment of peace. They expected you to be on standby, always ready to handle their dirty work. But this time, I refused to let Matteo spoil my mood.

I grabbed a throw pillow, my fingers sinking into the fabric. My heart raced with every word that flashed on the screen.

"Derek, we couldn't meet the requirements to sign the deal with them. I think you should come back to Los Angeles and make it work."

I read the message again, feeling my anger rise. Make it work? They couldn’t seal the deal. The fools. The people they were dealing with didn’t grasp the concept of power, and that infuriated me.

They had no idea who I was, who we were. And now Matteo expected me to return and clean up their mess? What a ridiculous request. I slammed my fist into the pillow, the fabric absorbing my frustration, but the tension remained, a strong urge to break something and show them just how weak they truly were.

I tossed the pillow aside, my thoughts racing. No way was I going back to fix their blunders. Not now, not when I had everything I needed right here. But then it struck me—the deal could change everything. It wasn’t just about the money or the power; it was about respect. If I wasn’t careful, I could lose that. I could lose it all.

I couldn’t let that happen, especially with Silvia already in my life, my thoughts drifting to her every chance I got.

I jumped off the couch and marched to the desk where my phone lay. With a quick swipe, I dialed Matteo’s number. As soon as it started ringing, my anger flared. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, and this time, there would be no niceties. No small talk.

“Derek,” Matteo’s voice came through, too calm and annoyingly self-assured. It made my skin crawl. “I’m sorry, but—”

“Shut it,” I snapped, cutting him off. “You didn’t meet the requirements. You failed to close the deal. And now you think I’m just going to drop everything and fly back? No way. You’re going to fix this. And you’re going to do it now.”

There was a brief silence before Matteo responded, his tone cautious. “I understand, Derek. But the terms—”

“What terms?” I interrupted again, my voice icy. “Don’t even start with terms. You think I care about that? I’m not asking you to negotiate a contract. I’m telling you, Matteo—you need to seal the deal before I even consider going back to L.A.”

I could almost hear him fidgeting on the other end, undoubtedly searching for the right words, but there was nothing he could say to escape this situation. Not this time.

“Derek, the other party—” he began again, but I cut him off.

“Listen closely, Matteo.” My voice was low and steady, sharp as a knife. “You get this done, or I’ll make sure you’re done. You won’t set foot in a boardroom again. Do I make myself clear?”

Silence followed, heavy and tense, as if the air itself was waiting to snap. Finally, Matteo broke the quiet.

“Understood. I’ll take care of it, Derek. No need for you to return. I’ll finalize the deal. It’s done.”

“Good,” I responded, my tone clipped. “You better ensure it’s done, Matteo. Don’t waste my time again. I don’t want to hear another word about this until it’s resolved.”

I hung up without hesitation, slamming my phone onto the desk hard enough to make it rattle. I was tempted to throw it against the wall. My body was alive with energy, my pulse pounding in my ears, and I could feel that familiar anger rising within me. I needed to act, to do something physical to release this tension. My hands trembled with the intensity of it.

I walked over to the large wooden desk at the far end of the room, the weight of my decision pressing heavily on me. I didn’t care that my knuckles were turning white. I didn’t care that the outside world was calm and serene. I was a mafia boss, and if they couldn’t get this right, they would learn what it meant to disappoint me. No one was going to stand in my way.

I gripped the edge of the desk, my fingers sinking into the wood. Suddenly, I brought my fist down hard on the surface, the impact sending a jolt through my body. The desk creaked slightly, the sound reverberating in the quiet room like a gunshot.

I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until I let out a sharp exhale. My chest rose and fell rapidly, my heart pounding, adrenaline coursing through me.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. The door swung open, revealing Silvia.

Her presence was palpable. She had a knack for sensing the tension in the air, just as I had learned to detect the smallest changes in a room. I didn’t need to look up to know she was at the threshold. I caught her breath hitching, just enough for me to notice.

“What’s going on in here?” she asked, her voice starting as a whisper but quickly gaining a demanding tone.

I didn’t turn around. I could feel her gaze piercing my back, but I was beyond caring. This was the reality of our world, and she would have to grasp that soon.

I slowly turned to face her, narrowing my eyes, my body still vibrating from the earlier outburst.

“The deal fell apart,” I said, my voice heavy with the anger still churning inside me. “Now I have to deal with the fallout.”

She stepped into the room, her eyes assessing me, briefly landing on the desk where my fist had left its mark. Her expression darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line.

“What are you talking about?! What deal?”