The Mafia's Daughter

Chapter 7 Meeting again

-Valentina-

"Tina!! Where are you?" I hear Christiano shouting and I nod to Stefano. He's my newest follower, as I call them. Since last year's club incident, I can't get away with just a driver, so since then, either Luca is with me or Stefano. Two completely different men, where Stefano can still make a joke, Luca is anything but funny. He is stiff, businesslike, cold, and only says something when you ask him something and even then he sometimes only wants to nod or shake his head or shrug his shoulders. Stefano knows he has to stop Christiano when I'm practicing with the girls and I ignore him when I give further instructions and dance with the girls.

When I'm done I grab my bathrobe from the hook and walk over to Christiano who is leaning against the wall and talking to Stefano. "Hey!" I say and he turns around and grabs me in a hug.

"Looked good again sis." He says with a wink.

"What brings you here?" I ask. Christiano always sends a message and never really comes to disturb me when I'm rehearsing and when I'm doing that he usually leaves and I look for him in his office.

"Listen, I have a favor to ask." He starts and I shake my head already. This can't be good, dad is out of town and he needs something. "Wait, before you answer." He pleads and I cross my arms. He raises his eyebrows and I let go of my initial reaction and try to be open to what he wants to say.

"Sorry." I start and he laughs and hugs me again

"You're too cute." He tells me and he lets me go.

"Riccardo has a meeting.." He starts and I nod. I know about the sneaky meeting because the girls are all getting ready to put on their sexiest lingerie to seduce the men who come into the meeting, to look perfect to leave a good impression.

"We need you, Sil is sick and..."

"No," I answer right away and shake my head.

"Tina.. wait.." He sighs and he grabs my arm when I want to walk away.

"If dad hears that, we had a deal, I want to be in my lingerie, but if dad hears it.. and Riccardo can never agree to that. The last time he saw me in my lingerie he almost choked on his water and was mad for months!" I call out to Christiano who starts laughing hard and Stefano also laughs hard. Both were there that night I participated.

When we have a new routine, the girls show it to my father and to others, to see what they think. I had made a whole new routine together with Grace and we would show it, in the end, I asked my father if I could join in. He didn't want it, but Christiano was able to convince him for once that I was allowed. Dad had already told me that he wouldn't look at me and that he wasn't going to say anything to Riccardo. Riccardo was furious when he saw me, but when he saw dad nodding he held back until I started my clothes and when I was only in my lingerie, like the others he choked on his drink, my father, Lorenzo and Marcello did not have their eyes on me, the rest of the men did, also Christiano. He stood proudly clapping. After that, for a month, I heard Riccardo curse every time he looked at me and he was furious that Dad had approved. He even yelled at Christiano about it.

I can't imagine that the same Riccardo wants me to put on something sexy and walk into his meeting.

"Riccardo doesn't agree with it either, not with lingerie." He tells me and I look up at him.

"Uhm, it is moved to the evening, then you can wear a dress and the ladies too, and if everything goes as it should then the ladies in their routine can take off the dresses for our company in the small room and of course, you do not participate in that." He explains and I laugh and shake my head.

"Why do you need me, you can ask someone else?" I ask.

"That is possible, but Riccardo and I want to take a new path, dad is not yet convinced of that path and if this succeeds." He falls silent and moves awkwardly from his toes to his heels.

"I know," I sigh. I know Riccardo and Christiano want the feud to end, they have a common enemy and that's Mike Johnson. Since last year in club Rexx, I have learned my lesson and I have never been there again, Anna and Esmay neither. The boys pretty much tried to leave me out, but they have to say something in the end, after pulling us out of a shooting, and me getting hurt doing so.

Together with Esmay, Nelly, Sofia, Anna, and Grace, we put on a gala-like outfit, the other ladies much more revealing than my dress, but I know the purpose and I like to help them achieve that goal.

We do each other's make-up, each other's hair, and put in the finishing touches.

"Ready to go?" asks Stefano and I nod.

"Ladies too?" he asks the other ladies and they nod too.

"I'm never there, what should I do?" I ask Nelly and she laughs.

"Making sure everyone has enough to drink, eat, flirt with your eyes, move feminine, don't talk." She explains and I nod. I can do that.

"Wow, Tina!" Chris grabs me and looks at the dress as I spin around.

"Ricco is going to regret that." He laughs and Marcello scoffs when he looks at me.

"What?" I ask him annoyed. He looks up and shakes his head.

"You look hot." He says softly and shakes his head.

"ah you can't handle the fact that your little sister is sexy and hot," Sofia laughs and she gives Marcello a push and he gives her a furious look that makes her quickly stop laughing and so do the other girls.

"Be nice Marcello," I say softly. I know if he's like that he has a tantrum any moment and then we all have to pay the price, so being sweet and careful with him is the best way out. He hugs me and kisses my forehead.

"Sorry, sis." He holds me and he sighs as we walk into the room.

"Here." Christiano gives me a tray of champagne

"For everyone." He tells me and points his head to the table as he sits down next to Riccardo. I see Ricco’s eyes over my body and he shakes his head as he quickly takes a sip of water. I, in turn, shake my head. Get over it.

Then my eyes find the eyes of someone I know and my breath stops in my throat. The man with the brown eyes, his eyes go over my body and I feel myself blushing again. I quickly look elsewhere and finish my round of champagne and when I'm with him I try not to look at him, but I feel how he looks at me when he takes his champagne. When I'm back in my place I look at Christiano, he doesn't seem to have seen it, neither does Riccardo, but when my eyes find Luca's he shakes his head and Marcello also shakes his head. The man next to Vince grins at me. He's seen it too. But he’s with Vince.

During the meeting it is boring, I no longer listen to what they say, and when they eat, Riccardo and Christiano place me between them. We have dinner with them and I hear how both my brothers talk to him and his brother. Apparently, Vince's real name is Vincenzo and Riccardo introduces me as his sister Valentina and I see Vince's eyes light up.

"Valentina, beautiful name, for a beautiful woman." He states and I look away to prevent my blushing. I don't know what it is, but this man has an effect on me, he already had that a year ago and he still comes along in my dreams.

After the meeting, my brother and Vincenzo shake hands and hug each other. I think this is exactly what they wanted, so I'm glad it worked out. Now hoping it can stay that way without my dad finding out, I know he hates the Bellucci family. I never thought that their eldest son Vincenzo Bellucci would make such an impression on me. Sh*t. I have to leave.

I walk down the hallway back to the changing room to change my clothes, the ladies are still going to undress for the men according to the routine, but I don't do that and just go for a drink at the bar. Someone grabs my arm and presses me against the wall, behind the curtain and when I look up I see his beautiful brown eyes, looking at me in wonder.

"I found you." He says softly and he caresses a tuft of hair from my face behind my ear.

"Were you looking for me?" I ask softly and he nods.

"for a year." He tells me and I feel myself blushing again.

"Go on a date with me Valentina, one date.." His voice is hoarse and he leans forward. I swallow. God he smells good, he's so sexy, muscular, big, masculine. I want to stay here, in his arms. I want to, oh god I want to.