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I go to my study and pull up today’s reports, all expertly coded and hidden within each other. Unless you know the code, you wouldn’t understand what any of it is saying.

I can’t concentrate, though, and it’s frustrating as hell. All I want to think about is Gia, and everything she’s coming to mean to me. But she’s my enemy's baby sister, and I have to give her away eventually.

I mean, for God’s sake, I’ve checked out her social media profile. She’s twenty years younger than me. She can’t possibly see anything in me that she likes.

Maybe those little glances she gives me are just my imagination. An indulgence to get on my good side so I’ll let her go.

The day ticks by agonizingly slowly as I try my best to concentrate on work, but it’s no use. My thoughts constantly turn back to Gia and whether there is any way we can be together.

When Bruno walks into my office, I barely acknowledge he’s there. He rattles off some reports, but I’m only half listening, if that. I keep glancing at the time, and once it hits five o’clock, I decide enough is enough.

“Let’s have a drink,” I say, standing up halfway through Bruno’s sentence.

“Ok…” He looks at me with a question on his face.

I don’t bother to explain myself.

We walk toward the veranda, and as we pass Maria, I stop her. “Maria, please make sure Gia has some hiking shoes and sensible clothes for tomorrow. Gia and Giovanni should be ready to leave early, after an early morning breakfast.”

Maria nods and hurries off to do as she’s told.

Bruno stares at me, then follows me onto the veranda. “What was that about?” he asks.

I shrug. “Nothing.”

“Come on, why are you taking the Bianchi girl hiking? You’re not planning to off her cause you’re taking Giovanni with you,” he points out. “So what could this possibly achieve?”

I shrug and hand him a cigar. “She has sparked my interest; that’s all.”

Bruno chuckles. “Aw, Matteo is in love with the enemy's twenty-something-year-old sister.”

“Twenty-five, she isn’t that young,” I comment, feeling a bit grumpy.

Bruno pours our drinks, and we settle down to drink and smoke. Bruno is quiet for a moment, so I decide to explain.

“She gets along with Giovanni, has a nickname for him and all. And it makes me feel almost complete. Like she could easily slip into a role in this family, and she would be completely at home. And Gio…” I take a breath. “He’s expressed that he wants a mother, and I find her attractive as hell.”

Bruno listens and nods in certain spots. Then he looks at me. “Sounds like you really like her.”

“I find her very attractive, and she’s smart. And she has a lot of talent in the kitchen; did I mention that?”

“I’ll have to try her food if you think it’s that good,” he chuckles, drawing on his cigar.

I sip my whisky. “I just think taking her out might win her over,” I comment.

“What’s the point of winning her over if you’re not going to take it a step further?” Bruno asks.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Well, think of it from a business perspective. If you choose to marry the girl, then Bianchi can’t retaliate for kidnapping her or for losing out on the casino deal. We’re all Catholics; we know divorce isn’t on the cards for any of us, which is why so few of us get married in the first place.”

I chuckle. “She won’t marry me.”

“Who says she has to agree?” Bruno wiggles his eyebrows. “Once you’re married, that’s it. She can’t divorce you. She’ll eventually come around to appreciating you and what you have to offer.”

“You’re saying I must force her to marry me and then win her over?” I ask, though the thoughts are already ticking in my head and my heart is racing. Could this work?

“Exactly. It’s good for both business and personal affairs. Maybe you can eventually extend some good grace to the Bianchis to seal their approval. I doubt Andrea is going to make his sister divorce her husband, no matter how the marriage happens.” Bruno drains his glass.