Antonio Her Italian Millionaire (BWWM Romance Book 1) Read online

  Antonio shook his head.

  “You know I have had to let out every pair of pants I have because of this tasty food I get in here?” he asked and Fabio laughed.

  “We are Italian. We know nothing about being overweight,” he said before he walked back to the kitchen.

  Antonio smiled and took another sip of his wine.

  “So, are we finally leaving or what?” Nina, his date asked as she looked at him.

  Sometimes he looked at her and wondered why he had ever given her a second look. Well, of course she was a beautiful woman. That was the first thing he had noticed about her. Her perfect look right out of a magazine. The kind of look you spent a lot of money to maintain and he had known from the very first time that he was going to have to bleed money just to maintain her and at the time, he didn’t mind. All he ever wanted was a fuck. And she was perfect for the job but as time went on, he realized that he was way in over his head. She was not really what he'd bargained for.

  Instead, she was everything he resented. Stubborn. Insecure. Demanding.

  “You know I have business, Nina,” he said and she reached for her own glass of wine. She took a long sip and pushed a lock of her silky blond hair behind her ear.

  “You always have business Tony,” she said in a little passive aggressive tone, something that he had grown accustomed to. Sadly.

  “Well, I do have to do something to finance that very high life you love, now. Don’t I?” he asked and she rolled her eyes before taking another sip of her wine.

  “Now that you mentioned it, I have to pass by the mall. I need some new shoes for that fashion show this weekend,” she said and Antonio raised an eyebrow over the other.

  “What fashion show?” he asked.

  “Remember, I told you my friend is launching her clothing line?” she asked. “Anyway, she asked me to make an appearance and I don’t want to let her down,” she added before he could say anything.

  He reached for his inside jacket pocket and pulled out the wad of cash before he handed her what was roughly two thousand dollars.

  “That should be enough,” he said. “More than enough.”

  She took the money and pushed her chair back before she got up from the table. She walked to where he was and bent down to kiss him softly.

  “Should I have one of the drivers take you?” he asked and she shook her head.

  “No. They only ever slow me down. I’ll take an Uber instead,” she said as she pushed her hair from her face. “I should be home in a couple of hours.”

  Antonio nodded.

  “Be careful,” he said as she began walking outside.

  He was not so sure why he was so comfortable with her strutting herself in that super tight short bandage dress. Hell, she might have been naked and he probably wouldn’t have cared. The only part about her he gave a damn about was late at night when she was in his bed. When he got to use her as he willed. Do things to her that some working girls wouldn’t even be okay with. That was what mattered to him. Besides, he was kind of tired of seeing failed relationships in his family. It was like the in-thing. To have a wife and a mistress. So, as much as his family insisted on him getting married, he kept on insisting he would know when to get married when he saw the right woman.

  He had just taken another sip of his wine when Matteo, his business manager walked in.

  “I was beginning to give up on seeing you here today,” he said as Matteo sat down.

  “It has been a longer day than I care to talk about,” he said sighing loudly. “The property in Edgewood.”

  Antonio shrugged.

  “Yeah. What about it?”

  “There are two offers on the table and until a few hours ago, you had the higher hand.”

  “I had the higher hand?” Antonio asked. “This other person who wants the place raised her bid?”

  Matteo nodded.

  “The price is now up by five.”

  Antonio smiled.

  “Just five?” he asked and Matteo gave him a confused look.

  “Why do you look like this is all amusing?” he asked and Antonio rubbed his hands together.

  “This other person I am up against will fold. Just raise the figure by ten thousand and if this other buyer tries to match it, then you do the same. Keep raising the price until they fold.”

  Matteo shook his head.

  “What makes you so sure they’ll fold?” he asked and Antonio shrugged again.

  “This is not the first property I am looking to acquire, Matteo. You know this about me and if you are in a bidding war with someone who really wants to get the property from right under your nose, they usually hike the price significantly. Say ten or twenty grand.”

  He leaned back and took another sip of his wine.

  “So you want me to raise your bid?” he asked and Antonio nodded.

  “Raise it again. I want that building block and without that building, I will not get to have what I want.”

  “I still don’t get why you want a block in Edgewood, Mr. Ricci. There are many more promising neighborhoods in the city.”

  “Well, I want this one. I think it is about time I did something for me.”

  “You are leaving the family?” Matteo asked and Antonio shook his head.

  “You can never really leave the family but I think it is time for me to just settle into a simpler, quiet lifestyle.” He took another sip and sighed. “Just do what you need to do to get that building.”

  Chapter 2

  “Granola…muesli,” Zianna thought as she looked at the two boxes of cereal. “Sugar Pops are also a great choice but hey, lady, you are supposed to be watching your weight,” she thought again. She sighed loudly and closed the cupboard door before she walked to the fridge. She took the eggs out and walked to the stove, hating herself for not wanting to eat healthy even though she had been struggling lately.

  But who could blame her for wanting to binge a little? This whole building acquisition was stressing her out. She had hiked her price twice since the last time she spoke to her realtor and somehow, the person who was keen on getting that building kept raising the price. Her cut off price was a hundred and forty. If she offered a figure any higher then she would be eating into the fund she had allocated for the remodel and then that would have been the end of her dream. Her dream of renovating the building. Her dream of doing the one thing she wanted to do to honor her father.

  She cracked two eggs into a bowl and used a whisk to beat them before she chopped some onion and pepper. She had just put the pan on the stove when she heard the doorbell ring with a resounding dong. The loud noise interrupting the tranquil morning. She switched off the flame and made her way to the front door.

  “Ray,” she said in surprise when she opened the door. “What are you doing here…I mean, come in.”

  She stepped aside allowing him to walk in.

  “I’m sorry. I was not expecting you,” she said as she led him to the kitchen.

  “I know…I’m sorry. But I have been trying to call you,” Ray started. “I just can’t seem to get through.”

  She sighed.

  “My battery must have died or something,” she said. “But on the bright side, you are just in time. I was making breakfast. Scrambled pepper omelet.”

  “Well, given the news that I have, you are going to need to eat some more just to handle it,” Ray said as he sat down at the breakfast counter.

  Zianna took a couple of more eggs and cracked them into the bowl before she began mixing them into the already beaten mixture.

  “Give it to me,” she said as she switched on the stove once again.

  “The other buyer raised his offer,” Ray said after taking a long breath.

  Zianna poured some oil into the pan before she poured the egg into the pan. She took her time sprinkling the onion and pepper on the mixture before she began wrapping the egg around it.

  “You know what, I was about to have some perfectly healthy medically recommended break
fast but after what you just said I am going to have bacon.” She walked to the fridge and came back holding a Tupperware container in her hand. “And not that bull shit turkey bacon either. I am frying up the real stuff.”

  “Isn’t this some kind of overkill?” Ray asked and she rolled her eyes.

  “The world owes me one right now,” she pointed out before putting a few slices of bacon on the side of the pan.

  She then grabbed two plates and served the scrambled egg.

  “Do you want some coffee or juice?” she asked and Ray shrugged.

  “Considering this is my first call of the day, I think coffee sounds great for now.”

  She nodded and got two cups from the dish rack before she got the coffee pot. She handed Ray a fork and then took a bite of her own eggs as she waited for the bacon.

  “I like my bacon crispy. I hope that’s okay with you.”

  “It’s perfect,” Ray said as he salted his eggs. “So, are we going to talk about this Edgewood property that you are so hell bent on getting or should I just go ahead and give you options?”

  She shook her head.

  “I don’t want another property. I want that one. That particular one.” She took another bite of her eggs and shook her head. “I would have gotten another one if I wanted. But this one is important to me. I can’t explain how important it is…”

  “You don’t have to,” Ray said, cutting her short. “I know.”

  She switched off the flame and served the bacon onto their plates before she walked around the counter to sit next to him.

  “So, what’s the damage?” she asked after a long silence.

  “A hundred and ten,” Ray said as he reached for his coffee.

  “A hundred and freaking ten?” Zianna shook her head. “What the hell does this guy want with this place anyway? It’s Edgewood for God’s sake. It is literally the edge of a really long tunnel. A long, dark tunnel with no light at the end.”

  “I know that I’ve said this before and you have turned me down over and over. But if you sink all the money into this acquisition, then you will literally be throwing your money away.”

  She nodded.

  “Because I will have no money to do the renovations,” she said in a defeated whisper.

  She took another bite of her eggs and bit her lower lip.

  “But I have told you this over and over, Ray. I need this building. Maybe more than I need air,” she said and he leaned forward, his cup in his hands.

  He looked at her for a long minute before taking a sip of his coffee.

  “Zianna, I know that by now I sound like a broken record but the truth is that with what you are planning to sink into this apartment complex, you can always get another place maybe even on this side of town. Something that doesn’t need so much work. Something that will get you a good return on your investment,” he explained.

  “And don’t you think that I wouldn’t have simply gone ahead and done that already? I am not backing down from this one, Ray.” She took a bite of her crispy bacon and looked up at him. “And why does this other buyer seem so keen to get this building anyway? I mean, like you said, it is a piece of crap.”

  Ray shrugged and took a long deep breath. The sigh that he gave made her realize that there was more to it than to just brush the whole thing off. She raised an eyebrow over the other as she looked at him.

  “Ray,” she said in a warning tone.

  “Zianna?”

  “No, this is not some game where we get to call out names for no reason at all. I can see that there is something on your mind. So tell me what it is.”

  Ray took a long deep breath and took another sip of his coffee before he put his cup down.

  “Okay,” he started. “I don’t want to say who the other buyer is because I am not entirely sure but I can tell you this for sure. The interested party has already bought out four blocks in Edgewood. And buying this last building ensures that he has the whole grid block in the south.”

  She took another bite of her bacon and gently drummed her fingers against the counter.

  “And are they just going to demolish the buildings and put up a mall or something?” she asked and he shook his head.

  “Honestly, I don’t know what they intend on doing. But I really need to close this sale. Soon.”

  She took a deep breath and took another bite of her bacon before she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the counter. She was not sure what she was supposed to say at that moment.

  “Raise my bid,” she said in a low voice.

  “But you said…your budget…” Ray started and she nodded.

  “I know. But it is not like I have a choice here. Now, do I?” she asked. “I can always get a loan for the renovations. I had a pretty good credit score last time I checked.”

  “Zianna, this other interested party is relentless.”

  She shrugged.

  “Clearly.”

  “Well, then, it goes without saying that he will only raise the bid.”

  Zianna nodded.

  “I know. But I am not going to go down without a fight.”

  *****

  It was a little after midday when Antonio drove into his grandfather’s compound. He usually hated being in this place because it served as a constant reminder of what he wanted to be and the life he wanted to escape. He had always wanted to get into business. Become an entrepreneur. That was what he had always wanted ever since he landed in America when he was sixteen years old. But twelve years later, he was yet to be the successful businessman he desired so much to be. He was still serving at the pleasure of his grandfather and his father, people who had chosen an easier path to the American dream. And to make everything worse, they had fulfilled every stereotype there is about Italians. Once they had come to America they all joined some kind of crime family and became mob bosses.

  Sometimes, he hated the burden of being born a Ricci. He would have wanted to be born into any other family. Maybe become a humble farmer back in Italy’s countryside or run a restaurant right here in Chicago. He had always been good in the kitchen. Perhaps that was why his mother always prayed for him to take a different direction rather than follow the road every male in the Ricci family had. It did not always end well for most of the people in the family. But unfortunately for Antonio, he had not lived up to his mother’s greatest wish. Her dying wish of protecting him from the life she had lived her entire life hoping to escape.

  When he parked his car, he took a long deep breath to calm himself down. He knew just what he was going to be asked once he walked into the house and he was not looking forward to the sit down. He knew more than anything that he was going to be grilled about the apartment block that was holding up their development plans. He slowly made his way to the front door and rang the bell. It seemed to be only seconds before the butler opened the door.

  “Mr. Ricci,” he said, smiling. “Welcome.”

  “Thank you.”

  “The rest of the family is in the den,” the butler said and Antonio nodded. “I’ll take your coat.”

  Antonio allowed him to slide his coat off his shoulders before he walked down the long hallway. He noticed his grandmother in the kitchen stirring a pot of what seemed to be a sauce. And judging by the delicious smell, he could tell that she was obviously trying out a new recipe. He walked into the kitchen, stealthily, making sure he made no noise to alert the old woman of his presence there.

  “Always cooking,” he said as he gently hugged his grandmother from behind.

  “Antonio!” his grandmother said, surprised. “What a beautiful surprise.”

  “Nonna,” he said before he kissed her cheek. “Whatever that is, it smells great.”

  “I am making a new pasta sauce. Trying to replicate something my own Nonna used to but I am not sure I am doing her justice.”

  Antonio shrugged.

  “Well, considering how much the aroma makes my mouth water, I think you are doing a fantastic job at it,” he said, s
miling. “Here. These are for you.”

  “Did you buy cannolis instead of me simply making you some?” she asked and Antonio smiled.

  “Well, they are not just any cannolis. They are Fabio Medici’s,” he said, still smiling and his grandmother bit her lower lip.

  “He is the only one who can make cannolis almost as good as mine.” She looked into his eyes and smiled cunningly. “I’ll hide this so that the men in this house don’t get a chance to gobble this up the way they do everything.”

  He smiled and kissed her again.

  “I have to go or they will gobble me up,” he said before he walked down the hall and into the den. But when he got to the door, he took his time and took a series of deep long breaths to calm himself down before he finally walked in.

  “Tony,” his grandfather said when he walked in. “We were beginning to think you were not going to be present today.”

  “I would never stand the family up, grandfather,” Antonio said as he walked up to the table and sat down. “I was late picking up something for Nonna.”

  His grandfather, Giovanni smiled and then laughed.

  “You spoil her.”

  “I have to. She is the only Nonna I’ve got.”

  “But you are not the only grandchild. Hell, her son doesn’t even spoil her as much as you do,” Giovanni said, looking at his son, Giovanni Junior.

  “Papa, I’m right here. I can hear you,” Giovanni Junior said. “How are you doing son?” he asked, looking at Antonio.

  “Good but honestly, I’ve been better,” Antonio started.

  “Is this about Edgewood?” Giovanni Junior asked and Antonio nodded.

  “There is this one building that is holding up the project,” he started. “It seems that someone else is keen on acquiring the property so I am in kind of a bidding war.”

  Giovanni raised an eyebrow over the other.

  “A bidding war?”

  “Don’t we have enough money for this so called bidding war?” one of the other men seated at the table asked and Antonio sighed.

  “We do but it is like some kind of dance with this other buyer.”

  “So, you are just enjoying jerking this other person around?” Giovanni asked and Antonio shook his head.