A Woman's World || 18+

Chapter 18

"The only people I owe my loyalty to are the ones that never made me question theirs"
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One of the following mornings Alfred, Erik, my other two personal guards and the one and only Emiliano Corleone gathered to the cabana beside the pool to delve further into our partnership's details and the plan in which I would take down the person behind my attempted murder.

Enjoying my cocktail, my body sinking between white and beige pillows, I traced the skyline with my eyes. It was a beautiful morning. Seemed like God themselves had blessed the birth of this alliance and the death of others old ones.

"Good morning Miss Kingsley." Alfred greeted me with his soft welcoming smile. The one that always seemed to give me a peace of mind every time I saw it. The one that sometimes, for the most parts of my adulthood, reminded me of the tranquility a father's smile gave.

"Good morning boss." Erik followed with a smirk and I could read his scandalous thoughts. We did have fun at my car the other day.

"Good morning boys." I beamed at them. An expression of calmness dominating my face. Our prisoner and now newly recruited soldier stood silently behind of them, his eyes on the ground.

I craned my neck trying to get a better view of his face and neck. His inked neck, filled with tattoos. An art I never quite understood but appreciated. Because it marked you. It marked your skin. It marked your flesh for all eternity. They were the scars that took the form of a beautiful shape.

"Did you sleep well? You're not as talkative as I remember." And it wasn't sarcasm or irony just pure wonder. He raised his head, his face lit up by an exquisite fire I couldn't quite understand or read. He offered me a kind grin and took a step forward.

"You will need a lot more than a night to get to know me, Valencia. But I like that you're trying to." The others couldn't stand the informality with which he talked to me. However, this braveness and spark of him intrigued me. He wasn't mysterious, no, he wasn't. He was just waiting for someone to read him.

"I'm glad you find my interest in you entertaining." I took a sip of my coffee before readjusting my sunglasses on my nose. "Let's talk business now, shall we?" I regained my posture, putting the pillows aside as I straightened my back.

"I need you." I pointed to Emiliano. "You and I will have a private meeting at our conference room. You will tell me what I need to know." I stopped to take a breath and took off my glasses so I can have an immediate eye contact with him. "Can I trust you, Emiliano?"

"Of course, Kingsley." Erik eyebrows's furrowed in confusion. I didn't let anyone talk to me in that way and stay alive. Use my last name without a single pronoun before.

"How's your sister?" It had been long since I last tickled him a bit. His huff told me enough of his annoyance but his smirk told me otherwise dripping with irony

"Good. Thanks for your concern." He replies and I nodded.

"Alfred." I turned to him. "I want you to schedule a meeting with Dante and Francesco. Different days. They will take place at 'Ace'. Make sure the Casino's underground strip club is prepared for our two VIP guests." He nodded in understanding. Mentally noting every detail, breath and coma of my words.

"Erik." He tensed at the sound of his name and approached. "With your team, I want you to gather all our men from all around Las Vegas, Los Angeles and the rest of the West Coast. Train them, weaponise them. I want it all." He motioned to open his mouth to ask the expected but I quickly shut him down. "Keep it on the low and yes you will take the jet."