5

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."

~Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

Anthony

"Hey." Matteo smiled as he walked into my office with a tray food in his hands.

"Hi." I responded with all my attention still focused on the file I was going through.

"Mum told me to bring you dinner." he spoke

"Is the shit you smoke now affecting your eyesight too." I snarled as he almost put the tray on my paperwork.

"What have I done." he huffed

"Are you blind or can't you just see that you are putting the tray on my paperwork." 

"Oh sorry" he moved the files and set the tray down before taking a seat in front of me.

"There's raspberry cream cake." he told me.

"OK." I nodded.

"Taste it, I know it's your favorite and it’s baked to perfection, the exact way you like it." 

"Later." 

"Come on, just a bit." he got the plate with cake on it and set it in front of me before putting a desert spoon in my hands. "Just taste it."

"If I do, you better leave me alone, I'm busy." I told him and he nodded.

I cut through the cake with my spoon and ate.

"Tastes good right." Matteo wiggled his eyebrows at me with a big grin on his face. "I personally made it for you" 

"OK what do you want." I pushed the plate and spoon away.

"What do you mean big brother."

He faked a frown.

"Stop beating around the bush." I leaned into my comfortable leather chair, crossed my arms against my chest and waited for him to make his demand.

"Jeez what gave it away." 

"You would never do anything like this for me without wanting something, now make your demand before I kick you and your cake out of my office." I told him seriously.

"There's this business trip in London I have to go for 3 days from now but I can't because something came up and it needs my urgent attention."

"How the fuck is that my business." I crossed my leg over the other.

"I need you to go in my place." 

"As you can see, I've got a shit load of paperwork to finish not forgetting all the meetings I have to attend, find someone else." 

"I can't, this trip concerns the opening of at least 2 new clubs in London as well as sealing the gun shipments deal with the Gonzo."

"Reschedule it then." 

"I wish I could but, I'm dealing with Gonzo, that scumbag hates waiting, he might pull out of the deal."

"No one pulls out of a deal with a Santoro, unless." I eyed my brother. “are afraid of him?”

"Who isn't, apart from you that is." 

"I'll talk to him and have him reschedule then." I shrugged picking up my phone from my desk.

"You can't." He quickly stopped me. "I already told Charlotte we would be leaving soon."

I quirked my eyebrow at him at the mention of Charlotte.

"Charlotte?”

"Yes Charlotte, I thought since the Quans’ and our family have a lot of clubs and casinos together, we can expand to Landon knowing everything would be much easier for us to acquire there given our many allies there."

"And you decided to take Charlotte with you." I couldn't help but glare at my little brother and he shifted in his seat. “She knows nothing about this business.”

“She doesn’t need to know about the internal dealings of the club, all she has to do is know the surface information.” He explained "Besides, both Peyton and Landon are busy with work and we need representatives from both parties as it's a partnership.”

"And Charlotte was your best option?" I restrained myself from snapping at him.

"Well yeah, we are already fond of each other and she's really intelligent."

"She'll never agree to go anywhere with me, be it heaven." I smirked

"Cause you are always taunting her." 

"Whatever, how long is it going to take?"

"2 months." he whispered to himself

"Speak the fuck up Matteo." I groaned. 

"2 months" he repeated "so are you going or not?"

"Whatever." I let out a weary sigh. I knew he was never going to quite nagging me till agreed to his terms.

                                                                               ☻

"I knew that would work" I chuckled as I got into my car after having dinner with the Quans’.

"Where to boss?" my driver asked.

"My condo" I responded pulling out my phone to find a text from my brother.

"You made her furious."

"I said I would make her agree to go with me and I did, the method I used doesn't matter, I filled my end of the bargain now it's your time to fill your" I texted back. "Besides your little girlfriend is always looking for a chance to show she is better than me" I chuckled at the memories of our childhood when Charlotte would always want to do something better or bigger than me.

"Whatever" Matteo replied.

'This will be a good 2 months'

I chuckled to myself at the thought of being all alone with Charlotte Quan, the one girl who's always ready to pick a fight with me, it was just going to be just us 2 and no Matteo to interrupt anything.

                                                                                   ☻

As my I got out of the car the next morning, I couldn't help but stare at Charlotte's amazing body, the white almost knee length wrap dress was hugging her curves in all the right places and the heels made her look slightly taller which of course I found very adorable.

I walked up to everyone and pecked my mums cheek then Miranda's. It was the kindest gesture I could master since I hated hugs.

I then stood directly in front of Charlotte, my 6'7 figure towering over her 5'6 petite slender frame.

She looked so cute.

"Is the princess ready to go or do you need more time" I taunted her.

"Good morning to you too Mr. Santoro." she flashed an all too fake smile at me and I smirked.

I signaled for one of my guards to put her luggage that I think was unnecessarily too much in the car so we could leave.

"Bye baby girl." Matteo pecked her cheek and gave her a hug.

"Let's get going, time is money" I spoke irritated.

"Antho, take good care of her for me." Matteo told me and I couldn't help but just scoffed in response.

I leaned forward to peck my mum’s cheek when she pulled me into a hug.

"You had better treat her well or I'll spank your Mafia ass raw." She threatened in my ears so only I could hear.

I turned and glanced at Charlotte and a lips curled into a smirk.

The drive to the airport was short and quiet as both Charlotte and I were busy on our phones.

"We are here boss." Julio told me before getting out of the car and opened the door for me.

I got out and waited for Charlotte to do the same.

"Sir." one of my men that walked up to us greeted.

"Is everything ready?" I asked sternly not bothering to acknowledge his greeting. 

"Yes." he nodded.

"Good then let's go." I tried to take Charlotte's hand but she pulled it away, and her little action pissed me off.

"I can walk on my own." she said rather harshly.

"Suit yourself" I rolled my eyes before moving and walking towards the jet with her following behind.