Dangerous Liaison 🔞 (Femme Fatale#1)

7

Gabriel walked into Moretti's, a traditional Italian restaurant that he owned-and also a front for his illegal gambling operation. No one would ever think to find a high-scale gambling den on top of a mom and pop's restaurant, and that's what made his ventures a big success.

But tonight, he just wanted to eat dinner in peace with his siblings.

He walked to the private room at the back where he used to conduct his business and found his siblings were already there and chatting with Nonna-the old lady who was also the one in charge of cooking there. Her meat ragu was the best in all Italy and when she was tricked by her useless son-in-law and lost everything she had, Gabriel brought her to Japan and opened the Italian restaurants for her.

"Nonna." He hugged and kissed the old woman fondly. "How's your leg? You should rest instead of being here." He spoke with true concern. Even though her house was only next door, he didn't like it when she forced herself when she was not one hundred percent because she was like his own grandmother.

"It's fine, Gabriel, you don't have to be so worried about me." She rolled her eyes and then put Gabriel on the empty chair. "Sit. I'll have someone bring you your favorite osso bucco soon."

"Ah, Nonna, actually can I just have your excellent vegetarian lasagna? I didn't eat meat much these days, you know, ulcer." Gabriel made an apologetic face. He couldn't handle eating osso bucco when his mind was somewhere else tonight and he didn't want to offend her.

"Oh? I will brew you my special tea then, it's good for ulcers." Nonna patted Gabriel's head like he was just a mere child, not the future head of the yakuza. "Don't work too much, you still have a long time to live." Then she left the three siblings to do their business.

"So, what's so important that you practically dragged me out here?" Gabriel took a sip of the excellent Barolo that they had on the table.

The siblings looked at each other before Luca shrugged-giving the reins to his younger sister.

"I don't want you to do the omiai, Gabriel." Bianca did not waste her time. "Both me and Luca, we want you to be happy and choose your own lover, not by an arranged marriage!" She slammed her fist on the table in anger. Instead of answering, Gabriel twirled the excellent wine-that came from one of his wineries in italy-and smiled at his sister.

"Bianca," he spoke in a calm and controlled voice, "in thirty three years of my life, I have never been in love with anyone. It doesn't matter whom I'm going to marry as long as she knows her duty, not interfering with the business and producing children, anyone will do, especially since she would have the pedigree that I need, to rule over the clan." Gabriel put his glass down and looked straight into his sister's eyes. "And you do know why I did all of this, don't you? Please don't make it harder for me. It's already hard enough as it is." He patted Bianca's head like back when she was a kid. To him, she would always be the shy little baby that he swore he would protect for the rest of his life.

Getting married to a stranger was not a problem as long as he could secure his place as the heir of the Kudou clan, and ensured the safety of his siblings. Because he knew the second his uncle took the reins, the three of them would be no more. So, it was the game of survival. And only the strongest would win.

Bianca sniffed lightly, but she didn't say anything more. She knew when to say her opinion and when to shut up. Although she was fuming inside because she only wanted the best for her brother. Guess she had to do what Christina told her to do then.

Then Luca interfered.

"So, brother, do you want to have one last fling before you're getting married? He moved his brow funnily and Gabriel suddenly couldn't help but remember the mysterious woman in all white, with the white orchid. He unconsciously fingered the velvety petals of the orchid in his pocket and smiled. He was thinking of fingering something else entirely and felt his manhood stirred.

"I don't mind having one last fling before I get married." With a certain someone in white and body like a temptress.

Hanzo should already find out her identity by tomorrow, and then he could take the appropriate action. She should not be an easy one to conquer, but having a different kind of woman might be a good closure to his single life.

He knew that she would not be a meek and obedient woman in bed, judging by how bold she was with her invitation and flirty wink. He also doubted that she knew who he really was, and it's a good sign. He didn't want another gold digger in his hand if it's the last thing that he would do.

"Oh? Do you have someone in mind?" Luca asked him, curious. "Irina, maybe?"

"No, not Irina. I already ended it with her before I came here. She was starting to get clingy just because I took her for the second time." He thought about the full diamond encrusted tennis bracelet that he gave her. "And I think I already gave her an appropriate thank you gift."

"What? A necklace? A bracelet? A blank check?" Luca scoffed. He hated Irina. True she was beautiful but she was also the perfect definition of a gold digger and a social climber, by the way she sneakily asked around about Gabriel and sneakily mentioned to people that she knew Gabriel intimately more than once. The siblings had their spies everywhere, and nothing that they wouldn't find out about the Russian model's true intention.

"She would've preferred it if you gave her a ring though." Bianca scoffed. She hated Irina the icy bitch at first glance because she could see the calculating look on her face. Thankfully Gabriel was not as dumb as the bitch thought he was.

"Or the blank check." Added Luca. Even though he liked blonde women, he just couldn't help but feeling dislike for the Russian model. He couldn't even properly explain why, just a gut feeling.

"Well, she's not going to be in the picture from now on, so you guys don't have to be worried." Gabriel chuckled from the overprotectiveness of his siblings.

Thankfully right at that time, Nonna came with the vegetarian lasagna and the new bottle of Barolo. She also brought a plate of osso bucco for Luca, mozzarella and tomato salad and a bowl of warm cream of mushroom soup for Bianca since she was on a no-meat diet.

"Thanks Nonna, will you join us?" Asked Gabriel.

"No, I still have a lot to do, but I will bring you the dessert soon. My special rum tiramisu with extra rum, your favorite." She winked at Gabriel and left.

"Now Nonna's tiramisu? That, I can't live without." Gabriel chuckled as he started to eat the lasagna. He just realized that he was famished and quickly polished the food and drank the wine while talking with his siblings.

"So, Gabe, I want you to come with us to Paris tonight for the long weekend. We have five days to shop and have fun before you have to go back to your responsibility." Bianca told Gabriel-who looked amused and was about to give her a reason to decline-but she quickly stopped him. "And no buts. I already told Ojisan and Hanzo about this, and they agreed that this will be good for you. Think of it as the... last hurrah."

Gabriel raised his hands in a surrender gesture. He knew when to fold if needed, and frankly he needed some time off before he had to do those tiring omiai.

"Fine with me." He chuckled. "Who else is coming?"

"Christina and Cassandra. Did you really think I would go shopping without them?" Bianca rolled her eyes. Her brother knew that the three of them always stuck together like triplets, and yet he always asked.

"Fine, fine, I will go with you and your girlfriends for a shopping spree in Paris for five days."

"Good. Now go eat your tiramisu. I already told Hanzo to prepare the jet for us."