Silence Is Golden **WATTYS 2018 LONGLISTED!** The Mancini Connection Book1

Chapter 38 - Wanting

Emilio

Carmine strolled into my office with a late lunch. "Did you know Evangelina is here for a meeting and Sal's outside?"

"No, I didn't, and I don't trust him around her." Aggravated with Evangelina from the exclusion of the meeting that was taking place. However, once again, Tito had dismissed my concerns about Sal.

"Fred's down there too," Carmine said offhandedly.

"What that's supposed to make it right? I said, don't trust him?"

Carmine chuckled and tilted his head. "For fuck's sake, they grew up together and from what I've seen and heard of Evangelina. She doesn't have friends outside the family."

I spat out the words anger festering, "Beautifully broken its bullshit! He wants her."

"Can you hear yourself? Are you jealous of their friendship? You don't even want her, so why does it matter?"

I stood striding towards the door, and I didn't even think when I answered, "Evangelina is my wife, she'll do as she's told."

Carmine sat down, opened his lunch. "Good, luck, with that!"

Knocking, on the door once, then opening it, Evangelina's posture changed slightly. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed as I knew she'd had been avoiding me. "I'd like to see you before you leave."

"I'm on a tight schedule. How about I squeeze you at quarter to five? I have several conference calls then a business dinner at seven?"

"That's not going to work for me, Evangelina I shouldn't have to be pencilled in to see my wife."

"Well, you picked the wrong day. Can you either come in or leave." I chose the latter and leaned against the file cabinet as I listened intently.

"The trouble with what your suggesting is some will price gouge projects this size. Your projected figures will blow out with the Steele and concrete structures. Then you have union strikes which touch wood they don't happen."

I stayed quiet what Stanley said he was right to a certain point. Her phone started ringing she rejected the call and turned the phone to silent. The expression on Evangelina's face changed to what I'd come to recognise as losing her patience. I didn't know if it was with Stanley or who was calling because they were persistent.

The timber in her voice changed. I felt a twinge of guilt as I had been on the receiving end countless times. "Milia Steele & Co hold an exclusive contract for our Steel supply so it won't be an issue. Quest is in talks with several companies, no more handshake deals. No, one works with Quest without a contract that is not negotiable."

Stan appeared confounded for a moment. "But, we've built strong business relationships over the years Ms Bettini they won't be ignored."

"I don't care new captain at the helm new way of doing things." Evangelina's eyes lit up at the banter as Stan's facial expression looked surprised at her words. "Nico Fulginiti will be here in two days he will guide the company through the first couple of years. He will handpick who will become the next acting VP."

Evangelina's words were, measured there was no mistaking her meaning my anger, dissipating. Finding myself immensely, turned on by her confidence and control of this situation. Her phone lit up again as her eyes darted over to it quickly glancing at it.

"It is not a given Mr Gains that you will receive the position even with your seniority. Please do remember hard work smart choices will be the deciding factors." Standing up, she held out her hand, shaking his. "I do hope you are up for the challenge?"