Chapter 34 : War Had Already Begun

*Jacopo’s POV*

As I cautiously slid out from beneath the covers, Sophia's slender hands reached out in search of me. Even in slumber, her body yearned for mine, and her creamy skin shimmered in the golden morning light. It was difficult to leave her there alone.

But my father had called a meeting, and I needed to be there. Things were escalating, and now that I had reclaimed my position of power, I'd have to participate in these meetings to show strength and unity.

Unlike the dinner we'd had a few nights ago, this meeting was formal. It was being held in one of the buildings the Rossi family owned, and there would be more than just immediate family. The loyal men who'd worked for us for decades would have questions now that war was imminent and I was back in the fold, and this was my father's way of soothing questions and concerns.