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I was tired of arguing with her. I owned the majority of the winery, period. There was no doubt about it, and I wasn’t giving it back. “Michael, you’ll have the paperwork prepared. Sixty percent.”
“Sixty!” Maggie cried. “No way. Ten, max.”
Smothering a sigh, I walked over to where she stood. She didn’t retreat a single step, which was both foolish and impressive. Instead, she sliced me to ribbons with her eyes. Again, foolish. I didn’t mind bold women with a bit of attitude, but not when it interfered with my plans.
I loomed over her and pushed a few loose strands of dark hair behind her ear. “Maggie, this is not a negotiation. You do not want to test me. Capisce?”
“This is my vineyard.” Her voice wavered, giving away her doubts. Her fear. “Ourvineyard. You’re not taking it, Vito.”
“I already have, so accept it.”
“I can’t.”
I rolled my lips together, prayed for calm. Enzo was the hot-tempered, violent one in the family. I was cool and thoughtful, able to see a problem from all sides.
But this girl was testing my patience.
“Ask around,” I told her. “Look into me and my family. You will learn a D’Agostino is not to be fucked with. And when I don’t get what I want, people get hurt.”
“You’re threatening me.”
“Maybe I am threatening your brother.”
She paled, the implication working, just as I knew it would. Maggie obviously cared about her family, their legacy. And I could use that against her. D’Agostinos were conditioned to prey on weakness. It was one of the first lessons my father taught me.
“Maggie, please,” her brother said. “You’re making it worse.”
She whirled on him, her shoulders stiff and angry. “Oh,Iam making it worse? You lost our winery, Mikey! Granddad started this place in 1963—and you lost it in a game of poker! Sorry if I’m not willing to accept it.”
“We don’t have a choice! Do you think I’m happy about this? I love this place as much as you do. But I fucked up!”
I stroked my jaw. This was tedious and I had better things to do. “I expect to sign the paperwork tomorrow.”
Maggie turned toward me, defiance etched in her expression. Then her gaze locked in on my hand—and her complexion went as white as flour. Her mouth fell open. “You’remarried?”
Ah. The meaningless piece of silver that had become a habit. Before I could confirm or deny my marital status, her fist connected with my stomach. Hard.
Pain exploded in my middle and I doubled over.
Madre di dio!She’dpunchedme.
“You cheating piece of shit!” she yelled.
“Oh, my god,” I heard her brother say as I struggled to catch my breath.
My body grew hot, like a match had been set to my blood, every part of me aflame. Very slowly, I straightened to my full height, violence rising under the surface of my skin. I would never hit a woman—I wasn’t my father, after all—but I couldn’t remember the last time I was this angry.
Before I could decide what to do or say, Michael began shoving Maggie toward the door. “I’ll get that paperwork, Mr. D’Agostino,” he blurted as they passed me. “No problem at all.”
“Seventy percent,” I said crisply.
“Fuck that!” Maggie struggled against her brother’s hold. “I’m not giving that asshole a goddamn thing!”
“Shut up!” Michael ordered and kept going. Then the door slammed shut and I could hear them arguing in the hall as they walked away.
A deep breath later and my mind cleared. Unlike my brothers, I wasn’t one to easily lose my cool. And even when I did, it didn’t last long. I preferred using my brain to my fists.
Rubbing my stomach, I stared at the door. Maggie had a hell of a right hook. She was tough, this woman. Also soft and funny. And fantastic in bed. I hadn’t realized there were so many facets to Maggie, but I liked them all. If I ever broke my no-repeat rule, it could easily be with her.