Chapter 247 His brother was hopeless

Chapter 247: Chapter 247 His brother was hopeless

For a moment, nobody dared to move.

Then Alessio let out a short, humourless laugh. "Wonderful."

Rafael coughed into his fist.

He knew that tone.

It was never a good sign.

Alessio turned his attention to the team leader, his green eyes narrowing slightly as he tapped his fingers against the folder in front of him.

"You expect me to approve a security plan for a location none of you have bothered to inspect?"

"Sir, we reviewed the available photographs and—"

"Photographs?"

Alessio’s green eyes sharpened.

"Do you intend to stop bullets with photographs as well?"

The man went pale.

Rafael finally lowered his head, pretending to examine his notes. He really shouldn’t have found this funny, especially when the poor fellow was standing in front of Alessio looking as though he had just received a death sentence.

But honestly, the man had practically walked into that one.

Alessio closed the folder in front of him with a sharp snap.

"You’re going back to the location. I want a complete assessment, updated maps and a revised security plan on my desk by tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning?" the team leader repeated before he could stop himself.

Alessio slowly raised his eyes.

"Would you prefer tonight?"

"No, sir! Tomorrow morning is fine."

"Good."

The team leader nodded so quickly that Rafael almost felt sorry for him.

Alessio’s gaze moved across the rest of the group, his expression leaving no room for negotiation.

"And if I find another report based on assumptions rather than facts, I’ll replace the entire team. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

The answer came almost simultaneously.

"Get out."

Chairs scraped against the floor as the men hurriedly gathered their folders and made their way toward the door. One of them nearly collided with another in his haste, earning a sharp glare from his colleague before both disappeared into the corridor.

Rafael watched them leave before finally turning toward his older brother.

"You know, you could try smiling once in a while."

Alessio didn’t even look at him. "Why?"

"To remind people you’re human."

"They’re here to work, not admire my face."

Rafael stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"God, you’re impossible."

Alessio picked up his glass of water and took a sip, completely unimpressed by his younger brother’s amusement.

"And you’re an annoying a*s."

Rafael grinned.

He had been called far worse by his older brother and considering the number of times he had deliberately provoked Alessio over the years, he considered it a rather mild insult.

"Love you too, brother."

"Unfortunately, the feeling isn’t mutual."

"That’s fine. I’ll continue loving you on your behalf."

Alessio gave him a flat look before returning his attention to the documents on the table.

Rafael chuckled and settled back into his chair, deciding that irritating his brother was far more entertaining than reviewing another security report.

For the next few minutes, the room fell into silence. The large screen still displayed the unfinished presentation, casting a faint glow over the conference table, while Alessio flipped through the remaining documents with his usual concentration.

Then Rafael noticed something.

Alessio had picked up his phone.

He unlocked it, glanced at the screen and immediately locked it again.

A minute later, he did the same thing.

Rafael’s eyebrows rose.

Interesting.

His brother had spent the last two days acting as though he had personally sworn an oath never to speak to Daisy unless absolutely necessary. He had barely mentioned her name and whenever Rafael tried to tease him about her, Alessio shut him down before he could finish his sentence.

Yet now, between reviewing security reports and tearing apart his team’s work, he kept checking his phone as though he were expecting an important message.

Rafael slowly leaned closer, pretending to be interested in the documents beside him.

"Waiting for someone?"

"No."

"Didn’t ask who."

Alessio turned his head.

Rafael smiled innocently.

"Just making conversation."

"Find a hobby."

"I have one."

"Then pursue it somewhere else."

Rafael chuckled and settled back in his chair but his attention remained on his brother.

Look at him.

My dear older brother, the terrifying Alessio Ricci, who can make grown men forget how to breathe with a single look, is sitting here checking his phone every thirty seconds.

The thought was almost too entertaining.

Rafael glanced at the phone lying beside Alessio’s hand before looking back at his brother with a suspiciously innocent expression.

"So... has Daisy texted you?"

Alessio’s expression hardened.

"No."

The answer came quickly.

Rafael’s smile widened.

"Ah."

"Ah, what?"

"Nothing."

"Rafael."

"Fine, fine." Rafael raised both hands in surrender, although the amusement remained in his eyes. "I’m not saying anything."

"Then keep your mouth shut."

"Of course."

Rafael pressed his lips together, making a show of locking them, before turning back toward the presentation.

He lasted approximately ten seconds.

"You know, if you miss talking to someone, you could just text them."

Alessio slowly lowered the document in his hand.

Rafael immediately became very interested in the ceiling.

"Interesting weather today, isn’t it?"

"Get out."

"We’re still in a meeting room."

"Then stop talking."

Rafael laughed under his breath.

His brother was hopeless.

But Alessio had already turned away, his attention fixed on the phone beside him. The screen remained dark and there were no new notifications waiting for him.

He told himself he was doing the right thing by keeping his distance.

Daisy had her own life, her own responsibilities and her own friends. She didn’t need him hovering around her every day, asking whether she had eaten, whether she was tired or whether something had upset her. He had been treating her differently for weeks and the more time he spent around her, the harder it became to pretend that his concern was merely a consequence of friendship.

He had no intention of making his feelings another problem she would have to deal with.

Still, as the minutes passed, his gaze kept drifting toward his phone.

He wondered whether she had eaten lunch.

Whether she had gone to work.

Whether she was having a good day.

Then he caught himself, his jaw tightening as he placed the phone face down on the table.

Get a grip, Alessio.

Surely, he could manage two days without talking to one woman.

Beside him, Rafael watched his brother pick up his phone for the third time.

He said nothing.

For now, watching Alessio lose a battle with his own feelings was far more entertaining than the meeting had been.