Chapter 242 - Not Now

"Well since I'm in charge, I technically can make the choice for it to be whenever I think is fit as long as I don't put it off for too long, correct?" Samuel mused as he looked at his cousin. An amused smile spread across his lips. 

"That would be correct. I'm the face of things for the time being, but ultimately, everything is for you to decide how you want it to go." It was nice to see how quickly his cousin was picking up on how things worked. He still had a long way to go before it would be safe to leave everything in his hands. 

"Then I say three days from now. I want to enjoy the rest of this time off as well as have more time to speak to about what will be going on. I assume also that would give enough time for others to gather for this occasion as well?" He took another bite of his shaved ice as he waited for the reply. 

"Most everyone who would attend is here already though there are a few others that we could invite from my side. I don't know about for the Vedova Nera." Lena replied. She didn't believe there was a reason for anyone beyond immediate family to attend the event. 

"There are a few people we would need to call back for the occasion. I don't believe though that there's anyone who's too far out of the way that they wouldn't be able to come back on such short notice." Jovani replied as he mentally took a note of everyone that he would need to invite. 

"Of course, we would have to inform the mafia council at a later point in time of what's going on. I don't think necessarily right away though since my dear cousin is only coming in on the surface as a new member to the family." 

"My father can take care of that when the time comes. I believe there are more members that he's on better terms with than your family is likely to be." The princess remarked causing Jovani's smile to turn bitter. 

She wasn't wrong. That was a part of events he would have rather forgotten. Things that took place before his time in control but that he still had to suffer the impact of. 

"Are you going to be planning on staying the night with us since you've already come this far?" Samuel then asked when it seemed to him that the basics of the situation had been resolved and there was no need to discuss the matter further at that moment in time. 

"I would, but there are other commitments that I need to attend to instead. We do need to take extra time though to discuss matters with that Richard the princess's father is associated with." The older cousin replied. 

"Something else that needs to be dealt with that shouldn't be put off for too long since there are a number of moving pieces that we don't have control over." Jovani took a sip of his drink as he thought about this. There were a lot of things piling up again that needed his attention. 

"Richard can handle things on his own for the time being. If anything needs to change suddenly, he will be sure to let my father know. Waiting a little extra time might be in our favor if we want the other to slip up and get nervous." Lena pointed out. 

She was not fond of talking too much about such matters in unfamiliar company but knew that things such as this couldn't be put off too much. 

It instead led her to keep a close eye on everyone around them to make sure no one was paying too much attention to them. 

Jovani was more clever than he seemed, but she still didn't think he was cautious enough for her taste.

It was better to trust no one than to regret having taken a risk. Samuel didn't understand all those pieces yet so she couldn't exactly be upset with what he asked or did. He still had a lot of training before he would fit perfectly into their world. 

"I was curious to know how you seem so well acquainted with him since it doesn't seem like he's deeply entrenched into everything." Jovani asked, shifting the conversation and his attention onto the princess. 

"I don't, he's one of the contacts that my father has known for quite some time. I just happen to get along with him by association. Seems he remembers more about me than I do about him." Lena explained as she finished the rest of her shaved ice off. 

"I see, so it's like that. Regardless, I do intend to do some of my own background research just to make sure that there isn't anything out of place with this. Later we can discuss how things will go." Since it seemed as though the other two were done as well, he knew that was likely his cue that it was time to leave them be. 

"Let's plan on meeting up again perhaps the day after tomorrow to go over everything someplace better. I don't want to take away anymore of your time off than I already have." The older cousin told the other two as he stood up. 

"Make sure to have a lot of fun on my behalf since it seems like I won't be getting a break any time soon. You know where to find me if you happen to need anything." He waved before he got ready to turn and leave. He paused briefly however before turning his head to look back at the princess. 

"Make sure to also bid adieu to your brother for me if we don't happen to cross paths again before it's time for him to leave." The princess gave him an odd look in response to this request but still nodded her head to let him know she would. 

She didn't think that the two of them were close enough for something like that, but then again it seemed that there was a lot she didn't understand about Jovani still. 

Once he was gone, however, she felt like she could relax more. The last thing that she wanted to deal with was a headache while they were trying to enjoy their time off. 

"You think it's about time that we consider heading back now with how late it is getting?" Samuel asked when he noticed that the other looked both tired and annoyed. 

"Perhaps before dinner comes along. Hopefully, there won't be anything else work-related for us when we get back. One day without something like this would be nice." She replied with a sigh. 

The princess already knew though from past experience that the day she didn't have anything important to do on a day off would be the day that hell froze over and time stopped. 

The darker side of the world waited for now.. Regardless of what was going on, it would always keep moving and something that needed to be watched would always need her attention even if she or anyone else didn't have their best attention to give to it.