30. Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Alessandrio
T he smell of her sweet pussy tickles my nose in her wake. The urge to follow her retreating form has me watching her until she disappears, but a soft chuckle grates on my nerves and quells all of those urges.
“Fuck off,” I grunt, turning away from the lingering scent and ignoring my uncle to open my fridge.
“I never believed in miracles until now.” I shoot the old man a sharp look, daring him to poke that bear.
“You cleaned,” he says innocently, gesturing to the now empty hall.
I did indeed. I needed to busy myself last night, distract myself from the desperate need to go to her. It would give her power over me. She would know that I am weak for her, that it went against everything in my nature to stop last night. So when I saw her foot slip on the remnants of my rage and I stopped myself before I reached out to steady her, I realized she wasn’t safe in my space. Wasn’t safe? Even now, the thought is bitter and disgusting. Of course, she isn’t safe. She is with me.
Burying the memories deep, I pull food from the fridge, my previous hunger now dampened by my annoyance.
“What do you want, old man?”
“I delivered the clothes Lucia ordered for Olivia and Emilio wants to meet with both of you.” I shoot him a disgusted look. “She is a part of this. She should be present when you check in with him,” Lorenzo adds. “He noticed her chatting to De Luca last night. He wants to know what was said.”
“I could get it out of her and let him know.” I can think of many ways I could get her to talk. She was so needy last night, clenching and wet around my fingers as she rode my hand. I had licked those fingers clean. I bet even now, if I raised them, that sweet heady scent would still be clinging to my fur. If I offered her release, what secrets would she give me?
“Earth to Drio!”
“Fuck,” I curse, pulling my head out of the gutter. “What?” I snap.
“He wants to meet with you both at the steak house tonight. Dinner is at seven,” Lorenzo throws back. “Also, there is a party on Saturday night that you and your fiancée must attend,” he adds with a knowing smile.
Fiancée. The thought still annoys me as I make my way around the counter. Lorenzo follows me to the couch and takes a seat as I pick at my food. He removes the binoculars from their box and does a sweep of the outside world, whistling as his eyes land on the rooftop bar across from the hotel.
“Why do you torment yourself like this?” he asks, holding up the binoculars.
“It isn’t a torment. It’s fuel for my hate,” I reply between bites.
My admittance quells his inquiries, and it’s my turn. I fire off question after question about my men and their movement. Pry into the actions he’s taking to sniff out Riccardo and what surveillance they have on the Outfit. It all sounds like he has it under control and a sour taste fills my mouth at how easily he has taken over my role.
“You are playing an imperative part. She is the key. If what she says is true, her brother will never let her live, never allow her to take over that family. He will rear his head and when he does, we cut the fucking thing off,” he spits.
A stone fills my gut. She is our tool and our collateral, and yet it unsettles me deeply. That in itself shakes my foundations. She is a tool, I remind myself. Her fate and future are no concern of mine.
“I miss the towel.”
Olivia’s gaze snaps to mine and her white sneakers pause.
“One would think you would be happy having me finally covered up in your presence.” Her eyes say unbothered, but the tightening around her mouth disputes the message.
In truth, the sight of her in clothing is just as devastating. She looks like a gift I want to unwrap. Her white long sleeve henley hugs her body, the top two buttons undone, the small swell of her breasts just visible. Every inch of her is now hugged by fabric, the light denim jeans cling to her waist and legs in a way that should be illegal. She visibly shivers as my eyes leisurely slide down and then back up, those full lips tightening further. Definitely bothered.
“Did you request the running shoes?” she asks.
“I did.” She looks confused by my response.
“The gym clothes?” I nod my head.
She is quiet for a moment, eyes thoughtful as she looks around for something to busy herself with, uncomfortable with the knowledge. I watch her body retreat to the window, appreciating the sway of her hips and the view of her perfect ass. A gift . It’s an effort to drag my eyes away as she picks up the binoculars and begins a sweep of the world beyond, silence hanging over the room.
“Thank you,” she says softly, not turning around.
“You’re welcome,” I reply, rounding the counter. “We have to go down to dinner now,” I tell her, walking toward the elevator.
Something has definitely changed between us. I can feel it in the elevator’s air. The electricity is palpable, and I feel my fur rising with goosebumps. It’s even more obvious that something has changed when we greet Emilio, whose eyes flick between us with nothing short of knowing amusement that has my hackles rising.
“You two look good together,” he says.
My eyes spear him with a warning look not to push in that direction, and I see the corners of his lips twitch as he fights to suppress a smile. We take our seats and I put myself between Olivia and him. He may have taken me off capo duties, but the steak knives in front of us look awfully sharp and if she took a chance, I could make a grab for her while protecting my brother. Old habits die hard and I will not be taking any risks.
“There have been sightings.” Emilio’s words pluck our strings.
“Where?” Olivia breathes, and my eyes slide to her.
She is either an Oscar-winning actress or she is truly terrified and I’m not sure which it is just yet. Her shoulders bunch, her eyes are wide and I see a slight tremble in the hands I demanded she keep on the table.
“He’s in the city,” my brother replies.
“Has he met up with the Outfit?” I can’t hide the distaste in my words.
“Not yet. He seems to be lying low. One of Spiro’s girls got picked up, came back black and blue.” My stomach bottoms out. “She said he called himself the true heir, made her call him that during the act. She reported it back to Spiro. He followed the trail back to a sleazy motel and found a dossier file on you.” He points a black tipped finger at the woman beside me and my attention shifts.
Her entire body paints a tense picture. From her pinched mouth to her bunched shoulders and pale face.
“I now know why you were in that school,” Emilio continues, and I watch her delicate hands ball into white-knuckled fists. “Drio, Jimmy shared with you her encrypted file in her school documents?”
“Yes.” I don’t look at him. My eyes are laser focused on her, our gazes clashing.
“Did you open it?” Emilio continues.
Those grey orbs are heavy with emotion, hurt, curiosity and fear linger on their surface. I wanted to open it as soon as Jimmy cracked the code. It was my intention, but I still couldn’t bring myself to look. Everything with her feels so… raw. I shake my head no and watch her face relax just the slightest. A thoughtful sound comes from my brother’s direction, but I am too lost in Olivia to even care what kind of picture we paint for him.
“Well, it isn’t my story to tell, so I will let you both figure it out when you are ready,” he says, whatever that fucking means.
I want to touch her. Something about the way she is looking at me pulls at everything I am; a protector at my core. It stirs up memories from a very long time ago, memories of my mother, bruised and tormented. I shake my head, ripping my eyes from hers and forcing myself to look at my brother, forcing my mouth to form questions and fire them off. He answers them, my attention forcibly honed in on him despite my thoughts being on the woman beside me.
One of our made men enters, pushing a cart of food, and the conversation dies as my brother stands.
“Lucia is waiting for me.”
“What? I thought we were having dinner.” My eyes flick to the trolley of food and back to Emilio.
“You two are having dinner,” he says, simply shrugging his shoulders like he’s a big innocent bear.
My ass. This was a setup and I convey through my eyes that I am onto him as our man places a dish in front of Olivia and attempts to do the same to me.
“You are the ugliest server I have ever seen, Donny,” I growl, waving him away.
Donny cuts a mocking bow, moving to Emilio’s side, both men smiling like Cheshire cats as they back toward the door.
“You kids have fun now,” Emilio calls back as he pushes through the door.
My brother has officially lost it, solidifying my conclusion that love makes us both blind and stupid. Olivia isn’t just some girl, she is the daughter of our enemy, her brother is the villain of Emilio’s story. She is not to be trusted, and yet he is what? Setting me up on a date? I swallow my irritation and look at her. Confusion pinches her face as she stares at the door. She has her lip caught between two teeth, but this time, I don't lift my hand to pull it out. I don’t trust myself, not when all I want to do is lean in to suck and lick any sting from it.
“Eat.” I say gruffly, already keen to be done with this.
She doesn’t look at me, not as she picks up her utensils, focused on the meal before her. We eat in silence, questions hanging in the air, and I know that eventually they will have to be asked—and answered. The silence persists, coiled and tense, even back up in the elevator to my dark apartment. She is out of the small space first, walking with a purpose and I expect her to return to her room, giving us both a reprieve, but the silence breaks when she whirls on me in the middle of my living room.
“Why haven’t you read my encrypted files?”
I like her anger better than her silence. It’s like fuel to my own fire, but even I hear the catch in her voice. I slap the lights on in answer, perfectly dimmed to cast the room in a warm glow. Her mouth says she wants a fight, but her body screams insecurity, arms wrapped around her middle, refusing to meet my gaze.
“Because I don’t care about your past.” Her eyes lift at that. “And I want nothing clouding my judgement with you.” It’s the hardest truth I have ever told.
I have never been near a girl I didn’t trust myself to not touch the way I am with her. I have been reckless with my interest in the past, followed my cock like a dog would a bone. Used women and been used in return. I have had dangerous liaisons before; married women in loveless unions wanting to feel alive, and good Mafia girls attempting to ruin their reputation to put a potential suitor off. Olivia Dolmino, however, scares me, because I could lose myself in my want of her. If I let her, she could poison me, and that could have catastrophic repercussions for my family.
“And you don’t think touching me—” She pauses, I can almost hear her brain working up the courage to speak. “What you did last night, wouldn’t that cloud your judgement?”
“Last night was a test, and I passed with flying colors.” And it was—I have never denied myself anything.
“I am not some kind of conspiracy against you, Alessandrio. You took me, remember? Threw me into this plot where I have remained an unwilling participant.” All insecurity is lost to the storm of her temper.
“You are also related to the craftiest motherfucker I know, a man so corrupted by his hate that he would set a trap and lay in wait for the right moment to strike,” I snap back, taking a step toward her.
She doesn’t flinch, eyes boring into mine, and I can’t deny that I love this feeling. In another life, she might have been made for me, and that thought alone fuels my rage, because this isn’t another life and she can’t be fucking trusted.
I plough on, “How do I know you weren’t planted in front of me? You know you are beautiful, you know the power you might have over others with a face like this.” I reach out and cup her cheek. Her eyes are so familiar, yet still a mystery. “I could have had you against the wall when you intervened with my brother’s punishment.” I rub a velvet thumb across the high point of her cheek, watching the claw tip narrowly miss her eye. “Could have pulled you into my lap last night and made you ride my cock.” Her breathing hitches. “Right now, I could lay you out on this floor and fuck you senseless and you would let me,” I whisper, my thumb sliding down over the sharp edge of her jaw and I watch the morbid sight of my terrible hand circle her throat. I squeeze just enough to have her mouth popping open and yet still no fear flickers in her eyes. “You should be afraid of me. I won’t fuck you, Olivia. I will consume you until I’ve wrung every little secret from that pretty mouth of yours only to fill it with my cock when I am done. So be sure that when you cross that line, you have no secrets I can use against you, because I will. Because when it comes down to it, my family will always come first and I will put you in the ground before I see you hurt anyone I love.”
“I am not the enemy,” is her only response.
I want to squeeze, want to watch that desire bleed into fear, but my hand won’t work. So I bare my teeth and push her away, because my stupid paws won’t move and the temptation is too great.
“Oh sweetheart, how have you not figured it out yet? We aren’t just enemies, we are mortal enemies. Only one of us can walk away from this experience alive, and I am going to make damn sure it’s me.” I turn my back on her and make my way back to the elevator.
My apartment is feeling smaller and smaller by the day.