The Accardi Twins: A Mafia Romance Duet

Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

Gia

M y family and Elisa show up later that day, all freaking out and crying, as I predicted, but they calm down when they see I’m holding it together. Nat reassures Mom my injuries will heal, and it helps to assuage her concerns.

The few days immediately after the kidnapping are a bit of a blur. I sleep a lot, thanks to regular doses of pain medication, and multiple tests are performed to ensure there are no lingering side effects of the GHB I was given. I breathe a sigh of relief when tests prove I didn’t contract any STIs from that prick, and though I have an IUD implanted, I asked Nat to conduct a pregnancy test to ensure no accidents have happened. Thankfully, it came back negative too.

We attend Hennessy’s and Luca’s funerals, protected by groups of heavily armed soldati , and they go off without issue. I spend some time with Hennessy’s family at the wake, explaining how their son willingly gave his life to protect mine and it’s a debt I can never repay. I tell them to call me if I can ever do anything for them.

O’Hara has cleaned house, and his operation is running smoothly now all the traitors have been rooted out and dealt with. We got some good intel from the interrogations that took place before their deaths. We know now the big boss is an Italian, but no one knows his name. It was a closely guarded secret, and only the higher-ups know.

Confusion is ripe in our circles as we try to figure out how Italy is involved in this. In the past, our connections were with Sicily, not the larger mainland. When Serena Salerno eliminated Stefan DeLuca years ago, we thought the family line died with him. All intel points to that, but a team has been sent to Sicily to check it out.

However, if this is someone from the mainland, we are at a complete loss. Italy is a pretty big country with a population of fifty-eight million. We can’t just blindly send teams of men to the mainland, and we can’t decimate our ranks here because war is coming, and we need every available man.

Tension is running high in The Big Apple, but the streets are ours again. The foreign supplies coming into the city have dried up. It’s no surprise considering Liam is still MIA. We’re not stupid. We know it’s the calm before the storm, but the newly enhanced board of The Commission is pulling out all the stops to put an end to this once and for all.

Weeks pass and I’m healing, inside and out. My face is back to normal, my concussion is gone, and while my ribs still hurt, they don’t hurt as badly.

Joshua has stayed true to his word, barely leaving my side. He has taken such good care of me. Cooking my meals so I’m eating healthily. Ensuring I take my medication on time. Bathing and showering me. Applying ointment to my myriad of injuries. Watching movies with me and teaching me to play chess on the onyx chessboard I bought him for his birthday. At night, he holds me tight, helping to chase any potential nightmares away.

I am so in love with him, and I know he is it for me—the man I will marry and have a family with. The man I will grow old with. Neither of us has said it out loud, but I can tell we’re on the same page. I am really happy, and I’m loving living here with him. We work well together, our strengths and differences complementing one another.

On days when Joshua has to attend a critical meeting at the company or Commission Central, he has his mom or Elisa come and stay with me and he doubles the security detail.

I’m part of the team working to ferret out the rats in our organization. Going through the chip-tracking reports for the past few months for thousands of men is painstaking work, but it’s proving fruitful.

Ben’s IT team identified a pattern that pinpoints those using reverse-engineered chips, and we are slowly compiling a list of men who are traitors. We can’t move on them yet, not without alerting our enemy we are onto them. Some of my colleagues from the informant team are tailing a few of these men in the hopes of identifying the key figure or figures at the senior level within the mafioso who are aiding the enemy. So far, we’re not making any headway, but we presume this person, or persons, is aware we are closing in and they are not doing anything to jeopardize their position.

But they will slip. They will make a mistake. And when they do, we will swoop in and do our own spring cleaning.

Today is my first day venturing outside, and I’m loving the feel of the brisk February air on my face as I walk hand in hand with Joshua toward the plastic surgeon’s office where I have an appointment. Ten men surround us, and we’re garnering our fair share of curious gazes. Joshua is a recognizable face around the city, but I’m a stranger to most.

“I can take a skin graft from your inner thigh and use it to repair the damaged skin on your arm,” the doctor says after examining me. “You should heal in two weeks, but it will take a year to two years for the skin to fully settle. It’s likely you will have some small permanent scarring, but it will be minimal and a drastic improvement.” The look on his face when he saw the rudimentary name etched on my arm was priceless.

“I want to do it.”

I’m eager to get that prick’s name and his mark off my arm so it’s not a permanent reminder of that night. I’ve been doing well, and I won’t let this hold me back. I have attended a few therapy sessions, mostly to appease Mom, Nat, Elisa, and Joshua, but it has helped to talk it all through with a professional. I have successfully compartmentalized the ordeal and blocked it from my mind.

Joshua is another matter.

He’s so gentle with me, like I’m this fragile thing he’ll break. Apart from kissing and a few heavy make out sessions, he hasn’t taken it any further, and I’m seriously sexually frustrated at this point. I had too many physical injuries at first to even think about sex, but now I’m mostly healed I’m keen to reset our relationship and reclaim my sexuality.

“How soon can you fit her in for the procedure?” Joshua asks, firmly holding my hand on top of the table.

“I have an opening in ten days. That is the earliest I can do it.”

“Please book me in.”

“I’d be happy to, Ms. Bianchi.”

I wet my lips and shoot a quick look at Joshua before I ask my next question. I wasn’t sure if I was going to ask it today, but now I’m here, I figure why not? “I saw on your website that you perform cosmetic procedures too, and I wanted to inquire into a breast reduction. Is that something you could do for me?”

Joshua’s surprise is barely discernible because he’s mastered hiding his emotions, but I see it. I probably should have mentioned it to him, but it’s my body. My decision.

“I don’t perform the procedures myself. One of my colleagues does, but I can refer you to him. John is here today. I can check if he has time to talk to you now?”

“Yes. That would be great, thanks.”

“Excuse me for a few moments,” Dr. Miller says, getting up and exiting the room.

Joshua turns to face me. “I didn’t realize you were considering this.”

“Is it a problem?” I’m immediately on the defensive.

“Of course not. I’m just surprised because you never mentioned it.”

“I’ve thought of it for years. I hate my breasts. They’re too big.”

“That is subjective.” He smiles, before raising my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles. “I love them, but it’s your body and your choice.”

My shoulders loosen in relief. “Will it upset you if they’re smaller?”

He shakes his head. “I love you for more than your rack, honey. I wouldn’t want them too small, but I’ll live with it. You do whatever you need to.”

“I love you.” I lean in and kiss him passionately. “I should have talked to you instead of springing it on you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He tucks strands of my blonde hair behind my ears. Originally, I was just going to let the dye fade, but after what happened, I wanted rid of it and that entire persona. Alexander came over one afternoon in January to return me to my natural glory, and though I liked my red hair, I’m happy to be back to myself. “We’re talking about it now.”

“I get a lot of back strain, and it hurts when I run. I’m not going to go really small. I like having boobs, but I want them more manageable and less noticeable. I developed early, and it drew a lot of unwanted male attention. I’d like to walk into a room and not have everyone staring at my tits.”

“Then you should definitely do it,” Joshua says just as Dr. Miller returns to the room with his colleague.

“Hey, sexy,” I say, pouncing on Joshua the instant he walks through the door later that night. He had a meeting to attend after the appointment this afternoon, and I haven’t seen him since he dropped me off, escorting me all the way to the penthouse because he rarely lets me out of his sight. I yank him forward by his tie and plant my eager mouth on his. His arms swoop around me, and he dips me back a little as we kiss like we’re never getting to do it again.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what did I do to deserve this?” he asks, his voice drenched with lust when we finally part for air.

“You exist and you’re mine.” I drop a slew of drugging kisses along his neckline as my hand dives between our bodies to grip his hard-on through his pants. “I love you, Joshua. I love you more than I thought I could ever love a man.” I squeeze his cock as I peer into his beautiful blue eyes. “Thank you for taking such good care of me. Thank you for loving me good.”

“It’s hardly been a chore. I love taking care of you, and loving you is as easy as breathing. Thank you for restoring my faith in love.”

“I need you.” I drop to my knees in front of him and reach for his zipper, ignoring the slight pain in my ribs.

“What are you doing?”

“Making one of your fantasies come true,” I confirm, lowering his zipper and freeing his cock from his pants and his boxers.

“You’re still healing.”

I look up at him, holding his magnificent, throbbing cock in my hand. “Are you seriously complaining right now?”

“Jesus, Gia,” he pants, his dick jerking as I slowly stroke it. “I want your mouth on me so freaking badly I’d sell my soul for a blowjob. But not at the expense of your health.”

“I barely feel a twinge from my ribs now, and I’m healed everywhere else.” I drill him with a pointed look as I slowly stroke his dick. “I love you for being careful with me, but it ends now, baby. I need you to fuck me and to stop treating me like some fragile doll. So, we’re doing this, and we’re doing it now.”

“Fuck, I really fucking love you.” His eyes glisten with emotion. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, now shut up and fuck my mouth.”