Chapter 16
“Call me if anything happens,” I tell Matteo, raising my brows. I can’t believe I’m asking this of the twins. I shouldn’t have to, but Luca told me there was an emergency at Haze, and since I’m eager to get back to a sense of normalcy, the boys are taking me over there to deal with it myself. I’ll only be gone for the afternoon, but leaving Giovanni alone with the twins still leaves me uneasy.
“It won’t,” Matteo answers with a grin. “But sure.”
His words leave me a little apprehensive.
Since the day I returned, the Ferrante brothers have remained impartial to the situation between Giovanni and Enzo. While Levi, Luca, and Enzo have done nothing but voice their opinions on my decisions, the twins have kept tightlipped. It leaves me wondering what their position is when it comes to Giovanni, and though I know I can trust them, I’m overwhelmed with nervous energy because I won’t be here to diffuse the situation if anything happens. It wasn’t so bad the other day when Luca and Enzo were taking care of things. Despite their views on what transpired, they cancel each other out when it comes to their violent tendencies; their egos are too big to let the other succeed.
“Oh, and…”
Matteo grips my shoulders, giving me an assuring smile. “Feed and water Gio?” he laughs.
I bite my tongue, my thoughts instantly drifting to Giovanni. I can’t imagine what he’s going through right now. I’ve cut him off from the world—which he deserved— but I gave him my word that I’d find his daughter. While I know where Luisa is, we still have no clue where Gabriella is being kept. The last thing I want to do is let Giovanni down, even after everything. I pride myself on following through on my promises, and if I have to rub palms with the enemy to get there, I’m not above that.
My eyes wander towards the pool house. I know he’s there, probably pacing the room. He won’t leave because I know he’s seeking redemption for what he did. Theoretically, he could just walk out of here, but if there’s something I know about Giovanni, it’s that he won’t just disappear.
“We’ve got things covered, Bianchi,” Marco reassures me as he stands beside his brother, though there’s something in the way he looks over my shoulder that makes me suspicious.
“And if we don’t, we know where to hide the body.”
Though I know Matteo is joking, a little shiver of apprehension crawls up my spine.
“Relax!” Marco soothes. “It’s just a few hours.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I just worry.”
Matteo guides me down the steps into the courtyard. “You don’t need to worry about us, Donna. We’re big boys.”
I roll my eyes, unable to contain the smile that stretches my lips. Matteo has such a light heart, an optimistic view on everything. As much as he can be serious, I do enjoy this side of his personality. It definitely makes things a little less arduous when it comes to my position. Maybe I don’t have anything to worry about after all. The guys can handle themselves, and I’m sure Raf will keep an eye on things.
Stop spiraling!
“Sera?” Luca calls out impatiently from behind me, making me jump.
Reluctantly, I step away and spin around, huffing as I meet the gazes of three dark and brooding men. They’re all wearing the same look; impatience, with a glimmer of lust swimming in their eyes.
Levi looks like he’s itching with excitement, though he tries to rein it in.
Luca is wearing his stoic mask, but I see the way his eyes betray him, touring my body slowly.
And then there’s Enzo; my estranged best friend. I’m trying to ignore the betrayal, the sting of hurt that pierces me every time I look into his dark eyes. Every part of me wants to hate him for what he put me through. Every fiber, every molecule of my being, wants to shut him out. But the connection we had since we were little still tugs away at my chest. You can’t just lose what we had. Death or not, Enzo and I have unfinished business, and I’m reminded every time I look at him.
I step towards the SUV, taking Levi’s hand as he helps me in. When he moves away, Luca takes his place, leaning over me to clip my belt in. He gives me a subtle wink before dropping a chaste kiss to my lips. While the gestures are pretty normal, Levi and Luca are both acting strange. Usually, I wouldn’t be bothered by their antics, but I’m suspicious when Luca slides into the passenger seat next to Enzo, silently checking our surroundings.
“Looks like it’s you and me, Bellissima,” Levi whispers as he slips into the seat beside me. The scent of his cologne envelops me as he leans in and buries his nose in my hair. His signature scent of wood and smokey leather, and a trace of citrus invades my senses.
Shivering against his gentle touch, I lock eyes with Enzo in the rearview mirror. His dark gaze pierces my soul, as if he doesn’t already own a piece of it. His jaw clenches as he pulls the car through the gates, like he’s trying his best to keep his words to himself. But that’s the thing about my best friend, he’s never held back on voicing what he thinks. It’s one of the reasons I made him my second in command in the first place. His unbiased opinion keeps the trust between us. I might not appreciate it sometimes, but losing him made me realize just how much I’ve missed him being around.
“What are you thinking?” Levi murmurs low, stealing my attention.
I turn to him, catching the mischief in his eyes. “Nothing,” I lie, though I’m pretty sure he sees right through it.
He cups my cheek, pulling me to his lips. “You know I can tell when you’re lying,” he mutters against them before stealing a kiss.
Heat crawls up my spine, my throat suddenly parched at the implication of being called out. But the way his tongue slides against mine in a deep kiss has me soon forgetting what I was even thinking about in the first place.
It takes a solid minute after he breaks contact for me to form words again.
“So what’s happened at Haze?” I ask, quickly changing the subject. It can’t be anything too serious, otherwise the guys would be raining down hell by now. Plus, I highly doubt they’d suggest that I accompany them today. This situation reeks of something sketchy, and I don’t know if I should be worried or excited.
“You said you wanted to get back into a normal routine,” Enzo reminds me.
“So I get the whole army for an outing?” I joke.
“Not the whole army,” Luca comments bitterly, his gaze fixed on something outside the window. I make a mental note to address that once we get to Haze. I’ve asked for some amicability in the group, and I won’t tolerate his open distaste. He can save that for when he’s alone because I don’t want to hear it.
I look to Levi for support, but he only shrugs in response. Now I’m even more suspicious. While I know my safety has always been paramount with these men, I didn’t require this much escorting a few days ago when Levi and I went down to the city.
After a few minutes, we lull into silence, the purr of the engine being the only sound as we navigate towards the marina. The sun is high in the sky, the rays bouncing off the road and creating ripples on the horizon. As the hills that surround us start to fall behind, my attention is drawn to the road ahead. The bay comes into view, the sea sparkling through the gaps in the buildings.
As we draw closer, the exit for the city speeds past us and nervous confusion starts to set in.
“Enzo?”
“Yeah?” He glances at me in the mirror.
“You…” I turn and frown at Levi, but he’s wearing a look of mischief on his face like never before. “What’s going on?”
Levi slides his hand into mine, lifting it and running my knuckles across his lips as he gazes up at me through his long lashes. Goosebumps break out over my skin, the intensity of Levi’s stare making my pulse race.
“Wait and see,” he smiles.
“But what about Haze?”
Finally, Luca turns to look back at me. His lips are turned up in a smirk that has me melting on the spot. Behind those bright blue eyes is a man determined to bring me to my knees with one look. “There was no issue at Haze, Dolcezza.”
My gaze pings between all three men, but none of them are giving me anything. A sickening blend of excitement and anxiety turns my stomach. Whatever these men are up to is unsettling.
“Don’t look so worried,” Enzo chuckles, steering us further down the road. The palm trees pass us at lightning speed, the green hills becoming sandy mounds in the distance.
Even though I want to know what’s going on, I keep my focus on the scenery. It’s not like these men are going to lead me into the lion’s den, so I’m just going to have to trust that whatever they’re up to is for my benefit.
Eventually, we navigate down a long driveway, stopping at a gate to what looks like a beach house. Enzo punches a code into the keypad, and we all sit in silence as the gates ahead of us peel away, exposing a cute white beach house, complete with a wrap-around balcony. The wooden panels of the house glow under the sun, and I can’t help but gape when we pull up in front. The place isn’t huge, but it looks big enough to accommodate the four of us, and the fact that it’s set away from the beach gives it an extra layer of privacy.
I jump out of the car, unable to contain my curiosity and excitement. “What are we doing here?” I ask, taking the steps towards the front door eagerly.
The doors to the car slam behind me, and I’m suddenly bathed in the warmth of three bodies surrounding me. I feel their protective prowess envelop me, Luca’s hand on my lower back as he guides me forward.
“Happy birthday, Dolcezza.”
Ascream bursts from my chest as Levi tosses me into the waves, dumping my body into the sea. I gasp and sputter as I start to tread water, feeling so liberated and happy that I can’t contain my laughter.
Tilting my head back, I let the water run through my hair. The sun warms my skin, already starting to dry the sea from my face. This is something I never knew I needed. Even though I’ve barely got back into running my legal businesses, this break from the disaster of my reality is what I needed to cleanse my soul.
A smile spreads across my lips as Luca grabs me by the legs and wraps them around his body, sending us bouncing through the next wave. The water laps at our bodies as we float together, his lips closing in on mine. His hot tongue slides against my own, the need to claim me becoming desperate as he holds me tighter.
Another set of hands take me by surprise as they slide down my waist, the warmth of Levi’s body joining us as he peppers kisses along my neck. It’s soft in comparison to the way Luca devours me. It’s a delicious contrast that sets my entire body alight with frustrated desire, a stark reminder of why I can’t get enough of these men; they each give me something different.
“You took your bandages off,” Levi comments, still trailing kisses over my skin.
My toes curl and my core tightens. I seek friction against Luca’s cock, desperately rubbing myself against him. “They were beginning to itch,” I reply breathlessly.
In all honesty, the gash on my face looked like it was beginning to heal well. And I double checked with the doctor yesterday about my back. He was happy that the stitches were holding well and the skin was repairing, so he gave me the all clear to take the bandages off as long as I took it steady. That alone was a feat in itself. Trying to remove a bandage on your back alone? Not exactly the easiest task in the world.
Luca pulls away from our kiss, leaving me breathless as he grabs Levi by the back of the neck. He draws him in closer for a deep kiss, their mouths sliding and tongues twining. I’d be lying if I said watching them isn’t hot. They both know what they want, and the fact they don’t hold back around me only makes me adore them that much more.
Movement in the corner of my eye catches my attention. In the distance, Enzo takes a seat on a sun lounger, taking a pull from his beer bottle. Though his eyes are obstructed by sunglasses, I can practically feel the heat of his gaze as he watches me.
“Uh oh, I know that look,” Levi growls from behind me.
“What?” I laugh, splashing water over my shoulder.
He laughs deeply, his grip on my hips tugging me away from Luca and into his arms. “Go talk to him.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“You know you can’t hate him forever, Dolcezza.”
Turning to him, I frown. “I don’t hate him.”
It’s the truth; I don’t think I could ever truly hate Enzo. He’s always been a part of my life, he has a part of me I never knew was gone until the day I lost him. And now that he’s back, it’s like he’s brought that piece with him. But I don’t know what to do with it because three months have allowed me to replace that missing part. My heart isn’t totally repaired from the heartbreak, but the scars are smoother now, the pain a little less than it was.
Luca nips my earlobe from behind, making me shiver as I snap my attention back to him. “Kiss and make up.”
“Don’t act like you’re all best friends now,” I scoff. “Last time I checked, you were all at each other’s throats.”
“Maybe we’re seeing things in a different light,” Levi reasons and I can’t resist the boyish smile he sends my way. It’s my ultimate weakness and he knows it.
Somehow, I don’t believe that statement, though. It’s not like I have anything to say to Enzo. We covered most of it the other day. Just the memory of me falling in his arms after the revelation of my father’s involvement in this mess tugs at the connection we have. Enzo’s words still echo in the back of my mind. I was always there, watching you.
Maybe they’re right. I still feel like there’s a thick fog clouding our relationship; it’d be good to clear the air and try to shed some light on the shadow that seems to be following us.
I contemplate for a little longer, until Levi coaxes me in the direction of the shore. “Go get him,” he whispers in my ear.
Huffing, I make my way through the waves, relishing the way the sand slides between my toes as I head up the beach towards the house. I still can’t believe Enzo planned this. Celebrating my birthday was always our thing, a reason for me to forget about the life we lead and just be ourselves. It was a chance for us to liberate ourselves from the burdens of our families and act like a couple of normal people.
Sure, it was short-lived, but I got to experience life in technicolor because Enzo never failed to make each birthday special. The amount of things we’ve done together would make a dying man with a bucket list as long as his arm happy.
My heart pounds as I approach Enzo. He looks so relaxed and content, but that’s as far as my observations take me. I spend most of my amble admiring the way his taut muscles glisten in the sunlight, his tattoos standing out even more against his already tanned skin. His torso is completely covered in tattoos, decorated in an array of art. I knew he had an affinity for ink, but I think I’d forgotten the extent of it. His legs are muscular too, covered in random tattoos that seem to break up the story on his skin.
Until now, I’ve never been able to admit just how attractive my best friend is. The friend zone we put ourselves in always prevented that. But… maybe things can change? I won’t deny that I”ve considered what it would be like. To a certain extent, I’ve thought about how those plump lips would feel against mine; how those rough, tattooed fingers would feel against my silky skin.
Shake it off, Sera.
I clear my throat as I drop into a sun lounger beside him. “Hey!”
Silently, he grabs a beer from the cooler, twisting the cap off and handing it to me. “Hey,” he smiles, clinking his bottle with mine.
My eyes drift towards the sea, where Levi and Luca wade through the water tackling and dunking each other in the waves. I giggle as Levi takes a dive, submerging beneath a wave, confusing Luca. Then he pops up behind him, wrapping his arms around Luca’s neck before pitching them both backwards. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them this playful; this happy. It’s like they’ve switched off from their usual roles to be their true selves.
“They make you happy?” Enzo asks, though it sounds more like a statement that burns his tongue. He’s smoking, something I thought he might have quit after his near-death experience. But no, he takes a long drag from the cigarette before stamping it out in the stand.
“They do,” I smile, taking a sip from my bottle. The bubbles tickle my nose, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat. “We make each other happy.”
I hear Enzo sigh before I turn to look at him. There’s a subtle pain flickering in his eyes behind those sunglasses. His jaw hasn’t relaxed since we got in the car. Though I know that probably has something to do with this surprise coming together, I also sense there’s some jealousy there, too.
“Thanks for doing this for me.” I glance down at the bottle in my hand, picking at the peeling corner of the label. “I didn’t think I’d get another one of these.”
The honesty in my words is something I’d never admit to Levi and Luca. This is something Enzo and I share, a moment where we can be open with one another.
I look up to see Enzo frowning. “A birthday?”
“No,” I laugh, kicking sand at him. He grabs my foot and yanks me towards him, a chuckle erupting from his chest as he starts to tickle my foot. He knows how much I hate it, yet it’s one of those sensations you can’t fight your way out of, no matter how much you try. My legs kick out, spreading more sand over us until I’m writhing and wriggling so violently that I fall off the lounger and into the sand. “Oof,” I wince, my ribs pinching with an aching force.
Enzo dives forward, grabbing me by the wrist to gently help me up, and I let my hands flatten across his bare chest, the thumping of my heart reverberating in my ears each time he takes a breath. Heat crawls up my spine as he pulls me close and the sudden shift of energy that pulses between us has me both breathless and choked up.
“I loved these surprise outings,” I admit in a whisper. “They’re the only surprises I enjoy.” And we both know why.
“Yeah?” he sighs, pushing sandy strands of hair away from my face. “I think you’ve had enough surprises to last a lifetime. Don’t you?”
“I guess,” I say softly, my lips kicking up.
He cups my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his. I can’t see much past the sunglasses, but I feel the intensity of the connection like a live wire. I can smell his aftershave, the heady concoction of that and the fresh scent of tobacco. I thought it would make me queasy, but there’s something so enticing about the mix. It just makes me melt against him with a dazed look on my face.
“I’ve been waiting for that smile,” he murmurs.
By brows knit together as I slide my palms over his broad, tattooed shoulders. “What do you mean? I’ve been smiling all afternoon.”
“Yeah, but not because of me.”
His words are like a gut-punch. The weight of them slowly sinks in as I think about me, Levi, Luca acting like Enzo wasn’t even here. I shouldn’t feel guilty about having fun, and I know Enzo wouldn’t want me to. But that doesn’t stop it from slinking to the front of my mind.
“I want to make you happy…” Enzo turns his head to look towards the water, observing how Levi and Luca are still tossing one another into the waves like kids. “I want to make you happy like they do.”
I suck in a breath. Suddenly, the world feels like it’s closing in around me. The crash of the waves, the sun beating down, the sand beneath our feet; it’s sensory overload, yet I relish the way Enzo holds me, like he never wants to let go.
“If you’re going to make me choose, then—”
“I wouldn’t do that,” he snaps, frowning down at his beer bottle before taking another swig.
I watch him for a moment, my brow furrowing as I study him. “I don’t understand you, Enzo. You say you want me to be happy, you acknowledge that they make me happy, yet you can’t seem to reconcile the fact we’re together.”
“That’s not true,” he grumbles.
“Yes it is.”
He takes another swig of his beer, his Adam’s apple bobbing with his swallow. He’s so close I hear the liquid move down his throat, every gulp reverberating against my chest. When he finally drops the bottle in the sand, he pushes back his sunglasses, rolling his eyes at me. “Okay, maybe it is. Or it used to be. But as much as I hate to admit it, I… get it.”
My brows shoot up. “Get what?”
He sighs, gazing out toward the ocean again and nodding at my men playing in the waves. “Them, you… I didn’t want to accept it, part of me still doesn’t. But the more I’m around the three of you, the more I understand. They each have something different to offer you. You care for them equally.”
I nod, surprised both at his admission and the way that he hit the nail on the head with that statement. His words aren’t empty. He does get it.
“But I do, too,” Enzo continues, swinging his gaze over to me and pinning me beneath the weight of his stare. “I want to offer something they don’t. You and me, that’s how it was always supposed to be and you know it.”
I swallow thickly at his words, knowing how true they are.
“I don’t want to steal you from your happiness, Sera.” His eyes lock with mine. “I want to be part of it.”
My breath hitches, my mind racing. He’s saying all the right things, in all the right ways. Such pretty words that I want to bask in the sincerity of.
He leans closer, thumbing my lower lip as he stares into my eyes. “Let me in, il mio tutto. Let me try to make you happy, too.”
Is he saying…?
Before I can even complete that thought, Enzo leans down, slamming his mouth onto mine, halting my thoughts. My mind goes blank, my toes curl in the sand and my body melts into his embrace as his lips slide against mine. Whether he’s meaning it in this or not, his kiss is like a balm to my soul, soothing the erratic thoughts and solidifying the feelings slowly trickling in. In true Enzo fashion, he distracts me in the best possible way. He drugs me with his kiss, licking at the seam of my lips. There’s no purpose, no end goal. He consumes me because he can, because I want him to. Our mouths meld in a way that causes the line we’ve been toeing to disintegrate.
Slowly, the world comes back into view as Enzo pulls away. My wild thoughts have dissipated and as I focus on what I’m feeling in this moment, I hear Levi and Luca cheering and whooping in the background like a pair of teenagers.
Enzo watches me hesitantly, but when my lips spread into a grin, he beams a smile back at me brighter than the sun overhead.
I guess we’re out of the friend zone now.