Chapter 18
____________________
ENZO
“Why are you meeting with the kid instead?” I lean back in my chair, watching Anastasia flit about her office meaninglessly and adjust every object on her desk to perfection.
It’s strange to watch her in her natural element. This is the center of her empire — a staggering fifteen floors high with her office situated at the very top.
Sipping on my whiskey, I lower the glass and swirl the amber liquid in the glass. My eyes latch onto that tight ass as she bends over again. God, what I would do to put her over my knee and spank her until she’s begging me to fuck her over the desk .
Anastasia scoffs, standing straight again. “He’s twenty-five, like me.” I quickly adjust my pants to hide the bulge straining out of my pants as she turns around. “Besides, I know him well. He attended Ravenswood with me so it was easier that we were the ones to facilitate a peace treaty between our two organizations.”
I’m already not liking this man. “Ravenswood?”
Her body stiffens as I remind her of all the reasons she should hate me. After the night we spent at her parent’s house together, I assumed she would become more open to starting anew with me and yet I woke up alone. Her father was the one to tell me she had an urgent meeting and left before dawn.
Bullshit, but she was still refusing to admit it.
Leaving me like a one night stand I could handle, it was the breakfast with her parents alone that I still hadn’t forgiven her for. Then when her mother went to refill the juice, her father decided to have a conversation with me about what he had heard during the night.
Rather than punch me like expected, he seemed to be more concerned about his daughter’s needs. Apparently he thought I was a selfish lover and began berating me for not satisfying his daughter until I assured him in a very blunt manner that she always cums with me.
Whether she wants to or not .
I doubt he’ll be inviting me over to stay again anytime soon, but weirdly I think I earned a small amount of respect with my brutal honesty.
“It was only for our final year. He was a transfer and a boxer so naturally we fell into the same circles since I trained too. We became close friends and once we graduated, we negotiated a peace treaty between the Irish mob and Cosa Nostra. Though it took a lot to convince our parents to push past their bloody history.”
“And what about his father?”
She shrugs. “I’ve never directly dealt with him. Killian and I tend to hash out all the agreements now but trust me, he’s a complete bastard. It took forever to get him to sign the treaty but since then he’s been quiet. Just remember that he’s Killian’s stepfather. He hates it when people refer to Seamus as his father.”
Seamus O’Connell.
Oh I’ve done my research on him, but unfortunately he’s adopted the same lifestyle as me, hiding his face away from all sources of media and acting behind a name.
All I know is that he married the Irish mob princess, Maeve O’Connell, fifteen years ago. When she died, he became legal guardian of her bastard son and inherited the entire mob. Though what’s annoying me is why he’s still in charge. Killian is the rightful heir and just like me and Anastasia, he should have taken his position once he turned of age.
Either Seamus doesn’t want to let the power go, or Killian simply doesn’t want it.
But if he doesn’t, he’s more stupid than I thought.
“Killian O’Connell for you, Miss Romano.”
Anastasia leans over to press the intercom. “Let him in Adrian.”
I can hear the heavy crunch of combat boots before the door even opens. They’re softer as he walks into the office and I turn to watch my fiancée instead. There’s not even a hint of irritation at the way he trails in mud or the scrunching of her cute nose at his ridiculous army green jacket.
Instead, she smiles. She fucking smiles.
“I’ve missed you, Stas.” Finally, I fix my gaze on him. He’s attractive with tousled chestnut hair, a strong jaw and sharp cheekbones, but his nose has been broken far too many times, he’s sporting a busted lip and scars mark his face and neck, disappearing beneath his shirt.
He flashes her a blinding grin as she walks into his open arms. “It feels like it’s been a year since I last saw you.” I blink a few times .
I’ve had to fight my way for a handshake and yet, he gets a hug?
“Must have been my last fight in Denver and that was what…seven months ago now?” The Irish lilt in his voice is soft beneath the American, reminding me of my own accent.
“It’s your fault. You never visit.”
His green eyes twinkle as he squeezes my fiancée’s shoulder. “I’ll change that, I promise.”
There’s this comfortable silence between them that I hate. Downing my whiskey, I set the glass on the table with a thud. It’s enough to tear their attention away from each other and onto me.
Anastasia clears her throat, before shooting me a scathing look as if to say play nice. “Killian, I'm sure you’ve heard the news.”
I match his stare, watching his jaw tick. “About your engagement? Sure, I did. The whole fucking world did.”
A smirk rises on my lips, reveling in his distaste. At least I won’t be the only jackass during this meeting.
The news has been plastered on every magazine cover there is. From what I heard, the board was impressed with our engagement but were pushing her for a quick date .
In two months, Anastasia Romano will be walking down the aisle to me.
“Well this is my fiancé. Enzo Mancini.”
He doesn’t offer me his hand which suits me fine. “Mancini? Sounds familiar.”
“It should do since I run a million-dollar company.”
Anastasia rolls her eyes, “Put your cocks away so we can start.”
He breaks our stare first, smiling at Anastasia as he pulls out her chair. She moves to sit besides him, but I hook my arm around her waist before she can and pull her onto my lap. My lips meet her collarbone, skimming up towards her ear. “What the hell are you doing?” She grits out between a fake smile.
I smirk as he leans into me without even realizing she’s doing so. “Just playing my part, tesoro.” In all honesty, I couldn’t give a fuck what this guy thinks as long as he understands that she’s mine.
Her hand falls to my thigh, sinking those sharp nails into my skin. I grunt, jerking forward and pulling a soft moan from her throat as my cock rubs against her ass.
Killian appears unbothered but I notice his hand tightening on the armchair.
Oh, he fucking cares .
“I’m assuming you’re the one that called this meeting.”
“Correct.” I reply, tightening my hold on the little minx as she attempts to break free. “I thought it’d be a good idea to meet my fiancée’s close business associates.”
“Well Stasia and I are certainly close. Aren’t we?” He winks, causing her body to stiffen in my hold. “All those hours spent together in that sweaty gym,”
Anger curdles inside of me, twisting into raw jealousy that almost makes me feel sick.
I should have been there — but I couldn’t.
“Killian,” She chides, like we’re school boys on the playground. I conjure up the image of her dressed as a sexy school teacher in an attempt to suppress violent thoughts racing through my mind. “Can we just discuss the business at hand?”
He shifts his gaze onto Anastasia, forcing a smile “Of course. What exactly do you want to know?”
“Why aren’t you in charge yet? Do you simply not want the power…or is it because being daddy's errand boy is so much easier?”
I crack him with that one simple word.
It’s funny how words have that ability to manipulate and twist, causing the sanest man to become a feral beast .
That smile falls straight off his face and he stands abruptly, almost knocking the chair to the ground. I grip onto Anastasia tighter, resting my chin on her shoulder and welcoming the burn of her nails into my skin. He tears his eyes off me, a storm brewing in them and fixes them on her instead.
My stomach churns at the way his gaze softens upon her. The violent desire to pluck them out sounding better with each second that passes. “Call me when you want to actually talk, Stasia and leave the asshole at home next time.”
“Was it something I said?” I call after him as he slams the door shut. Sure it was spiteful as shit and probably a bad business move but damn, it felt good.
I laugh softly and she stamps on my foot, finally breaking free of my hold. “What the fuck was that?”
Shrugging, I make my way over to the drink cart and pour myself another whiskey. I grab some of the Bacardi, mixing it with fresh lemonade just the way she likes it. “He was an asshole.”
That searing look narrows on me, unfaltering as I hand her the drink. “ Killian is the only reason the Irish honor the peace treaty. He keeps them in line and without him on my side, it all falls apart. ”
“Look I’m sorry your friend got his panties in a twist, but he needs to understand that I’m your partner now, so if he wants to deal with you then he deals with me too.”
A light scoff breaks from her throat and I watch her down the drink easily. “So that’s what it is? Jealousy? You know, I didn’t expect you to let your petty insecurities mess with business.”
Like usual, she causes anger to splinter through my insides, dulling any sense of reason. I slam the glass down and push her up against the wall. “Have you let him fuck you?” Her cheeks bloom as my hard cock rubs against her. “Did you take him to the church ruins and let him put his hand up your skirt too? Did you spread those legs wide for him just like you did for me?”
Her palm hits my chest in an attempt to escape but its useless. “Fuck you.” She spits.
Yet all I see is red, picturing their naked limbs all tangled together. Her laughter echoing as he whispers into her ear the way I used to.
Reaching between us, I clasp her neck and squeeze. A gasp breaks from her lips, parting just enough that I can see her pink tongue peeking out. “I said, did you fuck him?”
I squeeze tighter. “No.” My grip slips, letting her breathe again but the venom springs back into her eyes. “I don’t mix business and pleasure. ”
A smirk tugs on my lips as I snake my hand beneath her thighs, stroking a finger over her thin panties, already damp. She trembles at the feather light touch, making me wonder how much devastation my cock fucking that tight pussy would cause. “I think you already have, mi amore.”
That stubborn streak refuses to quit as she shakes her head. “I fucked you in the limo to the seal the deal. I sucked your dick so my parents would believe our lie. I’ll never fuck you without an incentive for me. It’s just business.”
“Oh really — never?” My palm cups her through the lace, the heel of my hand rubbing against her clit. I half expect him to shove me away but instead she matches my intense gaze, squeezing my hard cock through my pants.
“I think it’s you that can’t resist me.” She’s got that right .
My gaze falls to her lips. They part for me, almost a willing invitation that I find myself trapped in the lure of.
I lean in, ready to devour and claim them in the same way I will at the altar, but something stops me. A sudden memory triggering inside of my head, remembering the desperation in her eyes when she told me not to kiss her. Almost as if she was scared.
Desire battles with reason, knowing the only way to win is to play the long game .
My thumb traces over her bottom lip and I feel that same tug in my heart as when I watched her smile for him. “What did he do to deserve such a rare and beautiful sight?” I mumble to myself but she hears me. Letting my hand drop, I step back and ignore the confusion swimming in those ocean eyes.
“We’re just friends.” She finally admits, masking all prior vulnerability with the usual grit and determination. “Maybe we wanted to fuck each other when we were teenagers but nothing good would have ever come from it. We need him. To run an empire, we need him on our side.”
A few seconds pass before I finally nod. “Set up another meeting. I’ll behave this time.”
My phone begins vibrating inside of my pocket and I take that as my calling to leave. I dig it out of my pocket once I reach the elevators, expecting it to be Dom but as I read the message a sense of uncertainty forebodes, as I realize my two worlds are about to come crashing into one another.
My mother is coming