Chapter Twenty-One
ORAZIO
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“Would you give up your life of crime for me, Orazio?” Rosa asked.
Raz swallowed. “You want me to turn my back on my family?”
“Is that what you think I’m asking?”
Yes. Kind of. Fuck. He didn’t know. He didn’t like playing guessing games.
“Just tell me exactly what you want from me, Monique.”
“And you’ll do it?” she questioned. “You’ll do whatever I want?”
Would he do it? “There’s a lot I will do for you, Rosa.”
“But will you do what I want right now, Orazio?”
“I need to hear what you want in detail first.”
She shook her head. “I feel like you’re searching for loopholes.”
“I’m not. I...” He paused, still kneeling before her. “I’m willing to give up this casino if you don’t like me working here and don’t like the rumors you’ve heard about the things that go on here.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
He wasn’t the only member of the Cattaneo family. The family businesses would run without him. He’d made enough money in his life to take care of himself and Rosa for the rest of their days. Money wasn’t a concern for him.
“If you’re asking me to stop the business dealings that you would consider shady,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “I will.”
“I like how you’re talking around things without explaining anything at all,” she muttered.
That’s exactly what he was doing. And he hated when motherfuckers did that to him. He’d once shot a guy in the knee for not answering his questions directly.
“Okay, Rosa. I’ll be straightforward with you.”
“Please do.”
“My family is from Italy. One thing Italy is known for to some people is...”
“The mafia. I know. I love Italian gangster movies.”
“But you don’t love Italian gangsters. Do you?”
“I’m pretty sure I’m falling for one right now.”
His heart stopped beating. “You’re falling for me?”
“Continue what you were saying.”
“How can I continue after that?”
“I’m getting sleepy, Raz. Whether I’ll stay here tonight or go to Toya’s room depends on this conversation.”
Did she think he was going to let her leave after that confession?
“You’ll be staying here tonight, Rosa.”
“Will I?” Her eyebrow rose as she eyed him.
“You will.”
“Are you going to force me to?”
“I don’t have to force you. The person you love is in this room. Why would you stay anywhere else?”
“I never said I loved you. I said I was falling for you.”
“Same thing in my book.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really,” he countered.
For a moment, she just stared at him. He returned her glare. This was one issue he didn’t have to talk around or search for loopholes on. Monique was staying with him tonight. They’d both had a bad fucking evening. Tonight, they needed each other.
And if she could get over the fact that his family was a crime syndicate, she’d admit that she needed him just as much as he needed her. A few moments passed of them glaring at each other. Then she surprised him by bursting out laughing.
“Cocky ass,” she muttered when her laughter subsided.
“I’m not cocky, love. Well, maybe a little,” he grinned, causing her smile to widen.
Damn, he loved that smile. He loved this woman. And he would do almost anything to keep her smiling. However, like her, he had boundaries. There were principles he held dear that he wouldn’t change.
Just as he had to respect her desire to not be kidnapped or have her house purchased for her to lessen her stress, she had to respect his boundaries as well. He’d give his life for the people he loved. That included the Cattaneo family, a few affiliates of the family, and now her.
He needed her to understand that turning his back on those he loved was a hard no for him. Only a scum would agree to terms like that. He may be cocky, stubborn, and a list of other unflattering words, but he was no scum.
“My cockiness isn’t the reason I said you couldn’t stay away from me tonight, Rosa,” Raz told her.
“Oh, really? I’m anxious to hear your reason, Orazio.”
“Love is the reason you can’t leave me, Rosa. There’s no way I’m letting the woman I love leave me tonight.”
He loved her, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Sure, it had been lust at first sight. But somewhere along the line, love had taken root in his heart. That love had been wrapped up in obsession, something he could understand better than love.
But once he’d peeled the layers back, he’d been able to accept the cold, hard truth. He was in love. And it hadn’t taken him years to figure that shit out. It had only taken one smile, one touch, one taste, and he knew.
This woman was his, and there was no other for him. When had he fallen so hard? He didn’t know. Maybe it was after hearing her story and learning how she’d been treated by her ex. Or perhaps it was spending hours looking at videos and pictures of her, wishing he was by her side, wiping away her tears, and being the reason she smiled.
Then again, it could be seeing her last night and having her approach him instead of him approaching her. Fate . This felt like fate. And who was he to question fate? He would tell the world that he was in love with Monique Rose. However, instead of his declaration making her happy, her smile slowly disappeared. Fear gripped his heart.
“Raz,” she started.
“Trust me when I say I would never cause the woman I love to worry unnecessarily about me, my family, or my business dealings.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I’m willing to ease your worries. I can give this life up and never look back,” he told her. “When I say this life , I mean the lifestyle. The jobs, the criminal business dealings, all of that means nothing to me. I can give it up. But I won’t give up my family, Rosa. Ever . And they’d never give up on me. My family is my foundation. My family is the reason I’m here now. I know what it’s like to have a family member turn their back on you. I won’t do that to my brothers and my father.”
“Raz,” Monique started again. But he wasn’t done. She needed to hear this.
“I’ll never turn my back on them, and they’ll never turn their back on me. Rosa, once you become a part of my family, my family will do whatever it takes to protect you because they’ll be your family, too. So, to answer your question, with no loopholes, I will let this lifestyle go and step into your world with no hesitation. But I’m bringing my family with me, Rosa. They have no say in our lives. But they will be there as support.”
“Your family will support me, a black woman?”
“What does race have to do with anything? Oh, I get it. It’s true. Some families wouldn’t support us for that reason. Not mine. My cousin is currently in love with a black woman.”
Raz intentionally left out the fact that his cousin had also kidnapped that woman. He’d tell her about that after she got to know Bryce.
“And you already see how gone over Meka my brother is. One of my cousins is married to a Korean woman. And I have a cousin who’s married to a black man. She jokes and says our family dinners are like a World Summit because of how different everyone is. Yes, they will support us. They’ll support you because that’s what family does. And yes, there is drama in my family, just like in any other family. But I won’t bring that drama to your door, our door. I’ll shield you from it, I promise. As long as you’re willing to be a part of my family.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “Raz...”
“Just say the word, and I’ll drop it all, Rosa.”
She brushed her tears away. “Raz...”
“No more shady shit for me,” he promised.
“Raz! Would you please let me talk?” she said in a rush.
He sighed. When she talked, she said shit that created distance between them. All he needed was for her to say yes. He’d handle everything else as long as she said yes. But telling her that wouldn’t be wise. So, keeping his mouth shut, Raz nodded.
“Thank you. Raz, my ex thought I didn’t know about the things he did for a living. He thought I didn’t realize he was into illegal things. He invested money in corrupt people. And the reason he and my parents got along so well wasn’t because they believed in marriage and the church as they claimed. It was because they invested in the business opportunities he presented to them.”
Oh, she knew that? He’d found that out about her family when he’d investigated Trevor. But he hadn’t wanted to tell her that. He’d feared she would think he was trying to use that against her as blackmail while convincing her to be with him.
He couldn’t lie. He’d considered doing it. But it hadn’t felt right. Now, he was glad he hadn’t gone that route.
“My family hadn’t wanted me to break ties with Trevor because they had money wrapped up in him. And for that money, they were willing to ignore the fact that he wasn’t good to me or for me. And because I knew they wouldn’t take my side, I pretended I didn’t know any of it. I pretended for so long that I even started to believe the lies I was telling myself. Like, my mind really created an entire lie to protect me from the truth.”
Raz swallowed, afraid of where she was going with this. Afraid that she was going to say she didn’t want to pretend that his family was good in order to be with him.
“My family isn’t good, Raz. They hide behind the light of the Bible and commit their sins in the dark. They throw scriptures at me when they want me to do things their way. But they ignore those same scriptures when it comes to their own lives. One of the things I hate most in this world is hypocrites. Another thing I hate is disloyal people. People who will turn their backs on others for personal gain. I don’t want to be with that type of person again. If you’d turn your back on your family for me, you’d turn your back on me for something or someone else. So, I’m glad that’s a hard no for you. I don’t even expect you to change your career for me, Raz.”
“You don’t?”
“No, baby.”
It was the word baby that made him smile and eased the tension in his body.
“I don’t fear what you do, Raz. I just need to know that you’ll choose me if it becomes a problem for us. I don’t expect you to choose me over your family. I would never ask that of you. I just don’t want you to ever make me feel like I’m not as important to you as everything else you have going on. I don’t want you to hide things from me or keep secrets to protect my feelings. I want all or nothing. I want every part of you – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful, Orazio.”
Was her sexy ass trying to make him tear up?
“Can you give me that? Can you share all of you with me? Even the things you think will scare me? And can you choose me if the bad and the ugly threaten to tear us apart?”
“Every time,” he told her in a rush, not needing to think it over. “I’ll always choose you. There is no choice but you, Monique Rose.”
A tear dripped down her cheek. “You promise?”
“I promise.”
“Raz, I’m choosing to believe in you, to believe in us. And though it’s scary as shit, I’m choosing to start over and try love again. Are you sure you want this? Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Baby, I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want a life with you.”
Nodding, she wiped her cheeks. “I choose to believe you, Raz. But...”
“Wait, why is there a but?”
“But,” she continued. “I want it in writing.”
“In writing?” he asked, confused.
“A contract. I want a contract that says, if your family businesses become a problem for us, you will choose me. And that you’ll share everything with me, no matter what it is.”
“You want a contract with me?” he asked in disbelief.
She nodded. “Your last contract was a dangerous contract. No woman in her right mind would sign that. But this contract will be one that protects our hearts and our feelings for each other. In it, it should state that if your business becomes a problem for us, you will choose me. But if you can’t leave your businesses behind or fix whatever the problem is, then you will leave me behind and never contact me again. No kidnapping. No blackmailing. A clean break.”
“But...”
“All or nothing, remember? I’m choosing to give love a chance again after vowing I never would. I’m choosing you after only spending one night with you. This is a huge gamble for me. I need something to protect me in case this doesn’t go the way we want it. I need it for my own peace of mind because I’m scared as shit of getting back out there and making myself vulnerable again. I need this. I need this promise, this vow. So, are you willing to sign a contract like that, Orazio Cattaneo?”
“But, you just said you believe in me, in us.”
“I do. But I also believe in protecting myself and my mind. Since you like contracts, and you do like contracts, remember the one you tried to make me sign?”
Raz shook his head. “I don’t remember. A lot has happened since then.”
“Liar,” she said, smiling. “Since you like contracts, you should be okay with this one.”
“But it feels like a business deal instead of the beginning of our love story.”
“Oh, really?” She cocked her head to the side. “Was the one you wanted me to sign romantic? Was it the beginning of a love story?”
“Why do you keep bringing up our past, Rosa?”
Her laughter filled the room. “Say you’ll sign the contract so we can officially seal the deal.”
She started to undress. Raz swallowed, gaze following her hands.
“I need to think about it,” he lied, watching as she shimmied out of her clothing.
“Do you?” she asked slyly as she stood up, forcing him to scoot back a little. “Well, take your time thinking.”
Shirt and bra off, she now worked her pants over her curves. Damn, she was a sight to behold.
“Done thinking?” she asked once her pants were off. She hooked her thumb under the silky waistband of her panties and asked, “Or do you need more time?”
“I need more time,” Raz whispered.
“Take all the time you need,” she told him as she inched her panties off, making his mouth water and his cock throb. “I’ll be in the bedroom when you’re done thinking.”
He watched her walk away. Before she got far, he stood and rushed over to her, picking her sexy ass up and making her yelp in surprise.
“I’m done thinking,” he told her as he stalked to the room with his heart in his arms.
“So, what did you decide?”
“I’ll sign your dangerous contract, Rosa. But I’ll do it after I sign my name all over your body with my tongue.”
She smiled up at him. “I like the sound of that, Mr. Cattaneo.”
His cock jerked, needing to be buried deep inside of her. No more talking. It was time for him to show his Rosa that he was ready to give her his all. By the time he was done, she would know that he was ready to put her first, today, tomorrow, forever.
He placed her on the bed. Seeing her sprawled out before him almost made his stomach growl. He was hungry for her. He craved her like a drug. He spread her legs apart to stare down at her wetness.
Damn , the feast before him made him feel like it was Christmas. He leaned closer and inhaled. A shiver wracked his body. She smelled good enough to eat.
“That was sexy as hell,” she told him.
He held in his smile. She hadn’t seen anything yet. When his tongue caressed her slick folds, his addiction intensified. He was hooked on her taste, her scent, her touch, her curves, everything that was Monique Rose.
The taste of her pussy had his cock throbbing, begging for a taste of her also. He was ready to shove into her heat. First, he wanted to taste her cream filling. He wanted her cum on his tongue. He wanted her essence to drip from his lips. He wanted it to be a part of him, the same way she was a part of him – today, tomorrow, forever.
“It feels so good, Raz!” Monique moaned, nails digging into his scalp as she pulled his hair.
He welcomed the pain. It was proof that she was holding on to him, that she would always hold on to him. She moaned his name again. Desire surged through him as he breathed in the scent of her arousal.
His tongue circled her clit, teasing the sensitive nub until she writhed beneath him, unable to be still. Still grasping his hair, she pulled him closer to her as she rocked her hips, fucking his tongue, feeding him her nectar.
Raz drank in her juices, savoring the taste of his woman, the woman he’d protect with his life. All he asked was that she protect his heart. He’d never given it away before. She was nervous about falling in love again. He was just as nervous about falling in love for the very first time.
His hands roamed over her body, caressing her curves, worshipping her beauty. He explored every part of her, every inch that made up the woman he was so desperate to possess. He flicked his tongue faster, loving the way her hips jerked and her thighs quivered. His plan was to trail his tongue over her curves.
He wanted them imprinted on his mind, the way her smile was imprinted on his heart. He used his tongue to sign his name over her flesh. He spelled his name slowly, carefully, agreeing to the verbal contract she’d presented to him.
For this woman, he was willing to do damn near anything. And he was hoping she finally understood that. Her thighs began trembling against his face. He gripped her hips tighter and pulled her body closer to his mouth as he devoured her.
Her moans filled the air as her orgasm hit her. She cried out his name as her hips jerked. His cock throbbed against the mattress, ready to be throbbing inside her slick heat. His cock ached for her.
And as soon as she ceased shaking, as soon as she released his hair, he pressed one last kiss to her clit before rising. He wrapped her legs around his waist and then lowered his body onto hers.
Her eyes widened, and her lips parted as he slammed into her, unable to wait any longer. He needed to be inside of her, needed to be one with her body. He leaned forward, claiming her lips in a fierce kiss as he fucked her.
Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and it wasn’t long before she was clawing at his back and moaning his name once more. He fucked her long and hard, never wanting it to end. But he couldn’t hold out forever.
Her pussy pulsed around his length, letting him know that she was about to cum. He dove deeper, pushing her closer to the edge. And when she fell, he joined her, groaning her name as his orgasm slammed into him.
Their bodies rocked against each other, sweaty skin slapping against sweaty skin. Their moans and groans mingled, creating a sensual soundtrack for their lovemaking. It took a while for them to cease trembling and their breathing to return to normal.
When it did, he rolled over onto his back and pulled her against him. Her hand splayed across his abs, her body curved against him, fitting against him as if she was made for him. The missing piece that completed the puzzle that was Orazio Cattaneo.
No words were needed. They lay that way, holding each other until they drifted off to sleep. It had been one exhausting ass day. But they’d been able to seek comfort in each other. Raz wanted this type of comfort forever.
Now, he understood why some of the men who worked for him were eager to go home to their wives and girlfriends at the end of the day. They sought the comfort only the woman they loved could give. Now, it seemed, he would be one of those men.
Finally.