Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
Marchello
Staring out at the ocean, I sought relief for my broken soul. Taking Lissia to Miami made sense to me because having her by my side kept me calm and in control. But I grappled with the long-term ramifications of bringing her further into my business dealings.
I walked a tightrope. One slip, one misstep, and I could lose her—not just to the danger that stalked us, but to the doubts creeping into her eyes whenever the shadows of my world brushed against her. I’d seen the same doubt in my mother before she left, and I couldn’t shake the fear that history would repeat itself.
No matter how much Lissia said she could handle who I was and what I did, eventually there would be a breaking point. Would I be able to handle that?
Entering the villa through the sliders off the beach, I gazed around at the holiday decor, which could only be described as an elf had vomited all over the place. The vibrant reds and greens were not exactly what I had imagined when I asked Lorenzo to make the room festive.
Lissia seemed to appreciate the effort, though, even if she would have preferred silver and white ornaments and sparkling lights.
In the sleek kitchen, Lissia fumbled around, wearing nothing but a black bikini that barely covered her breasts or her ass cheeks. She poured a healthy amount of the prosecco Lorenzo had delivered when we arrived into one of the expensive crystal flutes with a splash of orange juice.
He didn’t know we were trying to have a baby.
As Lissia chugged the sparkling liquid, I approached her, taking the glass from her and setting it on the stone counter.
“Is this wise?” I asked.
“I got my period this morning.” She reached across me and retrieved the flute. “Now all that prosecco doesn’t have to go to waste. Isn’t that great news?”
“I see.” I studied her sullen expression.
“It’s okay.” She took a long sip. “We can enjoy our trip and keep trying. Maybe we’ll have better luck next month.”
She gazed at the floor, doing her best to shield me from her disappointment.
“It’s okay if you’re sad.” I tilted her chin. “We can talk about it. Whatever you’re feeling, you can tell me.”
She turned away, sipping her prosecco with a smile too bright, too sharp. A mask I knew well, but today, it didn’t fit her quite right. I wanted to strip it away, but how could I help her carry a weight I didn’t fully understand?
“There isn’t anything to talk about. We didn’t know where I was in my cycle when I came off the birth control, but now I do, so I can keep track. You know, count the days until I’m ovulating and all that.” She patted my cheek. “In the meantime, we’ll have plenty of sex. Oh, unless…”
“Unless what?”
“We’ve never had to deal with my period before.” She bit the corner of her bottom lip. “If you don’t want to when I’m…”
“I’m not afraid of blood.” I brushed my lips along hers. “Trust me.”
“No, I guess you aren’t given your line of work.”
“Are you okay?” I caressed her cheek, studying her face and trying to gauge her mood. “I know you’re disappointed.”
I was a bit disheartened learning she wasn’t pregnant this month. Strange…
“A little sad but not disappointed. I love my life. I love us.” She kissed me. “We’re just getting started.”
“I like that attitude.” I wanted her to stay positive and not get discouraged about not being pregnant. It would happen when the time was right.
“Can we go to the beach?” She set her glass on the counter. “It’s a beautiful day.”
“Are you going to wear that?” I motioned to her barely-there bikini.
“Yes.” She laughed. “It’s a bathing suit. I’m at the beach.”
“It’s kind of revealing, isn’t it?” I ran my hand along my jaw. “You’re practically naked.”
“It’s a good thing we’re on a private beach then.” She picked up the menu Lorenzo had left us off the counter. “Look, we can have lunch delivered.”
“We’re still talking about the bikini.” I trailed my gaze down her flawless body. “Or lack thereof.”
“Private beach.” She held her hands in the air. “What’s the problem?”
As safe as Lorenzo made the beach for us, I couldn’t stop the what-ifs that took over my thoughts. I was always a target, and now that Lissia was my wife, I had cursed her with that same danger.
“My men and Lorenzo’s guards are still around. The beach isn’t as private as you think.”
“Do you think any of them are going to look at me inappropriately with you next to me?”
“I don’t want them to look at you at all.”
“Get them blindfolds.” She kissed my cheek. “But then, don’t expect them to protect me when they can’t see me.”
“You could wear a cover-up. That could solve the problem.”
“No.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m wearing this.”
“Your defiance reminds me of something I have planned for you.”
“A surprise?” Her smile reached her eyes, and suddenly, her mood turned jovial. “What is it?”
“I’ll tell you when it gets here.”
“What gets here?” Her voice jumped an octave. “I have to know now. I can’t wait.”
“I thought you wanted to go to the beach.”
“I do.” She twirled around me. “But I want to know what the surprise is.”
“My defiant hostage .” I grabbed her wrist and stopped her from dancing around the kitchen. “You’re a smart girl. You can figure it out.”
“Defiant hostage?” She bit her thumbnail as she thought. “Oh my God! Are we getting tattoos?”
“You’re getting a tattoo.” I lifted her and placed her on the counter. “I’m getting a few checkmarks.”
“Are you serious? I’m getting a tattoo?”
“If you want one.”
“Are you fucking kidding?” She placed her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, no f-bombs. I’m excited.”
“I’ll let that one go.” I took her hands in mine. “My tattoo artist will be here in a couple of hours.”
“Your tattoo artist is in Miami?”
“I flew him in this morning.”
“First the Christmas decorations and now the tattoo? You’re amazing.”
“I want our first Christmas together to be special,” I said.
“When we’re together, everything is special.”
With Collins still out there and Angelo’s threat hanging over our heads, we were far from out of the danger zone, but if I could give her a few days of happiness, I would do whatever I could to make her smile.
“Where should I put the tattoo?” she asked.
“I have a feeling this will be your first of many. I find them quite addicting.” I traced my finger along her ribcage and circled just below her left breast. “It might be sexy here.”
“But then no one will see it.”
“Then, I guess here…” Trailing my finger down her stomach, I lowered her bikini bottoms slightly and brushed my thumb just above her pubic bone as I licked my lips. “Is out of the question?”
“Yeah.” She rolled her eyes. “What if I have to have a C-section?”
“I didn’t think of that.”
Who would?
“You have to think of these things. This is my first tattoo. It has to be perfect, and it has to be forever.”
“Of course.” I smirked.
“You’re making fun of me.”
“I would never.” I breathed in her sweet scent as I sprinkled kisses across her collarbone. “How about here? I pressed my finger into her collarbone. “That might be hot.”
“I think so too.” She rubbed the spot. “Then everyone would know I’m yours.”
“They already know that.” I kissed her neck. “If they don’t, I’ll remind them.”
“I want to put it here.” She pointed to her collarbone. “It’ll be hot.”
“I do like hot.” I pushed her hair to the side and pressed my lips to her shoulder. “I’m hard just thinking about it.”
“Are you sure it’s not this bikini that’s making you hard?”
“It’s definitely you, but the bikini helps.”
She spread her legs, and I moved between them. Pressing my lips to hers, I reached for the tie at the base of her neck and tugged on it, releasing her bikini top. I stepped back and gazed at her perky breasts and aroused nipples.
“We’re not going to make it to the beach, are we?” She ran her hands along my bare chest as I pulled the string across her back and let the bathing suit fall to the tiled floor.
“Sweetheart, we’re not going to make it to the bedroom.” I pushed her onto the counter and wrapped her legs around my hips. “I want you right now.”
I kissed her throat and trailed my lips to her bare breasts. Her soft skin prickled from my touch, enticing me to lick her nipples.
She clutched her legs around my hips, rocking into me as I feasted on her breasts. Licking, sucking, and blowing my warm breath on them caused her to tremble in my hold. As she twisted her fingers in my hair, I kissed a path down her stomach and over her compact abs.
“Your body is incredible.” I nipped at her hip bone. “It was made for me.”
“Use it anyway you want.” Her words escaped in a low, desperate breath. “I’m yours.”
“And I’m yours.” I glided my thumbs to either side of her upper thighs and hooked them under her bikini bottoms. “When I’m done with you, you’ll feel me all day long.”
A quick knock at the door reverberated around the room, and Lissia’s eyes widened.
I’m going to slit the throat of whoever that is.
“Chello,” Lorenzo called. “Are you in there?”
“Fuck.” I groaned as I rested my head on her stomach.
“Can’t we ignore him?” Lissia whispered.
“Marchello,” Lorenzo said. “I need to talk to you.”
“I better answer it.”
“No.” She pouted. “I don’t want you to.”
“I’m here on business.” I adjusted my shorts, willing my erection to settle down. “I have to answer it.”
“Fine.” She sat up. “I’ll call Ricardo and tell him I’m getting a tattoo.”
“I’ll make this up to you.” I extended my hand and helped her off the counter, then said to Lorenzo, “I’ll be right there.”
Lissia blew out an exaggerated breath. “Lorenzo’s timing might be worse than Milo’s.”
“I won’t be long.”
“Take your time.” She kissed my cheek before grabbing the prosecco bottle and her glass. “I’ll be waiting in the bedroom.”
She swayed her hips as she sashayed across the room topless, taunting me with each step. I cursed Lorenzo under my breath.
Once she disappeared into the bedroom, I answered the door.
“This better be good,” I said.
“Am I interrupting?” Lorenzo entered the villa.
“You could say that.”
“Hmm…” Lorenzo bent down and scooped up Lissia’s bikini top. “I am interrupting.” He tossed the bathing suit at me. “I’ll make it quick so you can get back to your wife.”
“Thank you.” I draped her bikini top over the chair by the patio doors.
“Are you enjoying the accommodations?”
“You didn’t come here to show off your customer service skills, did you?”
“No.” He laughed. “The details are in place for tonight. There will be a brief meeting between you and the two top cartel members. It will be informal.”
“What does that mean? Are we meeting out in the open?”
I didn’t like playing by someone else’s rules. I should have taken this meeting on my own turf and forced these people to my demands.
“These men don’t trust easily. They want you to know they are in control.”
“I fucking run New York City.” I slammed my hand on the counter. “I don’t need them. They need me.”
“That’s why they want the upper hand.” Lorenzo gazed out at the beach. “They know who you are and what you’re capable of.”
“Well, then I’m at a disadvantage, because I don’t know much about them and what they want from me.”
“If you can make this work, we’ll all benefit. They don’t want to waste anyone’s time. After a conversation tonight, you’ll both know if it’s beneficial to move forward.”
“I’m here to work out a mutual partnership,” I said. “They can trust me, but I need to know I can trust them. They are going to have to prove that.”
“I’m sure you’ll work that out with them. It’s casual, and you’re meeting on neutral territory—my territory. I want you to feel comfortable.”
“Why wouldn’t I feel comfortable?”
“All of the men you’re meeting with, I vetted, except for one.” Lorenzo handed me a file he had been holding. “He was a last-minute addition.”
“Who is he?”
“Diego Medina, an influential businessman from Havana.”
“What’s he doing here?” I flipped through the file.
“He traveled with the representatives you’re meeting with,” Lorenzo said. “I couldn’t find much on him other than his family is very wealthy and they’re involved in some shady operations.”
“Such as?”
Why was I just finding out about this now? Milo had been extremely careful with background checks and what I could potentially be walking into when I agreed to come here. There weren’t supposed to be any surprises.
“Most of their businesses are shell companies. There’s a lot of laundering and dealings that are conducted in secrecy. I’m sure you can respect that.”
“I need to know who the players are.” I set the file on the counter.
“He’s not a member of the cartel, but they brought him along. He hasn’t requested a meeting with you, but I thought it was worth mentioning he was here.”
“Did you send a copy of this to Milo?” I tapped the folder.
“He’s digging, but so far, he hasn’t uncovered anything on Medina.” He motioned toward the file. “I had my team pull that information.”
“I’ll look it over, but if he’s just accompanying the men I’m meeting with, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“It shouldn’t be a problem, but I assured you that you and Lissia would be safe here.” He leaned against the counter. “I’m a cautious guy. If I think we could have a potential problem, I want to get ahead of it.”
“I appreciate that.”
Lorenzo had proven to be a useful ally to the Accetti family. I anticipated a long and successful partnership, and meeting with these men tonight would enhance that union.
“You’ll be meeting in my private lounge. There will be other VIPs there. You and Lissia should enjoy dinner and drinks, and when they’re ready to meet, I’ll let you know.”
“If this is the way they want to do it, I’ll respect it, but my security team comes with me.”
“Of course,” Lorenzo said. “My team will be there too.”
I didn’t like the cryptic nature of this meeting, but I understood these men needed to be cautious. If they came into my territory, I would have requests too.
“I’ll see you tonight.” Lorenzo opened the door. “Let me know if you need anything before then.”
“I will.”
As he left the villa, I opened the file on Diego Medina.
What are you doing here? I read about the stranger. Was his presence a coincidence? Or calculated?
Angelo’s words lingered in my thoughts. Were they threats or a warning of what was to come?
The spoiled brat that you call your wife is going to bring down this shambles of an empire, and you won’t even see them coming.
My muscles tensed when I gazed out at the beach. A menacing sensation crashed into me faster than the waves hit the surf.
Who wouldn’t I see coming?