11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
Nico
A drien and I arrive at one of the restaurants I own to meet with Giovanni Ricci, a high ranking mafia man. It’s time to expand our business and get new allies. Giovanni and I have known each other for years but we’ve never worked together, seeing each other as competition.
But after the attempt on my life by Mikhail, I need all the help I can get in growing as strong as I can so even Mikhail won’t think about coming after me.
“You look happy,” Adrien comments as we approach the restaurant.
“Sasha and I had a breakthrough yesterday.”
“Ah. So you finally fucked her.”
I keep my grin on my face but it stills a little. “No. Not yet. But we did other things. Things that she liked, even though she’s pretending she didn’t. She ignored me this morning. But Sasha will come around. She just needs time.”
“You always did like a challenge,” he says with a shake of his head. “I never liked a challenge. I liked women being nice and easy for me.”
I chuckle as I pat him on the back. “That’s why you’ll never find love one day, my friend.”
“You love Sasha?” His tone is pure incredulousness.
“I know I care for her. I know that I would kill for her, seeing as I have. But love? If that’s love, then sure. But I haven’t thought too hard about it. I’m just enjoying my time with her.”
“Even if she isn’t?”
“She is. She just won’t admit it.” I open the door to the restaurant and we take our seats at the back table, waiting for Giovanni to arrive.
“I can’t imagine being so possessive over one woman.”
“That’s because you get tired of any woman you date after one date,” I comment.
“I don’t need to be a married man to be a good business partner.”
“True.”
The door opens and in walks Giovanni with his dark suit despite the heat outside and his slicked back hair that just screams Italian.
He’s around my age but nowhere near as good looking as me.
He’s like the off brand version – good enough in a pinch but if you want the real thing, you’re not going to get it with him.
Of course, I would never tell Giovanni this. I want him to be an ally.
He slides into the seat across from me and Adrien. “So, you wanted to talk.”
“I did. I’ll just come out with it. I want us to be business partners. We could grow our empire like never before if we joined forces.”
He steeples his fingers together, looking me down in a way I don’t like. It’s too critical. “I heard one of your guards tried to kill you.”
Fuck. My guards like to gossip even though they know they shouldn’t. “Yes. One of them did. They were sent undercover by Mikhail Novikoff. But I killed the attacker. Mikhail is just going to have to wait to kill me. I’m not going anywhere yet.”
“Why would I want to make an alliance with a man who his own guards are willing to turn on him?”
“Because Nico,” Adrien says, leaning forward, “has the most money out of all of you Italians. You would be smart to consider his offer.”
“I am interested,” Giovanni admits. “You’ve always been a hard nut to crack, Nico. Now you’re giving me a way in.”
“I am. I want you to come over to my home for dinner. We can discuss business even more. I want you to know that I want you on my side.”
“Is this just for protection? Because you want to take down the Bratva?”
I nod. “I do want to take down Mikhail specifically. But I also want us to become untouchable. This is the way to do it. So what do you say? Willing to come over to my home for dinner and discuss things in more detail?”
He rubs his chin before he extends his hand and I shake it. “Yes. I’ve also heard you’re recently married.”
“I am. You’ll get to meet my wife, Sasha, when you come over.”
“A Russian?” He sneers.
“Yes. She’s the sister-in-law to Mikhail Novikoff. It pains him every day that he couldn’t save his wife’s sister. I laugh about it to myself all the time.”
“Well, if you like her, then I guess there’s something worthy about her.”
“Sasha isn’t like all Bratva members. She’s a mafia wife now. She’s my wife now. Do you have a girlfriend? I know you’re not married.”
He shifts around in his seat. “Not at the moment.”
“Then you can join Adrien in the single’s club.”
Adrien extends his hand too. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
Giovanni shakes his hand and smiles. “You too.”
Sasha
I ignore Nico when we returns home. After what we shared yesterday, I can’t even look him in the eye. He went down on me and I did the same to him. For most couples, that would have brought them closer but for me and Nico, it’s made us grow more apart.
Well, Nico wants to be closer but I’ve put the distance there. I feel too embarrassed and ashamed for what we did. He made me kill a man and I let him touch me in a way no one ever has before. I’m so messed up in the head.
He slides onto the couch beside me. “I’m having a dinner party tomorrow night. A new business associate. I need you on your best behavior.”
I flip a page in my book. I’m starting to understand some Italian and I’ve been practicing reading it, even though I still don’t understand most of the words.
“Sasha?” He grabs my chin, making me look at him. “Don’t ignore me. We should talk about what we did.”
“What’s there to talk about?” I shrug and move away from him.
“Your pussy was the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.”
I slam my book shut. “That. That right there is why I don’t want to talk.”
“Why not?”
“Because you did that to me after you made me kill a man. What we have isn’t normal, Nico. It never should have happened.”
“Why can’t you just allow yourself some fun for once? For just a moment, yesterday, you allowed yourself to be truly free. Allow it again.”
“With you,” I say flatly.
He opens his arms wife. “Of course with me. You like me, Sasha. If you didn’t, you never would have asked me to kiss you. You would have kicked me away from you the second I tried to put my mouth between your legs. But you let me do that. Why? If not for the fact that you like me.”
“I don’t like you,” I say automatically without thinking. Except… maybe I do like him. That’s the part that fills me with shame.
“Fine. Keep telling yourself that. But if you ever want to go for a round two, I’m all game.”
My body warms at the memory of what we shared. His mouth on my legs. The taste of him in my mouth. What would it be like to have sex with him? To be completely consumed by him?
“I’m good. And I’ll be good at the dinner party. As long as I’m not drugged again.”
“Well, Antonio is dead so…”
I shudder. “You talk about death so casually. Death you’ve caused. That’s what I struggle to wrap my head around.”
He trails his fingertips along my temple and I find myself leaning in closer to him. God! Why does he make me feel this way? Confused and turned on all the same time.
“It’s just the way I am,” he murmurs. “Death has never bothered me.”
“It bothers me.”
He drops his hand and I feel a flicker of disappointment over it.
Confused and turned on. “Fine. And I respect that. But if you just got out of your head, you could have a lot of fun with me. We could get lost in each other’s bodies.
” His voice drops lower, making me squirm.
“We could forget this world existed and experience pleasure beyond anything imaginable.”
“You could get that from any girl.”
“But I don’t want just any girl. I want you. I want my wife. And so far, I haven’t been with any other woman since we married and I don’t plan on it.”
I cross my arms. “What if I never have sex with you? Will you eventually cheat on me?”
“It’s almost like you want me to cheat on you so you have an excuse to hate me more.”
Damn him. He’s not wrong…
“Do I miss sex?” he says. “Sure. But the challenge I get with you is a lot more fun for me than sex at the moment. And I don’t think you’ll be able to resist me forever. I think you’ll give in eventually and when you do, we can really start our lives together. Share in our desire.”
“You’re underestimating how stubborn I am. You’re going to be waiting a long time for me to put out.”
“Good thing I’m a patient man.” The moment he stands up, a flicker of disappointment runs through me. I want Nico beside me, despite everything.
I get dressed in a soft pink simple satin gown for the dinner party.
Nico wants me to impress his guest coming to the event.
I may have complicated feelings for Nico but I was raised on how to be a good mafia wife.
Given etiquette classes and such when I was younger.
I’ll be the most respectful I can be to his new business partner.
Nico eyes me over when I walk down the stairs to him. It’s like he’s touching me with his eyes all over my body. Now that only makes me want his hands all over my body.
I shove that from my mind as I approach him.
“You always look so stunning,” he murmurs.
“And you don’t,” I respond.
Nico winks. “I know you’re lying.”
I am. He looks good enough to eat in his white suit. His tan skin and dark hair is a nice contrast to the eggshell white of the fabric. He’s distractingly handsome that it makes it hard to breathe sometimes.
“Is that a blush I see on your cheeks?” he says, pointing to my face. I duck my chin.
“No,” I mutter.
“I think it is.” He tilts my chin up and runs his finger over my lips. They part slightly and his eyes darken, making me shiver. “If our guests weren’t arriving any minute, I’d kiss you right now. I’d lay you on the stairs and eat your sweet pussy all over again.”
I swallow hard as a flood of arousal hits me between the legs. My legs press together, seeking friction. Nico, of course, notices.
A slow grin spreads across his face that only makes him more handsome. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? And don’t lie to me, Sasha. I can tell when you’re lying.”
“I wouldn’t hate it,” I admit.
“Good girl. After the party. If you want.”
My breath hitches. He’s promising to continue what we started yesterday… if I choose it. But I have to choose it.