Chapter 19
Cipriana
The next two weeks go better than I could’ve ever hoped. Trino’s been picking me up every night at Star Dust after my long shifts, Diamond and Ruby stretch my legs nightly in ways I didn’t know possible, and no intimidating mobsters have raided the club as of yet.
Every night that goes by makes me think Nicky Frits is more of a boogeyman than a real person. Trino’s frustrated he hasn’t been able to find him, and that his crew is giving him the runaround. So the threat of the Lucrazis is still at large, but it’s less prevalent, I guess.
Some good news – he seemingly settled that incident with Jerry Undercut of the cartel. Apparently that goon who stole from GFE Plus was on a solo heroine bender and Trino’s establishment happened to be the next target.
Let’s just say… he was taken care of, according to Trino.
Man, this mafia world is freakin’ bananas .
All of a sudden, Jacky’s crazy music festival stories pale in comparison to the life I’ve been living.
I do miss them, though. And my lawyer brain has been on overdrive ever since I’ve been deprived of ripping through contracts.
I told Bruno that their liquor license can be challenged because it’s under a shell company name with a different address than the premises, and that he should have working cameras in all of the private dance stalls in the event of inspection.
He assures me the cops and inspectors are ‘taken care of,’ but the funny thing is, he put new cameras up in some of the stalls the next day.
“Heard you been giving Bruno a run for his money. Said you’re a pisser.” Trino opens the garage gate to pull us in at three in the morning.
Yeah, I’m kind of an owl now. There’re minor rims under my eyes from the transition, but nothing a little makeup can’t fix.
“If by pisser, you mean ultra-diligent legal counsel looking out for the best intentions of Star Dust, I guess you’re right.”
He shakes his head. “How the fuck did I stumble upon you?”
We head upstairs, and there’s an air of sadness about him, just like the last few days. We’ve messed around every night except for the last two, and it’s been amazing. So amazing that the high carried me all through the night at work. Still haven’t let him fuck me though.
Kudos to me, right? Resisting a six-foot-two tattooed model charged with protecting my life with his own ain’t easy.
Anyway, I hope it’s not something I did that makes him upset.
I give him his space as I go upstairs and freshen up before bed.
He’s been leaving multiple newly purchased pajama outfits for me to choose from.
Makes me think he has some kind of clothing line or warehouse service he hasn’t yet told me about.
Wouldn’t put it past him. The man’s a damn hustler if I ever heard of one.
After washing my face and giving myself a bird bath in the bidet, I sneak out of the bathroom to overlook the balcony.
My bare feet don’t make any noise as I glimpse him standing there on the floor below.
Every step I take shows a little bit more, until I see him holding a picture of him and his parents.
My heart breaks.
His fingers graze over his mother’s cheek.
I wonder what happened to her? Did she pass when he was a teenager?
His attention shifts to his father. There’s a genuine smile on Stanzo’s face as he’s rustling the hair of a young Trino.
Goddamn has the old man wilted since then.
His stature is so strong in that picture, like nothing could ruin that moment.
Trino’s head remains hunched as he gazes, probably lost in cherished memories.
I want to run down the stairs and give him a hug, but he’d probably push me off of him. Men like him don’t get to be vulnerable in public.
He sighs and walks over to the sleek TV unit, and I’m shocked to see him actually put up the frame. That would make one in the whole house, from what I can see. I thought he kept the place serial killer barren because of his OCD or something. Poor guy must be hurting.
“Do you have something to say?” his deep voice makes me jump in place.
“Jesus!” I put my hand on my chest. “N—no. Didn’t want to interrupt your moment.” I start down the stairs now that I’m caught. “How’d you hear me? I’m like Tinker Bell when I have no shoes on.”
“Reflection in the frame, stupid.” He hides his smirk, tracing me with his sad eyes as I make it to the first floor.
“You’re worried about your father.” I frown, walking up to him.
He huffs and turns away.
“Go see him, Trino. I’ll come with if you want.”
“Nicky Frits in hiding means he’s watching us, Capri. If we went to visit our folks now, we’d be leading him straight to his prize.”
I push my lips to one side. “You sure you’re not being paranoid?”
“That’s what keeps us breathing,” he assures.
I rub his shoulder to console him. He’s so tense.
“You saw him at the wedding. What’d you think?” he asks, his massive back toward me.
“I think he needs medicine, Trino. Is he not taking what he’s supposed to?”
“Said he’d rather die than try chemo. ‘Let nature take its course. Been smoking cigars since I could walk. Time to pay the piper.’ The bastard and his dumbass code.”
I chuckle. “You’re a lot like him, you know.”
He turns his head to me with eyes narrowed, but I don’t back down.
“You dove into your task of protecting me without a second thought. Sure, you grunted and groaned along the way, but we’re nearing a month together, and I know—”
His brow furrows. “You know what?”
I choke back the words.
“Say it, Capri.”
“I know you care.”
He shakes his head and plops on the couch with his hands clasped behind his head. “That picture looks so fucking out of place.”
“I think it looks nice.” I walk over to it like I’m presenting on QVC, then move to the other side. “And right here, we can hang our lovely wedding pic.”
He reluctantly laughs at that, making me fight to hold back my smile. It’s true, our forced wedding was absolutely ridiculous. At least we can joke about it.
When my stupidity fails to keep him smiling, I tiptoe toward him and grab his big hand.
“What now?” He scoffs, refusing to budge from the couch.
“Come. Sleep next to me tonight.”
His eyes widen for a fraction of a second, before he regains himself.
“ No. That doesn’t mean you get to stick it in, Daddy . I just think you could use some company.”
This is a big step for me. In the past, I hated sleeping next to my boyfriends, because, well, I knew they weren’t going to last. I wouldn’t bet on us either, especially if he thinks I’m going to be stripping for the rest of my youth, but still… I like him.
“C’mon, you big oaf. My coupon expires in five second— oh.”
He pushes to his feet and pulls me close. He’s looking down at me, and for the first time, his eyes aren’t scanning my lips. It does all sorts of things to my insides. Um? If he let go, I might melt into a puddle on the floor.
When he leans down to kiss me, it’s not supercharged with his normal sexual energy. It’s a nice surprise. There’s something else there I’ve never really felt before. A gentleness, perhaps?
“C’mon, before the sun comes up.” He takes my hand and leads me up the stairs.
It feels so weird to not have him keeping watch on his couch, like I’m doing something taboo by letting my freakin’ husband sleep in the bed next to me. Maybe stripping has humbled my prude ass a bit.
No, Capri! You’re allowed to have boundaries, even when a murdering mafia family is after you.
When I crawl into bed and turn on my side to give him room, a gentle warmth exudes from my heart. Then his big arm drapes over mine – it’s too much warmth .
“Oh my God, off! You’re like a furnace.”
“The fuck did you expect? I’m not a corpse.”
We play around with each other – slapping and pinching – until we get comfortable. Then I’m just laying there, wide awake now that I have a big stud in my bed. I’m not horny or anything, but I am shocked.
“You’re not grossed out that I’m dancing for other men all night?” I test.
“Quite the opposite, actually. You make a damn fine stripper.”
I huff loudly. That is not the answer I wanted to hear. “You know, I’m not going to be able to duck away from giving dances forever. Some of the women are starting to think I’m not cut out for this gig.”
He laughs into my back.
“ What?”
“You trying to make me jealous or something?”
“No.” I shrug one shoulder. “Just being realistic.”
“You’re undercover, Capri. Do what you have to do to blend in.”
That warmth gets sucked away like a Dementor is in the room. Booo. Maybe that look he gave before wasn’t adoration.
“Goodnight, Toretto.”
“Night, Misty.”
xxx
The next night at my shift, I’m determined to make Trino jealous. I know Bruno is keeping tabs on me from his dark little corner across from the stage, so maybe I’ll give him something to report today. Ugh. Can you believe he pretty much waltzed me right into another man’s lap?
Britta walks up to me, swaying her sparkly beige colored covering with that perfect ass of hers. Eyes always half closed in permanent judgement, she’s like an unbothered cat.
“Hi, Misty.” She gives me the fakest kiss in the world. “That guy over there requested you for a dance. I told him you’re shy.”
My heart thunders. Am I really going to do this?
I stare at the vodka shot in front of me – the one I take before every shift to get out the nearly-naked-in-front-of-strangers jitters.
She flicks her hair when reading my reaction. “It’s alright. I’ll tell him he’ll have to settle for blonde tonight.”
“No,” I blurt. “I’ll go.”
What am I doing?
Britta’s puckered lips turn into a confused ‘O.’
I strut casually forward, eyes on the patron. He’s one of those business men from Eastbound. Well-groomed, full head of black hair, slimy smile… I can work with it, I guess.
“Hello,” he says, taking a sip of his drink.
“Hi.”
He eyes me up and down while grabbing his junk, and I shudder on the inside. It’s completely different watching someone get ogled, versus being ogled yourself. Especially how casually and out in the open he is about it. Guess the environment calls for it.
“Britta said you were shy. This is a pleasant surprise.”
I hold my breath and take a move from literally every other dancer by putting my arm slowly around his shoulder.
“Not too shy,” I say, closing an intimate space between us.
Now I’m just standing here, a nose away from a stranger, with a slight buzz and a ton of guilt weighted to my ankles.
You’re just playing a part…