Chapter 18 Enzo
ENZO
A little buzzed from the alcohol, I make my way downstairs and I'm greeted by Nero, one of my father's soldiers.
Even though he theoretically answers to Father, we've developed a mutual respect over the years. He might be the only person in the organization I'd trust with my more secretive endeavors.
He'd come to serve the famiglia around the same time I'd been initiated, so our closeness in age had helped us develop a tighter bond. Though his past before the famiglia is a mystery, his work has been nothing short of excellent.
If there's ever been someone simply unfazed by human cruelty, it's got to be Nero. And that makes him the perfect soldier.
"Your Father requires your presence," he says stiffly, nodding toward the waiting car.
I take a deep breath, already dreading the interaction.
He hadn't shown it outwardly too much, but he hadn't been pleased with my decision to marry Allegra, a fact he'd made painfully clear at the banquet, even as he was praising the union to Benedicto Guerra.
He'd intentionally kept me away from Allegra's side, essentially leaving her to the wolves.
I also don't doubt for a moment that either he or my mother had had something to do with the dress she'd worn.
Even though she'd openly defied the dress code, she'd looked magnificent in that red.
The way her décolletage had dipped low, her breasts even more emphasized by the tight fit of the dress, had had me staring at little else the entire night.
And I hadn't been the only one.
Anger simmers inside me anew. The way those men had leered at her, looking at something that does not belong to them…
She's driving me crazy, and I need to get a fucking grip.
The car pulls up in front of Father's club, and I climb out, heading directly to his office.
"My boy!" he exclaims, coming to kiss my cheeks before motioning me to sit down.
"Was there something urgent, Father?"
"I've been talking to Tito, and I've decided to let you manage the Midtown venues." Tito is my father's first cousin and his consigliere. His background is in the stock market, and he's ensured that our family's assets have multiplied over the years—to insane amounts.
"What prompted this decision?" I ask, curious. The Midtown branches of our restaurant are the most famous and the most exclusive. The fact that Father decided to hand them over to me is no small matter.
"You're finally a man, Enzo. You have a wife now, albeit one that I don't approve of, and will soon have a family. It won't be beneficial for you to keep traveling for your art business. Not when I'm anxiously waiting for a grandson."
I let a slow smile envelop my features, showing my appreciation for such an offer. But on the inside, I'm thinking of the unspoken. What will Father do if I take over?
"Of course. That's very generous of you, Father."
"You must know that I expect to become a grandfather soon, though." He reiterates his point, this clearly being the main reason for the sudden switch in leadership.
It's not the first time my father has brought up his desire for an heir.
Ever since he had a stroke a couple of years ago, he's been faced with his own mortality and the possibility that his line might die out.
He'd promptly started to negotiate a contract with Guerra, his goal to have me married and with a child by this year's end.
I'd postponed as much as possible, in part because of my dislike of Gianna Guerra and partly because I didn't want to get married.
And now a child on top of everything?
"Yes, indeed. I'm sure Allegra will manage to surprise us soon," I lie, because how could she when I haven't even touched her?
Father grunts, and the topic swiftly changes to the management of the restaurants.
We spend a couple of hours outlining the different strategies, and Father lets on that after I've given him an heir—and only then—he will include me in the other part of the family business—fine by me, since I'm in no hurry to do either.
It's late at night when I finally make it back home. We'd spent the entire afternoon in meetings with Father's subordinates, making plans for my future takeover.
I head to the room, my eyes heavy with sleep, my hands rushing to unbutton my shirt and take off the rest of my clothes. I probably shouldn't have consumed even more alcohol. But when the elders drink, you have to follow suit.
I open the door slowly, tiptoeing around the room. Allegra is already in bed, and the soft sound of her breath lets me know she's fast asleep.
Kicking my clothes to the side, I slide under the covers wearing only my boxer briefs. On my back, I take a deep breath, closing my eyes and trying to get some rest.
"Mhmmm," Allegra's small sounds make me crack an eyelid open. Some shifting and a little shuffling, and she's on my side of the bed, inching her way closer to me until her leg is resting over my body, her arm draped around my midriff.
It seems my little tigress is drawn to me—at least unconsciously. I look down at her sleeping face, so peaceful and so heartbreakingly innocent. Swiping my hand across her cheek, I catch a stray strand, tucking it behind her ear.
"Mhmmm," another sound escapes her lips as she burrows her face deeper into the crook of my neck, the small, ticklish movements making sure that while I may be sleepy, another part of me is not.
Damn!
If she's going to keep this up, then I'm not going to get any sleep soon, and a visit to the bathroom might be forthcoming.
Her lips part, and my eyes are drawn to her rosy mouth, the thought of it wrapped around my cock making me groan.
This isn't working.
Why did I think it would be a good idea to share a bed? It's not the first time that I've had this reaction to her, so I must be a glutton for punishment. And blue balls will be a constant on the menu.
I close my eyes and count to ten.
Allegra lifts her face, trailing her nose around my collarbone until she reaches my neck. I look down at her, and I'm met by her eyes—wide open.
She scrambles back as if burned, a look of disgust on her face.
"One thing I asked," she starts, tension radiating from her features. "Just one thing."
"What are you talking about?" I frown. What did I do this time? She's the one who molested me in her sleep. I barely managed to keep my hands to myself and still, I'm the guilty one.
"You reek of whatever whore you just left behind. You don't even have the decency to take a shower before climbing into bed with me, your wife?" she raises her voice a notch, her tiny hands clenched in fists at her sides.
"She's not a whore," I reply, not intending to let the insult to maman Margot slide.
"She sure smells like it," she scoffs, tilting her head to the side and crossing her arms over her chest.
"Aw, little tigress, jealous? I thought I had your blessing." I'm amused now, and I move to my side, resting my head on my elbow and watching the outrage spilling out of her.
"Yes, as long as I don't see, smell, or know. Clearly, she's worn you out so much you couldn't even muster the strength to take a shower," she mutters under her breath, still not meeting my eyes.
"Curious? Want me to show you what you're missing out on?" I tease her, moving closer and letting my hand roam over her body, the tips of my fingers playing along the curve of her naked thigh. Her skin reacts immediately, and goosebumps form under my touch.
I have to admit I enjoy riling her up a little too much, so when I see her react like this, I can't help but push her further.
"Stop that," the words come out in a breathless whisper, lacking any conviction.
Moving my hand further up and over the slip of a nightgown she's wearing, I let it rest briefly at the junction of her thighs, my eyes focused on her expression. Her eyes widen, and I expect her to shove my hand away any moment now.
Except she doesn't.
We're both staring into each other's eyes, and it's like everything falls away.
A breath catches in her throat, and my eyes dip lower to her chest, rising and falling in slow motion, her nipples pushing against the constraints of her robe.
The energy between us is sizzling to an unbearable intensity.
Her nightgown already bunched up around her hips, her panties are but a touch away. I don't know what comes over me. This was supposed to be just a game, but as I skim over the surface of her covered pussy, I find I can't stop.
She releases a strangled noise as my fingers dip lower, brushing against her clit. Her eyes almost flutter closed, and her lips part in wonder. Moving lower, I push against her entrance, the material of her panties already damp with her arousal.
She's wet.
I slide the fabric aside, the velvety feel of her juices meeting my fingers and coating them in fucking honey. I tease her entrance before locating her clit again, gently caressing it.
"I…" Allegra trails off, her eyes closed shut, her back arching slightly.
She moans, the sound pure music to my ears but also a reminiscent cacophony, and it serves as a sobering thought as I realize I'm heading toward the road of no return. So I do the only thing I can.
I open my mouth and ruin everything.
"Yes, just like that," I start, bringing my face closer to hers, my hand still between her legs.
"I fucked her with my fingers until she was begging for my cock, and only then did I thrust into her tight pussy.
" Her eyes widen for a second as clarity settles in, my crude words ringing in her ears.
And I just continue. "She milked every drop of my cum and still begged for more.
Tell me, little tigress, are you going to beg me to fuck you too?
If you say pretty please, I might just—" Her hands shoot out and she pushes me off her.
Her lip curls up in revulsion, and a loud slap lands on my cheek.
"Out! Get the hell out and away from me, you fucking asshole! Maybe those whores who seem to love your cock so much will give you a place to sleep!" she shouts at me, pushing me with her feet until I fall off the bed.
Well… Mission accomplished.
I bite my tongue so I don't blurt out my other thoughts—how the fire in her eyes or the way she's ready to fight me tooth and nail is only making my cock harder, the need to pin her down and show her exactly what we're both missing out on almost overwhelming.
But I don't.
Not when I've worked for years to keep myself in check, to not let myself be ruled by my baser instincts. And so, to avoid further temptation, I leave. I gather my stuff and go to the spare bedroom across the hall.
Closing the door behind me, I drop my clothes in a corner and let myself fall onto the bed.
"God!" I groan out loud at my own stupidity. Because it's my own fault for taking the game too far, for enjoying it too much.
Without even thinking, I bring my fingers to my mouth, tasting her essence.
Sweet yet spicy… just like her.
My other hand makes it past the band of my boxers to grip my excruciatingly hard cock.
"Fuck!" I mutter the minute I start pumping my fist over my length.
I don't think I've ever been this hard before.
It takes me less than a minute to come all over my stomach, the image of Allegra with her mouth parted, my fingers nestled inside her pussy, forever burned into my mind.