Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Giovanni
The two weeks following Nicolette’s rescue mission were insanely busy with a lot of reshuffling throughout our organization.
Not to mention the funeral for Amergio. It was a somber affair, and many tears were shed. I was proud of Nicolette who had come to terms with her guilt and had glued herself to my mother and aunt, sharing with them both cute stories of her time with him.
For me, Amergio’s funeral had been cathartic. Not since the death of our papa had I been to a family funeral. When he’d departed our world, I’d been in a bad place and had a hard time accepting his passing.
By comparison, Amergio’s death reminded me how precious life is, and how fast it can be taken. Prior to finding his body, we had thought that he might have been the mole we were searching for. I didn’t perse, but some of my brothers had. I’d watched the love and respect for Niki in Amergio’s eyes and knew he was innocent. His death had proven it.
In the two weeks following the funeral, the three of us had talked about everything and Niki poured out her story, sharing what had happened with Hetty and how she’d used Niki’s words against her when she wanted to change her mind about leaving the theater. The guilt that had haunted Niki was identical to my own, only in my case, it had been my inability to protect her from my enemies, my family’s enemies. That guilt had almost eaten me alive.
Seeing her suffering had almost killed me, though the spanking had been cathartic and the first step to a slow process of healing for all of us. Nicolette had grown since purging her guilt. She was no longer the girl running away, tempting fate and hiding secrets. With the help of a trauma team, she was taking steps to become the best version of herself.
With Sergei’s death, a hole was left in the ballet that needed filling. The board unanimously voted for Niki to take his place. She said she’d take over until performances were finished, and then she was hanging up her shoes and leaving dance to enjoy her newfound freedom.
Empire Ballet would be at the end of their season anyway, and had some time to figure out what came next. We’d found out that the private sponsor who had rented her an apartment and paid her expenses had been none other than Pieter Knyazev. He and Liam had been planning this coup since the death of Ivan Knyazev.
Ivan was caught by the O’Connors. His wife Hetty was in a deep world of hurt. Despite her guilt, we recognized she’d been played by her brother, and was almost just as much a victim as Niki was. Almost. Handing her over to the Irish to be tortured and killed wasn’t in our nature. We moved her to a safe house out in the countryside and had round-the-clock surveillance on her until we could come up with a better alternative.
The Russian faction in the eastern United States was in a state of chaos as were the éannas. After internal discussions, we decided to partner and reward those who had stood by our side, as such soldiers that had been with us a long time were moving up. Negotiations would begin after Empire's opening night performance at the I-Rock.
Things were shifting and changing, and the Vitale Empire was growing. The annual meeting of the high-ranking families was coming up in a few months’ time and Romeo planned to have everything in place with signed treaties. Our papa would be proud of my brother; he’d kept his word, keeping his family safe and continuing to grow the empire he’d passed to us.
Tomorrow was the big performance and Marko’s second in command, Almando, while he was proving himself to be quite the dance connoisseur, helped Nicolette with the preparations. After the big performance, the cast would go home to New York for a two-week run, and then Nicolette was ours. No more sharing.
It was dusk and I peered outside to the little stage. Nicolette had sent all the dancers back to the hotel early so they could get plenty of rest before their final dress rehearsal tomorrow afternoon.
I’d watched her practice plenty of times, but nothing was quite as magical as seeing her move here in the privacy of our home with only the birds to watch her. And us of course, but she didn’t know that.
Marko sidled up beside me, handing me a Disaronno on ice. “She is so beautiful.”
I had to agree with him. Her body, which had always been stunning, was a work of living art when she danced.
“She is that. Is everything in place for tomorrow night?”
“It is, and everyone will be in attendance. Not just the family, but those you requested.”
I nodded, satisfied with my plan. “Good, lets feed her and put her to bed,” I said with a smirk.
“Bed sounds good.” Marko smirked in return.
Vinnie had dropped by earlier with a feast of her favorite things and words of encouragement in the form of a good luck card from the family. Nicolette hadn’t seen it yet, but Marko put it by her place setting at the table so when we sat down to feast, she could read what everyone had to say.
“She needs to stop pushing herself, Gio, and save something for the stage tomorrow.”
I disagreed. Watching Nicolette these past few weeks and thinking back on her in high school, I saw we were more alike than I could have imagined. Nicolette didn’t have a sensitive disposition, working too hard didn’t exist in her vocabulary. Emotional stress was her downfall and could make her sick in seconds. But this, fighting for her dream and putting all the pieces together for her little empire? No problem. She had this.
Daddy-bear Marko was a bigger bundle of nerves more than either of us.
I grunted to hide my chuckle. “Why don’t you get her in a hot shower,” I conceded, “and I’ll set the dishes on the table.”
It was hilarious to watch a man of Marko’s size scuttle away to do my bidding, but it was because he wanted her so much, needed her as much as she needed him. I shook my head, dragging my eyes from the stage where she flung herself into his arms, wearing a smile that matched his.
I was just lighting candles and pouring wine when the two entered the room. Nicolette looked sexy as hell in her red silk lounging pajamas. I pulled out her chair and once she was seated, tucked her chair to the table.
She gazed at her plate and smiled appreciatively. “This is perfect, thank you.”
We were silent for a few minutes as we ate dinner, all seemingly lost in our own thoughts. Not me so much, as I was openly observing Niki who literally glowed with happiness and excitement.
The difference from when we’d found her to now blew my mind, and although I’d fallen for the broken girl at school that first day, it was the dancer I saw on stage that first time that had stolen my heart. You’d think I had a thing for dancers in general, building a stage on my deck. And sure, admiring the female body was certainly something I enjoyed, but that wasn’t what stole my heart that day. Niki was a survivor and had found a way to thrive in conditions that offered a constant challenge.
I could see the outline of her pebbled nipples, and my cock stirred in my pants. But Marko and I had agreed. No sex tonight; our girl needed rest and we didn’t want her worn out the next day.
It would be difficult once her warm soft flesh was pressed up against my cock… I was so screwed. “Everything set for tomorrow?” I asked, to distract myself from wanting to bend her over the table and fuck her raw.
“I believe so. Who knew Marko would be so good at managing a ballet company?” she quipped. “Honestly, I’ve been meaning to tell the both of you that I couldn't have done this without you. The company is so grateful for the help and resources you two have heaped upon us. We’ll be the healthiest, most stress-free troupe to ever take the stage.”
I nodded. “You could have, Niki, done it without us.” I disagreed with her before continuing. “I believe Niki Swan could have pulled this entire thing off singlehandedly, but I’m glad we could make this process more palatable. Now open your card.”
She pushed her plate away, a little over half-eaten but as it had been full this time, it was acceptable.
Niki took the card out of the envelope and opened it. Her eyes lit up as she read all the comments on the inside.
“Aww, that is so sweet of them. Your family always made me feel like I was part of them, and I’ve always appreciated that. When I heard about Luciano—” She paused for a breath, her eyes suddenly swimming with unshed tears. “I wanted to call you so many times.” Her voice cracked. “Mostly I wanted to console Isabella. She loved him so much.”
She did, and it was their very real love within the hard life of the mafia, a strange and unusual occurrence, that had created such a tight-knit family as ours.
“It’s fine, we all survived. But speaking of my father, you know on the night you disappeared, he had some very wise words of advice for me.”
“He did?” Her eyes went wide.
Marko sat back in his chair with a smirk. Of course, he knew of that fateful conversation that took place only days before my father’s untimely death.
“He told me you would be back.”
“How could he have possibly known that?” she whispered.
“He was a wise man. He said ‘When she returns, try not to be too harsh with her. Listen with an open mind before you demonize her, but also make it clear. That it will never happen again. Vitale women don’t run. Capiche?’”
I held her gaze as she absorbed this new information. “Does that mean you want me to stay?” Her voice wobbled with her question. We had discussed many things these past two weeks, but primarily the past. This was about our future that we hadn’t discussed yet. But I knew Niki better than she knew herself. She thrived on emotional stability, and really, stability period.
My father had been right. She did need us, but more than that, she craved, and wanted what we gave her. The light and the dark, the Daddy and the Dom, and being held safe in our capable hands.
“Nicolette, was there ever a time we didn’t want you? Was there ever a time when you thought we would let you go?”
She shook her head, releasing a tear that tracked down her beautiful face.
“Why would it be any different now?”
“Could you speak plainly because my heart is in my throat, and I don’t want to hope for something that can never be.”
She had doubts, even after all we’d been through.
Before I could answer, Marko spoke up. “Nicolette, what Gio is saying is, we are one, the three of us, not just now, but for the rest of our days.”
Happiness spread across her face like the sun traveling across the sky, everything it touched bathed in golden light. She was my golden light, the one that made life worth living, the one that kept the demons at bay, and the one who put the pieces of my shattered heart back together.
“Both of you, and me for the rest of our days is the best thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Good, because we planned on keeping you regardless of how you felt about it.”
Her pupils dilated. “You mean against my will, like a princess in a castle?”
An evil grin pulled the corner of my lips. “A princess that likes to get fucked from every angle with two cocks shoved deep inside of her.”
The image of her being speared from behind by me and below by Marko had my length pressing painfully against my pants.
A sound escaped Niki, a cross between a mewl and a growl.
Fuck it! All my plans to have her get a good night's sleep flew out the window. “Crawl to your Master, Nicolette.”
She was on her knees, with her bowed head at my feet. I reached down and captured her chin, drawing her gaze to mine. “You will never run again, is that understood?”
A quiver moved through her body, and I knew that every sense was on high alert.
“Yes, Sir.”
“That’s a good girl. Go to the bedroom. I want you naked and spread on the bed on your knees and elbows.”
Niki made to stand and hustle away, but I placed a hand on her head and pressed her back to the floor.
“You crawl for us Niki, but without these.” I tugged her pants down, exposing her shapely bottom. The fabric pooled at her knees as she crawled away and slid off her feet long before she made it to the bedroom.
“I thought you said no sex tonight. Why did you change your mind?”
“Simple, it will change the venue in her head. She needs to not think and instead bathe her senses in the place that offers her the security she knows and loves. We’ve claimed her life, now let’s go claim her body.”
Marko grinned and made to stand. “Hold a moment, fratello . Anticipation is best served steaming hot topped with desire.”
When five minutes had passed, Marko and I made our way to the bedroom. Niki was naked, her ass in the air making my mouth water. Marko stood behind her and by the deep arc formed by her back, I assumed he was playing with her clit. We stripped and I kneeled on the bed in front of her, tapping her soft lips with my cock.
Niki opened her mouth and swallowed it down her throat in record time.
“My greedy girl.” I egged her on in my soft growl that I knew made her toes curl. On her other end, Marko spoke in Italian about how hard he was going to take her. It was no surprise she cried out around my cock a moment later as the first orgasm of the night ripped through her body.
Niki was a visceral being and tantalizing all of her senses drove her both on and off the stage. Marko and I switched places, his cock stuffing her mouth full, while I reached for the lubricant in the nightstand, pouring a generous amount in my hand and stroking my hard length.
I rubbed her back hole, pressing a liberal amount inside her bottom and massaging the tight ring of muscle. Marko was telling her in Italian that she was naughty and being punished with our cocks.
Niki moaned around Marko’s cock. His head was thrown back and by the look on his face I knew he wouldn’t last long.
I pressed my tip against her opening, thrusting past the tight ring, until I was seated all the way to my base. Reaching around, I tapped her clit several times. Niki fell apart, pulling off Marko’s cock for a moment to scream my name. I took this opportunity to fuck her fast, forcing her orgasms to come in quick succession. Marko shoved his cock back into her mouth and down her throat, effectively pinning Niki on both ends forcing her compliance.
That was her candy, being claimed by her men, driven, until she was physically overwhelmed by pleasure. She’d let go of all her reservations and completely submit to us, becoming soft, languid, with not a hint of remorse or dissatisfaction to distract her from feeling fulfilled, stable, loved.
I nodded at Marko. He understood. “You will take all of Daddy and Master’s cum, Nicolette. Don’t let a single drop escape.”
She knew from past experience we’d tag team, edging her for hours until we broke her. She loved the attention, but hated being held back from her release. Niki was greedy that way, the woman loved orgasms.
“Now!” Marko shouted.
The room was filled with deep grunts and a high-pitched scream as we chased our releases. Marko collapsed on the bed with Niki in his arms while I went for clean towels to wipe her down. She was already asleep by the time I came back. I cleaned her up and we tucked her in bed.
“I’m wiped out. Night, Gio.” Marko closed his eyes and was out like a light. He’d been burning the candle at both ends, between helping Niki to run the company and working the club business. But all of that was about to change.
The I-Rock theater was packed to the rafters with people. Down in the pit the orchestra warmed up, and in a private balcony sat my entire family. Marko was backstage with Niki helping with last minute prep while I welcomed the elitist guests I’d invited from all over the United States to their personal boxes, ensuring all their personal needs were met.
I hadn’t told Niki about the special guests that would be in attendance tonight. Empire Ballet had never been number one for status and prestige, but all of that was about to change. She said she wanted to step down as a dancer while in her prime and I accepted that, but there was no way in hell she was walking away from dance. It was a part of her, and she may not have realized it yet, but one never left their passion, just reinvented it.
By the end of tonight, I fully expected there to be a fight over Empire Ballet with lots of offers coming in to pick up where Sergei had left off. I hustled to the box and took a seat next to my mother.
“I wish your papa was here to see this.”
I was surprised by her words as she never talked about him. I held her hand in mine—something I never did—and blamed Niki for turning me into a sap. “He was her biggest cheerleader, wasn’t he?”
My mother let out an uncharacteristic laugh. “He certainly was.”
The lights dimmed and the show began. I was transported back to that first performance she gave as she stepped out from behind the curtain.
A huge, forested backdrop encompassed the back and sides of the stage. The crowd held its breath as she appeared to float on air. Han appeared with a bow and arrow and gave chase. Niki flung her body at impossible heights and angles to escape the hunter bound on killing her.
When he finally caught her, she handed him a feather, a boon of magical proportions. She was set free, but only as far as the hunter would allow. She finished as a solo, limping off the stage, a weary war victim. She been magnificent. The crowd went wild as the lights came up for intermission.
On the inside, I was a bundle of nerves, on the outside I managed to hold my fa?ade of cool aloofness in place. I downed a few drinks while waiting for the second act to begin.
Tony came up behind me, clamping a hand on one shoulder while Fausto did the same on my other side. “Breathe brother, all is well,” Fausto said in his dark poetic way.
“Is it that obvious?”
Tony chuckled. “Only to family, fratello .”
What they didn’t know was I had no idea how this ended. In the original ballet, the firebird was captured by an ogre and the bird does offer him the boon, but then she casts a spell over the hunter and finds her happiness with the prince who has been looking for her ever since she disappeared into the forest.
How would The Debt, Sergei’s rendition, end? Would the ogre—me—die? And the prince, Marko, be the winner? How would art compare to our real-life love story?
The bell dinged, signaling an end to intermission and people poured in from the lobby, rushing back to their seats. A hush fell over the crowd. Excitement was palpable as the curtains draw back revealing a dark setting. A single light shone on the firebird at the mouth of a cave. Inside, sleeping against a rock, was the ogre. Niki lifted her hands as if to cast a spell, but instead she wove her arms as if to draw something forward. The ogre awakened at the same time the prince stood up from behind the rock.
The two regarded her and I was struck by the fact that their posture was identical. She bade the Ogre to rise to his feet, and he stood, moving in a trancelike state until he was standing next to the prince. They executed a series of steps in tandem, as they danced freely about the space.
In the second act, the prince no longer wore white, having joined the ogre in identical black attire. The two became one as they weaved around the firebird, coaxing and teasing her. Holy shit, they were edging her toward a menage. I was transfixed as she moved between the two dark beings, and offered both looks of love while all three alternated between huge moves, and intimate touches.
The firebird accepted the feather from the Ogre and destroyed it, ending her slavery to his wish. A puff of smoke covered the dancers and the crowd gasped. It felt as if the entire theater was sitting on the edge of their seats.
The ogre, the prince, and the firebird, moved in a hypnotic dance, synchronicity. It was a love dance, their holds growing longer and bolder as they fell as deeply in love as Marko and I had. The single light grew until the dancers’ world was filled with golden glow. The performance ended with the trio laying down in the cave and the Ogre wrapping a protective arm around the other two.
The curtain dropped and there was a moment of silence before everyone was on their feet clapping. It became clear in that moment why Niki had never allowed Marko and I to see much of her rehearsals. She’s wanted to finish her career with Marko and me.
Once the thunderous applause died down, the curtain rose, revealing the first round of dancers, the corp. They quickly bowed and waved, then hustled to the back and those that had fulfilled the principal roles lined up next. The prince and the ogre came out together and people went wild, shouts of ‘Bravo’ filling the theatre. The duo opened their arms to Niki, who approached wearing a huge smile. Even from here I could see her chest pounding as her lungs pulled in much needed oxygen. She’d given it her all.
The applause became thunderous. People jumped to their feet, including my family, the clapping so loud it thundered throughout the theater. Flowers were tossed onto the stage, hundreds landing in front of Niki. Her eyes filled with tears and she bowed her head, but whether in gratitude or to hide her face, I didn’t know. I felt it was a surrender to this moment. To the love of the audience, to this being her final show. Being in our fold, just the three of us and what the future held. Better, this was her submitting heart, soul and body to us.
I held my breath as Niki bent and picked up two roses. The crowd quieted down. Her eyes lifted, her gaze meeting mine in the crowded theater, and I knew what she wanted. Whispers broke out as I made my way down the stairs to the stage, just as Marko stepped out from behind the curtain on the other side. Everyone was locked in place watching the real love story unfold. When we reached her, she handed a flower to Marko, her grin so big I thought her face would split in two. Then she handed me the other, her head dipping once more in supplication.
For the first time in my damn life, I let the fa?ade fall in public and allowed her and everyone to see just how much I loved her. In unison, Marko and I stepped back and applauded her. The crowd joined, screaming her name like they were at a rock concert.
Afterward people spoke, shook hands and congratulated me and us on the show’s success, but it was all like a dream. I was still lost in the spell Niki had woven on the stage and I could tell by the faraway look on Marko’s face that he was in the same state.
By the time we arrived home, the only energy we had left was to curl up into each other's arms and fall asleep.