Chapter 5 Teo
five
Teo
“Long day?” A voice I was all too familiar with purred from across the room. “You seem like you could use a drink... or maybe even a listening ear.” Gianni’s daughter batted her long lashes at me, leaning comfortably against the door frame.
Her light eyes tracked my every movement as I typed out instructions to Keem for tomorrow’s trip to Atlanta. I took my time with the message, making it a point not to give Isabella the attention she was so desperately seeking.
“What part of... give me a minute, wasn’t clear?” I closed out of the message, dimmed my screen, and slid the phone into my pocket before my gaze settled on her. Patiently waiting for an answer, we both knew she didn’t have.
“Oh, it was clear.” She rolled her eyes, pushing herself out of the door frame and strolling further into the room, her hips swaying gently in an all-white tennis skirt and matching top.
“But you looked so tense when I saw you earlier. I heard about the attempt on Yanna and just wanted to see how you were holding up, considering everything.”
“It’s Ayanna. And I’m fine.”
“Right,” she scoffed. “I forgot how sensitive you get about her.
“What do you want, Isabella?” I asked cutting straight to the chase.
We both knew she didn’t give a damn about what happened today. Her only concern was assessing how much closer this threat would push Ayanna into my world, and how far it would shove her out of it. Her attachment to me was no one’s fault but my own. I’d realized she was attracted to me early on.
A few years ago, she began showing interest; a flirty touch here, and a lingering glance there.
I was cool with it at first, because Isabella solved a physical need for me.
Not only was she pretty, but she also understood discretion; not telling a soul about how she was willing to drop to her knees with a simple command.
I was almost positive my sister didn’t know her best friend was topping me off on a regular in hopes of being more than a warm and wet mouth to me.
When I continued to stare at her, waiting for an answer, she tilted her head with that coy smile returning. “Well, if you are going to be grumpy about it... Uncle Tommy is here with your package. Daddy wants to get started.”
My chin dipped slightly, moving to step past her, but she shifted, blocking my path.
“Before you go. Sophia and I are hitting Daddy’s casino later. You should come. Could be good to unwind after... everything. I know how tense you can get after you’ve had to… deal with things. It’ll be like old times.”
Her fingers lifted to brush against the lapel of my jacket, her pink tongue gliding across her plump lips, reminding me exactly how skilled she was. And why I’d kept letting her swallow my dick in the past despite knowing it was a bad idea.
“I can take the edge off.” She blinked slowly, her long lashes touching the tops of her cheekbones, while one lone finger traced my chest.
Stepping back, I left her hand hanging in the air before it dropped. Irritation flashed in her eyes but it didn’t stop my expression from hardening.
“We talked about this Isabella.”
“And?” Her hand shot to her hip defiantly. “It’s not like you’re getting married tomorrow, Teo. Your fiancé’ is still with her boyfriend? Still fucking him… Right?” She dismissed. “I say you have your fun. You know I know how to please you.”
She moved her dainty hand from her waist to the front of my slacks, attempting to touch my dick. However, before she could make contact I gripped her wrist, tightly. “I’m good.”
“But you always enjoy yourself,” she purred, still batting those long lashes and licking her lips.
Releasing her wrist roughly, I said, “Make this the last time you approach me with this bullshit.”
The niceties melted away instantly, as they always did at any hint of dismissal.
Isabella’s frustration and jealousy always surfaced at the mention of my future wife.
Not only did she hate how I prioritized Yanna, but she also couldn’t handle being last and relegated to the role I kept her in. .. on her knees, and nothing more.
Her wanting to be my main focus wasn’t lost on me.
It was one of the main reasons I’d cut her off in the first place.
Isabella was well aware that she could never truly have me.
I’d made that abundantly clear from the very beginning.
She knew all about the arrangement. The when…
the why… and the how. This wasn’t news to her.
My real feelings for Ayanna were a well known fact to everyone; I’d never lied to her or anyone about that.
Even Ayanna knew to some degree, whether she wanted to admit it or not.
But knowing the truth and accepting it were two different things — for both of them.
“Does your precious little bitch know you are fucking with other women? That you are a hoe and you will never be faithful to her,” she spat, every word laced with venom.
“She know you banging that lawyer bitch, or what about the chick uptown. She know about her? That bitch doesn’t even want to be with you.
I heard her.” She pointed to the phone in my pocket.
There was a long pause.
I had to remember where I was, and who I was speaking to before I murdered this woman in her father’s home.
The rejection always made her lash out.
Isabella was used to getting everything she wanted and couldn’t fathom not being able to have me fully. She thought some head, and friendly conversation, was enough for me to break a long-standing alliance and be with her.
Closing the distance between us, I let the silence settle in the air, staring down into her eyes.
“Don’t you ever in your fuckin life disrespect my woman.
What Ayanna knows or doesn’t know about me is none of your fuckin’ concern.
Your place is to not be in my business and mind the Vitale affairs.
” I tilted my head and my lips curled into a menacing smirk.
“Do you know what happens to people who don’t know their fuckin’ place, Isa?
Hmm?” My voice dropped to a low dangerous whisper, daring her to test me.
I respected the hell out of her father, but I didn’t allow disrespect from anyone. If she wanted to start a war over dick she was never entitled to, then so be it.
“I’m only going to say this once. When you refer to Ayanna it will only be with respect.
Call her out of her name again and it’ll be the last time you are able to use that magnificent lil’ tongue of yours.
I will personally cut that shit out of your mouth and start a war your family can’t win.
” My tone was placating, but the threat. It was real.
“Don’t get comfortable testing me because you had the pleasure of tasting my dick, Isa.
My patience with you isn’t as promised as it is with the women I actually care about.
Keep that shit in mind the next time you call yourself getting angry over shit you can’t control.
This will be the first, and only time I’m a address this.
Okay?” I tapped her nose before stepping back only pissing her off further.
“My relationship with your father won’t be able to save you from the consequences. Is that clear?”
She was pissed. I could practically see the fumes radiating from her skin.
But she knew a Donatelli–Vitale war was not what she wanted, or what her family needed.
So, she forced a smile. It didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Of course, Teo,” she murmured, her tone calm.
“I would never dream of disrespecting your future wife, or family.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“But…” Her hand rose stopping me from speaking further. “I just hope you know what you’re getting into. Making a woman who doesn’t want this life your... everything. Is going to be your downfall. Everyone isn’t built for this life. And it has a way of destroying a person’s innocence.”
“How about you worry about your own innocence, Isa. I’ll see you in the family room.” I told her, as I stepped around her leaving her standing there. Her angry gaze burned a hole into my back, and I knew if she could kill me she would.
Some days I wish I would have never let that girl put her mouth on me.
She was trouble wrapped in charm and beauty.
I knew better than to get wrapped up with her in the first place, seeing that she was Gianni’s daughter and Sophia’s friend.
But I let my dick do the thinking for me one night after seeing her in the club in a flesh-colored catsuit, leaving nothing to the imagination.
We both had been drinking, I was horny as fuck, and she was willing and available.
I didn’t fuck that night, but I did shove my dick so far down her throat that it became a regular occurrence whenever I found myself in need of a quick release.
She was perfect for a temporary escape, but I soon realized, she was pushing for something I would never give her.
I’d long cut her off. But that never stopped her from being in my face or offering herself to me on a silver platter.
She was something I needed to get a handle on before Yanna got here.
I wasn’t worried about any of my other jump-offs, because none of us were exclusive.
Isabella was about the only regular I had, and that was only because of her proximity to me and my family.
She was easily accessible.
Shaking my head, I pushed the thoughts of Isabella aside for the moment and focused on what mattered: finding the person who set a kidnapping plan in motion.
Gianni claimed to have information that could only be discussed in person. It was the only reason I’d flown back to New York the same day my girl learned of the arrangement. Of course I wanted to be with her tonight, but this was pressing. No one could threaten my woman and live to talk about it.
Finding the idiot who did this was my priority.