Chapter 5
Antonio
Although I told Isabella to be ready to go in an hour, I need to get out of the house for a while to clear my head. Feeling her snug pussy clenching around my cock has scrambled my brain. I forgot how incredible it is to be joined with her, this woman I claimed as my own. There’s something about Isabella that has me acting in ways I normally wouldn’t. Whenever I’m with her, I lose focus. That makes her dangerous.
Gifting her an orgasm wasn’t something I planned on doing. I didn’t even intend to fuck her until she understands her new place in my life more fully. Yet, in a moment of insanity, I got down on my knees to give her pleasure. By worshiping her body like that, I gave her the upper hand. Fucking her hard and fast, then using her mouth to get myself off was supposed to be my way of regaining control. I’m not sure it worked. I can’t help thinking Isabella got the better of me and I don’t like it.
The decision to take her was a spur-of-the-moment one that I hope I don’t live to regret. I want to be alone with my wife, without distractions, while I work out where we go from here, but I worry about letting her close. If she betrays me again, I can’t be lenient a second time.
Although my men don’t know why I sent Isabella away, they understand it was a punishment for some serious transgression against me. Her banishment coincided with the sudden disappearance of Joey Gallo and his cousin. It’s an open secret that Leo killed them, something he wouldn’t have done without provocation. It doesn’t take a genius to make a link between their deaths and my wife being exiled.
Only my brothers and Dante, my closest friend, know what happened the night Isabella let the Gallos into our home to assassinate me. Although I had to spend a few days laying low while I recuperated from the gunshot wound Joey inflicted, nobody realized I’d been hurt. If the men who work for me ever learn the truth about Isabella’s involvement, they’ll think me weak for not punishing her more harshly. If she betrays me again, my hand will be forced. Despite everything, I hate the thought of harming her.
Before going out, I head into my study to grab my cellphone from the desk. When I retrieve it, I’m not surprised to find a half dozen missed calls. A man in my line of business gets very little peace. I shoot my driver, Enzo, a quick message, telling him to meet me out front with the car. Then I scroll through the notifications to see if there’s anything urgent I have to deal with.
All the calls I missed are from my brothers. No doubt they want an update on what’s happening with Isabella. Whether it’s me or her they’re worried about, I can’t be sure. I ignore them for now and go outside to find Enzo already waiting by the silver Mercedes S-class he prefers to drive. Rich and David, two trusted soldiers, occupy the Audi SUV sitting behind it. I take no chances with my safety or that of my family since the night I was shot. Whenever any of us leave the house, they take guards with them. I insist on it.
Enzo opens the back door of the car for me, but I walk around him and get into the passenger seat. While he’d like to maintain some distance from the boss, I’d rather sit up front so I can see his face when I’m talking to him.
“Where are we headed?” he asks as he settles into the driver’s side.
Fuck! That’s a good question. Needing to take a break from the troubling emotions I feel when I’m close to my wife, I rushed out of the house without considering a destination. Showing uncertainty in front of Enzo isn’t an option. I’ve built my reputation on being a strong and decisive leader. Dithering would not be a good look on me.
“Take me to the gym.”
It’s where Matteo will be at this time of day. My younger brother likes to put our newest recruits through their paces in the ring. He picks out the talented ones and offers them the chance to enter one of the cage fights we host regularly. They can earn decent prize money and women fall over themselves to get close to the winners. Taking the occasional beating is worth it for these young guys.
“Sure, boss.” Enzo taps out a quick message on his cellphone, letting our escort know where we’re going. The chances of us losing them in traffic are slim, but he likes to be sure they’ll know where to find us if it happens.
As we drive toward the huge metal gates that keep unwelcome guests off the property, they’re already opening for us. After the incident with the Gallos, I increased security, ensuring that even with help from an insider, it would be next to impossible for a would-be assassin to get into the house.
I lower my window. Enzo correctly interprets that as a signal for him to stop at the gatehouse. He pulls up at the single level brick building and Sal comes out to speak to me.
“Nobody enters the house while I’m not here and my wife doesn’t leave the property. Got it?”
“Got it.” Sal nods, a strand of gray hair flopping over his forehead.
He’s one of the oldest men in the organization, but is still capable of handling himself in any situation. My father valued him highly and when he offered his loyalty to me, I knew I could put my faith in him. He won’t let anything happen to Isabella.
“And let the guys in Westport know my wife and I are heading up there for a couple of days. Call Janetta too. Tell her to get our room ready and prepare dinner for us. Then she can take the night off.”
Sal nods in acknowledgment of my instructions. Satisfied he’ll do as I asked, I press the button to raise the window. Enzo pulls out onto the street and then makes a left.
“We’re going to Westport?” He sounds concerned and I know it’s because his wife is due to give birth any day now. Since I can’t have him with me when he’s distracted, I shake my head.
“I’ll drive myself. You stay here in case Alicia needs you.”
“Thanks, boss.” Enzo doesn’t show emotion. None of the men do in front of me. But the corner of his mouth tugs upward, letting me know he’s happy.
My father taught me to take care of our men. Small gestures here and there go a long way to ensuring their continued loyalty. Of course, I’d never let anyone take advantage of my generosity. If they did, I’d have to mete out a harsh punishment to prove I can’t be walked over.
The drive to the gym, located in a warehouse at the docks, takes about thirty minutes. I spend the time wisely, emailing instructions to my personal assistant, Jenny. I ask her to clear my diary for the next seven days and to liaise with my brother, Alessandro, on any urgent matters. He’s more than capable of overseeing the legitimate arm of our business for a few days. I message Alessandro to inform him of my decision.
Matteo can take care of the other side of things. Usually, I’d ask Leo, as my second-in-command, to assume control, but he’s got a brand-new wife to keep an eye on. Vinnie is the daughter of Carlo Bianchi, head of a rival family. Although she came to us looking for help to escape an arranged marriage, I don’t trust her. She could be setting us up to get into her father’s good graces. Determining whether she’s up to something is Leo’s problem for now, but if she proves to be a liability, I won’t think twice about stepping in.
When we get to the gym, Enzo parks out front and Rich pulls up behind us. There’s no need for them to come into the building with me since it’s full of our men, but they’ll want to catch up with some of the other guys so I let them tag along.
I spot Matteo over by the training ring at the center of the vast space. Two men I don’t recognize are sparring. The younger of them can’t be much more than eighteen. He’s tall and lean, but he’s putting up a good defense against his opponent, who’s at least twenty pounds heavier than him.
Nodding in response to the greetings I receive from various members of the organization, I make my way over to my brother.
“Didn’t expect to see you here,” he says as I join him.
Since I got shot, I’ve not been down here much. I prefer to work out in my home gym, where there’s nobody around to see the scar when I remove my shirt or ask questions about why my movement’s a little stiff sometimes.
“Yeah, I need a word.”
Matteo turns as if he’s about to head through to one of the private rooms out back, but I’m interested in what’s happening in the ring.
“Who’s the kid?”
“Philip de Soto.”
It’s not a name I recognize. “You thinking of taking him on?” I ask as the kid skillfully dodges a blow and delivers a bone-crunching jab with his left fist.
“He’s got potential.” Matteo’s response is less enthusiastic than I’d expect.
“But?”
“He’s Giulia Costanza’s little brother. Well, her half-brother.”
I suck a breath in through my teeth. Giulia Costanza was a school friend of Matteo and also Isabella. A sweet girl, she had a crush on my brother when she was younger. Her parents married her off to an older man who died on their wedding night. Matteo, being the asshole he is, made some crass remark at the funeral and offended Giulia. They haven’t spoken since, but I made sure she’s okay and warned her parents not to force her into marriage again.
“And she wouldn’t be happy about her brother fighting?” I guess.
“Not if I’m getting a cut of the prize money.” Matteo’s tone is flat. Although he would never admit it, losing Giulia’s friendship and then Isabella’s hit him hard. He’s always enjoyed female company, and not just for sex. He’s the only one of us who goes out of his way to spend time with our younger sister.
“You could try making things up with her.”
Matteo shakes his head. “Nah, if she wants to be a bitch, let her.” He tries to sound as if he doesn’t care, but the flippant tone doesn’t fool me. He’s hurting over their broken friendship. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Not here.”
There are too many people milling about, and I prefer to keep family matters private. I head through to the office at the back of the warehouse, my brother following. I sit on the leather sofa that runs the length of the wall behind the door while Matteo rests his ass on the edge of the desk.
“I’m taking off for a few days.”
My brother’s eyebrows shoot upward. “You’re going on vacation?”
I’m not sure I’d characterize it as a vacation since I don’t envision much relaxation happening. “I’m taking Isabella to Westport.”
“Okay,” Matteo says slowly. “First Leo takes Vinnie to the zoo and now you’re taking off with Isabella. What’s the world coming to?”
I shake my head, still unable to believe Leo took his wife to the fucking zoo. The way he’s indulging her worries me. Is he blind to the possibility she’s a danger to our family?
“It’s not the same thing.”
“Okay.” Matteo shoots me a skeptical look but doesn’t dispute what I’m saying. Brothers or not, I’m still his boss, and he knows not to push me too far. “So, what do you need from me?”
“I’ve asked Sandro to keep an eye on things at the Volante Group and I need you to make sure everything else runs smoothly.”
Matteo grimaces. “Shouldn’t Leo take charge?”
Being the second youngest brother, Matteo is acutely aware of the family hierarchy. He’s used to deferring to me, Leo, and Alessandro.
“He’s got his own shit to deal with right now. There’s a shipment coming in from the Balkans this week. I need someone whose focus is entirely on the job to ensure nothing goes wrong.”
“You expecting trouble?”
“No, the Bianchis have been quiet recently and our alliance with Reznov will keep the Russians and Albanians off our back.”
There’s always the possibility of some new group popping up and trying to rip us off or one of the local MCs trying their luck, but I trust Matteo to ensure they don’t give us any headaches.
“Okay. How long are you planning to be away?”
“A few days, a week at most.”
Matteo’s eyes widen. The longest I’ve been absent is the three days I allowed myself to take off after I was shot. My brothers are more than capable of filling my shoes, though. Alessandro has decent negotiating skills and understands the way the Volante Group conducts business. Matteo isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty and has earned the admiration of our men. My father groomed me to take over our organization, but I made sure to bring my brothers in on every important deal so they could step in for me if I needed them to.
“Mamma’s party is on Friday,” Matteo points out.
Damn! I forgot about that. My mother is throwing a party to officially welcome Vinnie to the family, since my brother married the girl without any of us present.
“She’ll want to know where you’ve gone.”
He’s right, but I’m not ready to reveal to my mother that I’ve brought Isabella back from exile.
“Tell her it’s a business trip, unavoidable.”
“Okay, but what about Livvy? You know there’s something going on with her, right?”
“Like what?”
Matteo shrugs. “I don’t know, but something’s eating at her. She seems unhappy.”
I snort at that. “She’s a pampered eighteen-year-old. What the hell has she got to be unhappy about?”
Matteo shakes his head, disapproval etched in the furrowing of his brow and pursing of his lips. “How about the fact her big brother doesn’t know how old she is for a start?”
“What?”
“Livvy’s turning twenty in July. Her birthday’s three days after yours.”
I take a moment to think about that and realize he’s right.
“Apart from riding her ass about spending too much time on the phone and disrespecting Mamma, have you ever spoken to her?”
I wince at Matteo’s accusatory tone because, when it comes to my sister, I am somewhat detached. When she was born, I was already shadowing my old man after school and, at the weekend, learning the family business. I was too busy preparing for the role that awaited me to get to know my youngest sibling. Perhaps I should take time to get to know Olivia better, but she isn’t my primary concern right now. Matteo’s apparent reluctance to step up is.
“Don’t you want to take the reins?”
Matteo’s lips thin. He knows I’m deliberately steering the conversation away from our younger sister.
“I do, if you think it’s the right move.”
“It is.” I get up from the sofa. “Just don’t fuck up.”
My brother throws back his head and laughs. “Thanks for the pep talk, Tony. Now, can I give you a bit of advice?”
“Can I stop you?” I ask wryly.
“Nope.” He steps closer and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Give Izzy a chance. Whatever she’s done, she’s a good girl at heart.”
I bristle with annoyance, not just because he’s defending my treacherous wife, but because his words are a reminder he knows her so much better than I do. He has years of history with her that I don’t. Their relationship was never romantic, of course, and he maintained a respectful distance from her once I signaled my interest in her, but they shared a lot growing up.
“I won’t kill her,” I assure Matteo as I head for the door.
That’s as much as I can promise. Whether she comes back from our trip unscathed depends entirely on her behavior.