17. Antonio
Chapter seventeen
Antonio
I rest a possessive hand on Theresa’s thigh the entire car ride into Nice. Every fibre in my body has been telling me to claim her since she stepped out in this fucking dress, and I’ve had to stifle the urge to tell her father to get fucked so that I could stay home and peel it off of her.
Every time I’ve seen purple since our little vibrator experiment, my pants have grown tighter. So of course, her choosing to wear the smallest fucking dress known to man in purple is pure and utter torture.
I haven’t been able to get the image of her eyes scrunched up as she came all over my hand, or the sounds of her sweet moans, and especially not her taste when I licked my fingers the second I got out of the room out of my mind.
I was borderline insane at that moment, and that’s the reason I had to get her as far away from me as possible. I was, and still am, terrified of what I might do if I happened to get her in a situation even remotely similar, because I don’t think I could control myself now that I’ve seen and heard all of that.
I can feel her squirm and shift every few seconds under my grip, and it makes me feel better to know that by the time we reach the restaurant, she will be just as flustered as I am. But I want more; I want to know just how far I can push her before she’s begging me to do something. Before she loses her mind as much as I am.
That’s when I decide exactly what I’ll be focusing on throughout this stupid dinner that we’re both being forced to attend.
When the car does eventually arrive at the restaurant, the tension at the back of the car feels suffocating, and I’m on the verge of overheating. The warm, summer air only makes it worse as I step out of the car and turn to offer a hand to Theresa. As she allows me to help her step out, I purposely pull her so that she crashes into my chest.
“Don’t fall for me just yet, tesoro .”
“It doesn’t count as falling if I’m pulled,” she scoffs, steadying herself on her heels again.
“A fall is a fall, no matter the circumstances.” I smirk and interlock her hands with mine.
It’s a usual meeting spot, something just crowded enough that no one would notice and so that no one can make a scene, but just empty enough that Gabriel can discuss all his business.
“Antonio, Theá, so lovely to see both of you.” Gabriel rises to his feet, and Theresa lets go of my hand to hug her father.
I pout, but quickly shake the expression as I realise just how out of the ordinary that reaction is for me. He shakes my hand next and gestures for us to take a seat.
I scan the room and notice his usual security team sitting staggered around the room, but one person I’m surprised not to see is Kylian. He follows his father like a shadow, so the fact that Gabriel is here without him is peculiar.
“So, how have you two been?” he asks. I stretch my arm behind Theresa and watch as she stiffens due to the movement.
“Good,” I say blandly.
“Just good?” He raises a brow and looks at his daughter, expecting more.
“Very good. It’s only been a week, so we’re both adjusting.” She gives him an elaborate version of exactly what I just said.
“Hmm, you two look comfortable for just a week.” He settles back and calls a server over. “Three bottles of sparkling water for the table. A whiskey for me and whatever he wants,” he says, completely disregarding Theresa.
“You want something?” I say next to her ear, but she shakes her head.
“I’ll just have water.”
I furrow my brows. She has never drank plain water in my company once in the last seven days.
The young woman comes over to me, and I offer her my classic smile. “I’ll take a whiskey, too. Double shot, one block of ice, and then can I get an Aperol Spritz for her?”
Theresa gazes up at me, confused, but I simply ignore the reaction and focus on her father again.
“I presume you asked us to cancel our plans and be here for a good reason?”
Our non-existent plans.
Well, not completely. I had intended to take the night off to have dinner with her, especially since I’ve been overworking to catch up with everything since I left for Mauritius. I had been avoiding her since Sunday like a shy teenage boy who’d never had sex before in my life.
“I did indeed. This is the meeting with Horatio and the rest of the art curators you met at the wedding.”
“I don’t like art.” I rub my hand against the back of the seat where it rests.
Fucking liar.
“Oh, don’t take me for a fool. I know all about you and your interests. As much as you’ve tried to devote your time to your family’s business, you’ve still stayed relevant in the art scene. Besides, this meeting was your idea, after all.”
I grit my teeth. I suggested the meeting out of pure desperation to get away from the men at the wedding. I didn't think Gabriel would see it through. I don’t want to help him. But I know what this is going to boil down to again. Either I help, or my family is going to be threatened again.
Theresa’s hand lands on my knee under the table, and it’s my turn to stiffen. “Very well,” I choke out, trying not to sound affected.
“Where’s Kylian? I’m surprised he’s not here,” Theresa speaks up, thankfully changing the subject.
“He’s bringing the guests in,” he says plainly. “Antonio, do you think you’d be able to get them a few invites to the CFP dinner?”
Theresa slumps back and ends up leaning into my side instead of pulling away. She simply pulls her phone out and starts scrolling at the table.
“You want me to get a bunch of art dealers invited to a financial partners dinner?” I raise a brow and hope he realises just how suspicious this will sound.
He glides his tongue across his teeth before grinning. “Yes, that’s exactly what I want you to do. And I want you to convince your brother that this year’s dinner should be in Monaco, too. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity for you to introduce them to a few of your contacts.”
“My brother?” I raise a brow. “How much control do you think we have?”
“Enough. Augustus is helping plan this year’s dinner.”
Fuck. I forgot about his bet with Ambrose to help this year.
“I’ll see what I can do. As for my contacts, I can’t guarantee that they’ll be in attendance, they’re very busy,” I grumble out, allowing my attention to fall on Theresa again, who is still reading on her phone. Because of the lighting, I can’t see what exactly it is, but it gets my dick hard to think that maybe she’s reading her little spicy books right next to me.
“I’m sure you’ll do your best to ensure they’re there.” Gabriel’s threat ghosts past my ears as chatter from above distracts me from trying to get a better look at her phone screen. I glance up to see my favourite Auclair sibling arrive with four older men in tow.
I’m used to sitting in meetings with men years my senior, but it never gets better. It’s always the same ass-kissing, bullshit, pissing contest. Who’s got more money? Who’s got more connections? Who can help us get even more? Right now, I’m the most sought-after connection at this table.
I straighten my posture and eye the men as they greet Gabriel. In the end, a connection works both ways, and I’m sure even Vitale Holdings could do with some new intel in France, no matter how we manage to get it.
“And this is my daughter, Theresa, and her husband, Antonio Vitale.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Vitale,” the man first in line says. As his words register in the air, I realise for the first time that Theresa’s surname is officially Vitale. Something about that image makes my dick twitch, and I curse under my breath.
I rise to shake their hands. “Please, call me Antonio. My brother is the only one who goes by Mr. Vitale.”
“I’m Lucien, and these are my associates Adrien, Mathis, and Horatio, who I hear you’ve met before,” the man says. His dramatic moustache wriggles as he smiles
“I have, yes, good to see you again, Horatio; it is a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen.” I smile before taking my seat and draping my arm around Theresa again. She, once again, relaxes into my side, but doesn’t remove her attention from the phone until a new waiter returns with only her drink. I glance up at him and find his gaze immediately resting on her slightly exposed cleavage.
Motherfucker.
I let my hand slip off the back of her chair and onto her shoulder, where my fingers gently start grazing along her collarbone.
The waiter’s eyes shoot to mine, and I glare at him. “I suggest you stop staring at my wife, and make yourself useful by bringing me my whiskey and taking our guest’s orders.”
It was intended to be a more silent threat, but when the table falls silent at my words, I know they’ve all heard it.
He nods quickly and turns to Kylian, sitting directly opposite us, to take his order.
“What are you doing?” Theá whispers to me, eyes ablaze and cheeks slightly darker.
“Making sure everyone at this table, including the waiter, knows that gawking at my wife isn’t acceptable.” I offer her my fakest smile before shifting my focus back to the table.
It takes her a few minutes, but soon enough, she relaxes into me again, only shifting to get a sip of her drink.
I allow my eyes to rake around the table and immediately start noticing the kind of money I’m surrounded by. Even at their age, their appearances scream new money or at least a very young stylist. The only person I know who still dresses in brightly coloured or patterned suits is Augustus. Even Gabriel and Kylian generally always stick with white or cream tones.
The new men all dawn variations of red. Either in a plain, check, or stripe pattern with their gold and diamond accessories on display. They don’t whisper wealth the way I’m used to, where even my underwear probably costs more than their rings, but rather, they scream it as if they have something to prove.
Another man arrives at our table, pulling out the only remaining unoccupied seat right between Kylian and Gabriel. My entire body stiffens as I let my eyes meet his, ice immediately running through my veins.
“Enzo, so glad you could make it,” Gabriel says, and I can hear the smugness in his tone. “Gentlemen, allow me to introduce one of my newest partners, Lorenzo Vitale.”
“Please, call me Enzo.” He flashes his rarely-seen smile. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Enzo smile anytime in the last two years since the news broke that Ambrose would be taking over as CEO, completely undercutting both of us.
“Vitale?” Lucien asks. “Are you two related?”
“Oh yes, cousins. Antonio and I are practically inseparable.” He smirks over at me, begging me to disagree with him, and I’m tempted to until Lucien changes the direction of the conversation completely.
“So Antonio, I heard you’re the CFO of Vitale Holdings. How have things been since the insurance scandal last year?” Lucien asks as soon as our asshole waiter leaves with their order. My eyes lift to Enzo, and he’s lounging back in his chair as if he isn’t the entire reason for the scandal in the first place.
I allow the question to hang in the air a bit, and I wonder how to answer. If it were a client, I would immediately head into reassurance mode, but I don’t know this man’s true intentions behind his questions. So, I give him the most generic answer I can.
“They were difficult, but things are looking up.”
Enzo clears his throat before leaning over to whisper something into Kylian’s ear.
“I’ve been told you’re interested in joining the art scene, why the sudden move away from finance?”
“Well, ever since he and Theresa started dating, he’s been taking a bigger interest in the arts, so I convinced him…” Gabriel starts speaking on my behalf, and I roll my eyes before allowing him to continue.
“C’mon, Theá, you’re being so antisocial on your phone.” Kylian’s whispers to his sister has my ears pricking up as I try to look focused on the scene in front of me.
“I’m just here for show. No one cares if I’m social or not.”
“I do. It’s disrespectful; these men would be a great addition to our business. Put your phone away.”
I want to ram my fist into his face for thinking he can order around my wife like this, but I bite my tongue when I hear her fire back.
“Is that what we’re calling this now? A business? Stop speaking to me like I’m a clueless little girl. I’m three years older than you, and I’ve seen enough to know I do not want to participate in tonight’s events.”
I cough to cover my chuckle, but when I look over and see Kylian shooting daggers my way, I know I’ve done a futile job. Oh well.
I glance down at Theresa’s phone. Now having the perfect view of her screen, and I all but groan when I read the words on it.
“…his tongue makes contact with my core, licking a stripe up between my folds before he groans, savouring my taste. “Fuck,” I gasp out in what sounds more like a squeak…”
Good God. I clench my jaw. The way she’s able to sit here surrounded by people and not even react to the filthy words she’s reading is astounding.
But then she squirms slightly, and I realise that maybe she’s not as unaffected by those words as she seems.
“Are these the type of events you’d rather participate in?” I whisper in her ear, and her thumb freezes as it’s about to swipe to the next page. “You’re really sitting at this table looking so unaffected while reading that?”
She stays still. No answer. But the shiver that rips through her a second later is the only confirmation I need.
“Well, let’s see just how good you are at looking so unaffected.”