CHAPTER 13 - RED
CHAPTER
Red
A S I FLICK THROUGH outstanding paperwork on my desk, I’m still chuckling over Arianna’s reaction.
Del sits opposite. He’s talking, and I should be listening, but I’m not. He’s speaking about the huge cocaine shipment and what we’ll do if there is indeed a thief in our midst, but I can’t concentrate. My mind is stuck on Arianna.
Arianna, Arianna, Arianna.
Since she arrived uninvited and unannounced in my life, my mind is stuck. Although I found the situation in the room just now amusing, it’s not funny in reality. Nothing with the power to deflect me is amusing. It’s the exact opposite. But I can’t get her out of my head.
I can’t get her out of my cock either. I only have to think of her and it goes off on one.
The constant ache in my balls grinds me down as I readjust myself in my leather chair. Relieving myself twice in the shower this morning didn’t sate my appetite, and my usual raging thirst has ramped up with a vengeance. Even imagining Arianna in that plain underwear is enough to get me going.
Underneath the table, I push down on my aching crotch.
Jesus Christ! Why do I let her get under my skin like this? Lorna was a hot chick who I’d planned to marry for God’s sake, but compared to Arianna...
No! Shut up! Lorna was a liar and a traitor!
I wipe the slick sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. Realizing it’s gone quiet and Del is no longer talking, I look up to find him scrutinizing me. “What?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” Del lights a cigarette, not taking his stare from me. “What’s really going on between you and that woman?”
“What the fuck do you mean? Nothing is going on!”
Thankfully, Steve lumbering into my office interrupts the conversation.
“The Bristoni corpse is here,” he says in his monotone voice. “An utter shit mess retrieving it and a bit of bloodshed, but nothing I couldn’t deal with.”
I snatch my jacket off the back of the chair. “Good. Get my brothers to dig those rings out. I’ve already told them where to look.”
That didn’t go down well either.
Tough shit! Whatever needs doing, gets done. That’s how things work, and that’s why we’re successful.
Without looking back, I storm out of my office.
I need some air. I also need to get my head in gear.
Digging around inside the corpse of Roberto fucking Bristoni looking for rings belonging to the woman who causes me to lose a grip of myself is not what I need right now.
Furthermore, if I set eyes on the cunt who hurt Arianna so badly for her to run to me in the first place, I’m fairly sure I’ll rip the body to pieces with my bare hands and deliver the bits to share between Edoardo Bristoni and Emiliano Galvatore for putting her in that position in the first place.
For fuck’s sake! Why do I give a shit?
My polished leather shoes echo on the marble floor as I stomp through the casino reception, ignoring attempts to acknowledge me. I don’t speak to anyone. I don’t look at anyone. I won’t do one more fucking thing until I’ve calmed down.