CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
VINO
THE TRIP TO RUSSIA
I slumped into the black plush leather seat on the jet, the one nearest to the aisle. Resting my elbows on my knees, I cradled my head in my hands. It was painfully clear that tampering with Claire’s birth control pills had been a huge mistake. I should’ve waited until she was ready to start a family, but given her busy career, it seemed she wouldn’t be ready anytime soon.
Now, I was determined to speak with her and make sure she understood that I would raise our children on my own, allowing her to devote herself fully to her career. Claire was twenty-seven, and I was thirty-four; it only made sense that I was prepared to start a family.
I hadn’t planned to see her until next week, thinking that the extra time would help me overcome the bitter reminder of her decision to abort our child. My anger had been uncontrollable since we parted ways.
The living room was unrecognizable. I’d tossed the furniture around the space like they were building blocks. And I savagely killed my enemies every time I thought about Claire.
“Vino, she’s here,” Glacier announced.
My heart pounded as I ran my fingers through my hair and stepped into the aisle. Claire walked toward me with her eyes fixed on the floor.
Her bodyguards weren’t joining us on this trip. They were remaining in New York to keep a watchful eye on her business due to our ongoing war. Renato mentioned that Claire had put Porsha in charge. During Claire’s absence, only a select few employees were permitted on the premises. Hopefully, my brother kept his shit in check when it came to Porsha. I didn’t want to find out he’d been fucking her all over the studio while Claire was away.
I had a team of bodyguards with me on this flight; there was no way I would travel to Russia without an entourage. We were ready to fight Claire’s war. Her war was now mine.
“Good morning, Claire,” I said, peering down at her. She wore skinny blue jeans, a tight-fitting yellow tank top, a cropped blue jean jacket, and nude stilettos.
She lifted her eyes briefly, taking in my attire. I wore a navy blazer, white dress shirt, cream slacks, and brown loafers. “Morning, Vino. Thanks for letting me join you.”
I hooked two fingers under her chin and raised her face until our eyes met. “I wasn’t ready to see you.”
“I figured you weren’t. I wasn’t ready to see you either.” She tried pulling away and I gripped her chin.
“Vino, you tricked me into falling in love with you.”
“Yeah, well, I won’t apologize for that. I also won’t apologize for becoming your benefactor. I might have taken the Angelo persona too far, but both Angelo and I managed to win your heart.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, you took it too far.”
“I’m distraught you aborted our child.”
Her eyes squeezed shut at the mention of what she’d done.
“Let me get this out, Claire.”
Her eye lids fluttered open. “Okay.”
“In the near future, I want to start our family. I’ll take care of our children. You can focus on your career.”
Her lips parted. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” I then pulled her into my arms and crushed her lips.
As she caressed my chest, I pulled back and held her gaze. “I love you, Claire.”
“I love you too, Vino and Angelo,” she whispered.
I shook my head. “Funny.”
Stepping back, I extended my hand toward the seats on the opposite side of the aisle.
“Excuse me, Mr. Romano?”
I met the pilot’s gaze as he said, “We’re preparing for takeoff.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
I caught a glimpse of Claire off to the right and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I need a seat closer to the bathroom,” she replied.
“You could use one of the restrooms at the front of the jet or the one in the master bedroom at the back of the plane,” I suggested.
She laughed softly. “When I feel that morning sickness coming on, I’ll just head to the back for some privacy.”
As I settled into my seat, I pondered on what she said. I reached over and grabbed her hand before she could sit in the row opposite of me, gently pulling her to sit next to me. “Claire, what are you saying?” I inquired as I leaned over to fasten her seatbelt.
She gasped when I buckled her in. Was she suddenly afraid of my touch? Damn, it was clear I had a lot of work ahead to mend our relationship. I then buckled my own seatbelt, patiently waiting for her to continue.
“I was lying on the exam table,” she began. “The doctor asked if I wanted to hear the baby’s heartbeat. I said yes, and it was so strong.” A few tears streamed down her mocha-colored cheeks. “She told me I was six weeks pregnant.” Claire squeezed her eyes shut before continuing, “Then the doctor asked if I wanted to go through with the abortion. I told her yes.”
My heart plummeted at her confession.
“Then the doctor stood and said she’d bring in a nurse,” Claire went on. “But as she walked toward the door, I grabbed her wrist and said I’d changed my mind. I want to keep my baby.”
It felt as if my heart was lodged in my throat. I cupped Claire’s face and asked, “You’re pregnant?”
“Yeah, I’m pregnant,” she replied with a sly smirk.
I scanned the aisle and proclaimed, “We’re having a baby!”
Cheers of congratulations spilled from the mouths of each of my bodyguards. I reached out and placed my hand on Claire’s belly. “We’re having a baby. I promise I’ll take care of our little one.”
She softly placed her hand over mine and said, “Okay.”
Ten hours into the flight, I found myself standing at the head of the conference table, addressing my team, along with Claire and Tony. Although Tony had his own war to fight, he agreed to lend a hand for this short trip. We delved into the details of our plan, and Tony proved to be indispensable. He was the one who would craft the prosthetic masks once we landed. Initially, I had only needed one for myself, but now he’d have to make one for Claire too, so her identity would remain secret.
“Vino, I’m not spending the evening by myself in some hotel or house while everyone else is at the party. I want to be there,” Claire insisted.
“It’s too dangerous for you and the baby,” I countered.
“I’ve got my kevlar bulletproof vest,” she shot back.
I grumbled, rubbing my forehead.
“If I’d known you were pregnant before the trip, I’d have brought the bulletproof bodysuit the girls wear in a war,” Tony added.
Claire’s eyebrows shot up. “Tony, the girls actually fight in the war?”
“Yeah,” Tony confirmed.
She danced in her seat. “I fucking adore them.”
Tony chuckled. “Nothing like a badass mafia wife.”
I snickered. “Ain’t that the truth?”
Lativia AK raised her hand and asked, “Do you want me to stick close to Claire at the party?” Curiosity covered her caramel complected face.
“Absolutely. If anything goes sideways, get her out of there,” I instructed.
She brought her hand to her brow in salute and then asked, “Does she know about my new role?”
“No,” I replied.
Meeting Claire’s gaze, I continued, “Lativia is a hit woman. She’ll be part of your security detail when we get back home. Amadeo will remain on your team as well. If you need someone taken care of, just tell Lativia—she’ll handle it.”
A sinister smile crept across Claire’s face. It was clear that my fiancée was coming to embrace this mafia life.
“Prepare for landing,” the pilot stated.
The flight attendant appeared and removed our empty dishes.
I glanced at Claire. She was reclined in the seat. Tiny snores leaving her.
“Claire, wake up.”
“Are we here?” She pushed her arms in the air.
“Not yet. I’m going to need you to hide in a secret compartment in the floor.”
Her eyes widened. “Why?”
“It’s possible the Russian authorities might check our plane. I can’t let it get back to asshole that you’re in the country.”
She blew out a breath. “I understand.”
I held her hand and guided her into the master bedroom. I lifted the floorboard in the closet and took three of the six pillows from the bed. Kneeling down, I arranged the pillows inside. I assisted Claire into the box.
“I have one more thing for you.”
I went into the bathroom and collected the portable oxygen tank and mask I kept on board in case of a medical emergency. I placed the tank in the box. I leaned in and took her lips. “I will come back for you soon. Even if I have to murder them all.”
“Vino, I trust you’ll keep calm and get me out of this box.”
“Yes, I will soon to be, Mrs. Romano.”
I slid the oxygen mask over her face. Claire settled on the pillows and I closed the box.
I placed two suitcases over the compartment.
Once I returned to my seat, I ensured I had my passport ready.
The wheels touched down on the tarmac.
A jeep rode toward my jet. I gritted my teeth. Because I wanted to blow the police officers’ brains out, so I didn’t have to deal with these greedy fucks. But this was how it went in Russia. You had to grease some palms to handle your business here.
“Hello,” one of the five officers said as they approached.
“Let me see some identification,” the blond officer said.
I stood to my feet, reached inside my blazer pocket, and produced my passport.
His men continued to the back of the airplane, asking to see everyone’s identification.
“Mr. Romano, are you here for business or pleasure?”
I retrieved five thousand dollars from my pocket. “Business.”
Two of the officers went into the room.
I kept my attention on the asshole in front of me. “I have business with Serigé.”
The men lingered longer in the bedroom. My heart raced in my chest.
The officer counted the money. He glanced toward the back of the plane and said something in Russian.
The officers filed out of the plane.
The blond officer stretched his hand out for mine. “Enjoy your business trip in Kaliningrad,” he said with a thick Russian accent.
Once he was off the jet, I stalked into the bedroom.
“Glacier and Pyro, remove the trunk from the floor and put it in the back of my SUV,” I ordered.
I only had one business contact in Russia, Serigé. He had an excellent reputation. Usually, the police didn’t give him any problems. Serigé. always rolled out the red carpet when I had to fly to Russia. I did the same when he came to New Jersey.
I propped the trunk open, where I was forced to keep Claire until we reached our destination. I couldn’t risk anyone seeing her. That crazy asshole Ivan could’ve shown Claire’s picture to everyone he came in contact with. I wouldn’t allow that abusive fucker to get his hands on my fiancée.
Xavier drove the SUV to the property I leased for a week. The plan was to be in and out. I couldn’t stand being in Russia longer than I had to. The home was located close to the party venue.
Once the tan wooden privacy gate to the property closed, shielding us from the outside, I pulled Claire out of the trunk and into my arms. I held her for a moment. “I never wanted to do that. Lock you away. I have to protect you, Claire.” I planted kisses on her forehead.
Claire cooed. “I know.”
My team unloaded the three SUVs and brought our belongings into the house. I interlaced my fingers with Claire’s and helped her out of the vehicle. We strolled inside. Tony was already busy setting up his equipment on the right side of the expansive living room. Claire looked up at the tall white ceilings. The floors, walls, and most of the furniture were white, with a few burgundy chairs scattered around. There were some splashes of color here and there. One wall was painted burgundy. In front of it was a full bar beneath a partially wrapping balcony. The staircase was black and white, and the accent walls leading to the outdoor swimming pool were yellow. Floor-to-ceiling windows allowed plenty of natural light to fill the space.
I glanced at my watch. “It’s one thirty. We’ll arrive at the party at eight p.m.”
I turned my gaze to Xavier. “Switch out the bodyguards every hour for perimeter patrol.”
“No problem,” he replied.
“I’ll make sure we eat well while we’re here,” Claire said with a warm smile. “I’ll send Xavier out to get Russian dumplings—piroshki, my absolute favorite, some pelmeni, and pyshki for dessert.” She rubbed her belly enthusiastically.
“Sounds perfect,” Marlow agreed.
Glacier nodded eagerly. “Yes, please. I’m starving.”
Catching Claire’s eyes, I asked gently, “You sure the food won’t upset your stomach?”
She waved off my concern. “I’m familiar with Russian cuisine. Ivan made sure of that while we were together.”
I shrugged, smirking slightly. “Usually, Burger King is my go-to around here.”
Claire laughed, eyes sparkling. “Trust me, these dishes are delicious, and you won’t have to worry about bubble guts later.”
I shook my head. “Well, that’s good to know. Because we need all hands on deck.”
Claire gave instructions to Xavier on where to pick up the food.
“Boss, your room is all set up,” Lativia stated as she walked down the stairs.
“Thank you.”
Claire dashed over to Lativia, throwing her arms around her neck in a tight embrace. The two shared a brief, excited girl moment before Claire stepped back, gesturing appreciatively at Lativia’s striking honey-blonde hair, styled into a fierce, coily mohawk.
Lativia was slender and agile, quick and lethal. She could expertly handle nearly any weapon and had a remarkable talent for knocking opponents off their feet. For four solid years, she’d worked closely with me and Vince, taking on some of our toughest jobs. Now, her loyalty was exclusively to Claire.
“Thanks, Lativia,” Claire beamed brightly.
“You got it, Boss chick,” Lativia replied warmly.
Claire did another little dance.
I pulled her close. “When I first saw you in that video last year, that smile. That dance. I wanted to recreate those over and over again.”
“Aww, thank you, Vino.”
Her lips pressed against mine.
After making sure Tony didn’t need anything, I grabbed Claire’s hand and led her to the bedroom. Closing the door, I peered down at her. “You took something off.”
Her brows lowered in confusion. I pulled the yellow ring box out of my inner blazer pocket.
I removed the engagement ring from the box and shoved it onto her ring finger. “Don’t ever take this off again,” I warned.
“Just because we’re here together, Vino, doesn’t mean all is right between us.”
“Don’t take it off,” I growled.
“I’m going to take a shower.” She turned on her heels, grabbed some essentials, and strolled into the bathroom.
I considered following her into the bathroom and fucking that attitude right out of her, but exhaustion weighed me down. I hadn’t had a full night’s sleep since Claire and I lived under the same roof.
Rubbing the fatigue from my eyes, I kicked off my boots, my mind churning with countless ways to end Ivan’s miserable life. I shrugged off my blazer, removed my shoulder and waist holsters, and dropped everything onto the nearby burgundy armchair. All my weapons went onto the nightstand except one—my favorite stayed under the pillow, always within reach. Protecting Claire and myself was a habit I’d never break.
Settling back against the pillow, I allowed my heavy eyelids to close. A short nap would refresh me just enough to keep going.
“Fuck, I muttered.
And she moaned.
I had dreamed about Claire every night. Most times, she was riding my dick or sucking it.
It felt like she was sucking the skin off the head of my dick. “Claire,” I growled.
Her fingers juggled my balls.
I fisted her hair. That was when I realized she was real.
“Baby, shit, you’re sucking it so damn good.” I sounded like the biggest suck up.
But this woman had paid attention when I taught her how to suck my dick to my liking.
Sucking the head like a lollipop. Where did she learn that move?
My brows lowered as I gripped her hair. “Drink every fucking drop of my cum, Mrs. Romano,” I roared as I exploded in her mouth.
I released her and ran my fingers through my hair.
“Gorgeous, that was good. Maybe too good.”
Her brows lowered as her naked frame cuddled into my side.
“I was horny while we were apart.” Her fingers traced along the tattoos on my chest.
“I understand it had only been a week, but before we broke up, we had sex roughly twice a day. So I felt like I was going through a drought. I dusted off my Pornhub subscription. I watched a woman suck a guy’s dick so good he looked like he was about to flop off the bed.”
We burst into laughter.
“That was amazing.” I grinned.
“I know. I said all is not right between us. It isn’t. Did I use my ex-fiance? Yes.”
I gripped her chin. “Ain’t shit ex about me when it comes to you. We’re together, Claire.”
“If you say so. First, your stripper side piece paid me a visit at my studio and then you sent me to Dillon Magarelli’s house to get whacked.”
My brows lifted. “I sent you to get whacked? Claire, what are you talking about?”
“No one told me where I was going when I got off work. We show up at some mansion in Newark. I just knew you were sending me to my death. Renato was humored by my antics. Dillon said he wouldn’t off his friend’s woman. I met the members of the other mafia families. Then I met the mafia wives. They were everything.” She beamed.
“And your side piece. I think I scared her shitless. I told her I’d use my switchblade to make little slits all over her skin. See what kind of tips she’ll get while stripping.”
I slid my hand down my face. “She kept wanting to make things better while I was at the strip club watching the show. She couldn’t get it through her head. I didn’t want to be touched. I was in a bad place.”
Claire stared out into space.
“Look at me, Claire.”
She didn’t budge.
“I’m not him. If we break up or have a fight and stay away from each other for a week, a month, or longer. I’m not fucking anyone else. I’m not interested in another woman.”
Her arm wrapped around me. “I think deep down I know that. Besides, Porsha told me Vince told Jasmine to go away.”
I chuckled. “She did, huh?”
Claire smiled up at me. “Yeah, I hope those two can figure it out.”
I stroked her cheek. “I missed you.”
“I missed you a little. I’m still not ok with you sabotaging my birth control pills.”
“Get up here and ride my face,” I ordered.
Her eyes lit up. “That’s a nice way to get my mind off of that.”
“Now.”
Claire did as she was told. Her thighs straddled my face, and I cupped her ass as I sucked her soaked lower lips.
“Vino,” she moaned.
“I miss your mouth so much.” Her head dropped back as I slid my tongue in and out of her core.
“Right there, Vino,” she whispered. I lightly bit her clit before slipping my tongue into her tight hole again and again. Claire’s body convulsed as she squirted all over my face.
“Fuck, I missed this delicious pussy.”
Her satisfied come face was something to behold. I loved that I could bring her such satisfaction.
“Lie back. I want to watch you squirt again.”
Leaning up a bit on the headboard, I gave myself the perfect view of her pussy. Claire rested her body on my chest and thighs. I circled two fingers over her clit and slipped my other two fingers into her greedy hole. The overwhelming stimulation brought her orgasm to the surface faster. Claire’s body rocked, and she squirted all over my chest, face, and the headboard.
I was made to please Claire.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“I’m better than ok,” she purred.
It was important, I had her nice and relaxed before she saw that asshole tonight.