Chapter 26
Caterina
Vera wanted to take Harlow shopping today, and while I was hesitant, Harlow was beaming.
Nothing would happen because Vera was queen, and everyone knew not to mess with her.
Harlow was excited to shop and explore the city.
She wanted me to join them, but I had to deal with boring mafia business with Roman.
With Vincenzo’s pending retaliations, I had to prepare.
We ended up falling asleep around three in the morning and waking up at nine.
Harlow was needy last night, and I wasn’t one to complain when my wife wanted to ride my face before having an intense make out session in my Jacuzzi tub.
If Harlow didn’t almost pass out from the last orgasm I gave her, we would’ve kept going, but I knew she needed rest. I also might’ve left my mark on her skin to show Vera who she belonged to.
Hell, so did Harlow. I could still feel the claw marks on my back, but I loved being claimed.
Roman had several shipments of guns I would be taking home in my jet.
While he couldn’t help me kill Vincenzo, he would do his best to assist me in defending my people.
I was tempted to blow up Vincenzo’s house, club, and anywhere else where he would reside for the odd chance that he would die in the explosion, but that would involve innocent people dying, and me and Harlow having to hide from angry families.
The cons outranked the pro. Even if I could get rid of him, it would cause too many issues for us to live peacefully.
I wanted a future where Harlow and I could raise children and grow old together.
Things I never saw in my future were now possibilities, but I needed to rid the world of filth before I could be happy for the rest of my life.
Vera glanced at the hickies on Harlow’s neck before looking at me with a wide grin. “You two had fun in the city, huh?”
I rolled my eyes, pulling Harlow into me. “What can I say? I’m addicted.”
I pulled her closer to me, kissing her with fervor as Vera watched.
This was another way of claiming what’s mine, but I also wanted to kiss her.
Kissing her was my favorite kind of peace in a whirlwind world, so I was savoring as much as I could until I saw her again.
That, and I might be a little paranoid about her leaving without me.
She would be safe, but I was cynical. Harlow was safe.
We were in Roman’s territory, and no one messed with Roman or his wife.
Roman was like me when it came to his wife.
He would kill anyone that harmed Vera, but Vera was a sassy woman who would shoot someone if they looked at her the wrong way, too.
Vera might’ve not been born into this world, but she became accustomed to Roman’s lifestyle pretty quickly.
Harlow was innocent, and I didn’t want my lifestyle to corrupt her pureness.
I felt her lightness seep into my soul every day, slowly turning the devil in my soul into a gentler beast. For years, I’d been a monster walking in the darkness, but now I saw the light.
God, my life sounded like a fucking Disney movie.
“I want you to look at these guns, and when the two of you leave for Chicago, I’ll meet you at the airport.”
There were several Uzi, TEC-9, and MAC-10s, grenades, blasting agents, extra magazines, ammo, and more.
This would be everything I needed and then some to help me in case Vincenzo retaliated hard.
We still had a week or so in New York unless something detrimental happened, but so far I hadn’t had any reports from my men.
“I included several trackers and microphones in case you needed them.”
“Trackers will definitely come in handy. Thank you, Roman.”
“I wish I could offer more, or even Natalya, but this treaty was sealed with my father and even in death, it reigns.”
I grasped his hand. “I know. Gotta love the hierarchy. I understand.”
“While the wives are out, how about a visit to Sapphire for a drink?”
Sapphire was Roman’s gentleman’s club for luxury members.
It was a place where men and women could go when they wanted to wind down and see beautiful women.
Roman made sure his women were safe, paid well, and comfortable.
Vera would also castrate him if any man harmed women on his watch.
I hated that he wasn’t able to help when there were women being trafficked and abused daily, but it wasn’t happening in his territory, so nothing could be done on his side.
He also owned a nightclub a few blocks away called Mirage. That one was opened to the public and had a rowdier crowd than Sapphire. Roman knew where he could make money in the city, and he jumped on it. Mirage was one of the best nightclubs in the city, and people always wanted to get in.
VERA:
I get to brag because I saw your wife in this dress before you did.
I looked at the picture, and my soul left my body. Harlow was beautiful in red.
ME:
You can see her in it all you want. I am the one who gets to take it off of her.