Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Angelo
Remi’s pussy has my fingers in a chokehold, not that I’m complaining. Nor is my cock, as it’s already gearing up for a second round.
A lovely pink creeps up her chest to her cheeks as she relaxes her pelvic muscles, and a smile tugs at my lips as I remove my fingers.
“Palm side up,” she tells me.
Ignoring her command, I move my fingers to her stomach, writing my name with our cum. I’ve never wanted to claim a woman before; never understood the desire.
I’m beginning to understand.
“Uh-hum.” She clears her throat. “When you’re finished with your art project, let me know.”
“Not an art project; a fucking masterpiece.” I examine my handiwork. Satisfying, yes, but the true masterpiece is Remi’s body. So soft and sweet and sinfully curvy.
She grabs my right hand with an exaggerated sigh, flipping it over, palm side up.
“You’ll have to explain this voodoo to me,” I tell her.
“Palmistry isn’t voodoo; that’s a whole other gris gris bag.”
“I’m sorry?”
“That was a joke. You know, a gris gris bag?”
I give her a blank look.
“Your social circle doesn’t include voodoo priestesses?
” Remi purses her lips. “How boring for you.” She turns her attention to my palm.
“There are four major lines: the heart line.” Her finger skates over my palm.
“The head line.” She moves to another line, tracing the length of it.
“Life line.” Moving her finger, she lightly touches it.
“And the fate line.” Her finger pausing, she asks, “Is there a particular question you have in mind?”
“The situation with my brother.” My response surprises me.
“Hum.” She examines my palm again. “Your destiny line is pretty deep, meaning that you’ve been controlled by fate to a certain extent. But you also have a pretty dramatic break in your life line. Meaning an event that causes a big life change.”
“When does this event occur?”
“Dunno if this references a past or future event. That’s above my palmistry pay grade.”
“I want a refund,” I tell her.
“Sorry, should’ve read the fine print. All sales final.” She continues to explore my palm with her finger; it’s nice. “Ohhh, how cool!”
“What?”
“You have the camera’s eye line. This little one right here.” She moves her finger so I can see the little mark that looks like half of an end quotation mark. “Artistic and yet a bent toward perfectionism, you have a real gift for photography. But you’re not a photographer, right?” she teases.
Unsure if Remi’s knowledge is legitimate or if she’s repackaging details about me she already knows, I still find myself asking, “And health?”
“You don’t have a health line, meaning I don’t see health issues as part of your journey. The Calvani curse only holds power if you let it,” she says gently.
“How do you know?—”
“Alessandra mentioned it. But everyone in my family is dead, so I know a thing or two about family curses,” she says matter-of-factly.
“And yet you’re not jaded because of it.”
“ C’est la vie .” She lifts her shoulder. “Besides, where’s the fun in being jaded?”
“It’s not about fun; it’s about realism. Rose colored glasses don’t belong in my world.”
“Ah.” She returns her attention to my palm. “This explains it.”
“What?”
“The broody bastard line.”
She giggles as I roll over and pin her beneath me. “Now I know you’re hustling me.” My lips press to hers, swallowing the delicious sound.
A persistent knocking on my door has me snapping my head up in annoyance. “What?”
“Where’s Remi?” My sister calls.
“Shouldn’t you be in school?” I counter.
“I get out at 2:45 like I always do,” Al calls back with attitude.
Rolling off of Remi, I reach for my phone and check the time. Damn, I didn’t realize it was so late in the afternoon.
“Nola’s scratching at the door, acting crazy.”
“She needs to go to the bathroom,” Remi tells me quietly, sliding out of bed and scooping up her clothes. “I’ll be right there,” she calls to Al.
Sisters and exotic cats. The ultimate cockblocking duo.
Remi
“Still going with the ‘you and my brother aren’t anything?’” Alessandra follows me and a leashed Nola upstairs to the rooftop patio, where Nola hops up into a large planter to handle her business. “And shouldn’t she be doing that in a litter box?”
“No, because she’s not a c-a-t.” I spell out the word. “She needs a green space to do her business, but I can’t risk being seen coming and going from your brother’s apartment before tonight’s party.”
Failing to heed my own warning, I’ve taken my eyes off the prize. One hundred thousand dollars in total; a clean record. That’s what matters, not getting my feelings hurt because I can’t be seen in public with Angelo. Not that we would ever be seen in public together.
Just sex, remember?
Ugh, but why did just sex have to be the best sex of my life…
“What happens to you after tonight?” Alessandra pulls me from my thoughts.
“A fresh start.”
“Does that fresh start include my brother?”
I shake my head. “A woman like me would never work with a ‘Mr. New Orleans.’”
“Why not?” Alessandra challenges. “You’re cool. Beautiful. Smart. Down to earth. Talented.”
“Thank you, my hype girl. Please, go on.” I make a continue motion with my hand.
Alessandra snorts. “What I’m saying is, my brother would be dumb not to be with you. And my brother isn’t dumb.”
We enter downstairs, only to run into the turkey trotting queen herself.
“Oh, hey Laurie,” Alessandra says, and my spine goes ramrod straight.
I knew I’d see the woman tonight with Angelo, but I wasn’t expecting her in his apartment. Could I be any more naive?
Dressed in a black trench coat, she’s nearly as tall as Angelo in those killer heels. Objectively beautiful, polished, and poised, the woman’s everything that I’m not.
To make matters worse, I probably look like something Nola dragged in, considering her “not boyfriend” just fucked me senseless.
Without a condom.
Actually, I could be more naive; Angelo’s sticky cum between my legs proves it.
“Hello.” She smiles politely, her eyes shifting to assess me. “And you are?”
“This is my piano teacher,” Alessandra covers quickly.
“How wonderful. I didn’t realize you played piano,” Laurie comments to Alessandra, never taking her gaze off me.
“Recently started learning. You ready?” Alessandra turns to me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your piano teacher’s name.” Laurie says to Alessandra, but her calculating eyes are still on me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” I turn the tables.
“Dr. Laurie Kole. Mr. Calvani’s girlfriend .”
“Laurie, I’m glad I ran into you,” Alessandra interjects. “Can’t wait to go to the mayor’s party thingie with you and my brother.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d be joining us,” Laurie says, annoyance flashing in her eyes a split second before she hides it beneath a practiced smile.
“That hasn’t been decided yet.” Angelo steps into the room. Freshly showered, all the evidence of us having been together washed down the drain.
Feeling the man’s gaze on me, I refuse to make eye contact.
“Al, run along with your teacher; I need to speak to Laurie,” Angelo tells his sister.
“Sure thing. See you tonight, Laurie,” Al says.
Laurie flashes a saccharine sweet smile. “Of course.”
Nola comes sauntering in the room, and I swear to God, if she takes Angelo’s side in this, I’ll lose it.
“Is that a bobcat?” Laurie takes a step back, her eyes wide with alarm.
“No,” Alessandra, Angelo, and I say in unison.
“This is my new pet.” Alessandra tries to pick Nola up, who’s not having it. She bares her teeth with a hiss, and Alessandra wisely holds up her hands in defeat. “Okay, cool. Hang here then. Let’s go,” she tells me, but I’m already down the hallway. “Bye, Laurie.” Alessandra chases after me.
She ushers me into her room, closing the door and leaning her ear against it—trying to listen in on Angelo and Laurie’s conversation
“Alessandra, really, I don’t care,” I lie, falling back on her bed and looking at the ceiling. My eyes blink rapidly as I fight back the tears.
“Well, I do.” She quietly opens the door and motions for me.
“Ugh, fine,” I whisper.
Tiptoeing out of the room and down the hallway, I stop beside Alessandra at the entranceway to the living room.
“You returning my card could have been accomplished this evening,” Angelo says in a cool tone.
“But then I couldn’t give you a sneak peek at what I’ll be wearing tonight, underneath my dress.”
Ah, Laurie wearing a trench coat makes more sense now; only a woman seducing her “not boyfriend” wears a trench coat on a sunny day.
Al makes a face, grabbing my hand, and we tiptoe back to her room. “I’m so sorry,” she begins.
Denial isn’t sounding so great now, not when it feels like my heart’s being clawed out of my chest with Nola-sharp claws.
“In Angelo’s defense?—”
I hold up my hand. “Don’t. Your brother doesn’t owe me one.”
No more denial.
Angelo Calvani was never going to be mine, but that fresh start will be.
Angelo
“Can you put that thing outside?” Laurie eyes Nola, who’s hopped up on the couch for a better view of this train wreck.
“No.” My hands jerks Laurie’s coat closed, cinching the waist tight. “My sister is in the other room.”
“Then let’s take this to your bedroom,” she purrs, running her hands up and down my chest.
“Laurie, I don’t understand what’s going on; two surprise visits in a row.” I grab her hands by the wrists. “You know how busy I am?—”
She pouts. “You don’t look busy to me.”
My phone rings. It’s Maks, reminding me that I need to give my right hand man a raise. “This is Mr. Calvani,” I answer.
“Mr. Calvani, you’re needed at The Boardroom ,” he announces loudly.
“I’ll be right there.”
Ending the call, I usher Laurie to the door. “I need to go handle some business at the restaurant. I’ll send a car for you this evening.”
She huffs. “I should’ve held onto your card longer.”
“Laurie, I do not have time for drama right now.” In fact, I have more than enough drama in my life.
“Then maybe I don’t have time for you tonight,” she says, chin lifted.
“I’m not one for games, and I’m unsure why you’ve decided to play one with me now.” A lie, as I’m all for games when it comes to Remi Landry. “No more nonsense; I’ll see you this evening.”
Closing and locking the door behind her, my head thunks it in frustration.
Something bumps my ankle, and I reach down and give Nola a scratch. “Your human is going to be angry with me. Again .”
She meows in agreement.
“Let’s go face the music.”
I go to pick her up, but she darts out of my grasp.
“I thought we were in this together?” I call after her.
Remi’s not in the guest room, and I sigh heavily as I knock on my sister’s door. “Remi,” I call.
She appears, and I turn my cheek, giving it a little pat. “Let’s get this out of the way.”
“That won’t be necessary.” She brushes past me.
Her refusal to slap me pisses me off, which I realize is an insane reaction. Catching up with her, I grab her by the wrist.
She looks down to my hand with offense; a hand she was caressing not five minutes ago. A hand that was knuckles deep inside her, not ten minutes ago. “We need to discuss a change in strategy.”
“What do you mean?” I drop my hold.
“Laurie saw Remi’s face, and if shit hits the fan tonight at the party, Laurie will narc on y’all.” Al appears.
“Stay out of this,” I grit through my teeth.
“She’s right,” Remi says. “The entire operation is in jeopardy.”
“No, it isn’t,” I say firmly. “Laurie will be too busy social climbing to pay attention to the band.”
Remi tsks . “Not a nice thing to say about your?—”
“Say my girlfriend; I fucking dare you.” My hand flexes at my side; I have no problem following through with my previous threat.
Remi snaps her mouth shut.
“You’ll be wearing a mask on stage, so no one will see your face,” I continue. “Perhaps you could style your hair differently, if you’re still concerned.”
“What’s the mayor’s type?” Remi asks.
“Not you,” I answer through my teeth.
“What about a fun wig to match the Mardi Gras vibe?” Al says. “I’ve got a few in my collection. What will you be wearing?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.” I follow them out, only for Remi to slam the guest room door in my face. “I wasn’t talking to you, Angelo,” she calls.
“I’ll remind you that I am the fucking boss of New Orleans,” I say like a petulant child.
“Good for you,” Remi calls sweetly. “And I’ll remind you that I am the fucking boss of this operation.”
Blind rage courses through me, and needing an outlet, that leaves the guard who let Laurie in the apartment in the first place.
I storm toward the front door, but Maks intercepts me. “Boss, before you kill him and leave me scrambling to find his replacement, is Al coming with you and Laurie tonight?”
“Yes.” Al appears in the doorway, holding a box of ridiculous wigs.
A snarl rattles my chest. “No.”
“I don’t have to be the runner, but it won’t hurt to have a second set of eyes to help keep Remi safe,” she argues. “I might see something that yours and Remi’s camera misses.”
“I won’t say she has a point, but…” Maks trails off.
I can’t believe the words are coming out of my mouth, but I say, “You can come, to observe only.”
She nods excitedly, hurrying out.
“We still need a runner,” Maks reminds me.
“Let’s call in Nic,” I decide. “Pass him off as my private security.”
“And if that’s a no-go? Our contact won’t be working the guest entrance,” Maks reminds me.
I drag my hand down my face. “Then we’re improvising.”
“ти хто?” Who are you?
I still don’t fucking know.