34. Chloe
Chapter 34
Chloe
I ’m back to working again—with numbers, my favourite thing—and it feels so damn good. It’s been almost a month, and during this time, I’ve been buried in the maze of businesses that make up the Mancini portfolio, not to mention interviewing people to join my team. There’s no way I could manage it all alone.
I’m slowly starting to grasp things. My predecessor left things in a bit of a mess, so we’ve basically had to start from scratch. The program Prescott Enterprises built for us has been a lifesaver, making my job much more manageable.
I’m not naive enough to think everything was above board before I took this role. I know there’s been some shady business dealings going on behind the scenes, but with Giovanni Senior now out of the picture, I’ve been working closely with Alex to clean it all up.
Alexander has been getting Dante involved as much as possible, but he hasn’t made it easy. His antics crack me up. He busts his brother’s balls every chance he gets, but I’ve loved watching them bond again.
The three of us make a great team.
I’m only working from nine to three, so I can drop Giovanni at school and be there to collect him in the afternoons. We’ve slotted into a nice routine.
I log off my computer and grab my bag before heading for Alexander’s office. I find Dante and Antonio in there with him, so I remain in the doorway. “I’m heading off now,” I say.
All three heads swing in my direction, and when Dante rocks back in his chair, giving me a flirtatious smile and a wink, I know it is purely for his brother’s benefit.
“Out,” Alexander barks. “Both of you!”
Antonio rises immediately, but his brother does it begrudgingly with a long, drawn-out exhale. As he passes, he bops my nose with the tip of his finger and adds, “See you at home, darlin’.”
When Alexander audibly growls, Dante throws back his head and laughs.
These two.
“He does that purposely to get under your skin,” I say, closing the door behind me. “He knows you’re going to bite.”
“He knows how to press my buttons, that’s for sure,” Alexander replies as he pushes his chair back from the desk and taps his upper thigh with an open palm. “He’s a little cocksucker. He’s been doing it my whole damn life.”
“Maybe stop biting.”
“Easier said than done, bella .” He juts his chin towards the door. “Lock it.”
I arch an eyebrow. “I have to go and get Giovanni from school.”
“Your mum is getting him today.”
“She is?”
“Yes, I asked her to. ”
A surge of hope bubbles up inside me. Maybe he does know what today is and has just been holding out on me. I hadn’t expected him to wish me a happy birthday—I never told him when it was—but I’ll admit, I was hurt when my mother didn’t say a word this morning before I left the house.
I know she’s been absent from my life for years, and even though I found all the birthday cards she wrote during that time, I’m not sure if she remembers the date or if she just picked a random day, assuming I’d never get them anyway.
“Why did you ask my mum to collect him?”
“Because I wanted some alone time with you. You’ve been working with me for a month, and we’ve yet to christen my office or this desk. Those sexy little skirts you wear every day drive me fucking wild.”
I force a smile, doing my best not to let the disappointment show. It’s been a long time since I’ve celebrated my birthday. I’m not sure if my father didn’t know when it was or if he just pretended not to.
Maybe because he couldn’t afford to get me anything, but for me, it was never about the gifts … it was about the recognition. Initially, it stung, but over time, I began to treat it like just another day.
Alexander crooks his finger. “Come here, amore mio , I have something for you.”
“Let me guess, your dick?”
He chuckles as I approach. “Perceptive and beautiful … a lethal combination.”
I slide onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Flattery will get you everywhere,” I say, leaning in to place my mouth on his.
He deepens the kiss as his fingers glide over my hip and down my outer thigh. He doesn’t stop until he reaches the hem of my skirt. I part my legs when his hand slips underneath. Well, as much as the tight fabric will allow, which isn’t much.
We get to sleep in the same bed every night, but other than that, having a house full of people makes our one-on-one time limited. I’m as desperate for this as much as he is.
When he realises this isn’t going to work, he pulls out of the kiss. “Stand up.”
As soon as I comply, he shimmies my skirt up until it’s bunched around my waist. He smiles when he sees the cotton. “Are those little pizza slices on your underwear?”
I lift one shoulder. “I was hungry when I got dressed this morning.”
He barks out a laugh. “Adorable, just like you, bella. ”
He grasps my hips with his big, strong hands, and I let out a little squeak when he proceeds to effortlessly lift me off the ground and sit me on the edge of his desk.
His gaze is focused on the junction of my thighs as he spreads my legs wide and runs his tongue along his bottom lip. When he reaches for his phone, I gasp.
“You are not taking a photo of me.”
His eyes snap up to my face. “I’m texting Carmella to tell her I want her to make pizzas for dinner, but thanks for the idea.”
I sit there as he types something, but then I hear the distinct click. “You better not have just taken a picture of my vag.”
His eyes meet mine again. “Your vag?”
“Don’t act coy, Mancini; you know exactly what I mean. Delete it, now .”
“No can do, Tesoro .”
“Don’t sweetheart me, Alexander. ”
“It’s for my eyes only, Chloe. I would have to kill anyone who saw it.”
“Promise.”
“Cross my heart, amore mio . Now lift up.”
He slides his hands under my arse when I place my flattened palms on the desk and push up so he can remove my underwear. I don’t even react when he brings them to his nose. I’m used to his depravity now.
When he’s done, he scrunches them into a ball and opens his desk drawer. I arch a brow. “A memento of this occasion.”
“What occasion? You fucking me on your desk?”
“No. Me christening my desk with the love of my life.”
I swoon a little inside when he says that as I lean forward, I cradle either side of his face in my hands and kiss this beautiful man. It’s funny, only months ago, I wanted to disembowel him for stealing me away from everything I’d known. Now, I can’t imagine what my life would be like without him in it.
It’s crazy how life works sometimes.
Once I draw back from the kiss, I rest my forehead against his. “ Ti amo , Alexander.”
He reaches up to gently brush his thumb across my cheek. “I love you too, bella . So fucking much it scares me. Now lie back; those little pizza slices have made me hungry.”
I do as he instructs, resting back on my elbows as his face inches forward. The moment he dips his head between my legs and swipes his tongue over my sensitive flesh, I clench my eyes and moan.
Happy birthday to me.
Two and a half hours later, we are in the car, travelling back home. I’m sitting in the middle of Alexander and Dante. I feel like a deflowered rose between two incredibly handsome thorns.
Dante bears a strong resemblance to his older brother—not identical, but it’s clear they’re family, as he has that same tall, dark, and handsome Adonis thing going on—but the most significant difference between the two lies in their personalities. Alexander has a more serious, guarded vibe, while Dante is laid-back, carefree, and effortlessly easygoing.
In saying that, though, I know Alexander more intimately—both the good and the bad—the man behind the mask. But with Dante, it’s different. Given the lifestyle he’s just come from, there’s an undercurrent of something darker that I don’t think I’m fully privy to. A side he keeps buried, and no matter how close I get, I’m not sure I’ll ever fully understand it.
I settle back into my seat and cover my mouth to muffle my yawn.
I’m spent.
I need a warm bath and a nap.
What was supposed to be a simple christening of Alexander’s desk turned into a full-on fuckfest on every surface of his office. It feels like a constant pattern with us; we can’t seem to keep our hands off each other. When we’re together, it’s nothing short of explosive.
“Dude, can you cut out the nonstop leg bouncing? It’s giving me anxiety,” Dante says to Alexander.
I may be sitting beside him, but I’m so zoned out I didn’t even realise. “You okay?” I ask, placing my hand on his leg.
“I’m fine,” Alexander replies, turning his face to stare out the window.
It’s a telltale sign he’s stressed about something. He did the same thing on the way to his father’s funeral. Is he struggling more than he’s letting on?
“Chloe and I are going to head upstairs to shower and change when we get home. Will you tell Carmella to hold off on dinner for half an hour?”
“Half an hour?” Dante replies. “Are you sure you don’t need longer?”
Alexander turns his head in our direction, leaning forward in his seat to make eye contact with his brother. “Why would we need longer?”
Dante subtly nudges my side, so I know he’s about to rile up his brother. He seems to take pleasure in getting under his skin.
He shrugs. “You rudely kicked me and Antonio out of your office so you could fuck my little sister six ways to Sunday?—”
Alexander growls, cutting his brother off midsentence. I roll my lips to hide my smile. He took the bait … again .
“You may still be recovering from your injuries, but if you disrespect Chloe like that again, I’ll knock you the fuck out … and she’s not your sister.”
“My bad … sister-in-law.”
“She’s not that either.”
“She will be when you pull your head out of your arse and marry her.”
“Shut up,” Alexander grumbles, but his brother isn’t done.
“You know we all heard you guys right.”
“Oh, my God,” I squeak, covering my face with my hands.
“Not you, Chlo,” he says, placing his hand on my knee and giving it a slight squeeze. Alexander promptly pushes it away. “It was Leo-the-fucking-Lion over here.” He juts his thumb towards Alex. “Dude, what was with that fucking roar? You sounded like you were purging demons from your soul.”
“I’ll purge you in a minute,” he retorts through gritted teeth.
“I’m pretty sure I even heard one of your guests ask if there was a wild beast loose in the hotel.”
When Alexander growls, my shoulders bob with silent laughter.
Dante chuckles as he uses his hand to cast out an imaginary line before reeling it back in.
“You’re a prick,” Alexander murmurs before shifting his gaze to me. “Don’t encourage him.”
“I’m just messing with you, Alex. Relax,” Dante retorts. “Can I at least expect another niece or nephew in the near future?”
I say, “No!” while Alexander mutters, “Hopefully.”
“I know you like to dress for dinner, but?—”
“You are wearing clothes, Chloe,” Alexander snaps, cutting me off.
I roll my eyes. “Obviously, but can I just throw on my pyjamas? I want to wear something comfy that doesn’t involve a bra.”
“No,” he growls. “And you are wearing a goddamn bra. I don’t need you giving my brother more ammo.”
I blow out a puff of air as I unhook my towel, letting it drop to the floor and begin riffling through my underwear drawer. I don’t even have the energy to fight back.
I’ll begrudgingly dress and go downstairs for dinner, because I know Alexander will get even pissier if I don’t eat, then I’m coming straight back up here to crawl into bed.
I slip into my underwear, shimmying them up over my hips without sparing a glance at Alexander as he does the same. I’ve officially moved into his room now. He even made space for me in his wardrobe, I’ve got the left side; he’s claimed the right.
My old room has been transformed into a permanent bedroom for Giovanni. Alexander wanted his decorator to handle the makeover, but I thought it would be more fun if Giovanni got to choose everything himself—well, with a bit of guidance from me.
It turned out great, and I hope he gets plenty of use out of it. None of us knows when Sophia will be returning for him. I don’t want to think about that day because I already know it will break me. I adore that little boy as if he were my own.
My lips press into a thin line as my hands move behind my back to fasten the clasps of my bra. Once I’m done, I grab the first dress within reach, yanking it off the hanger without a second thought. I don’t even care which one it is; I’m dressing under duress.
Alexander steps up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I feel the warmth of his bare chest press against my back. “I’m sorry for snapping, bella .”
I glance over my shoulder at him. “You know your brother isn’t interested in me, right? He simply enjoys goading you.”
“I know,” he replies, pressing a chaste kiss to my shoulder. “I just have a lot going on right now.”
I turn in his arms, sliding my hands around his neck. “Are you okay? You’ve been all over the place. One moment, everything seems fine, and then you do something that makes me feel like it’s not.”
“I’ll be better once tonight is over.”
I pull back, eyes narrowing. “Tonight? What’s happening tonight? ”
He lets go of me and turns to grab a shirt off the hanger. “Let’s go eat. We can talk after dinner.”
My stomach twists, a knot forming. What does that even mean? He said he had no more secrets. Was he lying?