Chapter 13
Oops, Busted
Oni
I wake and my head is pounding. There’s something poking me in my butt and something heavy is lying across my middle. I groan and open my eyes.
“Mm, what time is it?” Rico groans, reminding me I’m in his bed.
I gasp. “It’s time for me to get out of here,” I say.
He tightens his hold around me and nuzzles my neck. Whatever is poking me in the butt seems to jerk and jump against my cheeks. I wiggle a little and it happens again.
I gasp as my brain wakes and I realize what that is. Rico locks me tighter in his embrace. It feels like he’s settling in to go back to sleep. I need to get out of here before his father finds me in his bed.
“Rico. You need to get up and sneak me back into my room.”
“Just ten more minutes. You feel so good in my arms,” he says sleepily.
“Dude, we need to get up now.”
He rolls onto his back and huffs, throwing his arm across his face. I sit up and slip from the bed to head into the bathroom. My bladder feels like it’s going to burst.
I sigh as I relieve myself. My head continues to pound. It feels like it has a pulse of its own.
I need to get to my room to take something to stop this torture. I hurry to finish and wash my hands so I can get back to my room. As I step up to the sink, I glance in the mirror.
I look a mess. Closing my eyes, I lean over the sink to splash some water over my face. When I straighten, I feel strong arms wrap around me.
I open my eyes to find Rico standing behind me. He leans in to nuzzle my neck. Once again, I feel him pressed into me.
“You still smell so good,” he says. Then he points to the countertop where my phone is now sitting. He must have brought it in here. “Your phone was buzzing.”
I reach for it and pick it up. It’s a text message from Emilia asking where I am, Fredrico Sr. is looking for me. My head starts to thump more as I realize we might be caught.
“Your father is looking for me,” I say to Rico.
“Relax, he doesn’t know you spent the night. I’ll get you to your room before he finds out you were here.”
“Emilia says—”
“Oni, I’ve got you,” he cuts me off. “Come on. Unless you’re thinking about taking a shower with me first, I’ll get you out of here now.”
I turn in his embrace to see if he’s serious. He gives me a mischievous smile. I frown at him and push at his shoulder.
“Come on. I don’t want your father getting the wrong idea about me.”
He chuckles lightly and takes my hand in his to lead me from the bathroom to collect my things.
I grab my stuff, and he goes to the door to peek his head out.
Once he sees it’s clear, he waves for me to follow him out.
He takes my hand again as he rushes us through the hall toward my room, which is on the other side of the house.
He stops when we get to the catwalk that crosses over to the side my room is on. Rico peeks out over the rail then looks back at me. He dips his head to peck my lips, then gestures with his head for me to go.
I clench my shoes and jumper to my chest, then race across. Nervous, I hold my breath until I reach my room and I’m secure behind the closed door. Releasing a deep breath, I head for the bathroom to shower and get ready for breakfast, where Emilia said her uncle will be waiting for me.
I make quick work of tying up my braids as I murmur to myself about not doing so last night. I can see they are already getting fuzzy.
I might have to take them out soon. I wonder if I can find someone to do my hair while I’m down here. I’ll have to ask Uncle Claude if he can hook me up with someone one of his lady friends might know.
Once I’m showered, I race to find something to put on and get downstairs. After I’m dressed in a pair of leggings and a thin tank top, I shove on a pair of sneakers and dash out of the room with my phone in my hand.
When I get downstairs, I follow the voices that are floating through the main level. I enter the dining room to find everyone already seated. Mario is looking down at his phone as he scrolls through it.
Al and Ed are fussing among themselves. Emilia is talking to Fredrico Sr. while Rico is sitting lost in thought as he stares down at his empty plate.
Instead of taking the empty seat beside Rico, I go to sit beside Emilia. Rico gives me a scowl, but I ignore it. I don’t think I should sit next to him, not after last night.
“Good morning, Oni. How did you sleep last night?” Fredrico Sr. asks.
“Fine, sir. Thank you.”
“Um,” he murmurs. “I’m going to have the staff change out your linens, as clearly your accommodations weren’t to your liking—since you didn’t sleep in your room but Rico’s last night.”
Aldo and Eduardo scoff and almost spit out their juice. Rico begins to choke on his. Emilia sits with a grin on her lips. I glare at her, thinking she ratted me out.
“Don’t think Emilia told me. Rico, you have never been as slick as you think when trying to sneak girls in and out of your room. I’ve always known. This is just the first time I’m calling you on it.”
Rico
I pound at my chest as I cough from my orange juice going down the wrong pipe. I wasn’t expecting my father to blast me and Oni like that. I was never worried about him finding out, but I know Oni was.
She’s adorable as her cheeks start to glow with embarrassment. She will look anywhere but at me. I can no longer hold back my laughter.
“Babe, it’s not a big deal. Stop looking so guilty.” I burst out into laughter.
Oni trains her gaze on me and glares flames in my direction. If looks could kill, she’d have me six feet under. With a grin, I stand and pick up my plate that’s just been filled and my glass of juice.
I saunter around the table and stop next to Mario on Oni’s right side. Giving him a nod, I wait for him to grab his plate and get up. Once he moves out of the way, I take his seat and put my things down.
“Now that’s better,” I croon and lean in to tip my head back and kiss the side of her neck.
“All I ask is that you two don’t do anything under my roof that will make me have to lock horns with your uncle, Oni,” Pop says.
“Oh my God, we didn’t do more than sleep,” Oni groans.
I roar with laughter and Pop does the same. Oni looks between the two of us with her mouth open.
“You’re making a bigger deal out of this than is necessary. Chill out,” I say through my laughter.
“Just let the floor swallow me. Please.”
“I’m loving this,” Emilia says as she laughs on the other side of Oni.
Al and Ed are laughing so hard their faces are red. I wrap an arm around Oni’s head and tug her to me, then kiss the top of it. Pop looks at us with amusement written all over his face.
“You can relax. Mangiare, the stylist will be here soon. She’s going to make sure Oni has all the gowns she needs for the job,” Pop says and begins to dig into the plate that was just placed in front of him.
I kiss Oni’s temple before I go back to my food. Slowly, she starts on the plate that’s been brought out for her. She even chews cute.
Placing my fork down, I sit back and watch her. From the way she’s stabbing at her food, I know I’m in for it later. I grin to myself and shake my head.
***
Watching Oni has become my new favorite pastime. I wasn’t expecting to sit in on her fitting, but I’m glad I did. She has modeled each dress she’s tried on.
I’m happy to be here to point out to her that some of the options could hinder her from doing what the intended job is. She can’t show up in a dirty or ripped dress, and she needs to move as swiftly as she did when she took that Trackhawk.
My phone buzzes with a text, grabbing my attention. Pulling the phone from my pocket, I check to see who the text is from. I roll my eyes as I see it’s one of my guys in New York.
Antonio only texts me when there’s a problem. When I call him back, I know he’s going to tell me some shit to piss me off. Why in the hell is so much going on right now?
I never have this much shit going on. It’s like someone is targeting me to make me look bad. Fredo isn’t crazy enough to try me like this. My cousin and I don’t see eye to eye, but he’s not ready to challenge me.
However, I can’t ignore that someone is coming for me. Mario was right. First, someone got Jonny and Pauly to betray me. Then, Cusumano turns up dead without having to answer to me first.
“How about this one?” Oni asks, causing me to lift my head from my phone.
When my gaze lands on her, my mouth falls open. She’s in a white dress that fits her to perfection. It’s not too long, not too short. It’s perfect.
I sit back in my seat and beckon her to me with two fingers. As she comes to me, I take her in from head to toe. The silver heels on her feet are sexy and complement the dress.
She stops before me, and I grab her hand and tug her onto my lap. Placing a hand on her thigh, I give it a squeeze. She looks back at me as her chest heaves.
“Do you like this one?” she breathes.
I glide my hand up her inner thigh and lean in to take her lips. I want to peel this dress off her and spend the rest of the day getting to know everything about her.
“You’re gorgeous. It’s perfect. I owe you a date. Keep this one for that,” I say against her lips.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. She has plenty of others; this one isn’t for the job—it’s white. You wouldn’t want to stain it or something. You should go with dark colors for the job. Nothing that could give away what you’ve done before entering the event.”
“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. Now come here, I can’t get enough of kissing you. Your lips are so soft and feel so good.”
I grasp the back of her neck and pull her into me for a passionate kiss. She wraps her arms around my neck as I deepen the kiss and devour her.
I groan as she pushes her fingers into my hair. Right as I get ready to lift her and position her to straddle my lap, someone clears their throat. I break the kiss and look over Oni’s shoulder to find Estell and Emilia staring at us.
I shrug and smile back at them. Oni jumps up and rushes from my lap, leaving me feeling bereft. I shake my head and return to my thoughts of business.
Someone wants my attention. I’m going to find out who and give them all the focus I have. They are fucking with the wrong one.