Chapter 37
Crew Time
Rico
I stand on the second level of our newest New York club, looking down on the dance floor. Claw and Ash has been a hit. The club has been packed every single night.
I couldn’t have asked for more. In the last two years, I’ve accomplished more than I ever thought I could, and Oni has been right by my side. Uncle Emilio has been true to his word.
First, we took aim at Abato and his bitch daughter. She was so desperate to hide out and get away from Oni she didn’t think twice about the trap she walked into. I still have a good laugh about that one.
I have to say, my uncle is diabolical. The way he had everything stripped from Sullivan and Abato was a thing of beauty. If you ask me, he’s enjoying himself way too much. I’ve been seeing another side of him.
“She’s here. Just walked into the front,” Ed murmurs into my ear, letting me know Oni has arrived.
I nod and take a sip from the drink in my hand. Ed walks back to our group and Al comes up beside me, throwing his arm around my shoulders. However, my focus isn’t on him.
I search the crowd to set eyes on Oni. I find Mario, then Oni comes into view behind him. If I’m not with Oni, Mario is.
My heart stops when I find her moving through the thrashing bodies on the dance floor. She gets more beautiful with each day. I never thought I could love this woman more than I already did.
However, I’m crazy about her and grow more obsessed every day. She’s been growing her hair out over the last year. It’s now long enough to brush her shoulders.
I love it, although I miss having access to her tat. I can no longer kiss the skin covered with that alluring ink without having to move her hair out of the way.
“Bro, this wedding needs to happen. Look at your face. She’s killing that dress, you know,” Al says in my ear.
I grunt. She is killing that off-the-shoulder black bodycon dress. I’m growing hard watching her move through the crowd.
We’re definitely fucking. I can’t wait to have those gold heels wrapped around my neck. Al is right, this month needs to be over.
I can’t wait until our wedding. The day I get to call her my wife is going to be the greatest day of my life.
I can’t take my eyes off her as she climbs the stairs leading to me and the VIP, where our crew is. I say our crew because our guys have become one. The guys who came over from Italy have blended in with my guys.
Since Oni and I do everything together, it works. We are the definition of a power couple. You fuck with one, you’re fucking with us both.
“Hey, handsome,” she sings as she gets to me.
I wrap my arms around her and take her lips. A deep groan rises in my chest as I devour her mouth. Pushing my hand into the back of her hair, I tug her head back to kiss her deeper.
“Get a room,” Ed taunts.
I break the kiss as I smile down at her. Her eyes are sparkling as she looks back at me. I flex my fingers against her ass in a promise for later tonight.
“It’s not our fault you can’t find anyone willing to sleep with you,” Oni tosses back at my cousin.
“Oh,” the rest of us croon.
“If I didn’t love you like a sister … never mind,” he snorts when I glare at him.
“Come on, these shots aren’t going to drink themselves. We have a ton to celebrate. Our crew is killing it,” Al calls out.
He’s right, we do have a lot to celebrate. We’re the top earners for the past year. We’ve opened several new ventures, and they’ve all been successful.
On top of all that, our wedding is coming. I couldn’t be happier with my life. My uncle and I have even been cordial with one another. I haven’t forgiven him, but I’m not as pissed as I used to be.
He even offered to walk Oni down the aisle. I know my father would have if he hadn’t. In fact, Oni refused Uncle Emilio and asked Pop instead.
She told him it was to keep the peace with her mom. I think she was being honest, but I saw the flicker of hurt in my uncle’s eyes. It was then that I realized how much he cares about Oni.
“Where’s Emilia?” Oni asks, cutting into my thoughts.
“She took a walk with Fredo. By the way, who invited him?” Al says.
“I did,” Oni says. “You guys need to stop excluding him. He’s not as bad as you all try to make him out to be.”
The fellas groan. “Yet, he had to step out to take a break from all this,” Ed grumbles.
“He’s trying to adjust and he’s doing it because he wants to be a part of things,” Oni bites out.
She has a soft spot for Fredo. I love that about her. In the last year and a half, she’s been trying to help him. His crew has grown and he’s finally getting the hang of things.
Oni’s patience is rubbing off on him. That’s all he needs, the patience to deal with people and his own emotions. Uncle Emilio is happy not to have to reprimand him all the damn time.
Fredo is known to fly off the handle and implode. That’s the reason I’ve never feared him being my competition. Uncle Emilio would never trust him with the family. He’s lucky he got a crew.
“Just last month, you shot a guy in the kneecap for not answering your question fast enough, but you have patience for Fredo? I don’t get it,” Al says.
“I didn’t do that because he didn’t answer me fast enough. It happened because he was lying to me. Two very different things.”
I pop Al upside the back of his head and narrow my eyes at him. He looks back at me as he holds the back of his head.
“What’s wrong with you? Why would you bring that shit up here?” I bite out.
“You’re right. Fuck, I’m sorry.”
“Bro, just shut the fuck up for the next hour,” Ed says.
“Hey, Oni,” Fredo says, causing me to turn.
My cousin has his gaze fixed on my fiancée as he smiles at her. Oni returns his smile and pulls him in for a hug. Emilia is next to embrace Oni.
Soon, we’re all throwing back shots and having a good time, including Fredo. The night is just what we all need. We work hard, so it’s only right we play harder.
“Come dance with me,” Oni leans to whisper in my ear.
I turn to her and nod. I take her hand and stand to follow her to the dance floor. When we get to the lower level, we move through the crowd until we find a spot just for us.
“Too Sweet” by Trinix and The Macaroon Project begins to play. Oni places her arms around my neck, and we begin to sway to the beat together. I slide my hands down to her hips as I look her in the eyes.
She moves her body in front of me, causing me to bite my lip. Then she turns her back to my front, I step up behind her and get into the music. Moving her hair from her neck, I then place a kiss against her tat.
When I once asked her why the butterflies and pot, she told me she felt like she had become one. She said she left me to transform into my donna and then take flight to come back to me. I have loved this tat more after hearing that.
“You smell good enough to eat,” I whisper in her ear.
“Good, I know I’m hungry for you and plan to have my fill; it’s only right you’re in the same boat.”
I growl and nip at her shoulder. She lifts her arms and locks her hands behind my neck. Reaching for her chin, I turn her face up and take her plush lips.
As I devour her, the club and the music are forgotten. I get lost in my girl as she pulls me into her orbit. Gliding my hand down her front, I make my way to the hem of her dress.
When I feel her exposed skin beneath my palm, I wrap my hand around her thigh and squeeze. She moans into my mouth as I begin to claw my fingers against her soft flesh. I grow harder as she grinds her ass back into me.
“We’re leaving,” I growl into her ear.
She looks up at me with a smile on her face as she shakes her head. I frown. This night needs to end so I can get her home.
“We can’t leave. Everyone came out for us.” She lifts on her tiptoes to say in my ear.
“And?” I lift a brow at her.
She laughs and turns to face me then cups my face. I wrap my arms around her and press my forehead to hers. Taking a moment, I simply breathe her in.
“You can wait a little longer. It will be worth it, I promise.”
I peck her lips. “I’m holding you to that.”
Oni
“Did you have a good time?” I ask Fredo.
His cheeks and nose are red from drinking, and his hair is a tussled mess. He looks back at me and smiles. Fredo is as handsome as his cousins.
“Yeah, I did. Thanks, Oni.”
“Thanks for what?”
“For inviting me. You got them to see me. I mean, Rico has always been cool, but he has kept his distance too.
“Since you’ve been around, it’s been different. He has more patience with me. Uncle Emilio doesn’t treat me like a stunad.”
“You’re a genius, Fredo. It took me one summer to see that. I’m glad things are better for you.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, you know you can,” I say and smile.
“Have you ever wanted to do something else?”
“Something else? What do you mean?”
“You’re smart. I’ve seen you draw. Are you only here for Rico?
“If you are, you can do better. You weren’t born into this. You can leave.”
I give a small chuckle. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I was born into this. I was born to be by his side.
“If he walked away today, I would walk with him. If he stays and has to go to war, I would be with him. Being smart is what makes me perfect for him.
“Besides, art will always have a special place in my heart. Being with him gives me that too. I might be able to do better, but this is where my heart is,” I explain.
“Then I feel like the others.” He nods.
“How’s that?”
“I’ll protect his queen with my life. You’re special, Oni. So is Rico.
“He was always meant to be Don. Uncle Emilio never thought of me for the spot. He only made Rico think that when we were little to drive him. I never stood a chance.”
I tug him into a hug. I don’t know where this is coming from, but I can see it’s important to him. He’s wrong though. Emilio sees him.
I don’t think he would make him Don in Rico’s place, but he’s still grooming Fredo for something else. For now, I keep my mouth shut. Rico and the others come over all drunk and smiling.