Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
VINCENZO
T he hunt had begun.
After my meeting with Pietro, knowing that arrangements had been made about Luca, I was able to turn my attention elsewhere. Isabelle. I needed to educate her briefly on the people we were going to meet and how she was to behave around them.
I felt bad for alarming her, as I saw her eyes widen with every word I said, but it was necessary. She had to be on guard, because everyone would see her as my weakness and try to get information out of her.
“Are you ready?” I asked right before the team of stylists I hired whisked her off to get ready.
“Stay close to you, suspect everyone, and keep the topics of conversation as shallow as possible. I got it.” She looked up at me as she spoke. Her eyes, slightly red around the edges, were practically screaming her nervousness at me. For all our talks and all my lessons, she was still so easy to read. I felt my hands move and immediately stifled the urge I felt to pull her into my arms.
"And when in doubt?" I asked, as the stylists nearby began to unpack their boxes, pulling out an assortment of makeup containers and accessories.
"Stay silent." She mumbled hurriedly, as one stylist held up a pink hairpin. I shook my head.
"Not that one." I said, before I finally left the room and started my own preparations.
I got ready faster than Isabelle ever could. I had been to many of these events so I had a lifetime of practice on preparing myself for them. The only difference from my usual routine was that I had to pick out my tie carefully. I had caught a glimpse of the blue dress Isabelle would be wearing and I wanted to pick a tie that would match it. We were supposed to be an engaged couple and our clothing had to reflect that. I thought the night would offer no surprises, but the moment I saw Isabelle, I knew I was wrong.
Isabelle looked stunning. The blue dress she was wearing made her skin look so deliciously pale that I wanted to lean in and take a bite. Her moonlight skin contrasted the blush make up on her cheeks. Her hair was piled up and held in place with glittering hairpins and some curly locks framed her face. She looked like a sculpture come to life, and I wanted nothing more than to take her into my arms and hide her from the world so only I could look at her. The thought of other people seeing her like this made my blood boil.
She must have noticed something from the look on my face, because her blush, which was originally just makeup, intensified as her face and neck grew flushed. I stretched out a hand to her, and when she put her hand in mine, I felt my breath quicken. With the way she looked tonight, I wanted to just undress her now, stay in and let the event go on without us.
“Ahem.” My chaotic thoughts were calmed by someone clearing his throat. When I turned around, I spotted Pietro looking at me with a knowing grin.
“Any news about Luca?” I finally asked, choosing to ignore the teasing smile on my brother’s face.
“None yet, but I’ll keep you posted. Just remember to watch your back.” He told me as he slipped me a small gun with a silencer on it. To her credit, Isabelle’s face didn’t go pale at the sight of the gun. Maybe she had gotten used to it by now. I attached the gun to an ankle holster. The unofficial rule was to come to these types of events unarmed, but I had some leeway on the etiquette. The gun was insurance. We hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, but it was always good to be prepared for anything. I had never been caught without a weapon in a dangerous situation and I wasn’t about to start now.
“Isn’t that what I have you for?” I quipped and he chuckled as Isabelle and I walked out the door. I didn’t have to look back to know that Pietro was going to get in another car with some men and tail us. Ever since we got into the business, we had always had each other’s back.
The ride to the venue was quiet, from the corner of my eyes I could see Isabelle beside me. She was fidgeting, her hands seemed to have a life of their own as she absentmindedly tapped the window.
It was an elegant affair. Everyone at the event had allies and enemies present but were willing to set all grudges aside for tonight. However, the undercurrent that hung around in the air betrayed it for what it really was; a gathering of wolves.
The moment I stepped out of the car with Isabelle, I was on guard and on edge. We hadn’t even gotten into the hall yet and it already seemed like there were hundreds of eyes on us. And maybe there were. Every person in there had their own bodyguard waiting in the wings with firepower just in case things went south. Although I thought Antonio would know better than to make a move at an event like this, daring moves were still his type of style.
I took a brief second to let my eyes adjust once we stepped into the hall, the contrast between how dark it was outside and the brightly lit hall almost blinding. What was more annoying was the amount of attention Isabelle received. I still didn't know if her nerves would hold under the pressure.
“Why are they staring?” Isabelle asked me in a whisper, and I grinned.
“Maybe it’s because of how you look in that dress,” I whispered back and watched her face turn pink. I wasn’t lying, but I could also see some of my enemies, the Salvatore and the De Belli clan. Representatives of all the families, friends and foes, were sizing us up, their eyes focused on us like they were trying to pick apart every single detail. If I hadn’t been so focused on keeping things together, I would have scoffed.
“Don Vincenzo, you’re looking well, and your fiancée looks divine,” a shifty looking man walked up to me and said. I did not to simply walk away from him because as much as I disdained him, he was a fool who could be a useful tool if I played my cards right. The man's name was Alvarez and he had beady little eyes and hair that looked too greasy to be real. He was one of the new foreign associates Don Antonio had been working with lately, close enough to be considered Antonio's new right-hand man. Alvarez was from a Colombian cartel and because I didn’t trust Antonio, I didn’t trust him.
“Nasty business, what happened to Don Salvatore.” He sighed theatrically. This was my problem with him. He thought he and Don Antonio were so smart that no one noticed their little moves. That was why he could stand before me, and say something like that while reeking of smugness.
"Yes, it's terrible."
"I only hope things settle down from now on."
“You’re not alone, that’s what everyone here is hoping.” As I spoke, someone else joined us. The woman, Loredana, had blond hair and a polite smile on her face. She was another perfect tool, a favored daughter from the Messina clan, known for feeding the rumor mill whatever she could find, and I was about to give her prime material.
“What are you all talking about?” She asked, her love for gossip making her eyes shine brighter than the diamonds that circled her neck.
“Nothing much, Alvarez here was just telling me how invested he was in the investigation into what happened to Don Salvatore.” As I spoke, I watched his face turn ugly. Loredana was a notorious blabbermouth, and in less than thirty minutes, everyone in this hall would know that Alvarez had a unique interest in the case. From the look on her face, I knew I had succeeded in making Loredana suspicious of him, so whatever rumor she would pass around would be unfavorable to him, and ultimately, to Don Antonio. Just thinking about how everyone would keep a close eye on him from now on made me want to laugh out loud.
My attention turned to Isabelle, who had been snacking on a plate of finger foods placed on the table beside us. Despite her focus on the snacks, she couldn't hide the glint of curiosity in her eyes.
“Darling, I see a friend over there, let’s go,” I said to her right before we walked away, leaving Alvarez stuck in place with a face that looked like he had sucked on a lemon.
"Who was that?"
"Alvarez. He works for Don Antonio, the man we met in the jewelry store." I said, and she visibly shuddered, possibly at the memory of what had happened that day.
"That man's here right now?" She asked, and I nodded.
"There's a possibility that we'll bump into him, so be prepared."
We walked around, talking to different people. Everyone in the room was a key player in Palermo’s underworld society, and despite how many smiles were shot at us, it would have been na?ve to assume any of them were genuine. I had to keep an eye on Isabelle. I found that despite her calm appearance, she was still nervous. It showed in how much she was fidgeting with the engagement ring.
To her credit, Isabelle was doing better than I thought she would. Whenever I saw her fidgeting, I would pat her hand. She leaned into me constantly, and I found my arm around her shoulders. Showing intimacy seemed to come naturally to us. However, every time I made eye contact with her, it felt like touching a live wire, my breath quickening and my blood beginning to rush downwards.
“You’re a dangerous woman, you know that, right?” I whispered in her ear. When I saw her earlobe turn red, I found myself fighting the urge to lean in and make her blush even more. I grew hyper aware of her and everything near me. I could feel the satin soft touch of her fingers in one hand and the soft curves of her body that leaned on me. Being so close to her, inhaling her scent, it put some ideas in my head. My breathing grew heavy as I looked at her and imagined all the things I could do to her. I wanted to leave my mark on every inch of her skin.
“Hm?” She leaned in close to say, and I found myself tightening my grip on her shoulders when her breath fanned across my face. She was so close that I wanted to lean in and kiss her, but I stopped myself. Displays of affection could be chalked up to being in love but a full-on kiss, the way I wanted to kiss her, that would raise a few eyebrows.
We continued to make our way around the room, chatting with people and drinking champagne. I could tell from the way they looked at us that our displays of affection had done the trick and they no longer had doubts about our engagement.
However, before I could feel at ease, I spotted someone approaching me. It was obvious that this approach was purposeful, because the figure came from the other end of the hall.
The man was dressed in black, everything from his shirt, to his coat and tie were pitch black. It looked like he was here for a funeral, rather than a glamorous event.
“Vincenzo, what a pleasure to see you here. And your fiancée, Isabelle, is it? You’re practically glowing.” His cheerful voice made me want to grit my teeth.
"You flatter me, Don Antonio." Isabelle responded. Before Antonio could continue speaking to her, I decided to take charge of the conversation.
“Thank you, it’s a pleasure to see you here too. I was just telling Isabelle that she should get used to this kind of events,” I responded with the best version of an amiable grin that I could muster. Isabelle must have felt the danger of Antonio’s presence because despite the smile on her face, she leaned closer to me.
“I just wish this evening had started out as pleasantly as it is right now,” He suddenly said, looking sad as he let out an obviously rehearsed sigh.
“Oh? Is that so?” I asked, feeling my curiosity and dread mount with each passing second.
“Yes, one of my lieutenants died. It hit me hard because he was one of my oldest associates,” he said, and I felt my heart stop.
“It's just so terrible, you know. Luca had a terrible year. His wife left him, and things didn't seem to be working out for him. But I never thought he would commit suicide.” He continued without me prompting him.
“Suicide?” I heard myself asking.
“I’m afraid so. He drowned at sea a few hours ago. For some reason, he went for a swim near the dock. He didn’t seem to see a ship coming into the bay as he was swimming. I just hope I can watch those around me closely and prevent it happening again.” Antonio finished talking. His expression of grief was obviously fake.
“My condolences, I imagine that must have come as a shock to you,” I said, trying to cover up my true feelings.
"It did. Luca was like a brother to me." He responded and I found myself battling the wave of frustration that rose within me at his words. However, I had to keep calm. I somehow managed to do that and send him off, he practically whistled as he walked away.
The barely suppressed rage in me had me clenching my hands, making Isabelle hiss in pain as my grip on her arm tightened. I loosened my grip, but still felt troubled as I ran through the plan again. It had been compromised and I didn't know how. Somehow Antonio knew what I had been planning and got to Luca before we did. I went through the rest of the event in a slight haze.
Once it was over, I pulled Isabelle out of the venue and into the car. The silence on the car ride back was oppressive, and Isabelle must have noticed my bad mood because she kept sneaking glances at me.
“Are you upset about that lieutenant?” She asked when we got home. The living room was empty, and I felt the frustration that I had held at bay finally explode.
"That lieutenant was my best chance of bringing Antonio down. We were about to turn him and somehow Antonio must have found out. I know for a fact he was an expert swimmer, the only way he could have drowned was if someone had held his head under water. That's why Antonio was practically boasting, that was his way of telling me he knew what I was planning."
Out of frustration I had finally told her everything, from my plan to the meaning behind Antonio’s words and the veiled threats. My hands shook as I spoke, I needed to let off steam, to vent the frustration and anger I felt.
“I… I’m sorry. Is there any way I can help?” She finally asked as she stepped closer to me.
Something in my head snapped when she asked that. It had been a stressful day and I really needed to blow off some steam. I wanted her, I needed her.
“You want to help?” I asked in a hoarse voice. The strain from holding in my turbulent emotions was finally getting to me, the inhibitions that held me all through the night were long gone. All I knew was how much I needed her.
“Help me like this.” I said, as I pulled her into my arms and leaned in for a kiss.
Then I took her to my room and locked the door behind me. As soon as we were inside, I pulled her into my arms again, my lips searching hers in a desperate kiss.
Our lips parted and our tongues touched, exploring each other's mouth. I moved my lips to her ear, kissing and sucking her lobe lightly, then down to her neck, which she offered up to me with her head tilted to one side. My hands, which were rubbing her almost-bare back, now split, one running through her hair and stroking her head, the other gliding down the concave arc of her lower back to the top of her underwear, then over her buttocks.
I grabbed her and pulled her to me while I kissed her neck. Her firm breasts were pressing into my bare chest through the thin material of her silk dress. Our stomachs and legs molded together. My hand on her butt was running circles around it, squeezing each cheek, over and around them as she moved her ass to meet my hand. I moved it down her legs, feeling their warmth and softness.
Our heads separated and we kissed again, more vehemently than before. I moved my other hand to her side, rubbing up and down from her chest to her waist. When it bumped the side of her breast, she moaned in my mouth and kissed me deeper. Taking the cue, I slid my hand over the side of her breast, and when she moved back slightly, I covered the entire breast with my hand. It was a perfect handful. The nipple was already hard, and seemed to get harder as I caressed it.
“Hmm, yes,” she moaned, running her fingers through my hair and tugging slightly.
My right hand was exploring the crack of her ass, and down the smooth cheeks and between her legs. When I touched her there, she spread them slightly, allowing my fingers to probe further between her legs. I rubbed up the inside of them until I felt her hot wetness through her panties, then pushing further, felt her warm pussy lips, then her little clit. We were both moaning now, tongues licking and probing each other's mouths.
I quickly unhooked her bra, impatient to have her. We broke the kiss and she stepped back, allowing it to fall away. I gazed at her perfectly shaped breasts.
“You’re perfect,” I whispered.
Before she could say anything, I sucked one into my mouth like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, licking, sucking, kneading it with my hands. She had been rubbing my chest, then lowered her hands to the front of my pants, already tenting up to meet her. She rubbed the length of my cock, moaning again now from the feel of it and the sensations of my mouth on her boobs.
We sank to the bed. With me on my back, she reached down and slid my pants over my hips, down my legs, and tossed them aside. My hard cock sprung straight up. Looking at it with that beautiful smile of hers, she grasped it with both hands, jerking it up and down a few times. I lowered her mouth to it and she kissed the head, putting her tongue at the tip. I directed her so that she knew what I wanted. I was the one doing most of the moaning now. Still holding the base, she lowered her lips over it as it slid up past her teeth, and I felt her tongue sliding around it, deeper, until it was at the back of her throat, then slowly moved back to the head. She continued sucking and licking my shaft while feeling my balls with her other hand.
She was half lying with her legs to the side where I could reach them. I moved my hand to her front, between her legs, and she raised one up to open up her crotch to me. I palmed it with my hand. She moaned this time. It felt so hot. I forced the material aside and saw her sweet little pussy lips looking at me. I rubbed them up and down with my fingers, her clit getting firmer as I touched it. Every time I did, she sucked deeper on my cock.
I found her hole and let one finger slide up inside her. She was so wet that it went in easily. She was naturally tight, but her pussy muscles gripped me even tighter. I moved it in and out with the rhythm of her sucking on my cock, while rubbing her clit with my thumb.
My body tensed when she jerked my shaft harder with her hand. The cum came shooting up into her mouth. She pulled back from surprise, letting the cum splash on her face and run out of her mouth and drip from her lips back onto me. She kept pumping me and watching the cum squirting out, seemingly fascinated by it.
“Swallow it,” I ordered, and she did, diligently.
My body was jerking and quivering at each squirt from the deep sensations she was giving me. When I was done, she wiped some of the cum off and kissed me lovingly on the lips, letting me taste myself on her mouth.
I licked up and down, tasting her sweet juices. She smelled amazing, and she tasted even better. She moved her hips back and forth as I licked, and I had to hold her in place, to make sure I could give her full pleasure. I slid my hands down her belly, down her legs, around her buttocks, grasping them, helping her move them across my lapping tongue.
I got a hand between us and my fingers joined my tongue in exploring her folds, alternating with it to give attention to every part of her cunt. She was really juicy now, wetting my mouth, my face, my chin. When I ran my fingers over her pussy and back behind it, I felt her little ass hole tighten as I touched it. She jerked, but didn't stop me, only pressing down harder onto my tongue licking on her clit.
This was enough to set her off. Her whole body tensed, then spasmed uncontrollably as she came. I lapped up all I could get from around my thumb, licking her hard clit with her own juices. Spasm after spasm came over her whole body, then subsiding, slowly relaxing her.
I stopped my sucking and finger fucking to let her come down. She was breathing hard and collapsed forward on her arms.
She kissed me again then looked me straight in my eyes with her pretty green eyes and said, "I want you inside me, Vincenzo.”
I answered by hugging her close and kissing her. The way her lips felt was heavenly against mine, they felt like a perfect fit, like they were meant to be there.
I cupped both of her boobs in my hands. She undid my pants and exposed my hardening penis. I pulled her panties and dress down over her hips. My hard cock was pressing between her legs. She straddled it, letting it slide against her mound.
I laid her back onto the bed. Her legs splayed out with her knees up, ready to receive me. I positioned myself between her legs and rubbed my cock on her pussy until it found the wetness there, welcoming and preparing it to enter. I wanted her so bad, but I didn’t want to rush the moment, making sure she was ready.
I pressed the head to her opening and tightened my hips, until the head forced its way inside her. I knew she was not a virgin, but she was as tight as one. She gasped as I pressed in another inch, then waited a moment for us to get used to the feeling. Then she rotated her hips up just as I pushed and I went in another two inches. She gasped, gripping my arms so tight that I could feel the scratch marks forming.
I pulled out to let her juices spread around my cock and her pussy. Her vagina lips seemed to grab me as I pulled back. I could see the soft skin surrounding and grasping my penis. I pushed in again and it went an extra inch this time. A couple more thrusts and I was in as far as I could go. We let it sit there for a minute, me feeling how good it was to finally be rejoined with her, and she loving being filled completely.
We kissed, tongues exploring each other's mouths. I kissed her face, her ears, her neck.
She braced her hands on my chest as she raised her body, bouncing her pussy on my cock. Just when I thought I would pop out, she pushed herself down impaling herself on my cock. Up and down her body bounced, moaning with each thrust of her cunt back onto my member. I grabbed her swaying breasts trying to hold onto them as she rode my cock. I saw one of her hands move between her thighs, rubbing on her clit.
My cock throbbed inside her moist walls as her body slid up and down. I felt her vaginal muscles clenching my rod, keeping it lodged inside her and then as she pulled her sweet cunt upwards, she released my cock only to have her muscles grab it again.
I wanted to touch her everywhere at once, wanting to keep her pussy filled with my manhood. She swayed above me, her eyes closed one second then open the next; watching the desire on my face get the best of me.
She moaned, moving faster and harder.
I pushed my hips upward, rotating them. I knew I would not last any longer.
"Good girl," I groaned under my breath.
My cock erupted into her warm pussy. My eyes shut tight as the fluid in my balls flew into her. It was like my hips had a life of their own as I claimed her with powerful thrusts.
Her body stiffened, her head thrown back, and her back arched as her body was overcome with her orgasm.
Isabelle collapsed in my arms, her body still shaking. I felt her bore into my arms, her head resting on my chest under my chin. My hands stroked her back lightly, feeling it rise and fall from her heavy breathing.
I had to admit, I did feel better now.