Chapter 9
Adriano
It took more restraint than I knew I possessed to leave Laurie at the hotel, instead of dragging her into my lap and fucking that stubborn mouth of hers until she stopped fighting me.
I should be concerned about how quickly I became obsessed with her, but I honestly don’t give a flying fuck.
If anything, today only fed the obsession.
Her desperation. The fire in her. The way she looked me dead in the eye and refused to back down even though she was terrified.
And Christ, getting my hands on her changed something. It was downright addictive feeling her body pressed against mine, smelling her unique scent, and the way she reacted to my kiss even though it’s not what she wanted.
It tells me the attraction is there from her side, and that gives me a lot to work with.
Now I want more.
No, I want everything. Her fear. Her temper. Her body and fucking soul.
Little Ricky’s been surprisingly quiet during the drive home, and when we pull up the driveway, I see my parents standing at the stone barbecue pavilion in the garden.
The outdoor dining area is shaded by a vine-covered pergola and surrounded by oversized terracotta pots which are filled with white and purple flowers and manicured lemon trees.
While smoke from the grill drifts up into the air, Dad laughs at something Big Ricky says while Tiny’s eyes are locked on Mom as she walks toward the driveway.
She waves at me, a happy smile spreading over her face. When I open the door and get out of the SUV, I unbutton my jacket and take it off before handing it to Little Ricky.
“You look tired, beddu mio,” Mom says when she’s close.
Ever since I can remember, she’s always called me her handsome boy. It’s the same with Remo, who she calls picciriddu mio, because he’ll always be her baby.
“I’m fine, Ma.” I take hold of her shoulder and pull her against me. Curling my body around my mother, who’s much smaller than me, I exhale a sigh. There’s just something very calming about getting a hug from her. “How was your day?”
“Good, but better now that you’re home,” she says while rubbing her hand up and down my back. “You need to stop growing.”
I let out a chuckle as I straighten up. “You’re shrinking.”
“Oh, hush!” She gives me a playful glare, then says, “Come join us.”
I nod and walk to where the men are standing. Patting Dad on his shoulder, I ask, “Are you burning the meat?”
“No.” He uses the tongs to point at Tiny. “He’s eating so much it doesn’t give the meat time to burn.”
“Hey, Pop,” Little Ricky says while throwing his arm around his dad’s shoulders.
“What have you boys been up to today?” Big Ricky asks.
I shoot my friend a look, telling him to keep quiet, but he grins then says, “I helped Adriano kidnap a woman.”
“You did what?!” Mom gasps, her eyes darting to my face.
“I had hoped to keep Laurie to myself for a while, but that just went out the window thanks to fuck face over there,” I mutter. Sucking in a deep breath, I exhale loudly before explaining. “I ran into her a couple of times and decided I want her.”
Dad grins at me as if I just told him I locked in a billion-dollar deal.
Tiny walks to the table and grabs two beers. He brings one over to me then says, “I still remember when your father forced your mother to marry him like it was yesterday.” He gives me a big grin. “So when’s the wedding?”
“What is she like?” Big Ricky asks.
“Which family is she from?” Dad shoots a question at me.
“You’re all incorrigible!” Mom snaps before leveling me with a serious look. “Please tell me you didn’t traumatize the poor woman.”
“Nope, he paid her five million, and she agreed to do anything Adriano wants,” Little Ricky says, his voice filled with laughter.
“For the love of God, shut up,” I tell the fucker.
“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain,” Mom chastises me.
“Sorry, Ma,” I apologize. Knowing she’s worried, I place my arm around her shoulders and give her a sideways hug.
“Her name is Laurie Barnes. She’s twenty-five and from Ohio, so I doubt she knows anything about our world.
She was in a bad relationship with a fucking idiot and lost her job, which gave me the perfect in to make her an offer she couldn’t refuse.
” Knowing the object of my obsession belongs to me, a smirk tugs at my mouth.
“Right now she’s at The Mark, but once she signs the contract Salvatore is drawing up, we’ll get married and I’ll bring her home.
” The second Mom opens her mouth, I add, “No big wedding. It will be something small and fast, like yours was. Laurie’s already overwhelmed, and I’d rather ease her into the family little by little. ”
“Why a contract?” Dad asks as he flips the meat on the grill, the delicious aroma making my stomach growl.
“It’s better than holding a gun to her head when I force her to bind herself to me for life,” I answer truthfully.
Mom glances between Dad and me, worry creeping into her eyes. “Just be gentle with her.”
When Little Ricky lets out a snort, I give him a dark glare, which makes him fake a cough while walking to my parents’ house.
“Where are you going?” Big Ricky asks.
“To get something to eat,” he replies. “The meat is taking forever.”
Tiny quickly follows Little Ricky. “Tori made creamy potatoes and garlic bread.”
“Don’t eat it all,” Dad shouts.
Mom moves to Dad’s side, and when he lifts his arm, she snuggles against him and says, “I made extra.”
Big Ricky frowns while taking a sip of his beer. “How’s this thing between you and the woman going to work? You know, with her not being from our world.”
“I have no idea.” Not in the mood for beer, I set the bottle down and pull my phone out of my pocket. “We’ll take it one day at a time.”
I bring up Paulie’s number and press dial.
“Yes, boss?”
“Is she okay?”
“I think so. She hauled the food cart into the bedroom and locked herself in there. Want me to check?”
“No.”
I end the call, and not in the mood to search through the past week’s messages, I shoot Rosie a text.
Adriano: Give me Laurie’s phone number again.
Rosie: Say the magic words and the genie will grant your wish.
I let out an audible sigh.
Adriano: Please.
Rosie: Please what?
“Christ, Rosie will be the death of me,” I mutter.
Adriano: Please with a fucking cherry on top.
Rosie: Now that wasn’t so hard lol.
A second later, the number comes through, and I program it into my phone.
After pressing dial, I listen as the call connects. It rings a couple of times before my butterfly answers, “Hello?”
“Did you eat?”
“Ah? Adriano?”
I walk in the direction of the old oak tree so I’ll have some privacy. “Yes. Did you eat?”
“Yes. The food was delicious… Thank you.”
Silence falls between us, and for several seconds I just listen to her breathing.
Eventually she asks, “Are you still there?”
“Yes.” I glance up at the huge branches where the tree house is. Georgi, Augusto, and I used to spend endless hours up there.
Unable to think of anything else, I ask the first thing that comes to mind. “Why did you date that asshole?”
Laurie is quiet for a moment. “I don’t know. I guess I was stupid.” A heavy sigh comes over the line, and her voice sounds fragile. “Austin was nice in the beginning.”
“Which tells me he wasn’t nice in the middle and at the end,” I grumble, anger instantly rippling beneath my skin. “What did he do to you?”
“Oh, it wasn’t like that. He wasn’t abusive. He just… didn’t care.”
“In my experience, people who don’t care are cold and cruel. You don’t have to physically hurt someone to abuse them.”
Laurie doesn’t say anything, and as I begin to frown, I hear her sniffle. Her voice is hoarse when she talks again. “Sorry, it’s all so fresh.”
Hating that I even have to ask the question, I growl, “Do you miss him?”
“Oh, hell no.” At first she sounds disgusted, but then she suddenly lets out an incredulous-sounding chuckle. “I so did not expect to have this conversation with you.”
“How else will we get to know each other?”
“You didn’t give me the impression that you wanted to get to know me.”
My frown darkens. “I said you’re mine. One would think that spells it out to you.”
“I just thought… you know.”
I glance over the property, considering going back to the hotel so we can have this conversation face to face. “No, I don’t know. Enlighten me.”
“Isn’t this just a sex deal?” she asks, her voice filled with embarrassment.
The grin forms on my face. “Are you blushing right now?”
“Do you have a thing for me turning red like a tomato?”
“Definitely.”
“I suppose as far as fetishes go it’s not bad.”
Suddenly curious, I ask, “Do you have any fetishes?”
“Nope, sorry to disappoint you.” I like the teasing tone in her voice, and it warms a cold spot in my chest. She sounds curious as she asks, “Do you have any?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.” I lean back against the tree and shove my free hand into my pocket. “We got sidetracked. If you don’t miss the idiot, why were you crying?”
“Wait a second.” It sounds like she’s moving, and she lets out a heavy sigh. “Before I tell you anything else about myself, I have a couple of questions.”
“Okay.”
“Is this real?”
“What do you mean?”
“The money. The deal. I don’t understand why someone like you who is rich and… obviously attractive has to pay for sex. Especially such an outrageous amount.”
“I’m not paying for sex,” I correct her. “If that were the case, I would’ve fucked you in my office and gotten my fill.” I swear I can feel the heat of her blush coming over the line, and the thought alone is enough to feed my obsession. “I paid for you, Laurie.”
“You’re going to have to dumb it down for me. What does it mean?”
A grin forms on my face as I look at my family gathered around the barbecue. I’m probably the topic of conversation.
“You’re looking at this the wrong way, Laurie.
Sex is easy to get. I paid because I wanted to make it clear I’ve claimed you.
Men like me don’t make gestures like this on a whim.
” My voice lowers with possessiveness and obsession, “I want to keep you close and learn every single thing about you. This isn’t some fleeting arrangement that ends once I’m done fucking you. It’s a serious commitment between us.”
“A relationship?” she gasps. “Look, I just got out of a three-year relationship that sucked ass, and I’m not re–”
“Laurie,” I cut her off. “You already accepted the money and agreed to the deal. There’s no going back.”
“I know, but–”
My patience slips, and I snap, “No buts!”
“Food is ready, beddu mio,” Mom suddenly says. “Come eat with us.”
I’m so absorbed in the conversation, I didn’t even notice her.
“Is that… Are you married?” Laurie asks, her tone distressed.
“It’s my mother,” I explain. “And to set your mind at ease, no, I’m not married. You’re the only woman–” My sentence cuts off because I’m actually not sure how to describe what Laurie is to me, and telling her she’s my obsession might not go over well.
“Oh. Good.” She lets out a breath of relief. “Well, you better go eat.”
“Get some sleep, Laurie. I’ll swing by tomorrow.”
“Quick question. Can the two men please leave? I don’t want to hide in the bedroom all night, and they make me very uncomfortable.”
“Okay. But don’t try anything stupid like running away.”
“Yeah-yeah,” she mumbles before her tone turns snarky. “I’ve had my fill of being manhandled and tossed around, thank you very much.”
After she ends the call, I send Paulie and Marco new orders.
Adriano: Move down to the lobby. No one goes into the private elevator unless you’ve vetted them and Laurie doesn’t leave the hotel.
Paulie: Yes, boss.
Marco: Understood.
Walking to where my family is sitting down at the outdoor table, I message Laurie.
Adriano: They’re leaving.
I’m surprised when she reads the text instantly.
Laurie: I appreciate it. Good night.
I hesitate for a moment before replying to her.
Adriano: Sleep tight, La mia farfalla.
Reaching the table, I sit down beside Little Ricky.
Mom is squashed between my father and Tiny, the way it’s always been. He’s been Mom’s guard since she married Dad, and wherever she goes, he follows.
Big Ricky and Tiny might be old, but they still guard my parents, and I’ll never take that away from them.
That’s why I have them all living on the same property as me. It’s so I’m in control of their security because I’d lose my fucking shit if anything happened to the four of them.
Mom reaches across the table and places a big scoop of the creamy potatoes on my plate. “Eat, beddu mio.”
“Thanks, Ma,” I murmur while I help myself to some of the meat before Little Ricky and Tiny eat it all.
As I take a bite of the potatoes, Mom asks, “Were you talking to Laurie?”
I nod and shove some garlic bread into my mouth to save myself from having to speak.
Mom narrows her eyes at me. “You sounded impatient with her.”
Christ.
I swallow the food, then say, “Leave it be, Ma. Don’t get involved.”
Dad lets out a chuckle, which makes the rest of the men laugh.
“You plan to marry this woman?” Mom asks with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes.”
“She’ll come to live here with us?”
I already know where this is going and mutter, “Yes, Ma.”
“Then you’ll just have to deal with me getting involved.”
That’s what I thought.