16. Francesca
Stronzo.
Did he really expect me to follow him? “I’m not a dog.” I snapped.
Cassio glanced back and cocked one brow. I rolled my eyes. He was not going to let this go.
One thing I still remember about him was that Cassio could be persistent. It could take seconds, minutes, hours or even years but he always got what he wanted. I was exhausted, and Mamma wasn’t doing any better. Although the nurses tried to keep me company and make my days brighter, it was like the sun had stopped shining.
Sighing out loud so he could hear my frustration, I took the first step toward him. A wave of cold air hit me, and I shivered, I’d forgotten my coat in Mamma’s room and was too lazy to go back for it. Now I was paying the price.
“Do you ever check the weather?” He complained but removed his suit jacket and offered it to me.
I begrudgingly grabbed it from his hand and put it on. Cassio looked forward and I took that as a chance to shove my nose into his jacket and inhaled his intoxicating scent.
Night had struck Chicago, and usually, I wouldn’t be this relaxed walking in the streets, but shamefully, I was. Cassio’s presence still made me feel safe. It was something I tried to deny even now as we walked together, but the truth was harsh.
Even a few steps away from me, I felt like the safest person in the world. It wasn’t only because Cassio was the head of the Outfit, but because he was…Cassio. Tall and proud and powerful. No one would dare approach him. Especially not with the gun I knew he kept hidden on him like all Made Men did.
I looked at him, really looked. It had been two weeks since he barged into my apartment half-dead. For someone who had been bleeding continuously, with a massive wound to his abdomen, Cassio seemed…fine. Not that I didn’t want him to be, but if it were me, I would have been in bed—resting. Licking my wounds.
I would be lying if I didn’t say I had been worried sick. I had almost called Vitelli. Cassio hadn’t showed up again, and while a part of me was grateful, another wanted to see him again. Which was confusing since I was supposed to hate him.
The coffee shop was just around the corner as he had said. Cassio chose a table and told me to sit while he ordered for us. When he came back, he sat opposite of me. Silence lingered in the space between us like sticky tar. Not long after, a waitress came by with our order.
“What’s this?”
“Jasmine tea and a chocolate filled doughnut.” His tone was detached.
He pushed the two toward me and I looked at them not believing what I saw. “I’m pretty sure I got it right,” he said.
Cassio had. His sister and I used to go to the same coffee shop every Wednesday, and Cassio was forced to tag along at first—to keep an eye on us. After, when we began dating in secret, it became a ritual of sorts. He came along for an entirely different reason.
“You did.” My voice sounded defeated.
I watched as he sipped on his espresso. Jasmine filled my nose, and the sight of the doughnut made my stomach rumble. It had been hours since I last ate something. So, I took his offering and relished the taste of both tea and pastry.
Cassio set his cup down. “I’m sorry about your mother.”
The teacup slipped from my hand and burning liquid splashed on my hand. “Shit,” I cursed and wiped it away, rubbing my hand where the burn mark was.
I looked at Cassio who was watching me closely. “How would you know?” I asked, still in pain.
“It’s my business to know everything.”
Then it hit me, fire pumped through my veins. “How did you know I was at the hospital? Did you have me followed?”
Mischief flickered in his eyes. “I won’t apologize for it.”
Stronzzo. “Why, Cassio?”
“This is important.”
“I disagree.” I leaned against the chair. “How long have you been following me? Don’t I at least get to know that?” I asked when he didn’t answer my first question.
“Since that first night.”
Oh.
I wanted to be angry, I really did, but that wave of anger never hit me. The thought of knowing someone had my back and would protect me in case something happened, left me feeling less…afraid.
“How’s your mother?”
I was baffled for a while, of course he knew about her, if he had me followed then he would know everything. As he said, it was his business. Yet there was a sudden relief as a small weight was lifted from my shoulders. Someone else knew about my mother, I wasn’t alone in this anymore.
“The cancer is very aggressive,” I confessed. “Mamma is a difficult patient.”
“I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone,” he said sincerely, and it warmed me up a bit.
“We have matters to discuss,” he said setting his cup on the table, and I laced my hands, just to keep them busy. Our small talk was over then.
The last time Cassio had charged into my apartment to “discuss matters” we ended up kissing, then he proceeded to give me an ultimatum.
“I’m not going back to my father’s.” I made myself clear, fear making me feel bolder.
Cassio watched me for a while and then to my surprise he said. “I don’t expect you to.” I raised one brow. “I shouldn’t have asked that of you.”
Woah. Okay. “Is this an apology?”
He scoffed. “I don’t do apologies.”
“Well, it sounded like one,” I deadpanned.
“We share the same sentiment toward your father, that’s why I’m here,” he explained. “To talk about him.”
The doughnut turned too acid in my stomach. “I have nothing to say about him.”
“I think you do.” He leaned back in the chair. “More importantly, I think your husband did too.” Why did the word husband sound like an accusation? Like Cassio was mad at me or something?
“I never involved myself in their business, Cassio,” I said, needing to remind him.
“But you must have heard something,” he said.
“I barely saw him as it was, Paolo hated Donato.”
“And why is that?” He sounded awfully intrigued.
I shrugged. “Why does anyone? Donato is an easy man to hate.”
Cassio nodded, looked at his coffee, and then at me. I watched as he tapped his fingers on the table and pensively stared for a while. Lowering his voice he confessed, “Your husband was assassinated, Francesca.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “W-what?”
“He was poisoned. That’s what caused his heart to stop,” Cassio explained, but I was still stuck in his first confession.
Killed. “Why?”
I never loved Paolo, but it was disconcerting to hear that he had been killed. “That’s what I want to know.”
I shook my head. “Are you suspecting me?”
Cassio remained calm as he said, “Belladonna is considered a woman’s weapon.”
“I never loved him, but I would never kill the man,” I hissed.
Cassio looked smugly pleased with my answer. “Why did your father and Paolo fight?”
I shrugged. “Paolo always said my father was a snake that couldn’t be trusted. That he was too ambitious, too greedy. That if he had the means, he would set the world on fire and watch us all burn.”
I had agreed with him.
Cassio nodded. “So, you never loved him?” The question took me by surprise. Was that all that he heard?
“How could I?” I answered honestly.
“He was your husband.” Cassio pointed out.
“Yes,” I agreed. “What are you fishing for, Cassio?”
He smiled and hid it quickly. “Nothing.” He denied me the truth, but I knew him better than that.
“Do you miss him?” He continued with the weird questions.
“Why all these questions?”
“Just answer me?”
Since I had nothing left to lose right now I did. “No.”
“Good. He never deserved you,” Cassio said decidedly.
“And you did?”
He went silent for a while. “Let’s go, it’s getting late.” He stood up from his chair.
I scoffed. He wasn’t going to answer it, but I already knew the answer. Yes.
Once, there had been a time when Cassio had been my everything, now he was just someone I used to know. Someone who kept on popping back into my life, making it hard to forget him.
As if I ever did in the first place.
Cassio insisted on driving me back to my place, and because I was tired and mentally drained from our conversation, I accepted, even if he hadn’t been offering.
When we arrived, Cassio opened the car door for me and escorted me back to my apartment. I looked back, trying to find the guard he had posted on me.
“He’s not here,” Cassio said, realizing what I was doing.
“So, he doesn’t sleep on my doorstep?” I teased. “What a bad spy he is.”
“Vince keeps his distance,” Cassio explained, his lack of mirth bothered me.
I finally reached my door and removed my keys to open it. Cassio remained there with me. My hands shook, and a shiver raced down my back as I recalled the last time he was here.
I turned to face him. “Thanks for driving me.”
Cassio was on me before I had the chance to react. He kissed me hard, and I dropped the key on the floor. His lips slammed into mine and before I knew what was best, I let him in. His tongue invaded my mouth and made sweet love to me.
In that moment, Cassio became everything, and I kissed him like my life depended on it. His hands landed on my waist and snaked toward my back as he pulled me in closer.
When he broke the kiss, he shoved his head against my neck and sucked on it, probably leaving a mark. I didn’t care, in that moment, all I could think about was that I needed more.
“Your gun is pressing against me.”
Cassio smiled against my skin. “That’s not my gun, Principessa.”
Holy God. I gulped and my head lulled back as he nibbled on my neck and jaw and then bit my lip. With my back against my apartment door, I had nowhere to run to. Not that I would want to.
“Cassio,” I panted. “What are we doing?” He kissed me again, and I forgot that we were in the middle of a corridor where people could see us.
“I should go.” His voice caressed my skin.
“You should.” I agreed.
His forehead rested against mine, and I dove into the frigid green waters of his eyes. They were mesmerizing, holding me captive. “I really should,” he said but kissed me once more. Pulling me toward him, a flash of memory assaulted me. The last time he was here, our kiss, my almost orgasm. Then a wave of shame hit me, and I pushed him away.
“You can’t do that.” Tears stung my eyes. “You can’t come back into my life after four years and pretend nothing happened.”
Cassio stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair. “You were the one who called me that night, Francesca.”
“And I regret that more than anything.”
His nostrils flared and he nodded. “This was a mistake.”
“Yes.” I couldn’t have agreed more.
“So why were you grinding on my dick, Principessa?”
My eyes widened at his crass response. “Fuck you, Cassio.” I picked my key up from the floor and turned my back to him.
“You almost did,” he snapped.
Yeah, and he didn’t have to remind me of that. My door opened and I slipped in, not daring to look at him again, I smashed it shut and shouted, knowing he was still there. “I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Cassio slammed his hand against the door, he then turned and left. I remained there looking through the peephole almost expecting him to come back and finish what he started.
What? No. That’s not what I wanted.
I ran my finger over my swollen lip and closed my eyes. His taste still lingered in my mouth, coffee and Cassio. So, I ran to the bathroom and brushed my teeth twice. When I was done, I opened a bottle of wine and stared at it for a while. I couldn’t deal with this, not with a clear head. I needed to forget this night ever happened.
Forget. This was all I needed to do and then life would go back to normal.