Chapter 63
It’s been a week since last speaking to Vanessa, and I find myself thinking about her more than I should.
In that time, I’ve busied myself by visiting Serafina when I can, completing the necessary rounds through the businesses, and denying every offer my lawyers pass from hers to me.
Nothing works. I sit at my desk, imagining her focused and determined on her own tasks. I lie in bed, cock hard, recalling the feel of her heat, craving more. I stare at the lawn, remembering her beneath me, and the way she responded to me.
I picture it all and more…and none of it’s enough.
None of it makes sense. There’s no reason for my thoughts to be clinging to a woman who despises the very air I breathe. We may have had a short connection while she was here, may have agreed to peace for Serafina’s sake, but the facts don’t change. She hates me, and I hate her family.
Her family…but not her. I hate how she makes me feel. How she makes me want to know more about her. Know what she looks like in the morning. Know all her secrets and fears. Know what makes her smile and laugh.
I’m picking up my phone before I consider my actions, all the while knowing there’s little likelihood of a response. I type the first topic that she might reply to.
Me
Your lawyers are working hard to get out of this.
Nothing…
Nothing…
Bubbles appear, and victory has me clinging to those three dots like they’re a lifeline.
Vanessa:
I want out. Marriage isn’t in my skill set.
Me
Maybe it is. Give it a shot.
Vanessa
Go away.
Me
Haven’t heard from you since our call the other day.
Vanessa
Go away.
Me
Subtlety also isn’t in your skill set.
Vanessa
Only figuring that out now?
Me
Hm, not really. Realized it when I met you at the club. You’ve only been back there once, but you didn’t do anything. Left pretty early in the night.
Vanessa
…Are you having me followed?!
Me
No. I’m having my wife protected by monitoring her coming and goings. Can’t have another man touching what’s mine.
Vanessa
Do you hear yourself right now?? How fucking drunk are you??? That’s the EXACT definition of having me followed.
Me
Completely sober.
Vanessa
Call your men off.
Me
You’re mine to protect.
Vanessa
Don’t need you to. You can’t possibly believe your own stupidity.
Me
And if I do?
Vanessa
Give up.
Me
Your lawyers are annoying.
Vanessa
You realize that was the driving topic yesterday too?
Me
Incorrect. You are.
Vanessa
Whatever. Go away
Me
You say that a lot.
Vanessa
I’ll continue repeating it ‘til you listen. Go away.
Me
Are you always this fun?
Vanessa
You’ll never know. Reconsider stabbing me in the back if you wanted to.
Me
If you’re still salty about the club, or pretending to be a hired gun, give up. We both know you’re putting on a show for yourself.
Vanessa
Go away.
Me
Stop answering me then.
Vanessa
You’re like an annoying child. Can’t focus with my phone constantly going off.
Me
Turn it off.
Vanessa
I need it.
Me
Block my number.
Vanessa
…Don’t tempt me.
Me
There’s a reason you haven’t yet, and I’ll figure it out.
What are you working on?
Vanessa
Does it matter?
Me
Considering I have a stake in the Bratva’s businesses, yes.
Vanessa
If you believe that, stop smoking whatever you did. It’s messing with your head.
Me
Funny. Seriously. What are you doing?
Vanessa
Why are you talking to me? Go work or do anything useful.
Me
I was, until my lawyers called. Yours won’t leave them alone.
Vanessa
Easy fix. End the contract and they will.
Me
Hand me your businesses and I will. Your options are limited.
Vanessa
This is a farce. I waved the white flag when I left you alive. Don’t make me regret it. We’re even, as you’ve said before, so let me go.
Me
Never.
Vanessa
Then I will re-initiate this war so quickly, your head will spin.
Me
Lie to yourself some more. Why don’t we make the marriage real? Realer than the certificate makes it.
Vanessa
…
If only I had a response to that. Just when I had faith in your sanity, you say something even more idiotic than the previous.
Me
Either way, we should meet one day to talk about how to best go about this merger.
Vanessa
You’re not listening to me at all, are you?
Me
Why should I?
Vanessa
Go away.
Me
I’ll offer a revision to the contract: the marriage remains. You keep being Pakhan.
Vanessa
Wow, thanks. Like you thought there was any other way forward.
Me
You never answered me before. What are you working on?
Vanessa
Go away.
Me
Give up.
Vanessa
Fuck off.
Me
I can do this all day…
Vanessa
I can too…
Me
I don’t believe that. At some point, you’ll grow aggravated.
Vanessa
That point was reached from your very first message yesterday.
Me
Well, lucky for you I have a call coming in. Weapons deal, just to keep you updated. I’ll text later.
Vanessa
Don’t.
Every day I tell myself I won’t do it.
And every day, I do. The plan continues failing. I fail at keeping my promise to Padre. The more I verbally spar with Vanessa, the more intrigued I grow.
So much so, as I sit by the pool one night with Venus curled into my side, beer in one hand, I can’t help but think of her. She’s a drug that’s been injected into my veins, and until I get my next fix, I’m in withdrawal, unable to focus on anything else.
Maybe it’s the alcohol, but before I realize what I’m doing, I call her, expecting her to ignore it, just like I presumed she would with my initial text the other day.
Once again, Vanessa proves that she, like me, can’t help herself.
“Hello?” Her dull voice comes through the phone. Duller than I’ve heard before, reminding me a bit of when I found her processing in my shower.
“Are you okay?” I rest the beer beside me, tensing as though to get up and rush to her side, even aware how ridiculous that is.
“Oh.” Her voice drops dead. “It’s you. Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.” Venus lifts her head into my lap, ears twitching toward my phone. “Even Venus agrees with me.”
“Long morning, that’s all,” she says with a deep sigh. “Anastasia caught some asshole trying to hit one of my employees. Luckily, the woman had quick reflexes and blocked him by the time security showed up. So I helped her with him.” She pauses, and with an almost hesitant tone, adds, “Plus, I haven’t been sleeping well the past few days.”
Me neither. Not since I first spoke to her last week about Boris. Since then, seems it’s harder and harder to settle each night, often resulting in late swims in the pool and knowing looks from Nero the next morning.
“Sounds chaotic. Your employee okay?”
“Yes. You care because…?”
I shrug though she can’t see me. “No innocent should get hurt.”
“Right. Why did you call me?”
“Wanted to hear your voice.”
She snorts. “Hanging up now.”
“Wait.” My hand grasps around air as though I’m able to reach for her. “You answered, so I think you’re where I am too.”
“And where’s that?” Wariness drips through the line.
Kicking my feet against the water, I stare at the clear blue as though it’ll have a better way to phrase my thoughts. “There’s something about you. Something I can’t?—”
“Stop,” she cuts me off. “Don’t go there, Mancini. Whatever you assume I’m feeling, you’re wrong. You’re reading into nothing. I’m tired, wasn’t paying attention when I picked up the phone, that’s all.”
“Why haven’t you killed me?”
Seconds pass with only our shared breaths having a conversation. “Told you I wouldn’t.”
“You’d be free.”
“Why are you pushing me, Zeno? You know what—never mind.”
Click.
Pulling the phone away from my face, I smirk as I rest it beside me and tug Venus closer, stroking a hand down her side as I kick my feet through the water again and gaze up at the moon.
For the next three days, she ignores my calls. My days get longer. My mood lower. Even visiting Serafina doesn’t hold the same interest.
I’ve gone days without my fix.
I scroll through the number of missed calls. Clearly, she’s given up on humouring me. The thought is a kick to the gut, so I open the text thread instead, typing out a message for her to disregard.
Me
You’re ignoring me.
Vanessa
Go away.
Me
What are you scared of?
Vanessa
My lawyers found a way to break the contract. We’re done, Mancini. Live your life, I’ll live mine.
She’s bluffing. If they had, I’d have heard by now.
Me
Like I said when you left, you can’t run from this. We’re linked, for better or for worse.
Vanessa
Not for much longer.
Me
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Vanessa
You sound like a child.
Me
Just a realist.
Vanessa
Whatever.