Chapter 4
Monaco, the obnoxious wealth and opulence are in your face twenty-four-seven here. Papa V. owns the biggest casino on the main strip where other Mafia families and dodgy businessmen come to clean their dirty money. The luxurious casino is decorated with crystal sculptures, chandeliers, and the finest Italian leather furniture. The Vitiello’s have the three-story penthouse where we stay every time we come. Papa V. also has his superyacht moored at the marina for his convenience when needing to sail away for business trips. Even after all these years, I’m still not quite comfortable in this environment. Being adopted and not having any family makes me feel like I’m an outsider looking in on these happy families. You know those old school Christmas movies where the homeless child is looking through the window at the happy family around the tree. Exactly like that. I don’t fit in. I never have.
Mama V. has been eyeing me ever since landing, her concern never wavering. “Sweetheart, are you okay? You’ve been quiet the entire trip.” She drapes her arm around my shoulders as we head into the private entrance of the casino.
Holding on to her hand, I nod in reassurance. “Sometimes your son is an asshole,” I say truthfully.
She sighs and pulls me tighter against her. “Ignore him. Just stay away from him if you can. He’s been particularly obnoxious the last few days.”
“You don’t say.” I roll my eyes as we ascend in the elevator to the penthouse where the gold accented elevator doors open into the foyer of the extravagant penthouse suite.
The parent’s quarters consist of the entire top floor with its own private rooftop pool. The living areas are on the second floor, where there’s a cinema room, game room for the guys, and a library. Which leaves this first floor for us kids. I’m glad it’s big enough that I hardly ever run into Sin when we’re here. Rome and Chaser have always stayed with us here while their parents stay in the two floors below the penthouse. Mama V. has always watched over all us kids since we were young. She’s a saint for putting up with these guys through their teenage years and now into young adulthood. I’m surprised she hasn’t gone completely gray.
The marble floors gleam under the ambient lights and the wall to floor windows along one whole side of the floor frame the nightlife of Monaco perfectly. It’s a player’s paradise.
I walk across the floor and head straight to my room where my luggage is already placed neatly beside my king-sized bed. Eyeing the bed, I toy with the idea of climbing in and having a nap before heading out for dinner, but I decide to change out of my travel clothes first.
As I pull Rome’s t-shirt over my head, Sin’s glare flashes before my eyes. I don’t know what his issue is with me wearing Rome’s t-shirt. I throw it on the bed, along with my leggings and pull on a sundress as its balmy outside, even at this time of night.
I hear the boys arrive and their raucous laughter fills the otherwise silent first floor. As much as I love two of them to bits, I need my own space. It’s not like when we were young anymore, we’re on a different page these days. I guess I’m both excited and nervous that I’ll finally be away from the Vitiello name and be on my own on the other side of the country doing my own thing in a couple of weeks. As much as I’m going to miss the crap out of everyone, the break will be good for me.
“Monroe!” Chaser calls.
“In here.”
He appears in the doorway, leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed. “You coming to the usual welcome dinner?”
“No, I think I’ll go for a walk instead. I’m not hungry.” I dig through my bag and grab my phone out.
Chaser closes the distance between us, clearly recognizing my sour mood. He wraps his arms around me, picking me up so I’m at eye level. “Don’t listen to anything that dick says. Please come to dinner. It’s not the same without you and this could be our last family dinner together for a long time.” He pouts at me.
Gripping his shoulders, I throw my head back and groan. He knows I can’t say no to his pouty face. “Alright! I’ll go, but if Sin says one mean word to me, I’m leaving.”
With me still held tight in his grip, he carries me out to the lounge area on our floor of the penthouse. “Guys, I’ll meet you downstairs,” Chaser calls out to the closed bedroom doors before he scurries to the elevator with me still in his arms.
“You can put me down, you know.” I run my fingers through his hair and begin to twist strands to make his hair stick out in all directions.
“Not until those elevator doors close. I know you, you’ll run as soon as you get the chance.” He steps in and presses the lobby level with his elbow.
Once the doors close, he lets go of me and I almost fall flat on my ass as I drop to my feet. Chaser’s strong hold steadies me, and he chuckles as I adjust my dress. “I’m so not in the mood for this.”
“Come on, Monroe. Lighten up. It’s our last full week together until you leave us all behind and go off to explore the world.” Chaser pulls me into him and I wrap my arms around his waist.
“I’m going to miss you and your crazy.” I snuggle into his chest.
His large hand presses me harder into him. “I’m going to miss you too. It’s like the end of an era. Listen to us being all sappy and shit. If you tell those other two douche bags that I’m being all sad and mushy, I will make you pay.” His hand rubs circles against my back.
This is what I’m going to miss like crazy. “Promise I won’t say shit to them.” I laugh. It won’t be hard not to talk to Sin as I didn’t plan on it anyway.
The elevator doors open and we’re ushered out by the doorman. He nods at us in acknowledgement and presses the close button. Only our apartment utilizes this lift. The only other floor it goes to is the basement, somewhere I haven’t had the privilege, or dare I say, the unfortunate circumstance of visiting. The guys are summoned often to the basement to assist their fathers in business, but it is never spoken about.
We look extremely underdressed for this place, me in my bright floral sundress and Chaser still in his sweats from the plane. Walking through the busy gaming tables toward the restaurant in the back, I scan the room and wonder what possesses people to come here and play away their life savings. My gaze locks with a guy dressed in a sharp suit at the blackjack tables, his piercing blue eyes rake over me appreciatively as I walk past his table. The corner of his full lips quirk into an enigmatic grin as he twists in his seat to see where I’m heading.
Chaser’s hand grips my waist out of nowhere and steers me away from the tables. “Stay away from him, he’s trouble, and not the good kind.”
Glancing up at him I laugh, “are you serious?”
“He’s the son of the Marietto family. Not someone you want to get involved with.”
I turn in Chaser’s grip to have a peek at the Marietto son again and am caught by him as he hasn’t stopped watching me walk away. He dips his head and his grin widens at my obvious embarrassment. Spinning back around before I make more of a fool of myself, I let Chaser lead the way to the restaurant.
All the parentals are already seated and drinking their whiskey and wine. Chaser’s mom grins up at him like he’s the light of her life and as we pass, he kisses her on top of her head.
“Where are the other two troublemakers?” Papa V. asks me when I take my seat.
“I think they’re still getting changed after the flight.” I motion for the waitress to bring me a drink. She smiles adoringly and nods. She’s been at this restaurant since I can remember and always was my favorite employee at the casino.
“Summon and you shall receive.” Sin appears with Rome on his heels. “Papa.” He nods at his dad before he grips his mom in a big bear hug from behind.
Thank fuck Rome sits in the seat beside me and leaves the one on the other side of Chaser for Sin. “Thank you.’ I lean into him and nudge his arm.
“Boys, the Marietto family is here on business. I trust you three will play nicely with the eldest son. I do not. I’ll repeat this once, and only once. I do not want to hear of any volatile encounters. Do not even look at them sideways. Do you hear me?”
“Come on, can’t we have a little fun these days?” Sin whines like the spoiled child he is.
“Nickolas has already looked sideways,” Chaser announces and glances at me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Papa V. looks at Chaser in confusion.
“Monroe and him were eye fucking each other across the room ten minutes ago.” Chaser chuckles.
I punch him playfully in the arm. “Jesus. Shut up!”
“What, it’s true.” He grabs my closed fist before I can punch him harder.
Chaser’s mom, Gianna, looks on in horror at the way her beloved son just spoke, and she shakes her head at him.
Sin stands abruptly as the undercurrent of tension rolls off him in spades. The tic in his jaw and the clenching and unclenching of his fists tells me he and this other guy have beef.
“Sin,” Papa V. warns but it’s pointless.
Sin storms away leaving behind a trail of confusion. I watch on in curiosity as both Chaser and Rome follow him and disappear into the crowd.
“Should someone go check on them?” Rome’s mom, Stefania, says as she peers over her menu trying to see if she can catch a glimpse of her son.
“They’ll be fine.” Rome’s dad, Luciano, reassures his wife with a gentle squeeze of her shoulder.
Playing on my phone, I ignore the usual theatrics of these dinners. It always ends up with someone pissed off and leaving the table. After a few minutes, I realize the boys aren’t coming back and I announce I’m going back to the room. I’m tired and want to leave the adults to their dinner party. It has never been the same since my parent’s deaths. As much as Mama V. tries her best to make me feel like I’m family and the other parentals all include me, I’m still the outsider. Everyone feels the empty space my parents left behind. I doubt that feeling will ever go away.
Walking through the gaming area, the clinking of chips and the annoying beeping sounds from the machines grate on my nerves. I head toward the closest elevators, even though I know they don’t go to the penthouse, but the noise is too much.
I’m stopped mid stride by a hand gripping my elbow. Spinning on my heels, I’m about to mouth off when I come face to face with the Marietto son. The shock of his skin on mine sends something forbidden up my spine. He’s taller than he looked sitting down and I have to angle my face to meet his gaze. His broad shoulders fill his suit to perfection, and those dark blue, broody eyes are something else.
“What’s the rush, off limits?” His mouth quirks into a cheeky grin. Damn, his voice is deep and moody.
Pulling my arm from his firm grip, I can’t help but stare at him, lost for words for what he just called me.
“Have they forbidden you from speaking to me?” He chuckles, taking a step back and holding his hands up, the humor of his statement bringing out his playful side.
“Did you call me off limits?” I narrow my gaze at him as my brain tries to process what he said.
“The forbidden fruit. The golden apple. I’m not sure how many more adjectives I need to say for you to get my point.” He places his hands in his pocket and stares at me.
Irritation coats my skin. “I got it loud and clear,” I say bitterly as I step around him.
“Will I see you at SLU?” He moves so I have to brush past him.
“Nope, I’m moving to the other side of the country.” I glance up at him as he half blocks my path and am met with the most aphotic gaze that sends wildfire through my soul.
“Pity. Would have been fun tormenting Sin with you.” He winks, moving out of the way so I can get past him.
Walking away from him, I have a split second of uncertainty tainted by regret, but I push that aside and make my way upstairs and hope I don’t run into Sinisa again tonight.