Amore (18 page)

Nico took Gino from his father and the toddler immediately began to cry. His screams were piercing, and Giovanni felt his own eyes mist over with tears. He made a step to take his son when Lorenzo stepped to his side and squeezed his left shoulder.

“Let the women see to him, Gio. He’ll be fine.”

Giovanni nodded. Appearances, no matter how small, always had to be maintained with his men and family. He watched Nico leave.

“The boy thinks he’s a frog. Did you see that jump?” Lorenzo chuckled.

Rocco chuckled. “Yes, Zia often complains about his jumping.”

“I should watch him more closely.” Giovanni shrugged. “But boys jump. It’s what they do.”

“Lorenzo’s right, Gio. The boy is fine. Don’t stress it,” Rocco said.

Dominic hung up the phone. “Doctor Vanzetti will be here within the hour.” Lorenzo started for the door.

“Where are you going?” Giovanni asked.

“If we’re to go to see this orphan in a boxing ring I need to tell my wife I’ll be missing dinner.” Lorenzo stopped in front of Dominic. He smiled. “Congratulations, brother. I’m happy for you.”

Dominic nodded, and Lorenzo left. Giovanni looked to Rocco who observed the men but didn’t say anything.

“Where do you want to get married? Here or Sicily?” Giovanni asked.

“Melanzana. We want to do it in Sorrento, if that’s okay with you?” Dominic asked.

“I’ll call the cardinal,” Rocco offered.

“Are you okay with it? Truly?” Dominic pressed Giovanni.

“Do you want my truth or that of your godfather?” Giovanni replied.

For a moment Dominic hesitated. Giovanni waited for his answer. Dominic’s gaze returned to him. He nodded his head slowly. “I want the truth of my brother,” he answered.

“Catalina’s my heart. No woman other than my wife has that position. I thought protecting her was to marry her off to Franco. And look where that led us. Do I want my sister and brother to wed? No. I can never want such a thing. I would have liked for you to find a woman outside of this family, Dominic. Start a family on your own terms. It doesn’t mean I don’t see how much you love her, and I know no one will protect my
piccoletta
better than you.”

“
Grazie,
Gio
.
I’ve given her time. I’ve let her be her own person. I love her. I always have. I will never let you or her down. I swear it,” Dominic said.

Giovanni arched a brow. “Hmmm… this means I get to plan your bachelor party.”

Dominic smiled. “You didn’t have one.”

Giovanni reclined “That doesn’t mean I don’t know how to throw one.”

Dominic grinned. “I will see you later, bye Rocco. I need to meet with the men before we leave for the gym.”

“Gym? What gym?” Rocco asked.

“Ciro, Carlo’s brother. Giovanni has agreed to be his promoter.” Dominic walked out.

“Is that true, Gio? You are now a boxing promoter?” Rocco asked.

They were now alone. Giovanni had an urge to rise and see about his son. He resisted. “I’ve agreed.”

“And Carlo has another brother?” Rocco asked.

“Carlo finds a brother at every corner,” Giovanni chuckled.

Rocco did not take to the humor. “Whose idea was it to enter boxing? To own a fighter.”

“It was mine!” Giovanni snapped.

“I understand that, Gio. What I mean is who brought the business to us? Carlo?”

“Yes. And Dominic.”

“So Lorenzo doesn’t agree?” Rocco asked.

“Is there a point to this interrogation old man?”

“I’ve stayed out of the family affairs for the past few months. I think it would make my brother happy to see you with Lorenzo at your side running the family.” Rocco said.

“You think?” Giovanni said.

“Dominic is a better counsel. With him you are… you make very solid decisions.”

“You talk as if I’m a fucking puppet with no mind of my own!” Giovanni said.

“No. You are the
capo di tutti capi
. You own the lives, and control the minds of many. Every decision you make, every day, decides the fate of so many. That is why it is good to have a
consigliere
, a left and a right hand. To balance scales.”

“So?”

Rocco sighed. “There is balance there for you, Gio. But you sway more toward Lorenzo. I know of the drugs. Gio? Drugs?”

“I’m not selling them.”

“No. You’ve become a traffic cop,” Rocco said.

“And if I am? Mottola was able to divide the clans and nearly destroy this family. The drugs are here. They come from every port. My fucking
Campania
! I can not close my eyes to it.”

“Your father—”

“Was a smuggler. How many wars have we armed? How many weapons from the Irish have we pushed out through those to Turkey? Lorenzo is right. You cannot be half in. My father was never what I am today, because he didn’t understand that fact. I own the
Campania
. And now I own the drugs.”

Rocco sighed. “And with ownership comes a price for us all, Gio. A price we as men will all have to pay. Think about it when you kiss your sons good night tonight.”

**

“Come here.” Lorenzo swept in and scooped his wife up with his arms fastened around her waist. Marietta squealed in shock. Everyone looked up in the family room. Marietta saw her friend’s curious frown before she was carried from the room.

“Put me down!” she yelled. He did. She whirled on him and started backing away. He winked and she turned and ran. Lorenzo was taller, stronger, but she was fast even in her heels. She nearly made it out the back door before he caught her again in the kitchen. She laughed and kicked her legs. He carried her into the food closet and closed the door.

She had to catch her breath. She stood on her toes and kissed him. “If you wanted to talk all you had to do was ask,” she grinned.

“Where has my wife been? I’ve been looking to talk to her all day,” he said.

“Right behind you, baby. You’re too busy building our empire to notice.”

Lorenzo lifted her chin with his finger. “Don’t even think about it,” she said.

“What am I thinking?” he asked as he traced his index finger from her chin, down her throat to the dimple separation of her breasts.

“It’s the pantry, Lo. Our room is just down the hall,” she said. “I know you, Lo. The dirty and nastier the better.”

“Nothing dirty or nasty about fucking my wife,” he said and squeezed her breasts.

“You know what I mean! This is where the food is kept. It’s obscene.”

He chuckled. She watched as he reached down in his pocket. “I have something for you, my good luck present before your big day.”

“What is it?” she asked.

He removed a twenty-two inch diamond strand tennis necklace. Her breath caught at the sight of it. Even in the dark the baubles sparkled like priceless gems. “It’s beautiful.”

“Turn around,” he said.

She turned and put her hands against the closed door. Lorenzo brought the necklace around her neck and fastened it. She touched the diamonds. “I love it. So sweet, thank you, baby.”

His hands went to her hips. She barely noticed when they caressed around to the curve of her ass. He pulled up her dress and she glanced back at him from over her shoulder.

He kissed her and cupped her pussy. Marietta swallowed his tongue. She reached behind her to stroke his face. And his fingers felt delicious as they fondled and molested her pussy. “So proud of you, Marie. You’re going to show them all. Wear it for me on the big day.”

Lorenzo pressed her up against the wood surface of the door as he ran both hands to the front of her thighs. He rubbed and spread her thighs. His erection was pressed between the cheeks of her ass. She closed her eyes as her body responded to his touches and caresses. The panties she wore were forced off her hips and further down until they were trapped at her ankles. She was hot. Not just with sexual anticipation. She was hot thanks to the cramped quarters, and the excitement melting the walls of her pussy. The silk dress she wore was sticking to her skin. He freed himself. He released his cock so swiftly and thrust inside of her, Marietta’s nails nearly broke as they scratched down the line of the wood. He thrust into her again and her mouth gaped in pleasure. Faster and faster his thrusts went. His hard length stretched her walls to the maximum. She was dry for the invasion, but the friction stirred heat and pre-climax wetness that eased his glide.

“Ah yes!” she laughed when he lifted her out of her shoes. Her panties dropped off her ankles. And she hooked her feet behind the back of his calves. She was as open as she could get for him. She beat her hand against the door in celebration. It was so good to her. “Do me, baby,” she wheezed.

Her husband was tall. Taking every inch of him this way was only bearable if she was elevated. Hip and pelvic thrusts drove him deeper and deeper. His hands were now to the front of her thighs, keeping them parted while his index fingers played with her clitoris. Before long the hurried thrusts of his thickness slowed to a teasing rhythm, delivering enough pleasure to overcome her discomfort. And with his large frame pressed into her, she barely captured enough air in her lungs to keep breathing. Lorenzo grunted against her ear one last time before he exploded inside of her.

Together they melted down the wall. He went to his knees and she joined him. Dazed they sat with their backs to the door. She looked down at her necklace and smiled. “I love it, Lo,” she said. “Why not give it to me last night?”

“I forgot,” he wheezed. “I was going to surprise you in bed after I finished work, but you surprised me in the office. It slipped my mind. And then today—”

“We both were going a mile a minute in opposite directions.” She finished for him.

He took her hand and kissed it. “I want us to take a trip soon,
cara
. Just you and me.”

“I’d like that,” she said. She reached over and grabbed a roll of paper towels. She ripped the plastic off it and pealed off several pieces to clean her self. It was useless. The dress was stained and ruined. His seed ran in a steady stream down her thigh.

He worked up his zipper. “I have to go with Gio and Dominic to a private meeting this afternoon. I’ll probably miss dinner,” he said.

“Oh, okay,” she said.

He flashed her a lopsided grin. He squeezed his dick.

“I have plans too,” she said as she pulled up her underwear.

“What plans?” he asked.

“Dinner,” she said.

“With who?” Lorenzo asked.

“Catalina and Mirabella. We’re having dinner with our team at Fabiana’s,” she said.

“Is Mirabella going?” Lorenzo asked with a serious frown.

“Of course she’s going, it’s her team.”

“Gio won’t be happy. The boy, Gino was hurt today,” Lorenzo told her.

“How?”

“He jumped from a desk,” Lorenzo said.

“Is he okay?” Marietta stood and smoothed out her wrinkled dress.

“He’s fine, Marie. But I saw the concern in Gio’s eyes. He will want Mirabella here with the kids.”

Marietta rolled her eyes. “If he’s fine then there is no reason for her not to go. Besides we’ve been planning this for weeks. It’s what Mirabella wants.”

“I’ll make sure Renaldo is there for you both. He’ll take some men. I’m sure Gio is fine with it.”

“Thank you, baby.” Marietta took a step toward him when he stood. “I love my necklace.”

He lifted her chin. “I’ll pick you up from Fabiana’s.”

She smiled and hugged him. Lorenzo squeezed her ass. Sex in the closet was the most romantic thing he’d done since he returned.

**

Mirabella sent the kids off with Cecilia and Zia. She kept Gino. Nico arrived with her weeping son, and explained he’d jumped from a desk earlier. To her surprise a doctor was called but her husband didn’t appear to offer any explanation. Nico was left to explain how the hell Gino managed to get on top of a desk to jump. The doctor said that Gino’s wrist didn’t appear broken, and wrapped it to give the toddler some comfort after a quick exam. She was advised to call him if she saw any swelling. Still she worried about how weepy he was. Mirabella broke her rule and fixed him a bottle. Her heart finally calmed down when the toddler fell asleep in her arms. She paced in their room with him in his arms.

The door opened and she glanced back. Giovanni stepped inside.

“Is he okay?” he asked.

“You tell me. He was with you,” she whispered.

“Yes. He was playing. He fell. It was an accident,” Giovanni said.

“That is not what happened. He jumped.” She turned and faced him. “I’ve told you that you have to watch him, discipline him about the jumping. You encourage it. You think his rebellion is funny. He’s a baby. He doesn’t know any better unless you teach him better.”

“Bella…”

“I don’t think you should have the boys with you at Villa Rosso, or while you are working.”