La Sposa (29 page)

“
Interesting. We’re going to spend
our honeymoon at sea?” she joked.

“
We’re going to Capri. And I
promise to show you paradise.”

She relaxed, holding Eve. “I’m
ready.”

Chapter Seven

Io sono tua –
I am yours

“
Lorenzo? I was wondering if I
could have a word.” Carmine stepped closer to the table.

Lorenzo blew out a ring of smoke from his
cigar. The night did not end until the last partier left the tent.
Several of his men had hooked up with village girls. Allowed just
this night. The young women were closely watched by their brothers,
uncles, and men from their families. Many purposefully looked away
when the men got too frisky. Not that the families wanted their
daughters with men inside the
Camorra
. But none would dare
say so at Don Battaglia’s wedding.

He sat at a table with Carlo, listening to the
details of their business matters in Napoli. A particularly nasty
affair with a storeowner who was now refusing to make his scheduled
payments with Santo’s men, ended with the man’s throat cut, and the
throats of his two sons. Lorenzo would have to visit the family
personally and make sure no one reported it to the
polizia
.
Now, the kid stood in front of him, blocking his view of Marietta.
She remained in the background most of the evening. At the moment,
she sat alone at a table, nursing a drink. One leg was crossed over
the other. Her foot kicked slowly up and down revealing more of her
thigh. She appeared disinterested in the party atmosphere around
her. His motherless dark flower didn’t hassle him to leave. But he
could tell her patience was wearing thin.

“
Can I speak with you?” Carmine
asked in a louder voice.

Lorenzo’s gaze flickered up. He kicked the
chair next to him out for Carmine to take a seat. This was Carlo’s
protégé; the last one he met with got his gun shoved down his
throat. What the fuck did Carmine want?

“
Speak.”

“
I’ve asked Gio for more
responsibility and he’s said he’d consider it. I’m thinking if you
give me a job to handle, I can earn some respect from the boss.
Carlo, uh, he said,” Carmine cleared his throat. “There might be
work in Milan?”

“
There’s always work.” Lorenzo
conceded. His gaze swiveled over to Santo. The lean gangster rose
and his men did as well. His lethal glare shifted to Lorenzo, and
with a sly smirk, he gave a nod of respect and walked out. Lorenzo
cut his eyes over to Carlo, to see if he noticed. Carlo had. Santo
was gaining a lot of respect in the
Camorra
and though he
and Giovanni were tightly bound, Carlo and Lorenzo always kept an
eye on him.

“
Is there a place for me?” Carmine
smiled.

Carlo wanted his boys to climb the ranks
because it would elevate his position. Lorenzo understood that
need. And fuck, Carlo was his best friend. Besides, a year ago
Carlo was overlooked because of Santo’s loyalty, and the money he
kept lining the Battaglia pockets with.

“
This your idea?” Lorenzo
asked.

Carlo shrugged.

“
You plan to push this little shit
on me?” Lorenzo asked Carlo.

“
Hear the kid out. He has the
balls. Let him use them.”

“
Got a joke for me, Carmine?”
Lorenzo asked. He took another drag of his cigar and returned his
attention to Marietta. This time, she did look over. Irritation
strained her pretty face. She rolled her eyes and uncrossed and
re-crossed her legs. Lorenzo smirked. Those legs. He’d be between
them soon enough.

No matter the day or season, Carmine could
always be counted on to tell a joke. The worst, dirtiest of jokes,
but still it’s what made the boys like him. Carmine nodded that
he’d share another. He pulled out a chair and sat down. “So a man
goes to the doctor for the annual check up. The doctor says to the
man: I’ll need you to come back tomorrow with a urine sample, a poo
sample, and a sperm sample. And the man agrees. When he gets home,
his wife asks him what the doctor said. He tells her…” Carmine
begins to laugh. Carlo and Lorenzo both stare at him and he tries
to get through the rest of the story. “So he tells her, the doctor
says I need to bring back a pair of your knickers!”

Lorenzo glanced over to Carlo. His best friend
took a swig of his drink. After a moment, he chuckled. Lorenzo
smiled and nodded to Carmine that the joke was funny. He put out
the cigar on the table surface and exhaled a long stream of smoke.
“See that woman over there?”

Carmine’s head turned. Marietta happened to
look up at them as they all stared. “Yes,” Carmine
answered.

“
She’s a friend. We are headed back
to Milano together. I want you to keep your eye on her. She goes
nowhere that you aren’t aware.”

Carmine looked to Carlo for help. Lorenzo knew
he desired something more. He kicked at his chair and forced him to
return his attention to him. “I have a matter with David Capriccio
you will be helping me with. If you handle yourself well, then you
will get a bigger job. You want more responsibility, then you’re
going to fucking earn it. Go and introduce yourself to my lady, and
see if she needs another drink.” Lorenzo reached back into his
pocket. He pulled out more bills than he was sure Carmine made in a
week. “Leave tomorrow, and meet me in Milan.”

“
Got it, Boss.” Carmine rose,
stuffing the money in his back pocket. He walked toward Marietta.
Lorenzo slumped back in his chair and watched them. She looked to
him and then to Carmine when he approached her. For a minute, she
didn’t speak. Then she nodded to Carmine and said a few
words.

“
What the fuck are you up to?”
Carlo asked.

“
Business, a little pleasure.”
Lorenzo answered. “A lot of pleasure. Now I understand why Gio
loves his Mira.” Lorenzo chuckled. “Something to be said about
their kind.”

“
Yes, but that one looks like his
Mira.” Carlo sat upright, his brow creased with concern. “Are you
purposely trying to undo the progress you made with Gio? Bringing
her here?”

Lorenzo sighed. “They don’t look that much
alike. And I got another reason for my friendship with that one.
Trust me. It’s important.”

“
Forget your dick. Santo is
becoming a problem. He’s not to be trusted. Giovanni has the
alliance with the
Ndrangheta;
and I hear rumors that Santo
is meeting with Bonaduce’s oldest son on the side. It could be
trouble.”

Lorenzo listened. Carlo’s jealousy of Santo
made it difficult to reason if there was a problem, or envy.
“Bonaduce knows better than to step this way again. Santo is a lot
of things but he’s not stupid. We have the triangle. There are no
deals to be made with the Bonaduces. What are these deals you think
he’s made?”

“
I’m not sure. The fucker isn’t
exactly chatting me up with details. I think we should pay a few of
his gambling houses a visit. Make sure nothing’s out of order. You
with me?” Carlo asked.

“
Can’t. The clock is running down
on David Capriccio. I hear that the Nigerians have stashed
marijuana in Giovanni’s territory.”

Carlo sat up. “Does Gio know?”

“
No need to worry him about the
matter. I will deal with it. Residual bullshit from Giuseppe
Calderone.” Lorenzo rose from his chair. He picked up his keys and
his lighter, shoving them into his pockets. “Send someone else to
check in on Santo’s boys. I don’t need you two getting into a
gunfight when I’m gone. Gio wants peace for his little
vacation.”

“
What if he’s stiffing
us?”

“
I’ll handle Santo.” Lorenzo
slipped Carlo a look. “Or I’ll let you handle him. For now, keep
the peace.”

When he approached Marietta, Carmine rose.
“Shall we?”

Marietta grabbed her purse and Lorenzo drew
back her chair. He stepped back and let her come out from between
the chair and table. She did, and to his surprise, her hand sought
his. Lorenzo took hold of it and led her out.

*****

Isola Azzurra,
translated in Italian,
meant”blue island”. It was how many in the
Campania
referred
to Capri. She loved the word. And if the night hadn’t blanketed the
sea, she was sure the waters would be a brilliant blue green, with
sparkling depths all around her. Instead, the yacht sailed in
darkness. Giovanni shared stories of Tiberius and ancient Romans
who considered the islands in the bay of Naples sacred vacation
spots. She and Fabiana had wanted to visit but never got a chance
to. As a girl, she loved the fantastical tales she read in books
about Capri, and the pagan gods that ruled over the tropical
island.

“
So we will stay here for how
long?” She snuggled up against him. She had kicked off her shoes
and her feet were stretched out on the left side of her. It wasn’t
the most comfortable position with her restricting wedding gown.
But being close this way, felt nice.

Giovanni sat forward, forcing her to do so as
well. He stood and reached behind him for her hand. Eve slept
across from them on the sun chaise with her baby blanket over her.
Mira rose with his assistance, and followed him as they crossed the
wood floors in the expansive lounge area that faced forward on the
yacht; and over to the steps that allowed them to enter a level up
and view the night from panoramic windows.

“
As long as you need. I’ve rented a
villa along the marina at Piccola Beach with a magnificent view of
the
Faraglioni
. We will also visit Isichia, because that
island is known for their thermal springs, the best place to swim
during these months.

“
No swimming,” she said,
emphatically.

He continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “The
beaches there are where the sun shines all year round, the weather
rarely changes. You will love it, Bella, I promise. Enjoy it with
me, my wife.” He kissed her cheek. His arms folded around her
waist.

“
Mmm, I like when you say the word,
wife.” She could care less about the hot springs. But time in
paradise, without him being called away on business, sounded like
heaven.

The natural bob and sway of the yacht soothed
her. She reclined into him. “We have Eve. So we should think it’s
her honeymoon too. Let’s take her to see the gardens and caves I’ve
read about as a kid.”

“
Got it covered.” He ran his hand
over her tummy. “I love this dress,” he groaned.

“
I can’t wait to get out of it.”
She turned and lifted her arms around his neck. He reached behind
her and eased down the zipper. “Giovanni, you know we can’t. What
if someone comes below?”

“
They know better,” he said,
continuing to run the zipper down.

“
We don’t have the time. Stop, we
can’t.”

“
We have another thirty minutes
before we reach the island.” He tugged on her zipper. He didn’t
realize there was more to the dress. A dozen or more hooks and tiny
fasteners that his large fingers couldn’t undo. She feared he’d rip
straight through them.

“
Let me help you.”

Giovanni stepped back to give her room. He
reached over to the wall and turned the dial to dim the lights and
further extend the shadows. His men and their companions remained
on the upper deck. No one would dare come below. A quick glance
over his shoulder, out into the inside cabin, he saw his
bambina
hadn’t moved. The boat’s glide cradled her into
sleep. Beautiful, content, safe, he wanted his children to know
this kind of love and peace always. But first, he would make sure
his wife did too.

Mira released a sharp exhalation of breath and
then another slower one from her lovely mouth when she finally
freed herself of what had to be restrictive on her lungs and
abdomen. As the dress lowered, her breasts appeared sweetly cupped
by a white strapless lace bra. Mira never took her eyes off him.
She eased the dress down her heart- shaped hips to reveal her
garter belt with slender straps connected to her thigh-high, white
lace trimmed garter stockings. What peeked his interest was the
fact she wore no knickers. He struggled to calm his racing heart at
the sight of her body.

He looked up into her eyes and she gave him a
fresh smile. Oh yes. She was definitely his woman. Mira reached
behind her and released her bra. “Thirty minutes? We need to make
sure it’s worth it,” she teased.

“
Don’t rush your husband, not on a
night like this. We leave when we’re ready.”

Giovanni flicked his thumbs over her nipples
and they hardened instantly. She supported her weight by leaning
back on the console with her hands firmly planted on top. She
tilted her head, raising her chin, and arching her nipples up to
receive his fondling. Mira wielded control. She lifted her left
foot to the swivel spectator chair over to her side. In doing so,
she gave him full access. Giovanni shrugged off his tuxedo jacket
and tossed it behind him. He slowly opened the buttons to his shirt
and pealed it off his muscle- packed shoulders and arms. Her gaze
moved over the tight ridges of his abs, forming a solid six pack
seen under his white t-shirt, and down to his trim waist. He
stepped between her parted thighs like a champion up for the task.
Thirty minutes of the most explosive passion awaited her. When his
mouth lowered and covered her right nipple with wet heat she bit
back a whimper, but a tiny groan slipped out. The inner tightness
of her pussy clenched tighter. He sucked on her nipple and pinched
the other. His mouth finally released her from the delicious
torment, and his gaze leveled on her.