Love and War (17 page)

Caprice wiggled out of her dress the best she could and reached for his belt. She had to have him on top of her…inside of her right then and there. When she reached into his jeans and pulled out at least nine inches of solid black dick, her pussy began to throb in anticipation. She knew that from that moment on, she and Rocco could only be friends.

As soon as Diesel’s boxers and jeans hit the floor, Caprice pushed all two hundred pounds of brown skin and solid muscle onto his back. Straddling his thighs, she slowly guided his dick into her dripping wetness and felt his back arch beneath her. She leaned over and pressed her
titties
against his chest. Moving her hips in a slow grind, she allowed Diesel to glide inside of her inch by inch until she felt his balls gently hitting her ass.

“Fuck me now,” she whispered in Diesel’s ear. She felt oddly empowered at that moment. With Rocco, it was always clear who was in charge. She was less experienced than he was and she kind of liked being bossed around in the bed. But with Diesel, it was different. He was so much bigger than her, yet there he was lying beneath her as she commanded him to fuck her.

One hard thrust caused Caprice to cry out with pleasure. Diesel smirked and squeezed her ass.

“You’re not the boss of me,” he chuckled.

Raking her nails down his chest, Caprice grinned and increased the speed of her grind.

“Oh, but honey,” she purred. “I will be.”

After Diesel left the next morning, Caprice laid in the bed, drenched in his scent and unwilling to move a muscle. Her mind wasn’t even on the importance of today, even though her entire plan revolved around Diesel doing what he promised he would do.

Instead, she was listening to the birds chirping and watching the sunrise over Manhattan. She was in love and felt it from her head to her toes. She wanted to bask in the feeling of loving someone and genuinely knowing that he loved her too. There wasn’t a better feeling in the world. There just couldn’t be. She wanted to call all of her friends and giggle for hours about the best sex she’d ever had. She wanted to call her mother and tell her about Diesel.

Unfortunately, that part of her life had to be put on hold. She had real issues to deal with; issues that involved her getting out of bed and meeting her brother in Staten Island so they could make the three hour drive to
Allenwood
, Pennsylvania. They’d been summoned by their great-grandfather.

Before she rolled out of bed, she picked up her phone and dialed Diesel’s number.

“I said I would text you,” he laughed when he picked up. “I haven’t even crossed into Queens yet, Baby.”

“I know,” Caprice smiled. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“You miss me already?”

“Yes.”

Diesel sighed. “Baby, you better focus. Now is not the time to be distracted. You’ll see me tomorrow.”

“I know. I’m focused. I just wanted to make sure that we’re good.”

“We’re good, Caprice. It’s me and you, right?”

“Me and you,” Caprice repeated and meant it. “I’ll be waiting on your text.”

“Goodbye my love. See you tomorrow.”

Caprice hung up the phone and smiled. “Love you too.”

An hour later, Caprice had showered and dressed in jeans and a tank top. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail when she pulled her father’s Mercedes in front of La Galleria 45. The restaurant was closed but Nico’s Tahoe was parked out front so she knew that her brother was inside waiting for her. She took a deep breath and got out of the car. She had to tell Nico about Diesel and he was going to be livid, especially if Domani had already told him about Rocco.

Nico was fiddling around with Maria’s industrial espresso maker when Caprice entered the restaurant’s kitchen. He was making a mess so Caprice pushed him to the side and took over. She warmed a few Danish and found some
capicola
and smoked Gouda cheese in the refrigerator. When the coffee was done, she carried the tray into the dining room. Although the restaurant was empty, Nico was seated in the same back corner booth that their father always occupied.

The brother and sister ate in silence for a few minutes. The weight of what they had to accomplish today weighed heavily on each of their shoulders. Caprice also found herself mentally working up the nerve to tell her brother what she had been up to for the past twelve hours. She was still unconvinced that she could ever make Nico understand, but she had to try. Her future with Diesel depended on her brother accepting what she had proposed.

“So,” she finally said. “Rocco called me last night. He said everything is straight on his side.”

Nico nodded slowly. “Yeah. They weren’t too hard to find. He’s driving down from Watertown now. Didn’t you talk to him this morning?”

“I was in the shower when he called. He didn’t answer when I called him back.”
 
Caprice quickly looked down at her breakfast. Lying to her brother to his face was difficult for her. She’d never done it before and knew that lying to him would not become a regular thing.

“What about your part?” Nico asked. “I drove by the house last night. It doesn’t look like anyone has set foot in that place in months. Are you sure you’re going to be able to get him there?”

“I’m absolutely positive,” Caprice nodded. “He will show up.”

“So you’ve talked to Aries?” Nico guessed.

“Umm,” Caprice paused. “Not quite. But I talked to Diesel.”

“Diesel?”
 
Nico’s brow wrinkled, not clearly understanding why his sister had deviated from the plan. “Why you’d talk to that thick necked nigger? What could he do? All he ever does is follow Aries around like a groupie.”

Caprice laughed. She had thought the same thing about Diesel until she actually met him and started to get to know him.

“Diesel’s a good guy,” Caprice replied. “He doesn’t want any problems with us. That’s why I went to him instead of Aries. There is discontent among the ranks, apparently. Young Cassius has a lean and hungry look.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Nico snapped. “Who the hell is Cassius?”

Caprice burst out laughing. “I was quoting Shakespeare.”

“Why? What the hell does that have to do with us?”

“You didn’t read Julius Caesar in high school? You’re kidding, right?”

“Caprice,” Nico said. His tone held a warning that Caprice picked up on right away.

“Fine. Diesel is pissed at Aries. He thinks that Aries was wrong for going behind our backs and hooking up with Cesar. He sees Aries as causing more problems than necessary. At the end of the day, Diesel is loyal to us.”

“I don’t trust any of them,” Nico stated evenly. “You shouldn’t either. You should have stuck to the plan and went to Aries yourself.”

“I trust Diesel. He’s going to get Aries to come to the spot. He’ll text me when he’s on the way.”

“I don’t like that plan, sis. Why the hell would you think this was a good plan? You’re smarter than that!” Nico shouted.

“It’s going to work,” Caprice said calmly. “Diesel and I-”

Nico eyed his sister suspiciously. “You and Diesel what?”

“We worked out a deal,” Caprice answered. Nico was too upset for her to tell him everything. Eventually, she’d have to spill the beans about her feelings for her new partner in crime, but one glance at her brother’s angry red face confirmed that he was not ready to hear the entire story.

“What kind of deal, Caprice?”

“Well,” she said slowly. “I offered him a job and a house in Atlantic City…an executive position. But,” she added quickly before Nico could explode. “It’s perfect. Diesel has a degree in Business Management like me. He’s smart. We’re going to have to staff The Capri anyway. He’ll be good for the job.”

Nico looked doubtful. Something was going on with his sister. She wouldn’t have made that decision without speaking to him first. Either Diesel was holding something over her, or his sister liked him. Nico prayed that it was neither.

“If your boy doesn’t come through for you, you know what we have to do,” Nico stated coolly. “The wheels are in motion, Caprice. Rocco has his special delivery. I flew two guys over from Campania for this. We’re not dealing with amateurs, Caprice. My cousins didn’t cross the Atlantic just to twiddle their fuckin’ thumbs.”

Caprice nodded her head slowly. She understood the consequences if Diesel did not do as he promised. If he didn’t come through for her…if he double-crossed her in any way, last night would be the last time Caprice ever saw him again. Every high ranking member of Aries’ carefully constructed organization had a target on his back, and Nico’s cousins wouldn’t miss.

“Aside from the stupid shit that you just told me,” Nico spoke angrily, “there is something else or should I say someone else we need to discuss.”

The serious expression on Nico’s face was the same expression Domani wore whenever he talked business with his children. Caprice wanted to smile and comment on the resemblance, but she knew better. Nico was not in the mood for her shit. Nico Bonatelli was going to make a proper Boss.

“Who?” Caprice asked.

“Rocco,” Nico replied. “I’m worried about him. He’s not comfortable with the Paolo situation. He’s not convinced we should be demanding that Paolo step down.”

Caprice held back a sarcastic chuckle. “Who the fuck cares what Rocco is comfortable with? We haven’t overstepped our bounds. That’s why we’re going to
Allenwood
, right? To talk to
Fausto
about this? Besides,” Caprice shrugged, “at the end of the day, Rocco works for the family. He’ll follow orders no matter who is giving them.”

“You need to talk to him,” Nico ordered. “Make him understand.”

Caprice turned her nose up and shook her head. “You do it. You’re his best friend. What makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

Nico smirked and sipped his espresso. “It’s in his blood. We always listen to the Italian women we love.”

Fuck
! Caprice yelled to herself. She hadn’t expected Rocco to be a problem. Why the hell couldn’t he just sit back and let them make the moves they had carefully planned out. She had enough to worry about. He was going to be pissed off when she broke things off with him, and now this? Could her day get any more fucked up?

“If he loves Paolo so much, why can’t Rocco stay here and work for him?” Caprice suggested. “It’s not like we’re demanding that the old man retires.”

“Apparently, he wants to be in Atlantic City with you.”

Caprice tossed her head from side to side rather quickly. “No,” she stated. “I don’t want him there. He can stay right here in New York with Paolo. Tell him that, Nico. If I have to do it, it won’t be pretty.”

“Why not? I thought the two of you were in love,” Nico teased.

“There’s a difference between love and good dick, Nico,” Caprice answered.

“Too much information,” Nico stated. “You’re telling him.”

“You’re not the Boss yet, big brother,” Caprice laughed. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

“Just talk to your boyfriend,” Nico told her. “On another note, we’ve never talked about the girl; Keisha or whatever her name is.”

Caprice grinned slyly. “You don’t have to worry about her. That bitch is my own special project.”

“Okay. I’ll let you take care of that. Eat your breakfast. We have a long drive and I’m not stopping.”

The empty house at the end of a dead end street would have made the perfect trap house. It was partially hidden by massive amounts of overgrown shrubbery. The house had been abandoned a long time ago, and the city had owned it for years until Aries purchased it two years ago. He had hoped to rebuild the four bedroom home and turn it into his own palace in Queens. As of late, he hadn’t had the time. Beef with rival gangs and his mission to become the real life Nino Brown had taken up most of his time and money.

Chasing after Caprice and all his other women was another way Aries wasted his time and money.

But the thrill of the chase wasn’t enough. He needed the conquest. He wasn’t satisfied with being tall, dark, handsome, and able to bed practically any woman he wanted. The thrill was bedding the ones who were out of his league. That required work and a definitive knowledge of the female psyche.

Caprice had picked up on his vibe the moment she met him. He believed she should have been impressed with his obnoxious show of hood wealth or his inflated ego. He thought that if she was impressed and wanted what he had, the easier it would be to conquer her mind and body.

He was wrong, but Caprice let him believe it for a short time. That was why he showed her the house she was sitting in right at that very moment. Aries had went on and on describing in excruciating detail every plan he had for the house, even down to the light switches. He had taken on a new level of anger when, out of boredom and frustration, Caprice had asked him if he was gay.

Aries was adamant that he was straight as a board, but after spending ninety long ass minutes in an empty and dusty house listening to him talk about wallpaper and flooring, Caprice was done with his
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
act.

That incident happened almost five months ago, shortly before the incident at her apartment. Caprice laughed at the memory. She should have known Aries would have added her gay accusation to his list of reasons she should die.