Chapter 18: Massimo

Dominic rests his beer on the table and smirks at me.

We’ve been drinking, but not enough to get drunk.

I try not to drink too much when I’m at Renovatio anyway, and definitely not when I have to ride my motorcycle home. When I’m here, I have this awareness about me that I don’t think I’m wrong to adhere since my club attracts all sorts of men. Those who come to enjoy the naked women…and those who come to spy on me.

We’re sitting in my private booth where I can see all: the girls on stage stripping; the usual crowd of wealthy, sophisticated businessmen; and the other kind of men you know from the look are dangerous.

Pa was pissed at me when I first set up this place. He loathes it and all it stands for. He said it suited Dominic or Tristan. Not me, although of the three of us I’m definitely wilder when it comes to women. My excuse was it helped me loosen up.

What could be better than having an endless supply of women to fuck when you want to? I used to practically live here with that endless supply of whores who were always willing to please me. Some are still here. Some are here tonight and watch me with hungry eyes, hoping tonight will be the night they get back in my bed.

I pick the best girls with the best assets. Big tits and big asses. They’re all beautiful, and more importantly, they’re girls who aren’t afraid to strip down to nothing and fuck if they have to. My club is of the risqué variety. It’s not a sex club like the infamous Dark Odyssey my friends the Giordanos own in Chicago, but we have special rooms and special girls who don’t mind being paid extra to go all the way. It’s pussy heaven.

I came tonight for the distraction I usually get out of the place, and thought I’d meet Dominic because he’s always here anyway.

People say the best way to get one woman out of your system is to fuck another. However, they never tell you what the fuck you’re supposed to do when you actually can’t think of fucking anybody else besides the one woman you want.

I’ve felt off since I left Emelia in the shower. It’s been two days and I’m still in that state of flux. Thrown off my game from the effect she had on me from one kiss.

One damn kiss that sparked something in my cold heart.

As her soft lips moved against mine, all I wanted to do was claim her sweet, innocent, forbidden flesh. Hunger clawed through me, making me want to push her up against the wall and fuck her senseless.

I’ve never lost control of my emotions like that before. It was a dangerous thing because it showed she had power over me.

Power. That was the problem. There was a shift in power. In that moment, I gave myself to her and succumbed to my need for her.

Need and want are two different things. I can deal with wanting her. Needing to have her is something that blindsided me and pierced past the cover of reality.

“Jesus, bro, you’re miles away,” Dominic says, pulling me from my thoughts when he waves his hand in front of my face.

“Sorry. I was just thinking.”

“Yeah, obviously. I was saying I’ll continue checking out the streets,” he states, setting his shoulders back. “It’s only a matter of time before that asshole does something and we’ll be able to get a lead.”

We’ve been talking about the situation with Vlad. I’ve been listening and doing my best to follow the conversation but my damn mind is definitely fucking miles away.

“Thank you. Dom, I don’t know what we’d do without you.” I wonder that sometimes, because I know the reality is we’d be flying blind half the time.

“Don’t worry about it. You know I’m happy to help.”

“I know.”

It might not be good to put all my faith in him, but in times like these I can’t help it. Especially because of Dominic’s expertise. He went to MIT for fuck’s sake and graduated with two degrees, one of which he did because he was bored with the first and needed to fill out his day with something else. Fuck, I don’t know anybody who would do shit like that. I went to Stanford and was quite content to do the one business degree.

“I just wish the situation was different,” I add.

“I can’t disagree. This is not a good situation to be in, Massimo. I hate when shit’s brewing and we have no clues to track, but at least we have a heads up. We know there’s trouble on the horizon, even if we don’t know what it is.”

“Yeah, fair point.”

He eyes me with curiosity and tilts his head to the side. “Massimo, good as it is to hang out with you in light of recent shit, it’s not like you to want to talk business out here like this.”

I take a swig of my beer and set my bottle down next to his. “I needed a different scene,” I reply. It sounds like bullshit and I don’t have to guess if Dominic can see straight through it.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s wrong with the scene at home? When last I checked you had a beautiful woman to look at.” He chuckles.

“Please don’t remind me.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“There’s more serious things to worry about than her.”

“What happened?” he asks with narrowed eyes, cutting to the chase.

“Nothing.”

I look down at the stage when a loud cheer ripples through the air.

Donna, my best stripper, just stripped naked and she’s just leapt on the silver pole, running down the center of the stage to give the men a show.

I can already see men working their way out to the booking office to book her for a lap dance.

I look away and catch sight of the brunette on stage who’s had her eye on me since I got here earlier. She just took off her bra, and her massive tits bobble as she runs her hands up and down the pole behind her, like she would if she were holding my cock. That should turn me on…but it doesn’t, because I’m fucked and my damn mind is on my fucking wife-to-be.

Releasing a sigh of frustration, I return my gaze to Dominic. I’m about to steer our conversation back to Vlad but grit my teeth when I see Candace walking up the steps leading to the lounge. She’s carrying a plastic folder in her hand.

Shit. The only other person who can’t stand this place more than Pa is her, so I’m not sure why she’s here.

Dressed in a little summer dress, she looks quite unlike her usual self. Her hair is braided to the side in her usual style and the permanent scowl that’s taken up residence on her pretty face since Emelia arrived is very much there.

Dominic turns to look at her and I don’t miss the once over he gives her, nor the way he schools himself in that habitual manner, like he’s trying not to be attracted to her. I don’t know if he knows I notice every time he does it, or that he’s been doing that for more than a decade.

The last time she came here, she didn’t speak to me for over a week. I never get her to meet me here. I wouldn’t because of the nature of the place. When she gets up to us she glances down on the stage at the stripper, looks back to me and shakes her head. I don’t know why she’s looking at me like she expects better from me. She’s the girl I grew up with so my dirty secrets and habits are nothing new to her. I might treat her differently to everybody else, but that’s because she is who she is.

“Buonasera, Angel,” Dominic says, tipping his head at her. He’s called her Angel since we were kids. Sometimes she seems enamored by the endearment because, unknown to him, she likes him too. At other times, like now, she looks pissed. “And how are you on this fine evening?”

“Don’t buonasera me, Dominic D’Agostino.”

“Baby, you sound mad at me. What did I do? I’m just sitting here having a drink with my brother.” He holds out his palms, feigning innocence, and she rolls her eyes at him.

“You couldn’t have chosen a better venue?” She eyes him dangerously.

Candace has this meek personality that’s always respectful toward us, but she can switch out easily and show the fire beneath all that sweetness. It tends to happen when any of us do something to disappoint her.

“Candace, what are you doing here?” I say, cutting in to save him from answering that question.

“You were supposed to pick this up from church today,” she replies, practically shoving the folder into my hands. “Father De Lucca needs those signed and faxed over by tomorrow morning if you want the church booked for the wedding. He’s been trying to reach you all day.”

Fuck. I totally forgot I was supposed to meet with him.

“Thanks, I’ll sort it out. You didn’t have to brave coming here to give these to me.” I raise a brow.

“Massimo, you’ve been AWOL, and I don’t want to be the cause of messing up your plans, and not when you asked me to take care of Emelia.”

At the mention of Emelia, my stomach clenches. “Is she alright?”

“Really, Massimo? And seriously, the least you could do is let her know when you’ll be off with Gabriella.”

“I haven’t been with her,” I argue.

“Of course not. I don’t know who you think you’re fooling. It’s certainly not me and I have no time for foolishness, because my car just broke down and I need to get my dry cleaning before the store closes.”

“I’ll give you a ride, Angel,” Dominic says already getting to his feet.

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt your enjoyment of the show,” Candace snaps at him.

“Nah, I wasn’t even looking. I was going to leave in a minute, anyway, to get home in time to say my prayers. Tomorrow is Whit Sunday.”

Jesus, I have to hold in the laughter. I’m surprised Dominic even knows what Sunday it is on the Christian calendar. At least he has Candace laughing.

“Do you know how ridiculous you sound?” she snaps smacking him in his chest.

“It’s true, baby, you’d be proud of me.” He chuckles. “Come on, let’s go. I’ll get you that tea you like.”

Before she can say anything more, he slips his arm around her shoulders and ushers her away. With a heavy sigh I stand, deciding to leave too. There’s no point staying here.

I jump on my bike and ride home. It’s eleven when I walk through the doors of my office. Quickly, I sign the documents for the church and fax them over to Father De Lucca so I don’t have to worry about them in the morning. When I’m done, I make my way to Emelia’s room. The princess is asleep on her bed but fuck me, she’s wearing a little nightie made of silk and lace, and she’s lying there uncovered.

It’s been hot for the last few nights so the window is open. A gentle breeze filters into the room, caressing her delicious body the way I want to.

I stare at her for a few minutes, taking in her perfection, noting the beauty that radiates from her inside and out.

As I remember the feel of her lips on mine, I find myself wanting to taste her all over again. I find myself wanting to take her and taste her everywhere, wanting to fuck her.

It would be so easy. All I’d need to do is wake her up and get her on her hands and knees.

So, what’s stopping me from fucking her?

What am I waiting for? It’s not like we both wouldn’t want it. And fuck, since when do I consider things like that?

The second I think that, the answer comes. It’s because she’s a virgin, and I know a devil like me doesn’t deserve her innocence.

I know as badly as I want her, that part of me that felt compassion for her at the charity ball has come back to bite me and screw with my mind. I know she doesn’t deserve this, but the selfish motherfucker I am won’t do anything different to what I’m doing outside of my plans.

I make my way to the window bay and lower to sit. Resting my back against the wall, I ask myself the question she asked me in the shower. Is this what our life is going to be like?

Is this what I want? I’m man enough to admit that, while my answer was true, in the moment I spoke those words I wanted her to be mine outside the contract.

I look at her now before me, like the virgin she is, laid out on the bed ready for me to take, and I want the same now.

Her.