by Soraya Naomi
As I inspect the place, I spot Serena talking to Tez, so I go up to them.
“Camilla,” she greets, surprised. “Haven’t seen you around often?”
Tez dips his chin and leaves.
“I hear you’re here every day,” I throw back.
She tilts her head and parades out of the room into the dimly lit hallway.
“And I’d like to warn you”—I step in front of her, blocking her path—“that sooner or later everyone will know what kind of underhanded bitch you are. I’ll find out what you’re playing at.”
She stands tall with a malicious grin. “Adriano’s and my businesses are intertwined now, Camilla. Who do you think will be more important to him eventually? A Capo he’s having a fling with or the woman who’s helping him make his club millions? He and I have a history you know nothing about.”
I snort. “No, I don’t. Because it’s not important enough to him to have mentioned it even once.”
She sends me a pitying look. “So dense...Perhaps you are just not important enough for him to share it with?”
In a rapid move, I grip her throat and slam her back against the wall. Bringing my mouth close to her ear, I spit, “You’ll regret this.”
Dazed at first, she regains her composure while breathing unevenly. “No, Camilla, you’ll regret this. You just gave me more leverage against you.”
I release her as if she’s burned me, and her hand flies to her throat to soothe it.
Coughing, she continues, “Adriano doesn’t like his women to fall apart. And you’re proving to be a liability instead of an asset. In the mafia, that’s not a favorable position to be in.”
I ignore her jibes. “Enjoy your stay here while it lasts.”
I pace to the elevator and press the button to return to the first floor, hating that I let her get to me.
Agitated, I play with the pendant of my gold necklace that hangs between my cleavage as I enter the club, searching the crowd for Fallon and finding her descending the stairs where I meet her halfway.
“I can’t find Luca.” She looks over my shoulder, frowning when she sees Serena, who’s followed my path to the first floor. “Trouble?”
“Uh-huh. She admitted she’s after him,” I say.
Before Fallon can react, Luca comes down the staircase, shadowed by Adriano, whose intense stare pins me to the spot.
Serena also joins us at the foot of the stairs, so I put on my game face.
You want to play? Well, two can play that game.
Luca pulls Fallon into a hug, and they’re off in their own world.
Adriano assesses me as I inch closer and kiss him full on the lips. Eagerly, he returns my kiss and rests his warm hand on my cheek.
Then I pull back and put on a radiant smile. “Hey.”
“Hey.” His brows pull together, and he eyes my bare legs in my short white dress hungrily. “Not mad anymore?”
With my smile intact, I reply, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. I just don’t want Serena to know, so I’ll keep gawking at you lovingly while I actually want to throttle you.”
He smirks and pulls me forward into his arms, but I twirl around and lean back against his chest so that I can grin at Serena, who’s concealed her expression but is forced to stand there and watch us.
Adriano’s breath is hot against my ear as his fingers skim the hem of my dress and he finds bare skin to touch. “I should be bothered by your performance, but I ache for you, so it’s turning me the fuck on.” And he pushes his growing erection against my behind while his fingers trace the swell of my ass, lingering at the edge of my panties. No one can see since he’s standing behind me, but Serena knows exactly what we’re doing.
I turn my head to the side so that our noses are touching. “This isn’t over, Adriano.”
He clenches his jaw as his dark eyes bore into mine. His scent is overwhelming, and I crave to fuck him too. My body misses his touch. Misses him.
“Luca,” Serena starts, expertly ignoring Adriano while I know her attention is focused on him. “I have two new members, judges. Tez told me to discuss membership with you. One of them is a regular of one of my girls.”
“Fine. Let’s go to Adriano’s office. We’ll discuss it there.” Luca says goodbye to Fallon, “Have fun, but answer your phone, dolcezza.”
She smiles at Luca and then holds up her key. “Shall we go, Cam?”
As Serena and Luca are heading back upstairs, Luca asks, “Adriano, coming?”
He’s scowling at me, and I rest my hands on his chest as Serena watches us.
“I’m just playing along with her game. After all, I learned from the best. From you.” I give him an open mouthed kiss, delving my tongue deep inside, causing him to groan.
He grips my hips roughly. “You’re like a tempting angel in white.”
“You and me...The angel and the devil,” I murmur, prying his hand loose, and stroll away.
“I thought you were in the doghouse,” I hear Luca say to Adriano.
“I am. She’s just learning to hide our grievances from the rest of the world,” he answers, sounding awed, yet bitter.
He loves that I’m learning, but he dislikes that I’m applying my new skills to him. It’s the conundrum we’re stuck in, being lovers and high ranking colleagues in the Syndicate.
***
“I’m going to start charging you if you keep summoning me,” Wade says, sliding into the booth opposite Fallon and me in this busy bar in the Loop.
“Puh-lease, you love helping us, because you love trouble,” Fallon taunts.
He rears back lazily. “This is not the way to get me into your corner, Michaels.”
She makes a face at him, and he smiles. These two have a bizarre, sibling-like bond.
“Anyway, what have you found out about Santino?” I request.
“Ask your man,” Wade retorts.
Shit! He’s been instructed by Adriano to shoot down my questions.
Knowing Wade has been reeled in by Adriano, I let that question go and reveal the real reason I wanted to speak with him. “I need a tail on Serena Bartoli, but it can’t be any of my soldiers or guards.”
He arcs a brow, prompting, “Because?”
“Because Adriano can’t find out, and she can’t link it to me.”
Wade simply stares at me as if he can’t figure me out. “Another one of your vigilante missions?”
“No, a vigilante mission would be if I followed her, but I’m not,” I defend.
“So I get to be the lucky one. What’s your dispute with her?”
“I’m positive that she’s up to something. She’s wheedling her way into the Syndicate via the sex club. And she’s been provoking me when no one’s around.”
“I’ll have someone trail her. But Cam, like before, if there’s any danger, I will inform Adriano,” he cautions.
“Yes, yes.” I wave him off. “I’m telling you, she’s not to be trusted.”
“She has been provoking Cam constantly when they’re alone,” Fallon adds. “Only, neither Luca nor Adriano has seen it because Serena’s very sly about it.”
“As long as it’s not just based on jealousy.”
“It’s not. My gut instinct is screaming at me, Wade,” I confess with confidence. “Serena’s up to something.”
If I had just a tiny hint of a suspicion that Adriano was right and I was wrong, I would never have allowed her to drive this wedge between us. But now it’s happened, and I don’t know how to get through to Adriano anymore. And I think that someone as devious as Serena has something bigger in mind, even if Adriano can’t see it. Call it a woman’s intuition. She’s turned into a major threat, and I need to discover what her endgame is because I fear it could have huge repercussions for all of us.
I’m positive of this as much as I’m positive that I love Adriano, and I’m only doing this to help us. In the end, he’ll forgive me for anything – I hope.
CHAPTER 14
Adriano
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nbsp; “Cam?” I yell, arriving at our loft and looking up to the second floor.
I’m met with silence as I light a cigarette and, while holding it between my teeth, I call Cam, who doesn’t answer, so I dial her guard. “Where is she?”
“She’s at a bar on Jackson Boulevard with Fallon, Rosalia, and Wade, Adriano.”
“What’s she doing?” I ask, annoyed that she didn’t even answer her phone when I’ve been fucking pining for her all night.
“Dancing and hanging out with them.”
“Is she drinking?”
“She only had one drink. She’s mostly watching over Rosalia and Fallon, sir,” he says with respect.
This guard likes Cam. Maybe a bit too much for my liking.
“Keep an eye on them.” I cut the call while descending in the elevator to the parking garage.
In the car, I contact Luca. “Amico, where are you?”
“I can tell that you’re in your car, so I’m probably on my way to the same place you’re going,” he replies.
“Jackson Boulevard?”
“Yeah. I don’t like Cam keeping Fallon out so late,” Luca teases. “So, giving Cam space didn’t work?”
“Fuck that. She had space all day. I’m taking her home,” I reply.
But when I reach my destination, Cam’s not calmly drinking with Fallon and Rosalia. No, these women are in some kind of dance-off where they’re rooting for some guys. Astonished at seeing this side of Cam, Fallon, and Rosalia, I stand off to the side of the bar and observe them. They’re uninhibited. Different from when they’re with us. Rosalia and Cam clap and cheer on a guy, whom I think is one of Rosalia’s friends, who’s breakdancing.
Luca steps over the threshold and spots me immediately.
“Well, they’re having fun.” He smiles, gazing at Fallon.
Wade’s sitting at a booth and sees me, holding up his glass in greeting.
“I just want to watch her for a while,” I say to Luca and he nods, placing an order for two whiskeys to a passing waitress.
Cam’s magnificent in that white dress that flows loosely to her ass but still outlines her seductive curves. I detect men ogling her, wondering what’s beneath the fabric of her clothing.
The waitress hands me my drink, but I give it to Luca when I note a man going up behind Cam while she’s dancing with Rosalia.
In a quick stride, I tug him back by his shirt, blending back into the crowd behind them, and snarl, “I wouldn’t touch her if I were you.”
He turns furiously, but Luca’s beside me and opens his suit jacket, flashing his gun. “Get out.”
The man backs away. “I don’t want trouble.”
We watch him exit and redirect our attention back to our women. Fallon has returned to Wade.
“I’m going to Fallon,” Luca announces.
For a second, I’ve lost sight of Cam but notice her going to the other side of the room with Rosalia.
I beat a path through the multitude of people and see Cam gesturing heavily at a young blond guy who’s siting at a table. Something tells me that he’s Mykhail, the boy that gave Rosalia ecstasy. The boy that received a warning from one of my Capi that he should stay far away from Rosalia.
Mykhail slams his drink on the table and surges to his feet, raising his hand, but I catch it mid-air and push Cam out of the way.
Then I shove him back and grab my handgun from my ankle holster, pushing the barrel into his crotch, and lean into his face to hiss, “Never, ever raise your hand to her again. And never give Rosalia drugs again or I will shoot your cock off. Do you understand?” I rear back, and he sits there staring at me, motionless and scared to death. “Nod if you understand.”
He nods unsteadily.
I holster my gun and move away.
Rosalia is smiling, but it fades quickly when I point my finger at her. “I told you not to involve Cam anymore.”
Startled, she defends, “I wasn’t. He just happened to be here.”
“She didn’t do anything,” Cam adds, irritated, but I twine our hands and drag her with me to Wade.
“Take Rosalia home.” I continue on to my car while Cam reluctantly follows.
“Get in.” I hold open the door for her, then I round the convertible to my side and fire up the engine.
“What the fuck was that?” she demands, irately clicking her seatbelt into the lock. “Why the hell do you have to undermine me like that? I can’t do anything for myself without you meddling, and you dare to say that I meddle?”
I keep my focus trained on the road, and tension rises in the vehicle while she seethes next to me. All reason leaves my system when she’s in danger. I can’t help it. It won’t ever change.
“Adriano? Oh my god, you’re impossible!”
“I’m impossible? You are! Can’t you just stay out of trouble?”
“I wasn’t in trouble.”
“A guy slapping you constitutes as trouble in my book.”
“And a skank trying to pry her way into my man’s life is trouble in my book,” she counters.
“One more word about Serena and I’ll...” I let the words trail off.
“What? You wanted me to back off? I did. I do my own thing, and you still barge in and take over. When are you going to trust me a little again?”
“I trust you.”
“No, you don’t trust my judgment. I can’t get through to you. I don’t know how to find you again; how to talk to you, because you’re busy with this empire and with her.”
“Unless you want me to blow up, I’d advise you to keep your inner thoughts to yourself right now,” I state in a low voice that effectively shuts her up. “I’m done with this discussion. You want Serena out? Then give me another plan for how to get girls for the club that also brings in high powered clientele.”
“It’s not only about that club. You were busy with taking her to your parents’!” she blurts.
“Enough. I’ve had enough of your attitude!”
“Attitude? I’m a damn Capo!”
“Then act like one! Stop this petty jealousy, now.”
She looks at me as if I’ve slapped her. I’ve never reprimanded her like this, and it successfully ends the argument.
In the bristling silence, we arrive home and she storms up the stairs while I stay downstairs. For the second night in a row, we sleep apart. And it’s the first time I wonder why I ever took this fucking job. Perhaps running away with Cam would’ve been better? Maybe we wouldn’t be so angry with each other then?
***
Apparently, Luca informed James about the situation with Cam, and he steps up as Consigliere the next morning, seeing how Cam and I are falling apart. I also think Cam’s been confiding in him.
James and Luca are seated across from me in my office while I sit with my ankle crossed over my knee.
James starts, “You became boss because I knew only you could handle it and keep Cam safe. Working together in the Syndicate with your partner is challenging. That’s why I forbade it, Adriano. Only two strong people can survive, and you two can do it, but this is just your first big hurdle. The power of being boss is potent. It makes one hungry for more. You need to leash that to keep on top of everything. And remember, I’m your Consigliere too while I’m preparing Carmine to take over the position, so lean on both me and Carmine. Luca and you keep too much business to yourselves. You need to take a step back; give your team the opportunity to grow into their roles. Use us now to allow you the time to fix this rift between you and Cam, because putting Cam before business is affecting you negatively, and as boss, you can’t afford that. Let either me or Luca handle Serena.”
“I’m not putting Cam before business. I only need Serena because, in the long run, her connections save me hours of work. Cam just needs to accept that.”
“Because you’re boss?” Luca says. “See how the role of boss is seeping into your psyche? You can order the Syndicate around but not her – she can’t live like that. She doesn’t want to be we
ak, and we need to give her the space to grow again. You’re forgetting why you accepted this position in the first place. Last night showed me how on edge you are. This isn’t working out. We need to expand the team so that we all have less work. And Serena’s a disruption in your relationship. As your friend and underboss, it’s my duty to help you. And I don’t understand why Serena’s always prowling around here; Cam’s right in that regard.”
I take in his words and recognize that I have been in boss mode constantly. I’ve been seduced by the power. And this isn’t working.
“Do you love her still?” Luca adds.
“Of course.”
“Then you make sacrifices. And I think Cam’s right. Serena’s your core problem. I don’t trust Serena, but I do trust Cam.”
At my wits’ end, I ask, “How can I cut ties with Serena while not jeopardizing keeping those girls? We’ll never find other trustworthy, trained girls like that. I’ve put so much time into it already.”
“I’ll start with having Tez offer the girls contracts. Same benefits they have with Serena but more pay. We buy their loyalty. We can afford it now that our revenues have grown to their highest in months. We start pushing Serena out.”
“Do it,” I order, knowing I want her gone because it’ll get Cam back in my corner as well. “But how do I deal with having Cam as my Capo?”
“I think that once Serena’s out of the equation, Cam will start listening to you again,” James advises. “You need to show her trust, and then she’ll do whatever you need – just like she did before.”
“Thank you, James.”
“I’ve been there too with Alessa. Don’t forget the reason why you’re here. Don’t forget it’s not easy for our spouses. Don’t lose your persuasive charm. Right now, you’re handling her like a caveman; that only pushes her away while you have an ex hanging around who she believes has a hidden agenda.”
“I see your point. In that regard, I have been putting business before her, but I’m done dealing with this situation now. I can’t function when she shuts me out like this. I need to reel her back in.”
“Start tonight,” James counsels. “We have a Halloween party at the club, and everyone is going to be there. We’re working separately too much at the moment and need a night with our families as well. Cam loved the first few months when we had Sunday dinners and everyone was getting to know each other. You, as boss, need to make us a team again, and Cam is part of that team. Accept that, like she needs to accept you.”