Filthy Marcellos: Giovanni

by Bethany-Kris

  “Maybe it’s that he’s not in the family he wants to be,” Antony suggested. “If I had a choice, Max would be the boss I’d want to be under.”

  Well, shit … Gio hadn’t considered that.

  “And while we’re on the topic of Max, I heard you have a dinner invitation in two weeks.”

  Gio cringed. Antony was talking about an engagement party for Kim and Franco. Apparently the couple had yet to have one. Gio wasn’t planning to go.

  “I was thinking of skipping it, actually,” Gio said. “Not my scene.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t,” Antony replied. “Fit yourself with a suit and go. I refuse to show face at that wedding, so while you’re there, do this for me. For some, it’ll seem like I sent you in my place. Compromise.”

  “But—”

  “No arguments. Go.”

  “Fine.”

  • • •

  “I’m glad you could make it, Skip.”

  Gio forced himself to smile at Maximo. It was the best he could muster up. Maximo handed Gio a glass of cognac.

  “We should sit down and chat soon,” Max said. “I have a proposition for you.”

  “Give me a date and time,” he replied.

  Gio stared down into the dark colored liquid, swirling in the glass to allow the scent of the drink to flow upwards. Cognac was a liquor Gio usually enjoyed. It was an experience, not just a pleasure. He didn’t want cognac tonight. What he needed was something he could slam to get his mind off the beautiful blonde on Franco’s arm.

  Kim appeared as though she was having a good time. Gio knew differently. False smiles and eyes that never left Franco. It was all fake. After all, Gio had made Kim smile and kissed sexy grins off her lips. He had watched her eyes twinkle with amusement and darken in her lust. Gio gave her credit for tonight because it was hard to tell.

  Gio had only been at the Sorrento family home for less than an hour, but he was itching to leave. The constant chatter about the sweet couple made the sickening ball mixed heavily with jealousy and anger grow in his gut.

  It might have helped if Gio could manage to not look at Kim, but he couldn’t stop. Impulsively, his gaze would wander in her direction. He caught her glancing his way, too. Chances were, she didn’t know he was going to be here tonight.

  God knew he sure as fuck didn’t want to be.

  “Giovanni?”

  Gio cleared his throat, clenching the stem of the balloon glass. “Yeah, Max?”

  “I know this isn’t a Marcello gathering …”

  “It’s not very different.”

  “The people are,” the Sorrento Don said simply. “You seem distracted.”

  “I am.” Gio chanced another look Kim’s way. Luckily, he caught his slip and added, “Cecelia is hounding me to get back to New York.”

  “Ah, well, that’s because you’re her youngest boy.” Maximo chuckled, raising his own glass towards Gio. “Drink up, it’s a twenty-year flavor that shouldn’t be wasted. And you’re a twenty-six-year-old man who shouldn’t be, either. Mingle around, Skip. I’m sure you’ll find a pretty girl to catch your eye in the room. Vegas has some of the most beautiful.”

  Too bad one already had. She just wasn’t available.

  • • •

  Raising the balloon glass, Gio swallowed a mouthful of cognac in a way that he knew was disrespectful to the liquor. He should have taken his time to enjoy it, but he just wanted the burn it provided. It was his fifth glass in less than an hour. A clawing sensation crept over his skin. The alcohol was starting to have an effect. Really, he shouldn’t be drinking, but he didn’t have anything else better to do.

  That had been his last couple of weeks, in a nutshell.

  Gio found himself trying to bleed Kim out of his system all damned week. Unlike the first go-round with failed women, drugs, and booze, he hadn’t gone that route this time. Work had been his focus. Getting in closer to Franco’s lackeys, keeping an eye on the car boosts going down, and catching up with some of his club managers back in New York. From the morning until night, Gio didn’t stop moving. He also couldn’t stop thinking.

  About Kim, that was.

  So screwed.

  “Well, Franco, are you ready?” Gio heard Maximo ask from somewhere in the room.

  “I believe so,” Franco said, grinning. “Kimberlynn?”

  Kim seemed confused but smiled anyway. Gio slipped into a corner, tilting his glass up to down the rest of the cognac. He had no clue what was about to go down with Franco and Kim at the head of the room in front of all their guests, but something settled in his heart like a deadweight.

  Franco pulled a black velvet box from his slack pockets. Of all the encounters Gio had with Kim, this was the first time he noticed she wore no engagement ring on her finger. Here … now, standing across from her in a room full of people. This was when he had to notice it.

  A brief flicker of panic and resentment was hidden in Kim’s eyes by a nervous laugh as a ring far too ostentatious for a small hand like hers was presented. Gio couldn’t watch anymore. His chest ached something awful and the cognac wasn’t settling right.

  A smoke and a piss were what he needed.

  Smoke first. Piss second.

  • • •

  Gio took his sweet fucking time washing his hands after using a bathroom on the second floor. All the bathrooms downstairs were taken. The upstairs was off-limits, but he didn’t care.

  Staring in the mirror, he noticed his gaze was lazy and a redness littered the whites of his eyes. Gio should have laid off the liquor; his blood alcohol level was too high to drive. He would have to call a cab and come back to pick up his car tomorrow.

  Great …

  At least the likelihood of Kim being at the Sorrento family home tomorrow was slim to none. Franco had his own home where he could keep Kim. It was one small miracle working in Gio’s favor. Beyond that, everything else in his life seemed to be ripping apart.

  Was Kim happy with Franco in a way Gio couldn’t see? Maybe it was the attention earlier that had her looking unsettled. There were obvious issues with Franco’s controlling tendencies, but Kim appeared strong enough to handle him if needed. Two weeks before flashed into Gio’s mind when he witnessed her nearly having a panic attack in the alley behind a restaurant.

  That wasn’t normal.

  Nothing made a whole lot of sense to Gio when he considered the things surrounding Franco and Kim. It wasn’t like Nunz Abella had any real power to force his daughter into an arranged marriage—he was a little fish in a big sea. That led Gio to think maybe there was something Kim wanted in Franco. Even if the relationship was unhealthy, she was still with him and going ahead with wedding plans.

  She agreed to the marriage, after all.

  Why couldn’t Gio forget about her?

  “Cazzo,” Gio cussed under his breath, exhaling harshly. He rolled his shoulders to rid some his stress. It didn’t work. Lately, nothing did. “She’s gonna fucking kill me.”

  Gio stood straight, taking one more deep breath to steel his nerves. He had to keep his shit in check long enough to say a goodbye to the Sorrentos for the sake of respect … and the happy fucking couple. Then, call a cab and get his half-drunk ass to bed.

  The bathroom door flew open. Obviously, he was more inebriated than he thought if he forgot to lock it. Unfortunately, the person who entered and slammed the door closed, locking it like he should have in the first place, was not who he wanted to see.

  Kim didn’t notice Gio as her shoulders trembled and she faced the door. Gio didn’t have the slightest clue how they continued to end up in situations like this. Clearly some higher power had it out for him. Who else would get a kick out of his torment?

  Those bitter thoughts melted away as Gio regarded Kim from behind again. He stilled, unsure of what to do. Something was wrong. Her shaking hands pressed to the door and tremors rocked her trim frame beneath the silk dress she wore. She bowed her head, the softest sobs falling.

  G
io’s attention was drawn to the ring on her finger. The ring wasn’t what bothered him the most, though. Red splotches dotted her pale wrist, breaking him. Sized like five fingerprints, he didn’t even have to guess what they were and wondering who had put them there was pointless, too.

  No questions needed, he fucking knew. Rage spilled into his blood like hot lava.

  Turning fast on her heel, Kim yanked at the ring on her finger to pull it off, keeping her eyes down all the while. Tears streaked tracks down to her lips where her teeth were gritted. The piece of jewelry hit the wall behind Gio with a solid smack.

  “Merda!” Gio swore. The damned ring missed hitting his head by a couple of inches. “Ever play baseball, Tesoro?”

  Kim glanced upwards, meeting Gio’s stare. Embarrassment and agony flitted over her pretty features. Fresh tears coated her bottom lashes before falling. “Oh my God! Get out right now!”

  Gio blinked, surprised at her sudden vehemence. “I was in here first.”

  “The upstairs is—”

  “Off-limits. Yeah, I know. So were you, but that didn’t stop me. In case you haven’t noticed, I have serious issues with following rules.”

  Kim glared. “Get out, Giovanni.”

  No, he didn’t think he could do that. Not after what he saw. Those confusing thoughts he had earlier about Kim and Franco were circling the drain. No woman wanted hands put on her in an abusive way.

  “Franco hurt you,” Gio said, nodding at her arm.

  Immediately, Kim hid the marks on her left wrist with her right hand. “It’s nothing, I just—”

  “Fell, hit a door or woke up with them … what is it? Give me an excuse. Come on, tell me one to brush it off. There are thousands of other women who justify abuse every day, so why not you?”

  Kim’s bottom lip trembled, but Gio wouldn’t relent.

  “How about we skip the excuse of how you ended up with bruises because we both know, and you can move right on to explaining and defending his behavior, instead. What happened; did you disrespect him, piss him off, or sass him with that mouth of yours? Shit, maybe you hit him.”

  “Gio, please.”

  “Because none of those things are worthy of him putting his hands on you like that. Not a fuckin’ one. No man has the right to hurt a woman. I would never do this to you,” Gio finished, his voice edged sharp like a razor.

  “Please stop,” Kim whispered.

  “Why did he hurt you?”

  “Leave it alone, Gio.”

  “You talk or I find him. You won’t like what happens when I do.”

  “No.” Color drained from her face. “Gio, you can’t. He’s jealous and resentful enough. Doing that would only make it worse.”

  “Of me?” Gio asked.

  Franco had no reason to feel concerned about Gio and Kim having some kind of relationship. Well, he did, but Franco didn’t know that. Outwardly, Gio gave no indication of his interest in Kim, or the fact they hooked up.

  “You, the guy down the street, and the old man who sits on the bench outside the library.”

  Ah. Gio got it. “So anyone with a cock, then.”

  “I know it’s ridiculous.”

  “Does his father know he pulls shit like this with you?”

  Kim shook her head, refusing to look up from the floor. “What goes on between Franco and me is our business. Maximo doesn’t get involved.”

  “Is that what Max said or Franco?” Because Gio was pretty goddamn sure Maximo wouldn’t put up with Franco doing nonsense like this.

  “That’s how it’s always been,” Kim said softly. “My father doesn’t get involved, so neither does his. I can handle Franco, okay? This was the first time anything like this happened.”

  “But it won’t be the last. If he does it once, he’ll do it again. Chances are, he’ll get increasingly more violent every time. And it’s not the first time, either,” Gio said, canting his head to the side. “You forget how I stood in a hallway and listened while he berated you like you were less than nothing to him. From the way you looked to how you behaved, he tore you apart because he didn’t deem it suitable. Newsflash, Kim, it’s no different. The intended effect is the same—to victimize, control and isolate.”

  “I know.”

  It made Gio sick that she said it so indifferently. “I don’t have the slightest fucking clue why you want to marry him if this is what he does to you.”

  “Because I made a choice. I have to follow it through. You have to understand the situation I’m in here.”

  Gio sighed, feeling more uncertain than he ever had in his entire life. He intended to find out exactly what she meant by choices, but tonight was not the best night to push it. Another argument wasn’t what Kim needed. Gio wouldn’t be the one to cause her more pain.

  “Let me see your wrist, Tesoro.”

  “You don’t have to worry. I’m fine.”

  Right. He couldn’t not worry when she looked so sad and torn up. Gio crossed the short distance between them and grabbed her arm, inspecting her wrist. The bruises would likely stay for days if their color and size were any indication. Gio let his fingers ghost over the sore looking marks, sorrow rising in his heart. She didn’t deserve this kind of abuse.

  If Kim was his fiancée … No, Gio couldn’t finish that thought. He refused to.

  “I didn’t want a ring,” Kim said quietly.

  “Why not? I mean, you’re engaged. It comes with the territory for most women. They spend years wondering what the ring is going to look like.”

  “I’m not like most women. I’m me.”

  And she sure as hell was something else.

  “Point taken,” Gio said with a grin.

  “I know it seems odd, but I don’t wear a lot of jewelry as it is and a big diamond ring didn’t feel right to me. Franco wasn’t happy he couldn’t put something else on me that would show off his wealth, but he seemed okay after I kept denying him. I’m fine with him picking out whatever kind of band he wants me to wear, but not an engagement ring.”

  Gio’s understanding dawned quickly enough. “So he gave you one tonight in front of everyone so you couldn’t refuse.”

  “Yeah. After, I got him into the kitchen and asked him why he did it when he knew it wasn’t what I wanted. Franco got angry, called me ungrateful, grabbed my arm and shook me. He told me to get the fuck out of his face, so I came up here to calm down, and instead, all I could do was cry. I can’t believe I let him make me cry, the useless bastard.”

  “Kim—”

  “All those people down there, they don’t know anything about me. They’d probably think I was some worthless, weak girl because I cried over something so stupid.”

  Gio didn’t agree with that at all. “First of all, it’s not stupid. What he did was unacceptable on more levels that you’re even aware of.”

  Like the Cosa Nostra rule that demanded all wives of made men be treated with respect. Being a man’s fiancée was as good as being married in their world. Shaking away this thoughts, Gio continued, “You’re not worthless, and you’re certainly not weak for crying. Those people don’t know you because you don’t let them. There’s nothing wrong with doing that. It’s your choice who you allow to see what’s below your surface. The strongest people are the ones who fight and win wars no one else ever gets to see.”

  A warmth siphoned up Gio’s arm. Only then did he realize he was covering her bruises with his fingers as if to make them disappear. Subconsciously, he rubbed his thumb back and forth across her skin.

  “You’re an incredibly beautiful, intelligent and precious woman, Kim. You deserve better than this and you know it.”

  “Thank you,” Kim said so low he strained to hear.

  Before Gio could put a safe distance between them to clear his thoughts, Kim placed the barest graze of a kiss to the underside of his jaw. Gio wished she hadn’t done that. When it came to her, nothing was simple or clear for him. There were so many shades of gray muddling up what was right and what wa
s wrong about his situation and feelings for Kim, he didn’t know which direction to take.

  The kiss couldn’t be just a kiss. It was nothing more than a brief meeting of her lips to his skin, a gesture of her gratitude, but at the same time it wasn’t. Every part of Gio felt that light caress. All of him reacted to what should have been an innocent action.

  “I’m going to kiss you.”

  It was the best warning he could give her because he had no control left. The liquor, their situation, his crazy beating heart and messed up mind … it all clashed together for Gio. Left behind in the aftermath was nothing more than his selfish desires.

  Kim’s mouth was still so close that he could feel the heat of her breaths washing over his jaw. She either hadn’t heard his warning or didn’t care. Gio hoped it was the latter of the two. Turning his head slightly, he felt silken lips brush along the corner of his mouth. So, he turned completely, responding to the kiss with his own.

  The seam of her mouth tasted like gloss and wine. What started out slow swiftly turned heated when Kim urged him on with a soft moan. He kissed her harder, spearing his tongue into the warmth of that luscious mouth and grabbing her waist. Kim’s back hit the door with a thump, but the noise didn’t hinder her wandering hands. She pushed the suit jacket off his shoulders before she began yanking the dress shirt tucked into his pants. She unbuttoned his slacks without removing her lips from his mouth. He released his hold on her midriff long enough to let the jacket fall to the floor.

  It wasn’t the right place. It was far too dangerous. The low hum of the party and guests still alive and well down below traveled up from the floor. Anyone could hear and catch them.

  When Kim’s hand dipped below his pants and boxer-briefs, those thoughts fell away. The snug smoothness of her palm surrounded him and she stroked his semi-hard cock to life. He freed a strangled groan, enjoying the pleasure her hand gave him. It took no time at all for his shaft to thicken under her attention.

  The stupidly annoying voice in the back of Gio’s head wouldn’t shut up. He shouldn’t be doing this with Kim again, regardless of how badly he wanted her. And good God, did he ever fucking want her.