Chapter 27
Adele’s impatient heels clicked against the marble leading up to Ambrogio’s office. Her desire to lay eyes on Ciro Guidice, Maurizio’s father outweighed her need for rest. To make her stalking sound less conspicuous, she removed her stilettos. Shoes in hand, she paced the length of the hallway.
She didn’t notice Cesare’s presence until he was behind her. “You have this annoying habit of sneaking up on people.”
“It’s my job to be seen and not heard.” Cesare said.
Although she was talking to Cesare, her attention wavered towards the door. “It’s your job to be seen and not heard…at three in the morning? Don’t you sleep?”
“My loyalty to the Argentero’s eclipses my need for sleep.”
His black suit creaseless, leather shoes polished, tie straight around his neck, Cesare’s elegant appearance defied the late hour. Adele smoothed down the wrinkles in her dress. A contestant for Miss America, she was not.
Cesare palmed Adele’s head, smoothing out her bedraggled hair. “You look well rested.”
Adele swatted his hand away. “Why don’t you say what you really mean?”
Despite his super human powers, Cesare’s eyes drooped and his shoulders sagged.
Cesare moved out of Adele’s reach. “How long have they been in there.”
Adele eyed him up and down. “I don’t belong here in the first place according to you. I’m not obligated to answer any of your questions since you won’t answer mine.”
Cesare turned his face to the side. “You’ve misunderstood, my intention was not to offend.”
“I didn’t misunderstand. I heard your racist rant loud and clear.”
“I”m not a racist. I am very protective of the Argentero’s.”
Buried under the sound of broken glass, Cesare’s admission died a quick death.
There was more glass shattering, followed by more yelling. The commotion lured both Cesare and Adele into the office where they saw Ambrogio squeezing the life out of Ciro. Ciro’s face, a shade darker than the ripest tomato, contorted in fear. The more Ciro gasped for air, the harder Ambrogio squeezed.
Ambrogio’s eyes burned coal black with intensity.
“Adele grabbed Ambrogio’s arm, feeling him tense under his dress shirt. She tried yanking, prying and even digging her nails into his corded muscles, yet he remained unmoved.
“You’ll kill him.”
Ambrogio looked at Adele as if she had just entered the room. “Don’t worry, Cara. I will not kill him before he reveals Robynne’s location.”
“I’d rather you didn’t kill him at all.” Adele said
“Even if he had nothing to do with Robynne’s disappearance, he still turned a blind eye while his son plotted to kill you. The offense warrants his death.”
“You are not a killer…insufferable and infuriating, yes, but a killer?”
“I can adapt.”
Ciro Guidice had taken to kicking his legs as if the motion would somehow release him from Ambrogio’s grip. In the interim, Cesare had summoned the guards who came barreling into the room.
“What do we do?” A baby-faced guard asked the another guard.
“Why are you asking me? It’s seems that Mr. Argentero has the situation under control?”
“If he controls the situation any longer, you fools will be out of a job,” Cesare said.
The guards resembled children bickering more than the security guards. It took five guards and three attempts to pull Ambrogio off of Ciro, who was now wheezing and coughing.
“Who do you work for?” Like a dog ridding itself of an annoyance, Ambrogio shook the guards loose.
Another box-shaped guard squinted at Cesare until Ambrogio cleared his throat. “We thought it best to remove your hands from their dangerous position around Mr. Guidice’s neck.”
“If I paid you to think, you would have been fired years ago,” Ripped from wrist to forearm, Ambrogio’s sleeve flapped loosely against his exposed skin.
Ciro, now on all fours, greedily suckled the air back into his lungs.
Adele inched herself close to Ciro, “Where is Robynne? She could be hurt or dead for all I know.”
“How dare you address me? Thanks to you, my son is missing.”
Ambrogio waved his arm, dismissing the guards who scattered like roaches. “I see your honoring your family’s tradition of blaming everyone else for the troubles you have caused.”
Ciro used his palms to iron his tie. The move did nothing to right his unflattering appearance. He placed the tie back into the confines of his suit and corralled his thinning hair into place.
Ciro used a chair as a crutch to stop his body from swaying. The chair wasn’t very cooperative, nearly toppling over on a few occasions which set his progress back a few steps before he finally stood.
“I will reveal nothing until I know the whereabouts of my son.”
In a rage, Adele charged Ciro, staring him down, belly to belly. “You know where Robynne is, and you won’t tell us. You’re no better than your psychotic son.
Adele’s words were like a stab to Ciro’s gut. “Maurizo, though ill intentioned, looked after the interests of his family.”
Ambrogio captured Adele’s hands in his. “Adele, go to bed.”
“All of you’ve have kept the truth from me long enough, don’t you think? I was almost killed. Robynne is missing. I think I’m entitled to know why.”
“You would have never been harmed. It was Maurizio’s intention to trade you for our land, our legacy, the very spot you’re standing on now, La Borgata.” Ciro’s anger bounced off every surface.
“La Borgata hasn’t belonged to your family for centuries,” Ambrogio said.
“Yes, and what do you suppose is the reason for that injustice? Your family stole it. My ancestral home pilfered in the dark of night by you thieves.”
“Thieves? Your family defrauded on loans. Must we rehash this? It was a business deal, one sought out by your ancestors,” Ambrogio said.
“It was thievery.” To emphasize his point, Ciro drove his fist into the oak desk still lying on its back in the middle of the room.
The commotion had stirred awake even the most sound of sleepers. Luca and Felicità milled about amongst the rubberneckers.
“Let’s end this today. I will collect on all of the Guidice holdings,” Ambrogio said.
“You would like nothing but to leave the Guidice’s penniless,” Ciro said.
“That’s not the Argentero’s doing. Blame bad business sense. The trait has been present in your family for generations,” Felicità said.
With his eyes tearing up, Ciro placed a tender kiss on Felicità’s hand in greeting. “Felicita, how are you feeling in these days.”
She cocked her eyebrow at him while pulling the lapels of her robe together. Felicità smiled at him meekly. “I would feel better if you didn’t accuse my family of crimes we did not commit.”
He took Felicità into a full embrace. His head barely reached her shoulder. “Even at this hour, the glow in your cheeks, the sparkle in your eyes, and your unabashed beauty outshines those half your age. I can’t lie to you. I don’t know where the girl is,” Ciro said.
“You’re lying,” Adele said.
“She will be found.” Ambrogio stroked Adele’s back.
Adele walked out of his grasp. “Don’t touch me. I would also prefer it if you didn’t call me cara. I’m not dear to you. I couldn’t be. You should have told me who you were when we first met. Had I known how dangerous it was to be with you, I wouldn’t have put myself or my best friend in danger.”
“We tried to get you to leave, Bella.” Luca interrupted Adele.
“Don’t call me bella, cara or any other term of endearment. How did you try to get me to leave? Was it with honesty or did you and Ambrogio set me up? You could have just told me about the danger.”
Bedroom casual in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a smile, Luca was more brawny than Ambrogio.
His muscles rippled where Ambrogio’s frame complimented his body type in a understated way like a gift waiting to be unwrapped.
“In my defense, you never said I couldn’t call you bella until just now. As for tricking you, I thought it was overkill, but after having met you, I know you wouldn’t have left any other way.”
“Where’s your shirt?” Felicita had succeeded in prying herself out of Ciro’s clutches.
“My guest for the night insisted on sleeping in it. Who am I to refuse such a request.” Luca flexed his arm.
Felicita walked over to Luca and grabbed him by the ear, leading him around the room. “What did I tell you about bringing your conquests here.”
“I believe you said to not have my bimbos carousing around the hallways. I believe she’s done the majority of carousing already, now she’s getting some much deserved rest,” Luca said.
Felicita let his ear go only to lunge for it again. “Basta, enough of your dirty talk.”
“You do realize we have a crisis on our hands?” Ambrogio asked.
“I sought a little comfort in the arms of a beautiful woman to forget our many troubles. It’s nothing different than what you did in St. Lucia,” Luca said.
“Leave Adele out of this.” Ambrogio pointed a finger sharp enough to kill in Luca’s direction.
“Little brother, you brought Adele into all of this, not me, and now we must clean up your mess.”
“I’m not your little brother.”
Center stage, Felicita knocked over a chair and waited until the spotlight from all the eyes in the room shined on her. Her face burned with anger.
“Enough of this nonsense. Goodnight Ciro, I am sure any knowledge you receive regarding Robynne will be shared with us immediately. Luca, if you want your frivolous lifestyle bankrolled by Argentero money, I suggest you return to your bedroom, and more specifically to your guest. I don’t have to remind you about what happened the last time you left one of your conquests unsupervised. I can only call in so many favors with the tabloids. Adele and Ambrogio, we must decide—together—how to proceed with the search for Robynne. Does anyone have anything to add?” Felicita said.
Chapter 28
Felcità’s words were like a tornado. All foot traffic past Ambrogio’s office ceased. La Borgata lay still once again.
Drained, Adele longed for the peace sleep would bring. She only hoped Robynne, where ever she was, was unharmed. Wanting to sleep and actually making her desire a reality had proven to be a difficult task.
She had found herself lost in the Argentero’s large home. One hallway resembled the previous one she had just walked through. After 10 minutes, Adele was on the verge of laying down where she stood when Ambrogio, a beacon in the darkness, appeared.
“Are you lost, Cara?”
“What did I tell you about calling me cara? I’m not lost, just taking in the sights. Tell me if I’m mistaken, but are those paintings by Cimabue and Giotto in the south wing?”
He hooked his arm into Adele’s and began the walk to her room. “You were in the east wing.” Ambrogio said.
Adele shrugged her shoulders, perturbed her lack of navigational skills had been so easily revealed. “I’m accepting your help because I’m tired, not because I’ve forgiven you.”
“What if I paint something for you? Will you forgive me then?”
“You paint?”
Ambrogio squeezed her hand. “Not all of the paintings in the east wing were done by a famous artist.”
“Yet another thing I don’t know about you,” Adele said.
“Adele, I’m sorry for all of this. I should have left you alone in St. Lucia.”
“You should have told me about the dangers associated with your family.”
After a stumble too many, Adele didn’t argue when Ambrogio picked her up, bridal style, and carry her the short distance to her room.
“Are you trying to take advantage of me?”
He removed her clothes, leaving Adele standing in a red push-up bra and a thong.
Ambrogio placed his finger against Adele’s lips. “Sleep, Cara.”
As much as she wanted to, Adele couldn’t protest Ambrogio’s current request. She sighed as the down comfortable conformed to her body. It’s warmth tickling her skin.
“I want to stay with you.” Ambrogio’s urgency coated his softly spoken words.
She felt a dip in the bed, followed by Ambrogio’s solid form against her back. His presence lulled her deeper into sleep, but not before she said a silent prayer for Robynne.
Roused by determined digits pressed against her sex, a writhing Adele bit her tongue at the pleasure coursing through her body. Sleep fully abandoned, her gaze wondered down her small frame, uncovering the source of her pleasure. Ambrogio had managed to bury his hand in her panties.
With one hand propped under his head for support, Ambrogio lay on his side as he stroked her with his fingers. “You’re a hard sleeper. I’ve been doing this for two minutes.”
She cursed at her body’s betrayal. Indignant yet thoroughly turned on, Adele tried to remove his hand from her underwear. “I’m not a hard sleeper, maybe your just not as talented as you once thought.”
When Ambrogio slipped two fingers into her, it triggered a moan from Adele. “Your body tells me an entirely different story.”
Adele nearly swallowed her tongue when she felt Ambrogio’s nimble fingers caressing the spongy bundle of nerves Adele thought was just an urban legend. She lifted her hips into Ambrogio’s touch. Adele’s eyes closed tight against the sensations building from deep within her. Ambrogio, who was now straddling her legs, quickly removed her panties and forced her hips back down on the bed.
He went back to fondling her. “Don’t hide yourself from me. Open your eyes, Adele.”
She couldn’t comply. Her body didn’t belong to her. She felt Ambrogio increase the pressure against her G-spot, and her body shook in response.
“Open your eyes, Adele.” Ambrogio added more pressure to emphasize his request.
Her orgasm rendered her blind and partially deaf. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she was drooling as well. Back arched against the final waves of her orgasm, Adele slumped against the bed, soaked in sweat and evidence of her desire.
“I shouldn’t have let you sleep here.” Adele said when she could form a complete sentence.
“You’re welcome,” Ambrogio licked his hand slick with her juices.”
Adele stifled a groan. “Get off me. You need to leave.”
“Don’t you mean get me off? I believe I’ve already done that.”
“You heard me correctly. I want you to leave.”
You don’t want me to leave,” Ambrogio shifted his position.
Now, his pelvis was flush with hers. His erection grazed her thigh.
“You’re naked?” Adele asked.
“I sleep in the nude.”
“This was your plan all along. How dare you take advantage of me like this?”
“You’re righteous indignation is a bit misplaced. My intentions were pure. It was you who moaned my name in your sleep. I simply gave you the relief you desired,” Ambrogio said.
“I did not moan your name in my sleep.”
Ambrogio pinned Adele’s arms over her head. “Let’s not argue, Cara. I can think of more interesting things we can do with our morning.”
“What makes you think I want to do any interesting things with you?”
“For one thing, you’re getting wetter as we speak.”
Ambrogio pulled Adele’s compliant body out of bed and led her to the bathroom, a bathroom twice the size of her bedroom in New York.
The gold-etched mirror reflected on a disheveled looking Adele. Her lips curled at her appearance. The stubborn strands of her hair lay plastered to her face. A black and blue bruise on her neck screamed at her in the mirror.
“You gave me a hickey? Everyone’s going to see it,” Adele said.
“Cosa, I don’t know what that mea
ns,” Ambrogio said.
Annoyed, Adele slanted her neck and pointed to the mark. “I don’t know how to say it in Italian.”
Ambrogio smirked. “We say succhiotto. It’s a love bite. A mark of passion. Now, everyone will know you’re mine.”
“I don’t belong to you.”
He pulled her level with his body. “You’re mind hasn’t accepted it yet, but your body has been on board since our first meeting in St. Lucia.”
His hand branded her, laying claim on her exposed flesh. Ambrogio cupped her breasts. He pushed them together despite their lace confines.
“Why didn’t you wake me up when you left?” Adele asked?
Ambrogio kissed her ear. “We can discuss it later.”
“I couldn’t think of a better time than now. How could you? I felt like a cheap whore. All that was missing was an envelope full of money left on the dresser.”
Ambrogio held her face in hands. “You looked so beautiful. I didn’t want to disturb you. Also, I did it for selfish reasons. I knew I couldn’t leave if I had to look you in the eyes.”
Adele sighed in response as she watched his hands slide down her stomach. “You have a one track mind.”
“Everything on this amazing body is mine, even my furry little friend right here.” Ambrogio patted her nether region.
Adele swore under her breath. “You really know how to kill the mood. I want you to let me go.”
Ambrogio managed to grab a razor while still holding firmly onto Adele’s wiggling frame. “It’s very tribal, but I prefer to see what I’m eating.”
Adele’s eyes grew wide with the realization of what he was going to do. “You can’t be serious.”
He positioned her atop the bathroom counter where he spread her legs so her treasure was on display. As Ambrogio prepared to shave her, she never felt more exposed in her life. With her legs splayed to their capacity, and her abdomen tilted upwards, she watched as he regarded her vagina with an artistic eye. Adele moved to close her legs. An action he countered with a light tap on her upper thigh.
Dirty Secrets Page 13