by Bethany-Kris
Alessa was, too.
She was also incredibly worried about Adriano. He was made in the family, even at his young twenty years. Being the son of the front boss for the Outfit gave Adriano a lot of clout and respect just based on his last name alone. Alessa couldn’t remember a time when Adriano hadn’t been involved in the Outfit in some way. His father had groomed him for this life. A lot like Alessa and her siblings had been groomed for their roles.
But at the end of the day, Adriano was still a made man. The Outfit was still his family and it would always hold his loyalties. The problem was, where should his loyalties go when everyone was divided like they were?
“They’ll work it out,” she said instead of voicing her thoughts. “Your dad and my grandfather, I mean. This is just …”
“A mess,” Adriano finished for her, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “Hopefully, Dad will take Terrance up on his offer to have a sit-down next week.”
“Granddaddy offered that?”
“Sure. Terrance doesn’t want to fight with Riley,” Adriano said. “He wants to get everything settled.”
“You don’t sound like you want to fight, either,” Alessa pointed out.
“I don’t. I also don’t blame him for what happened to my mom. Nobody was pointing the gun right at her, Alessa. It hurts, but Terrance didn’t pull the trigger.”
“Yeah. I get that.”
She wished it could be that simple but it rarely ever was.
“Be careful, Lissa.”
Alessa blinked up at him, confused. “Huh?”
“I need you to be careful, because I might not be able to look out for you.”
Laughing, Alessa said, “Adriano, I’m twenty-years-old. You don’t need to keep looking out for me, all right.”
“Yeah, I kind of do.”
CHAPTER THREE
Alessa frowned. “Don’t worry about me, Adriano.”
Adriano didn’t know how to tell Alessa, but the fact was simple: he didn’t know how to not worry about her. He’d been half in love with this girl ever since he caught her from falling to the ground underneath a willow tree four years ago.
Well, if Adriano was honest, he’d liked Alessa for a lot longer than that. But being the son of Riley Conti meant Adriano had to follow the goddamn rules. Like the fact Riley had never approved of Adriano’s interest in the boss’s youngest granddaughter.
Adriano’s father wanted to situate his only son in a marriage of Riley’s making to a family outside of the Outfit. One that would either strengthen the Outfit in allegiance with another organized crime affiliate, or put Adriano front row and center as a prospective future boss. Adriano wanted to do his own thing—Riley didn’t agree.
Regardless, Alessa was a no-go.
Adriano didn’t know how to stay away from the girl. He blamed Alessa for that entirely. She didn’t even have to do a fucking thing, either.
Adriano caught Alessa’s plump bottom lip under the pad of his thumb. “Stop that.”
Alessa’s brow furrowed. “Hmm, what?”
“That,” Adriano said, pointing at Alessa’s frown. “I hate that. You know I do. You shouldn’t frown, ever.”
“Prettier when I smile, huh?” she asked sweetly.
Adriano laughed under his breath. “Beautiful when you smile, Lissa.”
“Smooth, Adriano.”
“I try.”
The sounds of voices and laughter drew Adriano’s attention to the front doors of the venue where the Rossi-DeLuca wedding was being held. A few people stumbled outside, clearly drunk and happy. With the issues in the Outfit, he didn’t want to be seen and cause a problem. Adriano slipped around the side of the building and took Alessa with him.
Her breathless laughter filled the air as he pressed her to the brick wall, keeping them both hidden from view. Alessa didn’t seem to mind being pinned under Adriano’s weight.
He sure as fuck didn’t mind.
Alessa had to be the sexiest girl he’d ever had the pleasure of laying his eyes on. Her brown hair, highlighted with reds and blonde, fell just above the small of her back in waves. It was the perfect length to wrap his hands in and pull, which he knew she adored. Adriano would be a goddamn liar if he tried to say he didn’t like the way her tiny frame fit his hands when she was wearing nothing but her skin. She was pixie-like in appearance with wide blue eyes that spoke of innocence.
The girl wasn’t innocent at all.
Adriano knew that first hand.
“Oh, my God,” Alessa said, still laughing. “Why did you do that?”
“I wasn’t finished talking with you,” Adriano replied.
Adriano leaned down and kissed Alessa. She hadn’t been expecting the sudden move if her gasp was any indication. He loved all the sounds she made for him.
Alessa’s lips parted just enough to allow Adriano inside. He took in the heat and taste of her mouth with his tongue, kissing her hard enough for his teeth to scrape along her bottom lip. Alessa’s hands fisted into his shirt and pulled him into her tight little body.
Too soon for Adriano’s liking, Alessa pulled away. Her cheeks were flushed with a pink he knew traveled all the way down her chest when she was turned on. Through the silk of her dress, he could see she wasn’t wearing a bra. He cupped her tits in his hands, rolling his thumbs over her nipples through the fabric.
“Christ, yeah,” Adriano mumbled. “I’ve missed you.”
Alessa sighed, arching into his hands. Adriano’s cock ached under his jeans. The zipper bit into his erection through his boxer-briefs.
“You’re shaking,” Alessa said as he wrapped her hair in his hands.
“No, that’s you, pretty girl. Don’t worry. No one has seen me.”
“You and your pet names.”
Adriano grinned. “You’re the only girl who gets the pleasure of hearing them.”
Alessa watched him under her thick, dark lashes. The sight reminded Adriano of when Alessa was on her knees with his cock in her mouth, looking up at him.
Fucking hell.
No, not innocent.
Not at all.
“I better be the only one,” Alessa said.
The warning in her tone was as clear as day.
Adriano chuckled. “Someone’s territorial for not wanting me to put a label on her.”
Alessa shrugged, a sly smile curving her pretty pink lips. “No, of course not. But there was this sexy guy from the Vegas crew that—”
Adriano pushed Alessa against the wall roughly, quieting her instantly. She giggled, flashing her teeth at him as she grinned.
“Alessa,” he warned.
“Hmm?”
“No one else.” Adriano tilted her chin up higher to catch her mouth in another kiss. The force of his lips pressing down to hers was punishingly hard. This girl was his—no matter what. She just was. Dotting kisses over the apple of her cheek, he said, “Ever, Alessa.”
Alessa’s smile faded. “You know—”
“We can’t be that,” Adriano interjected. “I’m getting really fucking sick of hearing those words coming out of your mouth. The only things you should be saying right now are yes, Adriano and steal me away for the night, Adriano.”
Her laughter was light and airless. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’ve missed you,” he repeated.
Nobody got Adriano like Alessa did. They could be quiet in a room together and that was enough. She looked damn good in his shirts come morning.
She was supposed to be his, for fuck’s sake.
“You know I lo—”
“Don’t,” Alessa muttered.
Adriano scowled. Whenever the feelings came out, Alessa ran.
“We’ve been doing this shit for years, Alessa,” Adriano said, trying to keep his cool.
“And sometime, it’s going to have to end,” Alessa replied. “Can’t we just leave it like it is and then the rest will be easier on us?”
“That’s never going to be easy.”
&n
bsp; Letting go couldn’t be easy. Not if that meant letting go of her.
“Well, that’s how I need it to be,” she said.
Adriano wasn’t giving up like that. “Remember the last time I had you pinned against a brick wall?”
Alessa’s cheeks turned pink as her mouth popped open. Yeah, she remembered.
“Short skirt, white cotton underneath, and you had just aced that final exam,” Adriano continued, unfazed. “I was the first person you called to celebrate that accomplishment. You wanted me there, but I already was. Right? I was outside waiting for you, just like I always am.”
“Stop playing games,” Alessa said, glancing away from him.
“You’re not a game to me. Years, Lissa. I’m not just going to go away.”
“It’s not a good time, Adriano.”
Adriano laughed darkly. “It’s never going to be a good time. We’ll figure it out. Something, anyway.”
“But—”
“No buts. We’re good, we always have been. This crap with the Outfit, it’ll end eventually. I’ll still be here.”
Alessa blew out a heavy breath. “You’re going to get me in trouble someday.”
“Maybe.” Adriano cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “I bet it’ll be a hell of a lot of fun.”
Her smile faded fast. “We don’t have a chance, do we?”
“Why the hell not?”
“Too many reasons to name,” Alessa said softly.
This somber, moody crap wasn’t Alessa Trentini’s style. Adriano didn’t have the first clue what was up with her tonight.
“What happened?” Adriano asked.
Alessa wouldn’t meet his stare. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do.”
“Please just leave it alone. There’s enough going on with my grandfather and your father. I can handle myself, Adriano. You know this.”
“Make this easy on us both and spit whatever it is out so that I can fix it.”
Alessa glowered. “It’s not about fixing it. The problem can’t be fixed.”
Adriano didn’t believe that for a second. Anything could be fixed with a few words, a bullet, or an action. If more men in the Outfit realized that, things would go a hell of a lot smoother.
“Tell me,” Adriano demanded.
Quietly, Alessa said, “Dean.”
Oh, hell.
“Again?”
Alessa flinched, likely from the venom in Adriano’s voice.
“Shit, you know I hate that fool,” Adriano said quickly. “It’s not about you.”
“Yeah, I got it.”
“What did he say?”
“Same old,” Alessa said, sighing. “Except now he’s implying that his father is moving in on Ben DeLuca’s old position.”
Really?
Huh.
Adriano filed that info away for later.
“He’s a prick,” Adriano said. “He’s useless, Lissa.”
“And if this crap keeps up between the families in the Outfit, he’s a damn good candidate for my grandfather to look at as a husband for me,” Alessa said.
That wouldn’t happen.
Ever.
“What did he put inside your head that makes you think—”
“He doesn’t have to put anything in there that I don’t already know, Adriano. There’s only two ways to end a war. A marriage or a lot of death. Terrance never liked to kill just for the sake of killing and marrying Abriella and I off is a much easier way to go about it.”
“Alessa, stop,” he said, holding her trim waist tighter in his grip. “I’d never let that happen. Not if you don't want it. You know that.”
“Your father won’t forgive Terrance,” Alessa said. “Tell me that’s not the truth.”
“I don’t know that, Lissa.”
“He won’t.”
Adriano hated that she might be right. Riley was very angry about Adriano’s mother’s death and the possibility that it had been caused by his best friend’s choices. Add on that Riley was using Mia’s death as a way to move himself higher in the Outfit, and it all screamed bad news.
“And we’re both aware of what that means,” Alessa continued, frowning again. “Terrance is going to have to strengthen what allies in the family he has. Dino aligned his side of the DeLuca family with the Rossi family. Who does that leave?”
“The Artino side of the DeLuca family,” Adriano said, though he didn’t want to admit it.
“Yeah.” Alessa sighed, turning her head to the side. “I should get back in there before someone notices me gone.”
“I’d rather you stay out here with me.”
Alessa’s lips curved with a wicked smile. “There was no Vegas guy, by the way.”
“Better not be.” Adriano punctuated those words by pushing his body into Alessa’s. There was no hiding the hard ridge of his erection as it drove into her toned stomach. She pushed right back into him, driving him insane. “I’d fucking kill, Lissa.”
She hummed a soft sound. “Don’t say that.”
“Too bad. This is mine,” Adriano said, running his hands down Alessa’s sides. “All of you is mine, pretty girl. And I will gladly cut the hands off anyone who even thinks they have the right to touch you.”
Adriano was always honest with Alessa. He didn’t fuck around on her, regardless of if she wanted to put titles on them or not. He was a one-woman kind of man. Seeing his mother hurt every time she had to turn her cheek to Riley’s affairs had been enough for Adriano to know he didn’t want to be that man.
But Alessa … she was his. Just the thought of someone else being near her drove him fucking crazy.
“There was no Vegas guy,” she repeated, laughing. “You know that.”
“Mmm.”
“What, Adriano?”
“Nothing. You already know,” he said.
“Do I?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Alessa bit her bottom lip. “You would kill.”
“You know it.”
“Alessa!”
Alessa’s eyes widened as her head flew to the side. Adriano stepped away from Alessa at the familiar voice. Damian Rossi stood at the corner of the building with crossed arms and a blank expression. Adriano put another couple of steps between him and Alessa.
“Damian,” Adriano greeted.
“Conti.” Nodding at Alessa, Damian said, “Your brother is probably looking for you, Alessa. I suggest you head back inside before he comes out here searching.”
Alessa nodded quickly and left Adriano behind.
“What are you doing, looking for some kind of trouble?” Damian asked once Alessa was gone.
Adriano shrugged. “No.”
“You’re going to find it if you keep messing with that girl.”
“I’ve done okay so far,” Adriano replied.
“Oh, a smart mouth. Funny. I’m sure that’ll keep your dumb ass from getting shot when someone else catches you dry fucking against a wall with a Trentini girl.”
Adriano refused to grace that with a response.
“Shouldn’t you be inside with your new wife?” Adriano asked.
Damian cocked a brow. “Shouldn’t you be at home with your father?”
“Point taken.” Adriano shifted on his feet, uncomfortable. “Listen, I—”
“I am so fucking sick and tired of hiding everybody else’s secrets in this goddamn family.” Damian pointed at Adriano’s Camaro and said, “You get in that damn thing and go, Adriano. And if you’re a smart man, like I think you are, you’ll stay the hell away from Alessa Trentini until this whole mess with the Outfit blows over. You’re twenty-years-old, kid, but I can bet you won’t see your twenty-first birthday if you keep this nonsense up. You’ve got a lot of learning yet to do where the Outfit is concerned and let this be your first lesson from someone who isn’t your father.”
“What is that?” Adriano asked.
“I’ll keep my mouth shut about what
I just saw.”
“Thanks.”
Damian smirked. “But you fucking owe me.”
Shit.
“Is that all?” Adriano asked.
“For now. Get gone.”
Adriano’s fingernails bit into his palms as the newscast kept playing. The pain of clenching his fists so hard only served to keep Adriano from speaking. He wanted to demand answers from his father, but Riley didn’t look like he was in the mood to give any.
On the screen of the television, Adriano watched as a stretcher was rolled out of the entrance of a familiar mansion. Two EMTs stepped back from the lump on the stretcher as men wearing blue windbreakers moved closer. With their shoulders touching, the view of the stretcher was obscured on the camera, but the three letters on the backs of the officials’ coats were as clear as day: FBI.
After a few seconds, the officials stepped away from the stretcher. The EMTs took their place again. One fixed the top of the body bag before they resumed moving the stretcher down the large steps of the home. Police tape barricaded the front entrance and several vehicles swarmed with people, clearly investigators, stood chatting in groups.
The reporter on the left of the screen touched the ear piece on the side of her head and nodded.
“Officials have confirmed the identity of the deceased,” the woman stated, her voice monotone. “Terrance Trentini, aged sixty-nine with one living son and a daughter who is deceased, has been found dead in his home office early this morning. Mr. Trentini had a long running affiliation to the Chicago mob. In fact, many believe he was the purported leader of the family although others have argued that Riley Corrado Conti runs the main operation.
“Regardless of who is controlling the infamous Outfit, everyone agrees there has been a great deal of trouble within the crime empire. Several recent shootings and deaths have been linked back to the mob and all signs point to an inside war that is raging with no reason to name. This death could very well be yet another incident in this growing feud.”
Riley barked out a bitter laugh. “Sweetheart, you have no idea.”
The reporter touched her ear piece once more and said, “The officials will not release the name of the family member who found the body, but they did say the alleged mob boss had been celebrating at a wedding last night before returning home early without his family. As of now, they’re calling the death suspicious but no other information, including cause of death, has been given. The FBI is scheduled to give a public statement alongside the commissioner of the Chicago Police Department later in the afternoon. We will keep you updated on this story. Parker, back to you.”