She gave up a relationship with the best man she knew because of reasons she wasn’t sure of. Her career? Blossoming. His career? On the steady rise. Moving so far away from her family, only seeing them on certain holidays and special occasions? That could work with special Skype sessions every week and access to Joey’s frequent flyer miles.
It all made sense at the time. None of it made sense at the moment.
Joey promised to take care of Zoe and she believed him. She would have everything she wanted and the word no wouldn’t be an option – ever. Zoe would have complete freedom to do whatever she wanted, when she wanted, and how she wanted. All Joey would have to do is make a phone call and whatever Zoe wanted, she would get.
It sounded good in her head but she also knew the invisible strings attached. She could already hear the whispers within the fashion industry about being bankrolled by not one but two D’Amato brothers, one whom she was in a romantic relationship with. She would be, in not so many words, Joey D’Amato’s kept woman. It was a fact that was proven without anyone saying a word.
Whenever she was in New York, she was treated differently as if she was some type of celebrity, being seated at the finest restaurants and having special attention at the designer stores she loved to frequent. NYPD seemingly knew who she was and offered protection, without Zoe asking details – a benefit from Art.
For every special treatment, however, Zoe wondered how many of Joey’s past women
received that same special attention.
Pride. It was one of the seven deadly sins and it didn’t take much for Zoe to figure out how that one sin had taken down kingdoms, rulers, and tribes. Was it her pride that was keeping her from Joey? Maybe, she could admit that much.
All of her life, Zoe had to constantly prove herself to others. She had to prove, just because her parents were wealthy and influential doctors, she wasn’t a spoiled, rich brat who always got what she wanted. She had to prove just because she had model looks, it didn’t equate to her being stupid and entitled.
Now Zoe had to prove to Joey that she would be just fine without him. That was a simple task within itself. The hard part, however, was proving that same point to herself. Zoe’s pride was everything to her but she was starting to think the price of it was something she could no longer afford to keep.
****
“I can’t believe I’m getting married!”
A bride-to-be’s loud exclamation downstairs in the showcase room knocked Joey off his concentration block. He submerged himself under mountains of paperwork, going over them twice, sometimes three times to make sure he didn’t miss a single thing. He knew he didn’t. He went over the same paperwork several times before that but he needed a distraction.
Anything. Everything.
He wanted to hate Zoe. He wanted to call her up and curse her out. He wanted to wipe away every single memory he had of her. The harder he tried, however, the more difficult it became.
Zoe was permanently etched in his brain and she wasn’t going anywhere, no matter how much Joey hated it.
Battona. Figa. Baldracca. Donnaccia. All of the vulgar words could apply to Zoe. None of them applied to her. She wasn’t a whore or a prostitute. She was a woman with ambitions and goals – none that included Joey. He had been so used to being that guy who the girls wanted to be with because of his name and money. Then came a woman who didn’t care about any of it. If anything, it seemed Zoe was more annoyed with him being a D’Amato.
She wasn’t, however, annoyed with the benefits that came with being a D’Amato
paramour. If there was a designer handbag Zoe wanted, Joey got it for her. She saw a fancy pair of earrings; it was delivered to her that same day. Her smile was one of his favorite body parts on her tall and lithe body. Her whole face lit up like a child’s, with her eyes sparkling.
This is so beautiful. I can’t wait to save up and buy it one day.
Why wait, regina? I’ll buy it for you now.
Joey, you don’t have to.
What if I want to? You want it and I want to give it to you. It’s a win-win, baby.
That conversation took place more often than not. If Joey didn’t know better, he would’ve thought it was a game that Zoe played, always trying to get him to buy things for her. She had her own money, though, as evident with the fancy trinkets she would gift him, including the very expensive watch he was currently wearing.
Fuck.
He blew out an exasperated sigh and concentrated harder on the contract in front of him, trying to push out the thoughts of Zoe assaulting his brain. It seemed whenever he pushed out one thought, it was simply replaced with another one. The current image was almost too much to bear – a naked and eager Zoe writhing underneath his large frame as he pushed into her.
You feel so good inside my pussy, baby.
Zoe turned into an unbridled porn star with nothing being too risqué or taboo. Joey could still remember her soft moans, eventually morphing into profanity-laced screams as they made love. They both had worn their rug burn scars as badges of honor and promised to repeat the same action once they were healed. Her mouth was hot and experienced, with her lips and tongue wrapping around his cock as she deep throat him. Her tight and wet slit beckoned him at all hours of the day and Joey found himself irritated when he had to go to work when he just wanted to stay home and fuck Zoe into oblivion. Whenever she wanted to try new positions, Joey’s cock swelled up with hot anticipation, anxious to go home and test them out, burying himself deep inside her to the hilt, over and over until they were completely exhausted.
I can’t be who I want to be when I’m with you.
The words haunted him, keeping him up at all hours of the night, wondering what the hell she meant. Who did she want to be? What was he doing that was stopping her? He gave her everything she could ever want and she still rejected him. Cold. Heartless. Making accusations that he wanted her to be his “kept woman” and not pursue her career.
It was bullshit. It was all bullshit. He supported her career. He wanted to introduce her to friends of his within the fashion industry, people he had known for years and would help her with the clothing line.
Was it too soon? Was it too late? Was it too much? Was it not enough? Joey didn’t know and couldn’t answer. What he did know was it would be the last time he would get so enchanted with a woman like that ever again. Just thinking about her made his fists clench in anger and his heart swell with sadness and regret.
Never, ever again.
“Joey!”
A familiar voice shook him out of his catatonic state. “Oh hey, Zerrin. How long have you been there?”
“How long have I been here?” Zerrin repeated as she walked over to his desk and sat in front of it. “Long enough to know you’re not that deep in thought over a business deal.”
Joey contemplated how much he wanted to reveal to his sister-in-law about his personal life. He knew how close all of the D’Amato women were; Zoe by extension. Whatever he revealed to Zerrin would eventually be heard in Faith’s ears, then Tiana’s, and lo and behold, Zoe’s. That would all happen within five minutes.
It was a risk Joey was willing to take. “Can I talk to you about something?”
Zerrin picked up the concerned tone in his voice. She immediately closed the office door behind her and sat in front of Joey. “Sure. Is everything okay?”
“It’s…it’s…” Joey gave up trying to hide his feelings about Zoe. For the first time in his life, a woman made him speechless and not in a good way.
“Zoe?” Zerrin asked and Joey slowly nodded. “What happened?”
What happened? That was a damn good question and Joey didn’t know the answer to it. He could only assume so much until he came to the conclusion that he was just as lost as before. “I gave her everything and she still left me. I don’t get it. Whatever she wanted, I got it for her. She wanted nice jewelry, it was done. She wanted to try out a restaurant that had a three-month long reservation list? I calle
d the owner and got us a table that night. I just don’t get it. The world was at her fingertips and she still walked away.”
“You mean your world was at her fingertips and she walked away?” Zerrin replied.
“Yeah, I just said that.” Joey nodded.
Zerrin puckered her lips to stop the smirk from spreading. “I don’t think you realized what you said exactly, Joseph.”
“Clue me in.”
“You just said you gave everything she wanted, correct? The real question is: did you give her everything that she needed?”
“I just said that!” Joey defended.
“No, you didn’t.” Zerrin corrected, “you just said you gave her what she wanted. Wanted.
You didn’t give her what she needed. What did you get out of giving her everything? How did she react to receiving all the things, besides complaining about her career? When was the last time she showed you a sketch? You gave her everything but what were you expecting to get out of this generosity?”
“She never complained,” Joey defended, “she took the gifts, trips, and cash with a big ‘ol smile on her face and kept it moving.”
“She didn’t complain or she wasn’t allowed to?” Zerrin inquired.
Joey’s eyes narrowed at his sister-in-law. “I don’t think I like your implications.”
Zerrin lightly chuckled. “And you just proved my point.”
“Which is?”
“Joey, I’ve asked you several times what were you expecting to get out of your generosity to Z and you sidestepped the question completely. Your selfless act was really a selfish one. You felt if you kept her laced up with the latest designer garb and your lifestyle that would be good enough. You said you supported her dreams but when was the last time you accompanied her to a fashion show? To a fabric store? Joey, what did Z do when she visited you here besides being your bed buddy for a few days out of the month? You went to work. What did she do? Where was she?”
Joey stared out into the sunny spring day and rubbed his chin with an index finger. “At home.”
“At your home.” Zerrin tightened her lips. “You gave her everything you thought would make her happy and satisfied. You didn’t give her what she wanted. Anyway, I need to get going. I have to prepare for a lecture for my Sexual Health course. Why don’t you stop by for dinner tonight with me and Nick? I’m sure he has some good advice to give you.”
Joey quietly groaned. He loved his older brother, Nicky, but he wasn’t considered to be the sympathetic one out all of them. Joey would normally talk to Eli, but he was too busy saving his marriage to Faith. Joey’s partner-in-crime, Tony, was pursuing a new relationship with an old friend.
And Joey really didn’t want to get Kieran involved no matter how tempted he was. With a newborn and a toddler in the mix, not to mention running his daycare and supporting Zoe in their fashion line, Kieran probably wouldn’t have the time nor the want to care about what Joey was feeling and thinking.
Maybe talking to Nick wouldn’t be that bad. “Sure. What time should I come by?”
“Seven? Does that work?”
“Sure. I’ll bring some wine for me and Nick. I’ll bring you water.” Joey smiled.
Twenty-Six
“You what?”
Zerrin knew bringing up the extended invitation she gave to Joey was going to be a
delicate topic for Nick. He loved his brothers and could honestly say he had a close relationship with all of them. But he was also very vocal about his disapproval of Joey’s treatment of women.
“I invited Joey over for dinner tonight,” Zerrin looked up at Nick. She was bound with her arms tied behind her back and her ankles bound. She was currently servicing her Master with her mouth when He abruptly took His cock away from her. “He wanted to talk to us about Zoe.”
Nick groaned and tensed up. The last thing he needed was talk to his brother about his love life. Any problems Joey had, Nick reasoned, was because of Joey. No ifs, ands, or buts about the matter.
For as smart his brother was in business, Nick felt Joey was playing Russian Roulette with his love life. Relationship retarded, emotionally autistic…both could describe how Joey treated women and relationships. There were plenty of good girls Joey could’ve gotten serious with if he didn’t like his player image so damn much. But for every good girl Joey entertained, there were plenty of whores that he brought home to the family. Nick knew that was intentional. The more ratchet and ghetto the girl was, the more the family would leave Joey alone about his dating choices.
Instead of enjoying a quiet evening with his submissive wife, Nick had to entertain his brother and console him over his broken heart? A broken heart that he more than likely contributed to? If it wasn’t for the fact his cock was in desperate need of release, Nick would’ve been flaccid already. Nick and Zerrin barely had any alone time since the birth of their son just a few months prior. Now the first opportunity for them to resume some sort of pre-Pietro normalcy was coming to a standstill so Joey’s broken heart can be consoled.
A slow rage burned inside Nick’s heart. He had to forgo a blow job to help his brother out.
What kind of fuckery is that? He silently wondered.
“Master,” Zerrin felt the tension arise from Nick’s body, scooted her way to Him and laid her head on His lap. “Are you mad at me?”
“No.” Nick’s voice was serious and he petted her head. “You had good intentions and
that’s what matters, though tonight wasn’t the night I wanted to entertain my brother.”
“He needs another perspective on why things went wrong with Zoe. He’s really broken up over her.”
“He pretty much told her it was his way or no way,” Nick countered, “that’s not the way to have a relationship.”
“He needs guidance, Master,” Zerrin pressed, her voice soft. “He needs someone to knock some sense into him.”
Nick stifled a groan and slightly adjusted his position on the sofa. “Oh, I’ll knock something into him, all right.”
“Master…” Zerrin purred. She shook her head from side to side, sweeping her lips across her Master’s still-erect cock. “Please? For me?”
Nick let out a breath and let his head fall back against the sofa as he let his girlfriend please him. She may have been the one bound and submissive, but it was clear which one had the power at the moment. She literally had him by his balls. “I hope his visit is short,” was all Nick could muster out.
“You can do whatever you want to me, Master…” Zerrin replied before she enveloped
Nick’s cock into her hot mouth and sucked on it slowly.
Nick looked down at his girlfriend and watched her please him. “Oh, you’re damn right about that…”
****
“Hey, brother!” Nick opened the door and greeted Joey.
“Sorry, I’m running late,” Joey offered as he stepped inside Nick’s home, “I got swamped at the shop so I had to stay late and figure things out.”
“It’s fine. I’m just finishing up dinner now so your timing is perfect.” Nick headed to the kitchen.
“Oh, I’m glad. I thought I would be interrupting your evening tonight but Zerrin insisted that I come over,” Joey took off his coat and looked around, “where is Zerrin, by the way?”
A slow smile curved Nick’s lips as he thought about his earlier activities with his
girlfriend. He tied her to their bed and used a variety of implements on her for both pleasure and punishment. His favorite moment was seeing her reaction to the ice cube treatment he applied to her nipples and trailed them to her slick and wet heat before he dived in with his tongue. He never heard her moan his name so beautifully over and over. “She’s currently tied up at the moment but she’ll be available shortly.” He grinned. “But while she’s busy, let’s take a moment to rap, bro. Tell me what’s going on.”
Joey walked over to the bar and perched himself on a stool. Nick slid over a whiskey glass and a bottle of Glenfiddich. “She l
eft me because she thought I was going to control her.”
“What made her come to that conclusion?” Nick genuinely asked. “That didn’t just come out of the sky now.”
Joey briefly thought about his relationship with Zoe. Did he spoil her too much? Whatever she wanted, he made sure she got it. He should’ve known the way she reacted when he presented her with a new car that it was the beginning of the end. Any woman would’ve been happy with a Mercedes SUV but Zoe seemed annoyed, pissed even.
When it came to her career, he did inquire about her sketches from time to time, though he would admit there were times Zoe would talk about her designs and the terms she used went over his head. Maybe it seemed like he didn’t care but he really did.
Maybe it wasn’t enough.
Maybe it was too late.
“The one woman I wanted to be with and treat her like a queen, deserted me.” Joey took a sip of whiskey, “maybe I am a testa di cazzo.”
“Maybe,” Nick stirred marinara sauce as Joey shot him a death glare, “but your heart was in the right place, though your actions may not have been perceived that way.”
“Zerrin told me the same thing and I still don’t get it.” Joey shook his head.
Nick turned down the fire and wiped his hands. “Did you ever felt intimidated by Zoe and her ambitions?”
“What? Hell, no!” Joey declared. “She can tell you I supported her every step of the way.”
“Did you support her as long as she didn’t do better than you?” Nick asked.
“Are you kidding me, bro?” Joey asked.
“I’m being serious as cancer right now,” Nick leaned over the counter. “Let’s look at it: she had her own car, her own house, her own career…why in the hell would she need you?”
“Okay, I thought you were supposed to comfort me in my time of need?” Joey
deadpanned.
Nick showed a half-grin and took a sip of whiskey. “You’re so used to playing Captain Save-A-Ho that when you have a woman who has her own, you don’t know how to act. Instead, you go all out and overcompensate. She has a car? Well, you upgrade it. Her home is too small?
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