I swallow thickly as I watch him free his erection and step out of his briefs.
Before I can even think, his mouth is on mine.
He’s pinning my body with his against the cool shower wall and I feel his cock pressing into my stomach.
He holds both my arms over my head in one hand.
His tongue dances in my mouth and I feel his other hand move to the side of my throat. He applies pressure again to my neck. It’s not painful but it does scare me as much as it excites me.
He brings the hand down to my breast and I feel myself becoming breathless. He pinches my nipple and my moaning echoes through the bathroom.
I cannot have sex with a mobster.
He deepens the kiss.
I cannot have sex with a man who can so easily kill me.
His hand moves to my clit and he begins rubbing in circles. I moan into his mouth.
Okay, I take that back. I can definitely have sex with this man.
I remove one of my arms from his grasp and I take his thick shaft in my hand. He grunts and bites my lower lip roughly.
We’re both out of breath and the heat from the water is making me lightheaded. At least I think it’s from the water.
He rests his forehead against mine and holds my face between his hands. I bring my hands up to his chest.
Then, just like last night, he turns and leaves without sparing me another glance.
For the first time, my mouth doesn’t get me in trouble.
I just don’t know exactly what did.
Antonello
“I need you to come bring me clothes. Not like yesterday. That little charade you pulled wasn’t funny.”
“I’m not helping you anymore. Mom said she heard from Aunt Teresa you’ve had a girlfriend this whole time. You didn’t even tell me!” Caterina’s voice is blasting through the phone. She can get a little shrieky when she’s mad.
“Nobody knew,” I tell her.
“You are a liar! Gian knew!”
“He didn’t know,” I’m pacing around my closet. I have to keep the story straight. “He just met her for the first time yesterday.” Technically the truth.
“Fine. I will bring you clothes but I want to meet her. This isn’t fair.”
“Cat, you cannot meet her. Not yet.”
“You all keep me locked up around here and I have nobody to hang out with. I am tired of having no girlfriends to gossip and shop with. My only company is stupid Dominick, and he’s annoying. He follows me everywhere.”
“Yeah, that’s kind of the fucking point of a personal body guard. Give Dominick a break. It has to be exhausting following you around the mall all fuckin’ day.”
“I want to go to the club tonight. Please, can we go? Can I meet your girlfriend? I need girl time. That’s the only way I’ll help you.”
I sit down on the bench in my closet and lean my head back on the wall. I hear the water shut off and assume Violet’s drying off. With her fucking pink towel.
I need my sister’s help. And maybe, just maybe, she can also help me keep Violet in check. If they two of them hit it off maybe Violet will stop fighting me. Bringing her to our club in the city will also be a good way to get her introduced to some members of the famiglia before the party in a few weeks. This will be the first official outing where I introduce Violet as my girlfriend.
“Fine. Come here when you’ve got the clothes. Find something she can wear tonight. Something suitable, please, Cat. I’m not kidding.”
I hear her squeal. Caterina is the definition of a mafia princess. She’s been under protection so much her whole life she rarely sees daylight.
“Dominick! We’re going shopping!” I hear her muffled yell. That poor guy. I smirk as I get up off the bench and end the call.
I make my way into the bathroom. I plan to tell Violet she doesn’t have to put on the lingerie. I figured I’d just give her one of my shirts and a pair of sweatpants.
The blood races straight to my dick when I walk in and see her dressed in one of the lingerie sets. It’s black and lacey. It fits her too perfectly.
She’s putting on make-up from the Sephora bag and I notice her hair is curling.
“You have curly hair?”
“Oh. Yeah. I usually straighten it but I didn’t see any hair tools in the bags.”
I remind myself to tell Caterina to buy a straightener but as I walk closer I realize I like her hair like this. I reach forward and I pull on a curl. It’s just as soft as when it was straight yesterday.
She stops what she’s doing and watches me in the mirror.
“So I have some news for you.”
She perks up a bit. I bet she thinks she’s going to be released.
“You get to meet my sister today.”
“I do?” She looks excited. I bet she thinks she can help her escape.
“Yes. But she’s been given strict instructions. If you so much as even ask for help or try to get away, she will tell me immediately. There will be repercussions. She’s on my side. You will do well to remember that.”
I don’t plan to tell Caterina what’s going on, so I hope miss smart mouth keeps that trap shut.
“Also, tonight we’re going out.”
“Out?” He eyes are wide.
“Yes. You’ll meet some members of the famiglia. You will pass as my girlfriend. You will do everything I ask of you.”
“And if I don’t?”
How did I know this little smart-ass would talk back to me?
“It’s simple. If you do not comply, I will kill you.”
“And if I do?”
“And if you do comply, I will reward you.”
“What’s the reward?” She tries to sound nonchalant, but I can tell she’s eager to know. I think fast knowing she will try and be on her best behavior if it’s something good.
“You can walk freely about the house.”
“Really?” She’s really perked up now.
“Yup. As long as I’m home.”
Her face droops a bit.
“Listen, dolcezza, it’s a start. I’m not that much of a fucking idiota. Now finish up in here and let’s go eat some fucking breakfast.”
My little witness is going to give me a stroke.
Caterina arrives a few hours later. I have Violet sitting in the living room with me. I gave her a t-shirt and sweatpants but she’s still wearing that lingerie set underneath. I’ve been trying not to think about it. I have to keep adjusting myself every time I see a strap through the neck of her shirt.
I’m about to go to the door but before I do I give Violet a warning.
“My sister doesn’t know what’s going on here.”
“She doesn’t? I thought you said she knew.”
“Just play along. That’s the deal.”
I greet Caterina at the door and wave Dominick inside. I’m going to need his help if Violet tries to turn on us.
That’s what I tell myself at least.
It’s more like I’m going to need to even out the testosterone levels in here.
I walk Caterina to the living room. I swear if Violet runs up to her and says ‘help! I’m being kidnapped’ I may blow a gasket.
Violet watches as Caterina walks in. I see her face light up instantly.
“Caterina, this is Violet. My girlfriend. And Violet, this is my twin sister, Caterina.”
Caterina pulls Violet in for a hug.
“I finally have a girl to hang out with! I am so excited!”
I can tell on Violet’s face she wasn’t expecting this. For the first time I notice her looking relaxed and happy.
I smile on the inside.
I’m not sure if I even know how to smile on the outside.
Twenty minutes later and I am regretting this whole thing. The two of them have been cackling like fucking hens. Dominick and I are in the kitchen and I’m already looking for a glass of whiskey.
“I’m supposed to be doing a hit for Enzo and what am I doing instead? Listeni
ng to the two of them screaming about their favorite boyband from 1998.”
Dominick looks up from the newspaper. “Welcome to my life. I spend eighty-five percent of my day at a mall or beauty salon.”
I’ve been trying to keep an ear open to their conversation. I want to make sure Violet’s not pulling a fast one on me. Not that I can’t trust Caterina, but I don’t want her to get involved if anything were to happen.
I walk in to check on them.
“Nello, why didn’t you tell me Caterina is the one in the photo in the hall?”
“Huh?” I have no clue what she’s referring to.
She looks to Cat. “I thought that picture of you two in the hall was of Nello and his ex-girlfriend. He didn’t even correct me.”
Oh, here we go. I know Caterina is about to explode.
“Nello! Come on! She’s your girlfriend. Didn’t you tell her anything?”
Caterina starts explaining the whole family line. I panic for a moment but realize this is a good thing. We need to get Violet familiar so she can play her part. She’s actually being a really good sport about this. Someone is trying to earn her freedom in the house, I see. I lean on the doorframe and listen in to their conversation.
“So where is your accent from? How did you end up in Jersey?”
“I’m from Georgia. I moved here, uh,” her eyes meet mine and she looks back at my sister, “not long ago.”
“Why Jersey, though? Don’t you miss your family and friends?”
I notice Violet averting her eyes from me.
“I don’t really have anybody.”
I can’t tell if she’s acting or not.
“Really? What about your parents?”
Violet looks uneasy. I am about to make up a story to help her out but she responds before I can.
“My parents passed away in an accident when I was a kid. I was raised by my grandmother. I went away to college and my grandmother passed away in my freshman year. I dropped out halfway through my sophomore year and went back to Georgia. I had a hard time moving forward without my grandmother, though. I didn’t even have any friends still there when I returned home.”
I feel a pang of guilt. I had no idea about Violet’s past. Hell, I never even asked her, so how would I know? She really is alone.
“How awful,” I hear my sister responding but by this time I’m already walking out of the room.
“We lost our dad about ten years ago.”
“Yeah, Nello mentioned that to me, actually.”
I didn’t.
“Really? You must be pretty special. He never can bring himself to talk about it.”
I am not comfortable right now.
This whole situation is one goddamn fucking mess.
Chapter 4
Violet
Caterina is amazing. She is literally the sister I never had. She’s been helping me get ready for our night out while Nello is downstairs with Dominick. We had a good laugh over the lingerie she brought over. She said Nello really had no idea about it which made me laugh even harder. She bought me regular clothes this time and we are sorting through it all.
“I love this top!”
“I thought the sequins were adorable. Had to buy it!”
“Look how it matches with this eyeshadow.”
“That is so cute! You should wear it with those boots.”
“You think? I am between this dress and that one for tonight.”
Nello comes upstairs. He’s given us a lot of space today. I didn’t realize how much I actually missed his presence.
He comes up to me and kisses me on the cheek. My face flushes. I’m not sure if he’s putting on an act or not.
“You look beautiful in this dress,” he says lowly in my ear. I feel goosebumps rise up. I look at him in a whole new light after spending all day with his twin. She’s told me more about him in just the last hour than I’ve learned from him in the last day.
“Oh my God, I still cannot believe my brother has a girlfriend! Ahhh!” Caterina does a dance and runs out of the room and down the stairs. “Dominick, we are just about ready to go!”
Nello and I are alone in his bedroom now. He’s still standing in my space.
“You’re doing a great job,” he murmurs to me.
Right. I forgot. It’s all pretend.
He leans forward and kisses me softly on the lips.
I feel my brow furrow.
“I’m not sure why you’re kissing me if nobody is here to watch,” I blurt out.
“Maybe it’s best if you shut that mouth for the next few hours. Let’s go.”
I feel I just ruined what might have actually been a true moment between the two of us, but I catch the corner of Nello’s mouth in a smirk as he leads me out of the room.
Maybe my smart mouth is growing on him?
We leave for New York City and Nello tells me we should be there within a half hour. I haven’t tried to run. If I’m being honest with myself Caterina is the first girlfriend I’ve had in years. I had a great time with her today and I’m actually looking forward to spending more time with her tonight. Running away has moved a little lower on my priority list.
Nello explains on the way over that this club is owned by the famigilia. He tells me who I’ll probably meet and we make some other small talk. It’s the most we’ve ever talked. He hasn’t been much of a talker since we met.
I can’t believe Caterina is his twin. The two are such opposites. She never stops talking.
I want to ask him why he needs me to pretend to be his girlfriend when he can definitely get a girlfriend on his own without much effort.
I’ve been trying hard to think before I speak tonight and I deem maybe that’s not the best thing to ask. He seems to be in a good mood and I’d rather not have him pissed at me when he can easily toss me in the Hudson River.
We arrive at the club and Dominick and Caterina park behind us. I love the black dress she picked out for me and we link arms while we walk in together.
The club is loud and packed with bodies. I’ve only been to New York City twice before in my life and I forgot how busy it is. We have to squeeze through the crowds to get to the VIP area. The club is huge. It’s multiple floors and my eyes are instantly drawn to the women dancing on pillars throughout the room. It looks pretty dangerous, in my opinion.
The bass vibrates through the place and I can barely hear anything people are saying. I have to strain my ears and try to read lips.
Nello starts to introduce me around to a group of people. He has one hand around my waist and I notice his other hand keeps resting on my hip bone. It feels like we’re a real couple. I have no idea what anyone is saying so I just smile and nod during the introductions. A few people shake my hand. The only person I know already is Gian who gives me a hug. I mostly meet intimidating men and some women that might possibly be strippers or prostitutes based on what they’re wearing. The women barely spare me a glance but I feel a lot of the men’s eyes on me.
I break away from Nello when Caterina grabs my arm. We sit down in the VIP area and she starts to fill me in over the loud music.
“Those girls are skanky. They all just recycle themselves through the guys.”
“Are they prostitutes?” I yell into her ear.
She bursts out laughing. “No! They’re just sluts.”
I start laughing. She’s so funny.
“Did Nello hang around with those sluts?” I blurt out.
Damn. I was trying so hard to be good, too.
She winces like she doesn’t want to tell me.
“If you look to the left, do you see that blonde girl with the red dress on?”
I nod. She’s glaring at me hardcore.
“That’s Megan. I’ve seen the two of them together a few times. It was a while ago.”
She’s beautiful, even though she’s half dressed. It’s like she doesn’t think she’s pretty enough so she needs to walk around practically naked to make herself feel better. I’m sure
she’s more Nello’s type than I’ll ever be.
“Exactly.”
“Huh?”
“I agree with you! Except for the part about being Nello’s type. He looks smitten over you.”
Antonello (Mob Men Book 1) Page 4