by Cora Reilly
“Can you blame him?” Nino said as he entered. “You’ve made yourself scarce these last few months. New York was meant as a temporary thing, a way to give you more stability. It wasn’t meant as more than that.”
Adamo ran a hand through his, as usual, messy hair. “I know. I’ll return in one month.”
He didn’t sound like he wanted to, though.
“You’d better,” I said. I was dead serious. I’d fly over to New York and drag him home personally if I had to. Not because I missed him, but because someone needed to protect Remo.
“Luca allows me to build up their illegal street races. He’s interested in my knowledge. He values my opinion.”
“He’s probably only trying to gain your trust and loyalty, so you betray the Camorra and your family,” I said, pissed once more. “It wouldn’t be the first time that he took in soldiers from other famiglias after all. Growl, Orazio… you’d be the icing on his cake.”
“I’m not going to defect the Camorra!” Adamo hissed. “Maybe I’m not like you, but I’m a Falcone and I’ll die one.”
“Then why did you provoke Remo by mentioning our half-brother? You know very well how Remo reacts to that name,” Nino said, disapproving.
“Ryan, I mean Growl, isn’t as bad as you make him out to be. I eat with him and his wife Cara once a week.”
“How about you keep that tidbit of information to yourself?” I muttered. That would definitely tip Remo over the edge.
Nino shook his head. “This was a mistake. Our cooperation with Luca should have never extended this far. Maybe it needs to end.”
“It’s not a big deal. I just enjoy helping with the races. I wish I could do it here as well.”
“I’m sure Remo will find a way to involve you in the races,” Nino said.
I glanced at my watch. “All right. As nice as chitchatting with you may be, I have an engagement to celebrate.”
Adamo shook his head with astonishment. “I leave for a few months and you decide to marry? What’s gotten into you?”
“Today’s not the wedding. That’s still a few years away. It’s just the promising ceremony the Traditionalists are so adamant about.”
Adamo gave Nino a questioning look. “You really aren’t pulling my leg? Savio is getting engaged?”
“You think we’d rent a ballroom just to play a joke on you?”
Adamo grinned sheepishly. “Come on. It’s a more likely scenario than you settling down. What happened to never going to put your bull on a leash?”
The ghost of a smile crossed Nino’s face as he and Adamo exchanged one of these looks.
“My bull won’t be put on a leash, don’t worry.”
“I’ll go and help Kiara with the kids,” Nino said, leaving us alone.
Adamo regarded me as if he’d never seen me before. “So, you and Gemma are an item?”
“Depends on your definition of being an item.”
Adamo chuckled. “I guess I’m going to be the one joking about your dick being MIA in the future.”
“Dream on, little brother. My dick’s going to get more action than yours.”
I left him standing there, looking dumbfounded. The ballroom had already filled with our Captains and important business associates. We’d decided against inviting the Underbosses. That could wait for the wedding.
Gemma was waiting in a small ante-room of the ballroom for me. When I stepped inside, my entire body went into shock at the sight of her. I’d sent her to the boutique where Kiara always bought her dresses and told her she could choose whatever she wanted as an engagement gift. Knowing about the money troubles her family struggled with, that seemed like the best option.
And holy fuck, Gemma had chosen a dress that knocked the breath straight out of me. It hugged her curves like a second skin and the fabric was so light, it appeared almost translucent. As I stepped closer, I realized it was, but all the interesting places were covered by flower applications. Gemma’s waist was narrow and her hips and booty designed to bring men to their knees.
She turned around when she heard me and for a moment, my brain short-circuited. The neckline dipped low, reaching her sternum, accentuating Gemma’s round breasts.
I couldn’t move as I took in every inch of her. I’d sent her clothes shopping because I’d been worried she’d show up in one of those horrible church dresses. Now I wished she wore a modest dress because in this outfit, I’d need to kill a few fuckers who couldn’t keep their eyes to themselves.
Suddenly I really wished she were older.
“Hi Savio,” she said with a small smile, a knowing glint in her eyes. Despite the blush staining her cheeks, she held her head high and looked regal.
Getting a grip, I walked over to her and fumbled in my pants pocket for the satin box. I finally pulled it out and held it out for her to take.
Her brows puckered. Then she finally grasped the box and opened it. I really wished I’d have taken a photo of her expression when she saw her engagement ring for the first time.
A grin was already forming on my face. Gemma gingerly picked up the jewelry to inspect it more closely. She cast her eyes up. “Are you serious?” Indignation rang in her voice.
“I had it handcrafted. I put a lot of thought into it. I hope you like it.” My grin widened at the look she gave the ring. “Let me.” I took the ring from her, grabbed her hand and slid it on.
It was obvious that she was fighting for composure.
Originally, I’d chosen the design to piss Diego and Gemma off for insisting on a timely engagement. Yet, seeing Gemma in that dress, I was glad to have staked my claim in this public way.
“It’s white gold with a diamond.”
The ring had cost a fortune, because of that fucking diamond alone, but it was worth every penny seeing Gemma’s struggle not to lose her shit.
“I thought having the ring form my initials was a nice touch.”
Gemma raised her eyes. “Like a brand.”
“Only without the pain.”
“I think I would have preferred the burn,” she muttered under her breath.
I stepped closer. “You wanted people to know you are mine. You wanted people to back off. What better way to do that than have a ring with my initials, Kitty?”
She didn’t say anything. Bending over her like I did, I got an even better view down her neckline. I straightened. I didn’t need additional temptation. Gemma was jailbait as it was. I held out my arm for her to take and she did so but didn’t take her eyes off my ring.
I couldn’t wait for our guests to see it as well.
“You think you’re the funniest,” Diego muttered later that evening. “Could you have chosen a more obnoxious ring for my sister?”
“You insisted that everyone knew she was mine.”
Diego snorted and took a gulp from the expensive whiskey the hotel served. He motioned at everything. “This is a nice show, but in the end, it comes down to one thing, you and my sister are promised to each other. It isn’t a game or a joke. One day you’ll realize it.”
“I know what it is, don’t worry.”
My eyes followed Gemma, who was on the way to the restroom. I had trouble taking my eyes off her. When Will and Noemi followed her outside, I went after them. “I’ll take care of it,” I said to Diego, who was about to follow.
I found all three of them in front of the restroom door. Gemma’s fists were balled. She looked like a fierce princess about to enter a throw down. I was half tempted to let this play out. Seeing Gemma kick ass in this dress would be the highlight of my year.
“Sleeping your way to the top?” Will asked. “I never thought Savio would go for plain fare in bed.” Noemi let out a nasty laugh, and Gemma’s body tensed. I knew that look on her face.
I stepped between them, grabbed Will by the throat and thrust him against the wall. His nose had healed. He hadn’t learned a lesson, it seemed.
I nodded at Noemi who was trying to sneak away. “You stay where you are!”
I leaned close to Will, whispering, “Your mother deep throated me a week ago. Did you know she likes to have her hair pulled while eating dick? I thought you should know I fucked your dear mommy to get back to you for talking shit to my fiancée in school.”
Will made a horrified little noise. “You bastard…”
I tightened my hold.
“You think that money is going to protect you in this city?” I growled, fingers digging into his skin. “My brothers and I got rid of many rich cocksuckers when we claimed power in the West. If you aren’t careful, you’ll be next.” I pulled my knife and rested the tip against the sensitive skin under Will’s thumb. He squirmed with a whimper.
“A punch made you cry?”
He began to shake in my hold. My lips curled. I wasn’t used to this kind of cowardice. In the Camorra, we honored bravery and strength but in the outside world these values were lost.
“Savio,” Gemma said quietly.
I nicked his skin with the blade before I lowered the knife. Will’s eyes practically bulged. I released him and he dropped to his knees, peering up at me. Gemma still hovered behind me, her expression frozen in shock. “Fuck off,” I told Will. He shot to his feet and disappeared.
I turned to Noemi who quivered. She didn’t have to worry I was going to hurt her physically. That wasn’t my style with women. There were better ways to pay her back. “Given your miserable skills, I guess Will taught you how to suck cock?”
Her cheeks turned red, her eyes darting to Gemma.
“You were the worst lay of my life, so run after Will. His standards are lower.” She dashed away, looking like she was about to bawl.
Gemma held her purse in a death grip, her cheeks bright red. “You slept with Noemi?”
That was why she looked so glum? I sheathed my knife. “I slept with many girls. It’s why dear Mrs. Reynolds was in favor of hosting this party. She didn’t want word about our intermezzo to get out.”
Not to mention that Mr. Reynolds didn’t want people to know that he preferred the dicks of ladyboys to his wife’s pussy any day.
Gemma’s face flashed with horror. “You slept with Will’s mother?”
I paused, reconsidering how much I’d share. I’d done many things with Mrs. Reynolds. Her tastes were of the kinkier sort. “It won’t happen again, believe me. It was only a revenge fuck. I prefer younger women.”
Gemma’s expression morphed into anger. She raised her hand with my ring. “What about this? Doesn’t this mean anything to you?”
“It means you are mine, and that I’m going to crush every fucker who doesn’t get the message.”
She threw her purse at me, hitting me square in the chest. I laughed in surprise. Then she took her pumps off and threw them at me as well, but I managed to dodge the pointy things. “Keep the stupid purse and shoes. I don’t want your gifts!”
“That dress was a gift as well,” I said teasingly.
For a moment, she seemed to consider taking it off, but then Gemma whirled around and stormed away.
What did she think? That I was going to turn into a monk because of our engagement? I picked up the purse and pumps from the floor and followed after her at a leisured pace.
18 months later
I stared down at the obnoxious ring, how Diego put it. The cursive S and the F held the diamond between them. Diego was absolutely right. This wasn’t a heartfelt engagement ring. For Savio, it had been a joke, a game. It hadn’t changed anything for him. He’d staked his claim, and everyone backed off.
When in the past, everyone in school had whispered behind my back because of my modest dresses, they did it now because of who owned me. It wasn’t really more than that. Not for Savio. He’d wanted me for himself and so he’d staked his claim.
Then he’d moved on. He didn’t wear a ring. Nothing in his life showed that he was mine like I was his.
Feeling eyes on me, I looked up to where Diego leaned in the doorway to my room.
“I told you it was a bad idea,” he said.
“Thanks.”
He walked in and sank down on the bed beside me. “Savio is a player, Gemma.”
“At some point he’ll have to stop. I’ll turn eighteen in two days and he hasn’t even talked to Dad about a possible date for our wedding.”
“Because he doesn’t want to give up his man-whoring ways anytime soon. He enjoys his bachelor days.”
I swallowed down my hurt, embracing my anger. “Has he slept with half of Reno?”
Shortly after our engagement, Remo Falcone had sent Savio and Adamo to Reno. For one, the designated Underboss was still a teenager, so it was Savio’s job to keep everyone in line up there because he didn’t have a family to take care of yet. Since that day I’d hardly ever seen him. I wasn’t allowed to go up to Reno, unlike Diego who’d spent a couple of weeks at a time there over the last sixteen months.
Diego avoided my eyes. “There’s a reason why Remo sent his brother away, and it wasn’t only because of the teenage Underboss. He wanted Savio away from you because even Remo didn’t trust his brother to keep his hands to himself.”
I huffed. “It’s not as if it was only his choice. Trust me, I wouldn’t have let him touch me after all the girls he’s been pawing.”
Diego gave me a look. “Maybe now you wouldn’t. Back then you were still more infatuated. Now you see him for who he is: a player.”
That was true. I was still infatuated. However, being engaged to the man of my dreams was far from the fairytale I’d hoped for. Savio kept sleeping around. Maybe I should have seen it coming. We weren’t in a relationship yet. An engagement in our circles was a formal statement, nothing emotional, especially for the men.
“He’s coming back to Vegas tomorrow,” Diego said suddenly.
My heart sped up. “What?”
Diego regarded my face with blatant worry. “Like you said, you’re almost eighteen.”
“What do you mean? Is he going to agree to a wedding soon?”
Diego groaned. “Gemma, that’s not why. Savio thinks you’re ready to be plucked now. Remo didn’t want that to happen as long as you were still too young, but now he won’t stop his brother anymore. Savio will amp up the charm to get into your pants.”
“Good luck with that,” I muttered. “How many girls has he been with while you were around?”
Diego got up. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”
“I want an answer, believe me.” I needed an answer because I needed my fury as armor against Savio and my still simmering crush.
“Too many to count, and I doubt he’ll stop now that he’s back here. Not unless he gets it from you, but even then…”
I jumped to my feet, too agitated to stay still. “He won’t get anything before we’re married. If he thinks this stupid ring entitles him to anything, I’ll kick him in the balls.”
“Oh, he won’t get a chance to try anything. I’ll make sure of that.”
“You don’t have to hover all the time, Diego,” I muttered. “I can handle myself even against Savio.”
Diego hesitated. “The Falcones are powerful. Remo is my Capo and Savio is my boss, too. He might think he can break the rules of our world and do things before you are married. Savio knows how to sweet talk girls into doing what he wants.”
“I hear you aren’t bad at sweet talking girls into your bed either,” I teased to lighten his mood. His constant worry about me and our financial situation had turned him way too serious.
Diego let out a groan. “Don’t listen to stories about me. They’re not meant for your ears.” He became serious again, leaning forward to stare in my eyes. “I’m serious, Gemma. Dad and I gave you a lot of leeway when we allowed you to fight, but I need to make sure you don’t cross other boundaries as well.”
I rolled my eyes at him, but the worry in his eyes stopped me from provoking him. “Diego, you don’t need to worry. I believe in waiting until marriage,” I said quietly. This serious sex
talk drove a blush into my cheeks. “Maybe I like to fight and use words I’m not supposed to, but I’m still a girl. A girl raised with Mom’s values and no sweet talk will make me give anything away before I’m married.” Especially not after how Savio has been acting. He had a lot to make up for. Maybe now that he was back in Las Vegas, he’d finally try to build our relationship and prepare everything for our wedding.
Diego’s eyes softened and he touched my leg, looking proud.
I squirmed. “Don’t look so proud. I didn’t win the Nobel prize.”
Toni and I spent the afternoon of my birthday in a beautiful spa, getting massages and rubs—a gift from the Falcone clan, whom I’d only met at the engagement party so far. Kiara had invited me over for dinner a couple of times, but without Savio, I’d been too shy to follow the invitation. I hadn’t seen Savio yet, so I wasn’t sure if I’d get a present from him as well.
“You need to give him the cold shoulder,” Toni said again. “From what I hear, Savio’s messed around with Dakota.”
I froze. “You’re joking.”
She shook her head with an apologetic grimace. She had no reason to be sorry. Savio Falcone had. “You know how he is. I doubt she’s the only one.”
“She’s Diego’s Ex! Isn’t there some kind of codex against that?” I couldn’t believe him. I was so angry, I had to resist the urge to smash something. I curled my hands to fists, trying not to lose it.
Toni’s lips thinned at the mentioning of Diego. I wasn’t sure what was going on between them, she insisted nothing, but she always got that pinched expression when I mentioned him. “I don’t think he cares. It’s been years since Diego and Dakota danced the horizontal limbo.”
I burst into laughter despite my anger. Someone in the relaxation area shushed us and I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound.
Toni shrugged. “It’s just sex for him. He uses those bitches, Gemma. You don’t have to worry. You’ll be the one who’ll be his wife, not some skanky plaything. Apparently, Dakota is super smug about getting Savio into bed.”