“Okay, I should go and change then,” she mutters.
My eyes flick down to her clothes and I smirk. She’s wearing a pair of tight jeans and a loose-fitting t-shirt that hangs off of one shoulder. Her hair is up in a messy bun and she doesn’t have even an ounce of makeup on. She looks fucking perfect.
Turning to face her, I lift my hand to cup her cheek. Sliding my thumb along her cheekbone, I smile. “You look amazing. Nobody will be there during the day, you’re fine. You know that Arlo doesn’t care.”
“He won’t, but I will. I need to feel like it’s a real job and not one that he handed to me because he felt sorry for me.”
I bark out a harsh laugh, sliding my hand to cup the back of her head, tugging her closer to me and pressing her face against my chest. She pushes against me, tilting her head back to look up into my eyes.
“He may have initially allowed you to work for him as a favor to me, but you are invaluable to Arlo because of who you are, Pippa. You are smart, organized, and sweet. I know that he wants you to stay with him, even though he knows that it’s not what I want.”
She licks her lips, her eyes searching mine, most likely looking for a lie. She isn’t going to find one. I know that Arlo has come to rely on her, as much as I fucking hate it.
I want her to be at my beck and call, to be here for me every second of every day, but I also know that after spending five years apart, she has a life of her own that I can’t force her to change, at least not completely.
“What do you want, Massimo?” she asks on an exhale.
Her eyes are so wide, practically begging for something, but I don’t know what. Clearing my throat, my fingers tighten in the strands of her hair. My lips twitch, my eyes flicking from her gaze to her lips and then back again.
“You, dolcezza. I only want you, however that happens, however you come to me, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“But it did once?”
Shifting my face closer to hers, I touch my mouth to her own. I don’t kiss her deeply, knowing that once I start, I’ll want to fuck her out here on this balcony and with this person watching her—watching us—I can’t do that to her, I can’t expose my wife to that.
“I wanted to keep you, like a prize for my shelf. Perfect, and all mine. If I could have locked you up in my bedroom, hid you from the world, I would have, without hesitation.”
“I would have let you,” she whispers.
I shake my head, sliding my tongue along her bottom lip. “I know you would have, Pippa.”
Slipping my tongue inside of her mouth, I taste her. My wife, my sexy as fuck wife. Wrapping my other arm around her back, I pull her closer toward me, feeling her body curve and meld against my own.
Nibbling her bottom lip, I lift my head but only slightly and press my forehead against her own. “You were never meant to be locked in a room, set on a shelf and only played with when I had the time,” I breathe.
“I wasn’t?”
Lifting my face a little more, I look into her eyes and shake my head a couple of times, my lips curving up into a small smile.
“Not at all, Pippa. You were meant to shine, dolcezza, and not just for me. The people of this famiglia need to know exactly who you are, they deserve your brightness.”
She shakes her head or at least tries, but my grip is too tight. “Stop it,” she whispers as her eyes fill with tears.
“Nothing to stop, just telling you the truth.”
“I’m nothing. I was willing to sell myself, and in a way I did. I’m not a good person, never have been. I’m a survivor and nothing else.”
Pressing my lips together, I tilt my head to the side. “Bullshit, Pippa. I’ll prove it to you too. I’m going to prove to you that you, my dolcezza, are not a survivor. You’re a thriver and you are worthy of everything that comes to you, every fucking good thing that crosses in front of you.”
“Stop,” she whispers.
“Never.”
PIPPA
Something is up. Something is really suspicious. Arlo and Massimo walked away as soon as they possibly could. Massimo told me to stay in the office and that he would come to get me as soon as his business was concluded.
Business.
What could his business possibly be? Now? He’s been home less than twelve hours. It’s not as if he has anything pressing to take care of. At least I didn’t think that he did. This whole thing is making me anxious.
I reach for my purse, where I used to keep my pills and curse myself for getting rid of them. I’m regretting quitting them cold turkey.
Chewing on the corner of my lip, I busy myself filing papers away. That only lasts for about twenty minutes. I can’t handle it. My curiosity gets the best of me and I slowly open the office door and slip out into the hallway.
The casino is completely quiet and I know the employees won’t start arriving for at least two more hours, then the call girls an hour after that and finally the customers.
Tiptoeing, I feel like I’m part of one of those secret spy movies as I creep down the hallways toward the main floor of the casino.
I listen intently, hoping to hear voices in the distance that I can follow. Frowning, no matter how hard I strain, I hear nothing. What I should do is go back in the office and wait, like Massimo told me to do.
I don’t do that.
Instead, I continue to slink around, trying to hug the walls as I move around the building. I go to the kitchens, but they’re empty, then I head to the sex rooms, praying that they are empty as well. I let out an exhale of relief when I find every room empty.
My eyes move around and I focus on the party rooms. There are four banquet rooms that they use for private parties. Some include sex, others don’t. Like when Arlo’s father and his friends come to play poker, they play, they eat, they drink, then they leave.
Slowly, I make my way toward those rooms. I smile to myself, thinking back on the last time that I was in one of them. Luciana’s birthday party. We had fun, all of us together, everyone except Massimo was there in our small circle.
We played poker, drank, and danced. It’s probably one of the best memories I have. How sad is that? It wasn’t even my birthday, but it was a fun evening and I felt like part of the group—I finally felt like I belonged, in that one evening.
The sound of men’s voices causes me to freeze. I’m at the door to the second banquet room. Straining to hear, I place my ear against the door and listen. I hear Arlo and Massimo, unmistakably, then a third voice.
Unfortunately, I can’t hear what they’re actually saying, no matter how hard I try. I growl to myself, careful not to make a noise. I want to know. I need to know. Then Massimo’s voice booms and I hear him say my name, clearly.
Lifting my head, I take a step back, wondering if I’ve somehow been caught. Chewing on my bottom lip, I wait for a moment, then when the door doesn’t fly open, I return back to pressing my ear against the door.
“Erin is a problem. What are we going to do with her?”
“You don’t know that it’s her exactly, just that the messages came from her residence,” Arlo says.
“She’s a whore I’ve had, multiple times, one who made it clear she wasn’t finished. It’s been five years, who else could it be?” Massimo asks, his and Arlo’s voice clear to me.
I gasp. I know exactly who he’s talking about. Erin is a gorgeous blonde Irish call girl who works here. She is highly desired, and a mega bitch, at least to me. I have caught her glaring at me from across the room before, but I’ve honestly never said a word to her.
“That cunt has been stalking me and my wife for five years. Who else could it be?”
“Another lover of hers?” the mystery voice asks.
“She’s one of my top earners, I can’t let you just get rid of her. Plus, she’s never caused me any issues at all,” Arlo murmurs.
There’s a moment of silence, none of the men speak, then I hear Massimo clear his throat. “Trade her. I want her gone. If she’s the o
ne that’s been stalking me, I want her sent to the Russians, or anywhere, I don’t really give a fuck. Sell her,” Massimo growls.
Sell her.
My heart hammers against my chest. He’s talking about a person. I know that the women and some men sell their bodies for sex here. That’s nothing new, and as far as I know all of them are consensual, now. But, the words that Massimo says, how callous he is about another person’s life, it makes my heart ache.
I’m deep in thought, still leaning against the door when it is wrenched open and without time to react, I fall flat on my face.
“Pippa?” Massimo’s voice shouts.
Lifting my head, I scramble to my knees, glad that I stayed in my jeans and t-shirt instead of changing into a skirt and blouse. Slowly, I lift my face to meet Massimo’s, who is now crouched down in front of me.
Without a word, he slips his hands beneath my armpits and hauls me to my feet as he stands and straightens himself.
“How much did you hear?” he demands.
I don’t look at Arlo or the other man in the room, my eyes are focused on his and only his, and those eyes are pissed the fuck off.
“Not much,” I drawl, chewing on the inside of my cheek.
He snorts. Arlo chuckles. “Liar,” Arlo calls out.
Shifting my gaze over Massimo’s shoulder, I narrow my eyes toward Arlo. He doesn’t care though, his lips curl up into a grin and he shakes his head a couple of times, as if he finds me comical.
“What did you hear?”
“You’re going to sell Erin. Why? Why would you do that?” I whisper.
Massimo tilts his head to the side, his eyes roaming over me. He doesn’t say anything, instead he turns around to face Arlo and the stranger.
“You need to tell her,” Arlo says.
Massimo nods then jerks his chin toward the other man. “She needs to know in order to understand why you’re doing what you’re doing. Also, to protect and prepare herself,” the stranger says.
My gaze flicks from him, to Arlo, then finally lands on Massimo. I watch as he sinks his white teeth into his bottom lip and he shakes his head once as his eyes slowly close, then reopen.
“Someone I was with before you, a woman I paid, she’s been stalking you since we were married. I don’t know why, I don’t know how. She followed me before I went away, then took photos and sent me emails while I was gone.”
Shaking my head, I stumble backward. “Two of them? Why? I’m not special,” I mutter.
Massimo reaches for me, his fingers wrapping around my waist before he gently tugs me closer to his body.
“Because of me, to get to me. I don’t know what she wants, but it’s something. I want to find out, then send her away for your safety.”
“Won’t that piss her off?”
“She’ll be gone,” he grinds out through gritted teeth.
Inhaling a deep breath, I lift my gaze to meet his. “But will she stay gone?”
“What are you suggesting?” Arlo asks, sounding shocked and if I’m not mistaken, a bit proud all at the same time.
Tilting my head to the side, I lick my lips. “I’m sure karma will come to find me, she so does love to fuck with me. But if this bitch is dangerous, don’t you think we should find out why she’s doing what she’s doing, then take care of her?”
“We’re going to find out what she wants, then go from there, how about that?” Massimo asks, his eyes flicking over to the stranger in the room before they come back to meet mine.
“Okay.” I nod.
His lips curve up into a grin before he lowers his face and touches his mouth to mine. “Fuck, but you’re sexy when you get all mafia on me,” he growls against my mouth.
Chapter Thirty-Four
MASSIMO
Sliding my hand around her hip, I squeeze before tugging her body closer against my side. I don’t kiss her the way that I want. Tonight, we’re watching. For whatever fucking reason, I’ve allowed Pippa to be with me when I not only watch Erin, but also talk to her.
The element of surprise is essential in this situation. I don’t want Erin to come up with some bullshit or hide from me. She’s going to answer to me for what she’s done.
I feel as though I’ve become softer, though I’m not sure that I hate it as much as I thought that I would. Being soft for Pippa doesn’t seem like such a bad thing. If there was ever a person that I wanted to let in, it is definitely her.
“She’s beautiful,” Pippa whispers.
Throwing some chips down, I hold my cards up as I shift my gaze over to the table where I know Erin is cuddled up to her client for the evening. Pippa presses against me closer, her lips touching my earlobe, her teeth tugging gently, the sensation going straight to my cock before she speaks.
“She’s watching us.”
I snort before I let out an exhale. “Yeah.”
“Did you love her?”
I almost let out a gigantic bark of laughter, but I keep it in before adding a little more money to the middle. I could lie to Pippa, tell her that I felt something for Erin, maybe it would make me look like less of a fucking asshole—but I don’t.
“I didn’t know her name until after we were married, when she suddenly started to become a bit of a problem. Though, I couldn’t have imagined she’d be this much of a fucking ordeal, especially five years later.”
Pippa doesn’t say anything else. I expect her to, but she stays quiet. I can sense her watching Erin, taking in her every move. We don’t say anything else to one another, I’m sure that she’s lost inside of her own head and I’m trying to watch Erin and play this game.
“She’s not beautiful, by the way,” I say much later in the evening.
I’m finished playing cards and standing with my back to the bar, Pippa’s body is curled in front of mine, her hand placed at the center of my chest while she looks to the side of the room where I can’t see without turning my head.
With a whiskey in one hand, my other firmly gripping her gorgeous ass, I scan the casino. Erin walked away a while ago, making her way to a sex room to fulfill what she’s been paid to do.
I never fucked her here. I always visited her at her place, a house where several women live together. We have them all over the city. The women are brought here in SUVs every night for work.
Those who have clients at their homes, don’t come in that day. It’s a complete schedule that Arlo has fucking spreadsheets on.
I don’t know how he does it, but between him, Mia, and the house madams, they have it all figured out. Who does what, who doesn’t do what, and what clients they will fit with best. Since I’ve been gone, they’ve added men, which has a whole separate clientele and a whole separate list to keep track of.
Pippa’s hand slowly slides up the center of my chest, her fingers finding their way to my throat, curling around the side. Shifting my head to face her, I dip my chin down and look into her eyes. She licks her bottom lip before her teeth sink down on the plump skin.
She’s horny.
She wants me, wants to get off, and I’m not going to make her wait a moment longer than she has to. Shoving my hand in my pocket, I send Arlo a text asking him what room is available.
ARLO: ROOM TWO. ERIN IS IN ROOM THREE.
I snort at his response and the fact that he felt the need to tell me where the bitch is.
KEEP HER UNTIL I’M FINISHED?
ARLO: HAVE FUN WITH YOUR WIFE. SHE’LL BE WAITING FOR YOU.
Without another word, I reach for Pippa’s wrist, tugging it off of my neck before I spin and start to walk away from the bar, dragging her behind me. She giggles, and I know she’s had a little too much to drink, but not too much that she’s completely shitfaced.
Walking straight for room two, I turn the knob, pushing it open before I step inside. Pippa hurries into the room, walking straight over to the bed. Closing the door behind me, I flip the lock before I slowly turn around to face her.
Pippa watches me from the side of the bed, her big
blue eyes on mine. “You in pain?” I ask.
She shakes her head once, but I can see the need in her eyes, a need that she’s replacing with sex right now. I can’t say that I’m sorry about her choices, I’m certainly not. But, I also know that addiction, especially to painkillers can be an excruciating thing to go through.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a blunt and a lighter. I light the smoke, holding it to my lips before I pass it over to her. She takes it without question. I watch as she wraps her lips around the blunt and my cock stiffens beneath my zipper, imagining those lips wrapped around it while on her knees for me.
Who would have thought watching a woman smoke would be as fucking hot as watching my wife do it?
“Take off your clothes,” she rasps.
Smirking, I do exactly what she wants, slowly. Her eyes roam over my body with each article of clothing that I peel off until I’m completely naked. I think this could be the first time ever that I’m naked and she’s still clothed.
I can’t deny that in this room, her drunk and on her way to high, it’s a fantasy that I never thought I had, but I fucking do. Reaching for my hard length, I wrap my fingers around it and stroke myself.
“Massimo,” Pippa purrs.
Licking my lips, my eyes drag down her body before lifting back up to her face. “Suck me,” I hoarsely demand.
Her lips turn up into a grin, a sly one. She makes her way toward me, still wearing her tight dress and high heels. Once she’s close enough for me to reach, I take the blunt from her.
Lifting it to my lips, I dip my head in a silent demand for her to lower to her knees. Reaching for her chin, I touch her there, lifting her face before she sinks down.
“Panties off, lift your skirt to your hips, I want to watch you touch yourself while you suck me off.”
Goosebumps appear on her skin and I watch as she shimmies her panties down, kicking them to the side before she lifts her skirt to her hips, exposing her bottom half to me. Unable to let her immediately drop to her knees, I reach between her legs and slip my fingers through her folds. She’s wet, so fucking wet already.
Becoming the Street Boss: A Zanetti Famiglia Novel Page 25