Twisted Bonds

by Reilly, Cora

  “If you’re lucky,” Remo said.

  Nino lightly caressed my butt. “Remember what I told you.”

  “The Cosmos is the best club in Vegas right now,” Savio said as he parked in the side alley.

  Leona, Serafina and I sat on the backseat of the SUV while Adamo and Savio made up the front. “Have you ever been to a club, Adamo?” I asked curiously.

  Adamo glanced back. “Sure. A few times.”

  Savio nodded toward the front. “There are Mick and Diego.”

  We all got out of the car and headed for the waiting men. Like Savio, they were dressed in form-fitting slacks and dress-shirts that accentuated their muscular bodies. Diego and Mick lost their composure for a moment seeing us.

  “I’ll give you one more second to get a grip on your fucking dicks or I’ll kick your asses,” Savio called.

  Diego and Mick tore their eyes away. Diego was the bulkier of the two, broad shouldered, wrestler-like, while Mick looked like a runner, tall, with more sinewy muscle. Savio clapped each hand briefly before he nodded toward us. “Leona, Fabiano’s girl, Serafina is Remo’s wife, and Kiara, Nino’s wife. I don’t think I’ll have to say more?”

  Diego gave us a polite smile. His gaze had trouble not straying below our faces. Adamo came over to us. “Hey.”

  He shook their hands then shoved his own back into the pockets of his black jeans and checked our surroundings. At the end of the alley, we saw part of the queue waiting to get inside.

  “So how do we do this?” Diego asked, rolling up his sleeves.

  “One on one?” Mick suggested, doing the same.

  Savio narrowed his eyes in thought. His sleeves were already rolled up. Leona sent me a questioning look.

  “Sleeves up, Adamo,” Savio said.

  Adamo scoffed but did as he was asked. Diego and Mick’s gazes dropped to the burnt tattoo on his forearm and Adamo’s face darkened.

  “Many people know this means they better stay away from us,” Savio explained, indicating his tattoo.

  “Scare tactics,” Serafina said with a laugh.

  “We’ll need them,” Savio muttered. “You girls probably want to dance on your own?”

  I shrugged, not having given it much thought.

  “We want to have fun together and not have you attached to our hips all night,” Serafina said.

  “All right,” Savio said. “We’ll dance close to you, but if guys are too touchy each of you will have to dance with one of us so the assholes think you’re our girlfriends.”

  “You’re younger than us,” Leona said.

  Savio flashed her a cocky grin. “Barely, and we don’t look it.” He was right. They appeared like grown men, not teenagers, hardened by what they’d seen and done, and with a confidence usually reserved for older guys.

  Savio gave his friends a sign. “Let’s go.”

  Together we headed for the end of the alley and passed the queue toward the two bouncers, tall tattooed guys. Savio gave them a curd nod and they let us through.

  “Does this club belong to the Camorra?” I asked Diego because he was closest to me.

  Surprise crossed his face, then pride. “Every club in Vegas does. The Falcones kicked the Russians and the MCs out when they claimed power.”

  Savio turned briefly and smirked. Diego returned the look.

  A hard beat which pounded in my body greeted us inside the club. Everything glowed in a pinkish light and the ceiling looked as if it was made of thousands of crystals which threw the light right back. The club was crowded with convulsing bodies, trapped in the thrall of the music. I took everything in, the way everyone seemed to lose themselves to the bass, some of them with eyes closed. People rarely understood what music did to me, but in this moment, in this club, everyone was a slave to the melody.

  Excitement bubbled up in me and my pulse picked up, caught up in the magic of the fast beat. Serafina flashed me a grin, and Leona, too, looked ecstatic. We headed over to the bar and ordered a Cosmopolitan for each of us.

  “This is cool,” Serafina shouted over the noise.

  I nodded, sipping my drink, taking in everything. Savio, Adamo, Diego and Mick were at the other end of the bar, pretending to be on a boy’s night out, and maybe to strangers it looked convincing, but I saw the concentration and vigilance on their faces.

  I turned away from them, taking another sip, and began to bounce to the music. Soon all three of us were buzzing with the need to dance, so we drank faster.

  “Here they come,” Leona shouted.

  I followed her gaze, and saw a group of three guys heading our way. Nicely dressed, smiling. I was trying to come up with a nice way to let them down. Serafina was quicker. She shook her head at them and lifted a finger, looking like the ice princess she told me she’d been known for in the past. The men came to a stop, unsure if Leona and I shared Serafina’s opinion. I shook my head as well and finally they turned away.

  I gave Serafina a grateful smile. “I didn’t think it would be this easy to keep them away.”

  Serafina shook her head. “They’ll return later once they’ve had more drinks.”

  We made our way over to the dance floor and began to dance close together, grinning at each other. I raised my arms, twisted and turned, letting the music guide my movements. Trying to ignore the looks of the surrounding men soon became difficult, and I noticed how several of them danced closer and closer to us, so Leona, Serafina and I had to build an even tighter circle. Soon the presence of two guys behind me, the way they tried to dance with me, became overwhelming. I shook my head at them, but they smiled as if they thought they only needed to try harder. Serafina glowered at a guy behind her and shouted something—from the look on her face, nothing nice.

  Leona shoved a guy’s chest when he came too close.

  One of the guys behind me danced even closer and reached for my hip. I shoved his hand away, my pulse picking up. “No. Leave.”

  He scowled at my rebuke. From the way his eyes shone it was plain that he was drunk. He took a step closer and tried to bring our bodies in for a dance. A tall figure shouldered him out of the way and for a moment I thought it was Savio. Then I saw the curls. Adamo faced off with the guy like Savio and Diego did with Leona’s and Serafina’s admirers. Mick stayed a few steps back, keeping an eye on the general public.

  Adamo shouted something and the guy backed off. After that Adamo danced close to me while Diego danced with Leona and Savio with Serafina. I smiled up at Adamo who moved easily to the music and he gave me a small smile in return. Serafina and Savio had their own private dance battle and they seemed to enjoy it thoroughly and Leona was grinning too, even though Diego looked tense dancing close to her.

  Eventually my bladder asked for relief. I leaned up to Adamo. “I need to go to the bathroom.”

  “I’ll go with you,” he shouted back. We motioned at Savio who nodded. Adamo grabbed my hand and we made our way through the crowd until we arrived in the back where the restrooms were located. The music was a distant throb that still reverberated in my body, calling for me to return and lose myself again. Of course, there was a crowd in front of the girls’ room, which meant at least a ten minute wait. I really wished I’d gone sooner because I wasn’t sure I could wait that long.

  Adamo shook his head. “That’s ridiculous.” He tugged me along toward the men’s restroom.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Saving time.” He shoved the door open and we stepped inside. “Better close your eyes until I tell you to open them again.”

  I squeezed my eyes closed, only briefly catching a glance of men’s backs in front of urinals. I let Adamo lead me along, trying to ignore the biting stench, until he stopped me with a soft touch on my shoulders. “All clear.”

  Opening my eyes, I found myself in front of an open toilet stall. I went inside and closed the door, then considered my options. Touching any part of the toilet was out of the question so I started ripping off toilet paper to build my persona
l bird nest. It was strange taking a pee surrounded by male voices who were guffawing and bragging, and even their bodily noises were louder than any girl’s I’d ever heard. When I was done, I hesitated. “Adamo?”

  No reply. Sighing, I opened the door, trying not to see anything I really didn’t want to see. Adamo was nowhere to be seen. Stepping out of the stall, several guys glanced my way. If the same happened in a girl’s restroom, everyone would start screaming, but these guys seemed not to care that I was there while they peed into urinals. Keeping my eyes straight ahead, I quickly went over to the sink and washed my hands, wondering where the hell Adamo had gone.

  I headed for the exit and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. The girl’s queue had barely moved. I caught sight of familiar brown hair further down the corridor. Adamo talked to two guys and one of them handed him a small, clear bag and Adamo handed something back to them. My heart sank, realizing what it had to be.

  Adamo glanced my way and he quickly excused himself and hurried over to me, shoving something into his pocket.

  “Kiara, I thought girls need longer in the bathroom.”

  “The men’s restroom doesn’t really make you want to linger.”

  Adamo nodded, looking caught. He ran a hand through his unruly locks. “Listen, please don’t tell anyone. I’m not addicted or anything, it just helps me forget what happened. Without the weed, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at all at night.”

  “Only weed?” I asked. It was bad enough but there were many worse options he could consume.

  “Only weed,” he said. “I didn’t want you to see, to put you in a position where you have to keep a secret from Nino. You won’t tell my brothers, right?”

  His eyes begged me, and remembering the haunted looks he so often displayed, I nodded. “I won’t, but promise to try to stop completely. Talk about what happened instead, maybe that’ll help.”

  Adamo nodded but I could tell he wouldn’t. “Let’s get back before Savio gets suspicious.”

  We headed back to the dancefloor and Adamo started to dance at once giving me a challenging smile. Pushing my worries aside, I returned the smile and danced with him. Leona laughed at something Diego said and Serafina was holding a bottle of champagne in her hand. She took a huge gulp then held it out to me. I grabbed it and tipped it back, letting the prickling liquid carry away my concern.

  I definitely wasn’t lucid when we returned to the mansion. Leona was the only one who could still walk on her own, being more restrained when it came to alcohol—

  except for her birthday bash. Adamo lifted me out of the car with a grunt and carried me into the building while Savio held Serafina.

  “A little help?” he called, when we stepped into the gaming room.

  “Weren’t you supposed to keep an eye on them and not let them get completely shit-faced?” Remo said.

  I giggled when Nino came into view and with a small frown took me from Adamo.

  “Your wife is like a fucking fury when you try to take her bottle of champagne away from her. I didn’t want her to scratch out my eyes or kick my balls,” Savio said.

  “Where are Greta and Nevio?” Serafina slurred.

  I peered up at Nino with a grin.

  “Upstairs, asleep, just like you will be soon,” Remo said.

  “I don’t want to sleep,” Serafina said.

  Savio groaned, and Adamo left, shaking his head.

  I giggled again.

  “I’m not into being puked on during sex, Angel,” Remo said.

  Nino rolled his eyes and began to walk away. The last thing I heard was Serafina mumbling something about doggy style.

  Nino carried me into our room and I tried to give him a seductive smile. His brows drew together. “I told you to stay lucid. You didn’t. You’ll have to live with the consequences.”

  “Nino,” I mumbled indignantly.

  He shook his head and undressed me, then himself. I tried to wrap my legs around his hips when he joined me in bed but he gently turned me around so my back was pressed to his chest. “

  Sometimes I hate your control...”

  He chuckled and kissed my neck. “It’s as hard for me as it is for you, but we need to make sure you behave next time.”

  CHAPTER 17

  NINO

  Having a small wedding in our circles was a social faux-pas, especially if a Capo married, but I was glad Remo and Serafina had chosen to keep it in the family. It made the preparations less complicated, particularly the safety measures. Of course, it would have been even less hassle if Remo hadn’t chosen to invite Serafina’s twin.

  “I don’t trust him,” I said quietly as Remo got dressed in one of the guestrooms in my wing. He wasn’t supposed to see Serafina before the ceremony. Kiara and Serafina were really adamant about it. Kiara had been going absolutely overboard taking on the entire organization of the decoration, cooking, song selection, and everything else.

  Remo closed the last button of his black dress shirt. “Neither do I, but Samuel would do anything for his sister. I see how close Nevio and Greta already are, even though they’re still small. Serafina and Samuel have formed a bond all their lives. He won’t do anything that could hurt her.”

  “I assume neither would you, which makes this is a risk after all.”

  Remo smiled twistedly. “You’re right. I won’t lay a hand on Samuel unless he attacks Serafina, which he won’t. But I know that nothing would hold you back if you considered Samuel a threat to any of us.”

  I gave a tense nod. Letting the enemy not only into our city, but into our home, wasn’t something I was comfortable with and if Samuel acted out of turn, he’d pay the price for it. I would have killed him last time we captured him, if it hadn’t been for Remo’s veto.

  I glanced out toward the gardens where an arc with white flowers had been set up by Kiara who was now spreading petals in a path from the house down to it. She’d barely had a moment of rest these last few weeks, always caring for the twins, the wedding, for every member of this family, and while she enjoyed doing it, that wasn’t the only reason why. We’d been trying for so long to get her pregnant, without success. I’d considered bridging the subject of seeing a doctor and chose to wait until the festivities were over and we had some peace.

  Adamo joined her outside for a smoke. I sighed then turned back to Remo who put the small parcel with Serafina’s ring into his pocket.

  “I’m still concerned how Adamo will take it. Samuel was among his torturers.”

  Familiar hatred burned in Remo’s eyes. “He was. I won’t ever forgive the asshole, but for Serafina I’ll allow him to live, to be here.”

  My phone beeped. It was a message from Fabiano. “They’re here.”

  “Then go down and keep an additional eye on him.”

  Nodding, I headed outside. When I arrived at the arc, Fabiano and Samuel were crossing the Scuderi premises toward our garden. Samuel’s demeanor changed, becoming more vigilant when he noticed me. Sadly, he didn’t reach for his gun. Kiara had disappeared from view and she’d return soon. The idea of having Samuel close to my wife didn’t sit well with me.

  Fabiano gave me a curt nod then said something to Samuel, who shook his head and motioned to a spot a good distance to the side of the arc where he stopped, never taking his eyes off me. He and Fabiano looked distantly related even though they weren’t. Both the blond of the Outfit they were famous for.

  Our eyes met and I saw the same eagerness in his face that I felt, a desire to end this today, once and for all, but for Remo I’d hold back. In my peripheral vision, I noticed Kiara coming my way with the twins on her hips. She looked beautiful in a red summer dress with her dark hair flowing down her shoulders and the babies on her arms. Her face was glowing with happiness, a sight that always stirred something in me, even on days when the emptiness of the past filled my chest.

  Savio was a few steps behind her, stuffing his shirt into his pants and glaring toward Samuel. I met Kiara halfway and took Nevio fro
m her, who squirmed and twisted, wanting to walk as usual. Kiara smiled and her eyes darted toward Samuel. “Do you think he wants to see his niece and nephew?”

  “We won’t let him near the children without Serafina and Remo present,” I said.

  Kiara nodded. “I guess that’s for the best.”

  Nevio let out an angry screech when I didn’t put him down.

  “No,” I said firmly. “If you calm down, I’ll set you down.”

  Nevio’s eyes flashed with anger and he started wailing. Ignoring his tantrum, Kiara and I headed over to the arc.

  “I really prefer doll-face’s quiet,” Savio muttered then poked Nevio lightly in the belly when he stopped beside us. “How about you stop the bawling, PIA?”

  “You’re lucky Remo didn’t hear that,” Kiara said disapprovingly. Savio had been calling Nevio pain-in-the-ass for a while now. Nevio was definitely the more taxing child.

  I could feel Samuel’s gaze on us and turned to him. He looked from Nevio to Greta, but his expression remaining perfectly guarded. That was the Cavallaro gene.

  Savio grimaced. “Fuck. I really wanted to smash his face in. I can’t believe he’s standing here in our fucking garden, in our fucking city after what he and his family did to Adamo and Remo.”

  Remo could forgive Samuel for his own torture—he considered it fair game, but not Adamo. That was a mistake Cavallaro would pay for one day.

  “Maybe it’s a first step toward peace,” Kiara said, trying to put a white flower into Greta’s locks. Greta followed everything curiously with her eyes.

  Savio scoffed, his eyes flickering with hatred. “There won’t ever be peace between the Camorra and the Outfit.”

  Kiara glanced at me, and while I didn’t like the hopeful look in them, I liked lying to my wife even less.

  “He’s right.” It was difficult enough to maintain peace with the Famiglia. Luca would cancel the truce the moment we approached Cavallaro.

  Greta fumbled for the flower, grabbed it with her small fingers and stuffed it into her mouth.