“Fuck's sake,” Stefano gritted out. “Just move, Alessandro.” I raised a brow at Stefano, head of the Cerutti crime family. Their business flourished in washing money. He reminded me of Uncle Antonio, straight to the point and little patience.
Alessandro ignored Stefano and Neri, his eyes laser-focused on me. “Then vote,” I ground out. “Do it now so we can get down to the real business.”
“Patience,” Alessandro tutted. “All those in favor of Lorenzo Beretta being head of The Enterprise, raise your hands.”
Neri’s hand rose first, followed by Stefano, and finally, Piero. He’d been quiet, silently observing what was happening around him. Piero Pozzi was the head of the Pozzi family. His was the lowest crime family, making deals with politicians and growing as much marijuana as they could. They were trying to offset the balance between legal and illegal so they were seen as legitimate, and whatever he was doing was working.
“Looks like a clean sweep to me.” I flicked my fingers in the air. “Now move.” He grumbled in the back of his throat but didn’t say another word as he slinked to a different seat.
“Now that that has been resolved,” I started. “Let’s get to the issue at hand.” I stared at each of them in turn, knowing I would walk out of the restaurant getting exactly what I came for. They didn’t have a choice in the matter, and deep down, they all knew that. I got what I wanted. I always got what I wanted.
AIDA
I slowly walked out of my last class of the day and down the hallway to the main doors. I had no reason to rush, not like I did before I became a married woman. I had nowhere to go but back to the mansion and nothing to do other than getting started on yet another assignment.
My college classes felt like they were getting harder—either that or I wasn’t as focused. I’d darted to my class this morning to hand in my assignment on time, but I’d managed to get my schedule mixed up because it wasn’t due for another two days. I was lost without my usual routine, trying to wade myself through unchartered territory, but I felt like I was failing epically.
Every day was the same, a repeat of the day before. I got home, had a shower, ate dinner in silence with the rest of the family, and then went to my room. It was boring, but more than that, it wasn’t the life I wanted to have. I may have agreed to marry Lorenzo, but I hadn’t signed my life away in the process.
But this morning had been different. Lorenzo had been in the car with me, and I’d…I’d snapped at him. I winced as I walked through the building doors and outside. I knew I needed to apologize, but something bubbling up told me I shouldn’t. He’d spoken to me like crap over and over again, and not once had I bitten back. But this morning, with my lack of sleep, I’d lost my patience.
Dammit. I scrubbed my hand over my face. I had to apologize. So, as I got into the SUV, I knew I had to talk to him and explain the pressure I was under. Maybe if I explained how I felt, he’d ease up a little. I silently went over scenario after scenario in my head during the drive back, trying to prepare myself for any kind of reaction he would give me. But ultimately, I knew I wouldn’t know how he would act until I’d said what I needed to say. And there was only one way to find out. When the SUV pulled through the gates and stopped in front of the mansion doors, I resolved to go straight to him. It was an unspoken rule not to go knocking on his door—I’d found that out the night I’d cooked—but right then, I didn’t care. I needed to get this out. I needed to tell him that I couldn’t live like this anymore.
The stones crunched under my feet, my breaths coming faster as the doors opened up. I didn’t stop to greet anyone like I normally did. Instead, I beelined it for his office, hearing voices the closer I got.
It didn’t register at first because I was going over and over in my mind what I was going to say and how I was going to say it. It was only when I got within a couple of feet and saw the door wide open that I realized Lorenzo wasn’t alone.
I halted. Wondering if I should wait. Then a moan rang out.
What the…
I stepped closer, blinking several times, swearing my eyes were deceiving me. But they weren’t. I was seeing the truth. Seeing who Lorenzo really was.
A head full of long dark hair turned, a face appearing, and I gasped. Laid out on his desk was a naked woman, the one who had been here to give his office a makeover. She lifted her red-painted lips up into a smirk and winked at me, and all the while Lorenzo pounded into her over and over again.
Her chest bounced with each of his movements, and when he hit a spot she must have liked, her back bowed. She was fully naked, her small breasts pointed to the ceiling, but Lorenzo wasn’t. I could barely see any of him, other than his hips pistoning forward.
“Lorenzo,” she moaned, and he looked at her face, but she wasn’t staring at him. She was looking at me, trying to prove some kind of point that I wasn’t even aware of. Why would he do this? I didn’t understand.
Lorenzo turned, and I took another step back. It was on the tip of my tongue to apologize, but that disappeared as soon as his gaze met mine. He didn’t stop. He carried on pounding away at her.
My hand drifted to my mouth, my eyes welling up. We were married. Not in the traditional sense, but we’d made vows, and he was breaking those vows for everyone to hear. It wasn’t a real relationship—that was being made crystal clear.
But this?
This was disrespectful on every level.
And I’d be damned if I was going to let him see it was affecting me. So, I pushed my shoulders back, moved my hand from over my mouth, took one final look at them, then spun around. My feet carried me to my bedroom, slow and steady, my heart thrumming so loud I could hear it pounding in my ears.
I just had to make it to my room, then I could let it all out. I could allow the tears to fall. I could mourn the loss of a fake relationship that was never there. I could make peace with the fact that this would be my life now.
My shaking hand turned the door handle, and slowly I stepped inside, too scared to make any sudden movements in fear I would fall apart. My life had been turned upside down in the last month. Everything had changed, and it was all because of him.
I’d let him control how I was feeling. I’d taken everything he’d given me and not questioned it. I’d been meek. I’d been the good Italian girl. But that wasn’t who I was—or who I wanted to be. I didn’t deserve this. I didn’t deserve any of it.
The sight of my brand-new dress hanging on the back of my door had a lone tear streaming down my face. He expected me to be the good wife, attending functions with him and not having an opinion of my own. But he was mistaken.
I promised myself I wasn’t going to take this. I wasn’t going to be the good girl he thought he was getting. I wasn’t going to be silent. I wasn’t going to take his bullshit anymore.
He’d drawn the battle lines. But he had no idea who he was messing with.
CHAPTER 9
LORENZO
I paced the foyer, cursing as I stared at my watch for the tenth time in the last minute. We were going to be late, and I didn’t do well with being late when it wasn’t my choice.