Asshole.
The thought of him coming in someone else’s mouth triggers me and I begin to lose control. “Stop it,” I snap. “Turn it off.”
“The way she bares her teeth,” he murmurs.
My eyes go to the screen to see him as he tips his head back, his body glistening with oil, two women sucking his cock in unison.
“Turn it off,” I demand. “Turn it off now.”
Emotion overwhelms me at his pleasure in watching this. “Turn it off.” I become unexpectedly emotional and my eyes well.
“No.” He rubs the tips of his fingers over his thumb and smiles as he watches. “I’m quite enjoying myself.” He cups his cock in his suit pants. “It’s making me hard actually, I may have to catch up with the girls tonight for a rematch.”
What?
“Are you trying to hurt me?” I spit.
“If I was trying to hurt you.” His dark eyes hold mine. “I would marry someone else.”
We stare at each other; raw emotion runs between us.
“That’s not fair.”
He pauses as if composing himself. “Fuck off back to France and get married Francesca, I don’t want to see you again. Your vanilla lifestyle is boring to me.”
My heart stops. “What?”
“I’m not interested in what you have to say.”
I stare at him as I battle tears, I had heard that he had changed. I had heard that he was now cold and heartless. But I never imagined…. Oh. Hearing those words out loud hurt more than they should.
“Fine.” I stand still on the spot, waiting for him to say something.
He unzips his fly. “Close the door on your way out.”
My eyes flick to the screen just in time to see him slide into one of the women from behind in a doggy position, the lump in my throat begins to hurt.
“Unless, of course, you want to stay and watch.” He turns up the volume and the sounds of the woman’s moans of pleasure fill the room.
Tears well in my eyes. “You’re a fucking asshole.”
He fake-gasps as his eyes stay glued to the screen, he is now mounting one of the girls, his knees are wide and as he pushes into her the sides of his behind hollow out as his muscles flex. “You know, that is the first time I’ve ever been told that. I’m so upset.” He mocks me as he takes his hard cock into his hands and I want to punch him in the face.
Stop watching those women…you fucking asshole.
Speechless, with my heart hammering hard in my chest. Lost for words, I turn and storm out the door and down the hall and into the elevator, the doors close behind me and once alone I screw up my face in tears. I’m perspiring and completely rattled.
What the hell?
I sob out loud as I try to control my breaking heart.
I picture him in his office right now, jerking off to those girls. Relishing in hurting me.
I wipe my eyes and square my shoulders as I prepare to face my guards and the world. Once at the ground floor, I put my sunglasses on and walk out into the foyer. I give a calm smile and walk out as if nothing is wrong. I get into the back of the car and stare out the window.
And as the car hurls through the traffic, I know that that’s it, I’m done.
I am going to France to get married and I swear on my life, I will never think of Giuliano Ferrara again.
8
Giuliano
I sip my scotch as I stare at my computer screen, it’s eight p.m. and I’m working back late.
I’ve had a shit day, it started with Francesca coming to visit me this morning and went further downhill from there. My phone buzzes and I answer. “Hello.”
“I’m just checking in with an update on Miss Ferrara.”
God, please don’t remind me of her. “Yes.” I exhale heavily. “What is it?”
“Are you aware that she’s going to Rome tomorrow?”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“Antonio just checked in to say that she’s booked the plane to go to Rome tomorrow.”
I sit forward in my chair. “For how long?”
“She’s there for four days, leaves on Thursday night to fly back to Paris.”
“Why is she going to Rome?”
“Apparently she’s working there, will be there on and off for the next few months.”
“Well, she can’t. We’re in the middle of a fucking war in Rome, it isn’t safe for her to be there.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Six months ago, we lost our support from the local police with the superintendent being murdered. I made the decision to withdraw our operations from Rome to minimize the risk and concentrate on bigger international markets, since then the place is in anarchy.
Two large crime families, the Lombardi’s and the Girardi’s, are now fighting for control of the local drug market. If either organization catch sight of me or any of my men in Rome, it will be assumed we are back in the game and working with their opponent, the war against us will well and truly start.
“No.” I sit back in my chair. “She can’t go.”
“Yes, sir.”
“See her back to Paris immediately, please.”
“Sure thing.” The phone goes dead as he hangs up.
I stand and pour myself a glass of scotch, I walk to the window and stare out over the city below.
I hear my words from this morning, “Fuck off back to France and get married Francesca, I don’t want to see you again. Ever. Your vanilla lifestyle is fucking boring and I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”
I exhale heavily as I stare into space, I sip my drink, it’s bitter and tastes a lot like regret.
My phone vibrates on my desk and I see the name Amber light up the screen.
I tip my head back and drain my glass, I wince as I feel the burn all the way down.
“Hi,” I answer.
“Where are you?” she asks. “I thought dinner was booked for seven.”
I screw up my face, fuck it, I completely forgot about dinner. “Sorry, I got held up, I didn’t realize the time.”
“Oh,” Amber says.
“I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay. Shall I order something in?”
“Sounds good.”
“What do you feel like?”
“Whatever.” I sigh. “Surprise me.”
I hang up and pour myself another glass of scotch. I sit for a moment and stare into space and for the hundredth time today, I see Francesca’s face, the tears in her eyes, the hurt quiver in her voice and I feel like shit.
It’s for the best.
*
The table chatter and laugh, happy and jovial.
Saturday night and I’m with my people, my non-blood family. They have my back, always have and always will, we look after each other through thick and thin. There’s four of us now, Alex, Val, Carlo and I. There used to be five, but Maximus went and got himself killed twelve months ago in a shootout on the docks that went wrong, it broke our fucking hearts.