Alessio
It was meant to be brief, just a show to silence any doubts Dad or Uncle had about us, but the moment our lips met, something shifted. I could taste the sweet fruity lipgloss on her lips, and needed more.
Gently, I moved a hand to her waist, gripping her bare skin with my hands. I pulled her closer and licked her lip with my tongue, wanting to see how far she was willing to go. She opened her mouth slightly, inviting me to deepen the kiss, and I did.
The reason behind the kiss-all faded away until there was nothing but the warmth of her lips against mine. Fuck it, it wasn’t just for show anymore. We were both into it, and to deny that would be a crime.
I slid my hands to her ass before lifting her up, and sat her down on the edge of dad’s office, neither one of us daring to cut off the kiss. I might’ve even thrown some of his papers on the floor in the process. I didn’t give a damn about anyone in that office. We were both desperate for air, yet neither of us dared to break away. The understanding was clear and mutual. There wouldn’t be a second time for this moment.
I guess we both weren’t stupid, and knew this was bound to happen, but we also knew that this couldn’t happen.
“We get it, man. You’re getting pussy.” Donni commented from the back, saying what those two stiffs were most likely thinking.
Hearing Donni’s words, Mena pulled away, and I swear I wanted to kill him. As long as no one said a word, I was even willing to take her right then and there, on Dad’s desk.
There wouldn’t be a next time, because I couldn’t allow there to be a next time. If she hadn’t been stuck all her life with that shrimp dick in Texas, we could’ve had our fun, but I wasn’t about to give in to my desires and risk her getting too attached.
I had seen what happened after our little conversation, the way she looked at me ever since because I had done the same. It could not go any further than it had already gone.
Our gazes locked as I put her back on her two feet. She tilted her head, her eyes displaying a storm of emotions. Surprise, confusion, perhaps a call to the lord for an answer about what the hell just happened.
A part of me wanted to erase her confusion, to pull her back in, to show her she wasn’t going crazy, and I had felt it too-that ‘spark’ people always spoke of.
Unfortunately that was a line I wouldn’t cross again.
“Do you love me?” I asked in a final attempt to persuade Dad. The kiss was enough, but hopefully this would shut him up.
“Yes,” Mena responded faster than I had expected, still out of breath from the kiss. Her answer caught me off guard and for a second, I almost believed her.
She was a good actress, very convincing too.
I side-eyed Dad, who hadn’t moved a muscle. His expression read ‘shit’ and that’s how I knew I had won before the game could even start.
“Donni?” I looked from him to Mena, motioning to get her out of the room.
“Oh, yes,” Donni snapped out of it. “Come on.” he grabbed Jimena by her arm and led her out of the office.
I looked at Dad, then at Uncle, patiently waiting for them to come with their next argument. They couldn’t force themselves to look at me, so they eyed each other instead. Hopefully to reconsider their stance on Mena.
“And you!” Dad included Levi, just like Stefano had done. “How do you feel about the maid?”
I glanced at Levi, my eyes warning him not to put me into any more trouble. Apologizing to the Donatis was already bad enough.
“I understand your concerns, boss, but I’ve had the pleasure of driving her and her daughter around, and I assure you-that they are two of the most genuine people you’ll ever meet.” Levi spoke carefully, giving me a nod every once in a while. Even though his words seemed rehearse, the respect he had for Mena sounded real.
He continued, “Jimena doesn’t have a bad bone in her body. She’s respectful, stays in the background, and all of that-beats that she doesn’t come from a good family.”
“Explain,” Dad pressed, strangely enough listening to Levi’s insight.
“Jimena doesn’t have anyone,” Levi explained. “She is willing to become a Fanucci while Maxine or any other woman you had in mind would never be fully committed to the family or carrying the Fanucci name.”
He had a solid point.
I should’ve used that against them from the start.
Uncle cleared his throat. “So you’re saying we should put loyalty above alliances.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Levi confirmed his statement.
Dad let out a chuckle as he shrugged his shoulder at Uncle. If he wanted to say something in return, he would’ve already done it. So far so good.
A wave of relief washed over me. I had been trying to make them accept her all this time, and now Levi had done it within seconds. Yes, he might’ve set me up at first-but this was big.
It also helped that he knew Mena and Naty, and could confirm she would be of no harm to this family. She truly had no bad bone in her body.
The trip to Miami had been a turning point for me, and it wasn’t because of the deal. I got to know Jimena for the person she was, and I began to understand her personality.
She lied, yes, but when she explained the reason, everything clicked into place. It wasn’t just understanding, it was empathy. Seeing the genuine fear whenever she spoke about that monster stirred something in me I couldn’t quite explain.
With each word she said, my heart filled with guilt. I was so big on being honest, but I wasn’t any better. I had put a tracker in her ring, and to this day, I could see her every move. When she opened up about Anson, I lied to her face, saying I hadn’t seen or threatened him.
And for what? To protect her or to protect myself from facing the consequences of my actions?
That night at the club was one of the few times in my life I got jealous. Seeing her talking to that guy made me furious, and I couldn’t understand why. I had almost kissed her on the dance floor; my body moved on its own, and I couldn’t understand why.
Today, I did.
We had connected during dinner. The first non-sexual connection I had ever had with anyone. I didn’t know it was possible until it had happened.
Now, we had connected for the second time after that damn kiss.
She was slowly threatening to break the wall I had built around my heart, and I could not let her do that.
Ever.
“What is your name?” Dad asked Levi. He had been staring at him for a while.
“Levi, Sir.”
“Levi, what is your background?” he asked.
Levi looked at him with a puzzled look, and Uncle jumped in. “He wants you to tell something about yourself.”
“Oh, sure,” Levi cleared his throat as if he was going for a job interview. That guy was so strange, it was fascinating.
“I was born in Italy where my dad was stationed and met my mother. Moved to Denmark as a toddler to live with my father’s side of the family, moved here when I was then-and joined the military myself for a while.”
“So you know your way around a gun?” Dad asked the only question that truly mattered, and Levi confirmed it with a nod.
“Alessio,” Dad called out to me. “Your friend is too overqualified to be your driver. Show him the Fanucci way, make him useful-and keep him close to you.”
“Sure,” I sighed, not feeling it one bit.
“After what I’ve just witnessed, I would be crazy not to believe you. You can go now.” Dad spoke after a long silence.
I didn’t wait and left his office, with Levi following behind me. I was still irritated, so I couldn’t quite forgive him yet. Of course, I knew he was overqualified to be my driver, but it was a decision I had made for several reasons.
There were men here who had been with us for years and still had to do little side jobs. Having Levi, who has only been here for months, doing the big stuff would make me look bad. Besides, he was okay with being my driver, a simple job where not many could see his face. He had a daughter, and I wanted him to still be alive to one day see her walking down the aisle.
I had many friends who were ambitious and only tried to hang out with me to climb higher up. I liked his presence because I thought he was different, honest and straightforward about his goals. Maybe I was wrong.
“Ales, wait!”
I turned around to face him. As always, his blue eyes, which usually express calmness-something we all lacked here-were now full of worry. “I didn’t mean to screw you over, it just… Stefano asked about my daughter, and I didn’t know he would use my personal opinion against you-”
“Don’t shit yourself,” I chuckled at him, watching as he ran his hand through his dark hair with stress. “Unless you’re secretly undercover FBI, we’re good.”
I stuck out my hand and waited for him to give me a shake. When he wanted to let go, I held on for a bit longer. “You single-handedly fucked up and saved my plan all at the same time,” I said, amused but bothered. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“I got you.”
I clapped him on the shoulder. “And you got yourself a promotion,” I added, making it clear I wasn’t the one that gave it to him.
“I swear, I didn’t mean to.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” I acknowledged. “But since you did-you get to come with me when I apologize to that family. We’ll leave in a few days, be ready.”
He blinked. “You don’t have to take me.”
“Oh, but why wouldn’t I?” I spoke sarcastically. “It’s part of the promotion.”
If he was going to be part of this world, he needed to understand the risks involved.
The real challenge would be facing the Baldinis and hopefully walking out of there alive.