Page 54 of Spice and Revenge

“Can you even take a pan out of an oven, brother?” Fabio snorts as Leo slips his hands into the thick, wool material.

“I feel insulted.”

Leo’s reply is lighthearted, and I watch closely as he bends to carry the tray out.

A pleasant aroma wafts through the kitchen, tempting my taste buds. Leo places the tray on the counter, and I observe the golden-brown sardines glistening with savory goodness, thecombination of the crispy exterior and the succulent, flavorful filling.

“Wow, you did that without burning yourself,” Fabio slaps Leo’s shoulders. “I’m proud of you.”

“He would have burnt himself if Lorena hadn’t given him the mitten,” Aurora adds, and they both snicker.

“I’ll cut off your allowances if you keep taunting me,” Leo says in a gruff voice.

The laughter gets louder, and I can’t help the chuckle that slips out of my lips. Leo’s eyes meet mine, and I swallow thickly at the intensity of his gaze.

Biting my lip, I look away quickly before the twins can notice anything. I distract myself by sprinkling the baked sardines with fresh parsley and a squeeze of vibrant lemon. I have no idea if I’m making a total mess of the meal, I just need to be doing something with my hands to distract me from my sudden realization.

The sinking realization that I’ve gone and fallen for Leonardo Vitale.

Hard.

How did I not notice myself being pulled into his orbit?

It happened so fast. Too fast for me to do anything about it. Not that I would have even been able to. From the first moment, I should have walked away when I felt that primal attraction.

None of it was normal for me, but I told myself I could control it. I told myself I was stronger than whatever feelings Leo could elicit in me. Silly me for not realizing how bad things had gotten when I couldn’t pull the trigger on him. I should have packed my things and run as fast as my legs could carry me when I saw myself hesitating.

At least then, I would have still been able to lie to myself that he means nothing to me.

Why him?

Why couldn’t have I fallen for Maximo? It just makes more sense, and at least then, I know we may have some sort of future together. But there is no future for Leo and I. No matter what I think I feel for him now, it’ll never make me forget that he’s the reason I don’t have a family anymore.

This love is built on a patch of thorny, parasitic weeds, and eventually, it’ll get strangled out by bitterness and hate.

My newfound feeling is irrelevant, though. Leo doesn’t love me. I’m not even sure a man like him is capable of love. If I were smart, I’d stay as far from him as I can, and end this before it goes too far and it destroys me. If I were smart, I’d forget all about the brown eyed Don who makes my heart sing and bleed at the same time.

I have a feeling, though, that I’m already too far gone to be saved.

Chapter Twenty

Leonardo

I sit in my library, surrounded by shelves of books and the comforting scent of aged paper. The room is dimly lit, with the soft glow of a desk lamp casting a warm ambience.

For the past two hours I’ve sat here, all I’ve done is think about Lorena. It’s late at night, and I needed a change of scenery from working in my office all day. The moment I sat down behind this desk, I realized what a bad idea coming here was.

The first time I touched Lorena, heard the sounds of her moans and felt her slick heat against my fingers was in this library. I can vividly recall the way her moans filled the air, echoing through my pounding chest. The arousal in her eyes lingers in my memory. The way she’d moaned my name that night as I pressed her against a bookshelf, not caring if someone walked in on us. Her touch, gentle and electrifying, still sends shivers down my spine.

I miss her.

It’s pathetic, considering I just saw her yesterday, and we live in the same house. But ever since the night atSinz Swing, I haven’t touched her the way I want to.

I’ve been a mess. The torture of seeing her around, having her smile at my siblings, laugh at something her kitchen assistants say, and talk to me like I’m just her boss, makes me want to ripmy hair off my head. The torture of having her around me and not being able to do anything about it is at times too much to bear.

I am a follower of rules. I have principles and standards which I follow to the core. I have an orderly way of doing things, and these constructs are what make me the ruthless businessman and mafia leader that I am today.

The mere thought of Lorena makes me want to break all those rules. I never have sex with my employees and have them retain their jobs, yet she still has hers. I never have sex with the same woman more than once, yet I want to have sex with her over and over again till we both can’t breathe. I never kiss women on the lips, yet I want to know what she tastes like, to feel our tongues intertwine in a delicate dance. I never feel anything for the women I sleep with, yet my heart pounds at an irregular pace whenever I think about her.

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