Page 59 of Brutal Vows

Shit, I want to climb this man like Mount Everest right here in the restaurant. Before I can act on my insane idea, Vitali pulls back, his face flushed with desire. “Time to eat, little deer,” he groans. “Any more and I am going to have to kill everyone in the restaurant because they are going to see me fuck you right here on this table.”

He doesn’t pull away immediately but takes a few deep breaths. When he gets himself under control, he places agentle kiss on the side of my head and sits straighter in his chair.

“You are going to love this,” he smiles, pushing my plate in front of me. Straightening my skirt under the table, I give him a soft smile of my own before eyeing the wagyu steak and accompaniments hungrily. Orgasming works up an appetite.

The rest of the dinner is spent laughing and enjoying the atmosphere together. Being with Vitali, now that we’ve cleared the air, is much better than I thought it would be. He’s easy to be around when he isn’t being a roaring jackass and quickly makes me forget about the other reason we are here tonight.

When neither of us can eat anymore, he pays for the meal, leaving another generous tip. It is such an odd American custom. Most places in Italy charge an automaticservizioof ten percent which is a built-in tip for their wait staff. In some places, it is an insult to leave a tip. Pushing his chair back, he holds out his hand. Blushing, I take it, still feeling the stickiness of my arousal painting my inner thighs.

“Let’s go home, wife.”

Home.

Maybe some dreams do come true.

Thirty-Three

“Everything is going as planned,”Kenzo says, his face illuminated by the soft glow of the video call screen. His voice is steady, almost indifferent. “Surveillance picked up Megumi leaving the compound a few hours ago.”

He deliberately avoids calling hermother, as if distancing himself from the inevitable. We all understand what’s in store for her. Salvatore doesn’t tolerate liabilities, and she has become a significant one. It’s only a matter of time before he eliminates her.

“I can’t believe she fell for it,” Adrian chimes in, his voice laced with amusement as he leans back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. “For someone who always bragged about being several steps ahead and knowing everything, she sure as hell didn’t see this coming.”

“Desperation creates room for mistakes,” I say with a casual shrug of my shoulder, glancing at the screen. “We need to ensure we know exactly who she’s been in contact with.”

“That might be a bit of a problem,” Hiro interjects,stepping into the camera’s view with a large tablet in hand. His expression is grim. “The police scanner reports a large explosion in Lafayette. Three townhomes have been destroyed, and several bystanders were killed, including Megumi.”

“Cazzo,” I mutter under my breath, frustration tightening my jaw. “Let me see if I can get Gia to pull the footage.”

The trio turns their attention to me, their eyebrows raised in unison.

“What?”

The corners of their mouths twitch upward in knowing smiles. “So, it is going well then?” Adrian asks, his grin widening as if he’s figured something out.

Seeing as I fucked her so much last night that when I left our bed for my meeting at noon, she was still passed out cold in our bed, yeah, it is going well. But I am not going to tell them that.

“We’re making progress,” I reply, keeping my expression neutral.

“Glad to hear it, brother.” Adrian’s grin fades, replaced by a more serious demeanor. “Did you tell her the new part of the plan?”

“No, I haven’t, and I’m not going to.” Adrian lets out an audible sigh, nodding his head with a silent understanding. Gia needs to remain unaware of what’s about to unfold in Italy. We can’t let anything slip, and she needs to play her part, even if she is unknowingly playing it.

“We are wheels up in sixty minutes,” Kenzo reports. “We’ll be landing in Miami just a few hours before Matthias and Liam. Tomas and his men will be flying into Italy ahead of us. The tour company schedule has planeslanding at the airport every day around the same time. That way, we don’t have all of us landing at the same time.”

“Good.” I nod my head, satisfied. “We’ll make sure to meet you with everything ready. It’s going to be a long trip.”

After a few more minutes of idle chatter, the three of us disconnect, allowing them to prepare for their departure. Stretching my arms over my head, I gather the details Hiro provided about Megumi’s last known whereabouts and make my way out of the office in search of my wife.

I find her seated comfortably on the veranda, the afternoon sun casting a warm glow over her as she sips from a tall glass of lemonade. Her attention is absorbed by the sleek new e-reader I had Dario purchase for her, a thoughtful upgrade to spare her eyes from the constant strain of her phone’s small screen.

Nearby, Marcello stands vigil, his posture straight and attentive, though I notice a twitch of impatience in his brow. I stifle a quiet laugh as I approach, listening to my adorable wife engage in a one-sided conversation, her voice animated and light, while her eyes remain glued to the virtual pages.

Marcello’s eyes flicker toward me as I step through the door, his expression a blend of relief and exasperation. Trying to conceal my amusement, I press my lips together and gesture subtly, signaling that he can take a breather. With me here, his watchful presence is no longer required.

Leaning down, I whisper in my wife’s ear. “Good afternoon,amore mio.”

Setting her e-reader on her lap, she turns to me with a bright smile.

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