Page 187 of La Dolce Vita

“Now, but point your fingers at me."

The boy did.

"Now tuck in your thumbs," Lorenzo said.

He did that as well.

"See that. That is the shape of a pussy." Lorenzo used his pointer finger. He touched the bent knuckles the boy's thumbs tucked down in between his pressed together palms. "This is the hood of the vagina. Underneath is the clitoris. Understand?"

The boy nodded.

Lorenzo dipped his finger in the small separation made by the two index fingers where they met and the thumbs that were tucked. "This is the spongy part. Right here. You taste here with your tongue should go first. Curl your tongue up at the tip and brush right beneath the clitoris. Do it in little flicks." Lorenzo flicked his tongue at the kid. Bobby's eyes stretched. Clyde chuckled. "Don't stop until she's saying your name. And then, only stop when she’s trying to squash your head between her thighs. By then she's completely tamed. That is the g-spot. Own that, and you own her mind."

"Damn," Robert said. "I just lick and stick it. But yeah, Bobby, listen to him. Much better idea than all that talking shit."

Giovanni chuckled, and then he laughed heartily. He hadn't laughed so hard in months. Bobby put his face in his hands. There was movement to the back of the bar. The man who sat with Cutter eased out of the booth and approached.

"Heads up," Giovanni said, and the laughter stopped.

Lorenzo’s gaze swiveled to the approaching man. "I see him."

"Cutter wants to talk to you," the tall man barked.

Giovanni looked to Lorenzo and then the man. "If he wants to have a conversation then tell him not to send his pet, and sit down here with me as a man."

The request knocked the man’s head back. His eyes stretched. Apparently, he was convinced that his height and muscle alone was all the convincing needed. Giovanni looked up at him with an expectant glare. Robert patted his son’s arm. Both of them got up from the little bar table and stepped away. Clyde turned up his beer and stared at the peanuts in the brown bowl on the table. Lorenzo sat silent.

The man gave a nod and turned and went back to his master. Apparently, no one made a move unless Cutter said so. The chatter inside the bar began to ease to whispered murmurs. Cutter conversed for a few moments and then came out of the booth. He approached.

"Clyde, I think Lorenzo and I can handle this. Why don’t you go to the bar."

"You family," Clyde said and sipped his beer. "I've seen bigger battles than this."

Giovanni glanced over to Clyde, and their eyes met. He smiled. They were family. And family never leaves family standing alone. Funny how that law was valid in every aspect of life. Even here in rural America.

The empty chair before Giovanni was the one Cutter turned and straddled. He smiled at Giovanni. "Giovanni, I don't think we met properly. Welcome to Apple Grove." Cutter extended his hand to offer him a friendly shake. Giovanni didn’t offer his exchange. Cutter glanced over to Clyde who met his stare. He lowered his hand. "Here in America, it's polite to shake a man's hand when offered."

Giovanni didn’t respond. He wasn’t going to be baited. He only wanted to hear what Cutter had to say. Wanted to know if his instincts about the man were right.

"Heard a lot about you. The man who Mirabella Ellison married. That was big news here after we found out she was alive. Big news. Press, came. Even a helicopter was flying over town taking pictures. Big news."

"Why would it matter to you who she married?" Clyde asked.

"Why?" Cutter laughed. "Clyde, you know why. Didn't you tell our guest who I was? Or did Mia fill him in?"

Clyde set his beer down. "Now listen here, Cutter. We came here for a beer. Not some of your bullshit." Cutter ignored Clyde. He glared at Giovanni. Lorenzo rocked back on two legs of his chair as if bored he glanced to the sports event on the television.

“Something wrong with our beer?” Cutter asked Giovanni. Lorenzo gaze returned to him. Giovanni maintained his stare. The beer the waitress gave him sat on the table untouched. Cutter chuckled. “Does this motherfucker speak English?”

"I speak English fine." Giovanni leaned forward so he could look into Cutter's eyes. "Why don't you tell me what it is you’ve got to say about my wife?" Giovanni asked.

Cutter smiled. He glanced to Lorenzo who was now frozen and staring at him. Cutter didn't appear as brave as he did before. Giovanni saw him blink. When a man blinked it was all, he needed to know. Cutter glanced back to the table where his men sat. They immediately came out fo the booth and approached. Cutter's bravery returned. The men stood behind him.

“She was mine,” Cutter said loud enough for the bar to hear. “First. Do you know what that means? Young tender was mine first. You got my leftovers.”

A few men in the bar laughed.

“Oh yea baby, Mia was timid but eager to please me. We had many good times."

---