Page 65 of Inescapable Ties
We stayed connected, trying to recover from the intensity of our orgasms.
“We,” I panted, trying to regain my footing from the earth shattering orgasm, “Gotta go.”
“Yeah.”
He guided himself out of me, and I couldn’t help but feel disappointed at the emptiness that I now felt. But it was ok - there would be plenty of more time for that at home.
“So daring, Jaws,” he shot me an evil grin before pressing a soft kiss against my lips.
“Shut up,” I quickly grabbed my stuffed octopus, burying my face in it to hide the bright red blush that had spread across my cheeks.
Chapter thirty-four
Emilio
Lucianahadstartedtoget homesick. So much so that she was willing to be in Gennaro’s presence if it meant seeing the rest of her family. And I would not let her be alone with him - I had seen what he could do to her - so I always went with her when she visited him.
Every two weeks, we went over to her family’s house to have dinner. It was a big event, as her family - sans Gennaro - missed her, too. They would have their chefs make a multicourse meal, and to my dismay, we would be there almost all night socializing.
To many, Gennaro had an intimidating aura, with a penchant for snide remarks that had a way of slicing through the air sharper than any knife. Although this proverbial knife had always cut his family, it had no effect on me. As he sat at the head of the table, his piercing eyes darting between Luciana and me, I felt nothing. It did, however, work on Luciana. She did her best to not interact with him, but when she could not avoid it, I could always feel her deep-seated fear and anxiety.
I rested my left hand on her leg for comfort, and she smiled at me.
“It seems like your marriage is going well,” Gennaro commented, and I could feel Luciana stiffen up.
“Of course,” I replied. “Luciana is wonderful.”
“I wasn’t fond of Francesca for the longest time,” he said, right in front of his wife. She stiffened up, and I could tell she was trying to hide her embarrassment. “I think it took us three years to get along.”
“I suppose love can take time to build,” I would have liked to respond differently, but I did not want to embarrass Luciana’s mother.
“Perhaps.”
It felt like eons until dinner was over. And even then, I knew we would stay later to socialize with her family. I just hoped I wouldn’t get roped in by Rolando or Gennaro.
“Emilio,” Rolando said, motioning me over. “Come hang out with my father and I. The girls are talking about outfit planning and other girly shit.”
“Sure,” I responded. The truth was I would rather the ladies put me in a dress than socialize with Luciana’s father and brother.
As I stood up, I gave Luciana’s hand a quick squeeze - a silent promise that, despite everything, I was not leaving her alone. She flashed me a brief smile of gratitude and, with a newfound determination, turned back to the women’s hushed chatter about fabrics and trimmings.
Nevertheless, I followed Rolando into the cigar room. Gennaro had already picked one out and was puffing away on his expensive cigar. The antique leather armchairs almost swallowed me whole as I sank into one of them. The heavy smell of tobacco smoke enveloped us, making me feel slightly nauseous.
Rolando poured himself a glass of scotch from the polished crystal decanter. He offered it to Gennaro, who took it with a nonchalant nod. Then Rolando turned to me and raised an eyebrow in silent question.
“No thanks,” I said. He shrugged, pouring himself another glass.
For a while, we sat in silence, the only noise coming from the soft clinking of ice against glass and Gennaro’s slow, meditative puffs on his cigar. Finally, Gennaro broke the silence.
“We wanted to talk to you about you and your ‘friends.’”
The group he referred to as “friends” were more than just acquaintances - they were my family. Ettore, the Don, commanded our operations with a calm and authoritative presence. Vincenzo, the underboss, was often quiet but always calculating, making him a valuable asset to the organization. And then there were Felix and Rocco, twin brothers who were like two halves of a whole, each possessing their own unique skills that complemented one another perfectly. Together, we formed an unbreakable bond that strengthened our unity and power within the mafia world.
“Alright,” I responded.
“We’re worried there may be an…ulterior motive behind the warehouse incident.”
By warehouse incident, he was referring to the event that put Luciana and me in our arranged marriage. He did not put enough security in the warehouse we built and someone burnt it to the ground.
