Page 34 of The Mafia's Property

“Rico was a darling while you’re were away. Perfect gentleman.”

“You keep saying that. I don’t know if I can trust you. “

“It’s the truth.”

“Why would she lie on my behalf?”

Nico’s gaze darted between us, and then he took my hand and drew me to him. “Now that I’m back, I can get to all the things I’ve been yearning to do to you all this time.” He enveloped me in his arms and placed a lingering kiss on my lips. My hands went to his chest, and I held onto him as he assaulted both my lips and my senses. Behind me I heard Rico’s footsteps and, later, the sound of the door closing. We were now alone. When he was gone, he let go of me and said, “I’m not the only one who like you.”

My heart hammered against my chest.

“Rico seems to have a taken a liking to you.”

“How can you tell?” I said, hoping to divert him from the path of thought he was going on. “He’s always finding fault in everything I do or say.”

“I know my brother. There’s a way he looks at a woman when he wants her and he was looking at you like that.”

“You’re mistaken.”

“Trust me. I know him.” Nico placed another kiss. “He’s not getting you. Not after he acted like you were dirt.”

Nico

FREYA. SHE WAS the only thing that occupied my mind the entire time I was traversing all around Europe on the wild goose chase Dante sent me on. Freya was everywhere I looked. In the women I encountered. I kept measuring every one of them to her and found them lacking. To the little things like the last conversation I had with her. To the little trinkets I saw and wanted to buy so she could wear them all. I could have bought the entire jewelry store, but in the end, I saw a pair of earrings that looked like the missing piece to her necklace and bought that.

My desire for her was like a driving force. I had come to Europe in search of a buyer and found a few willing to gawk at the jewel but not purchase it. All the jewelers from London to Luxembourg said the same thing: it was tainted. Apparently, it had passed from owner to owner and each had ended in an untimely demise. Apparently, the thing was cursed. From the fall of the Romanov dynasty to the fall of its latest owner, Saccone, everyone thought the jewel was the cause and therefore wanted nothing to do with it. You’d think having such a story would lure the nonbelievers into buying it so they can tell the story, but the jewelers were too superstitious. Or didn’t have the money but too proud to admit it, as Dante suggested after I told him I couldn’t find a buyer. I went around again to the jewelers with a lower offer and then found out the truth. They didn’t want to buy it, not because it was cursed, but because of Volkov. The man had gone around and made sure no one would buy it but him. He had either threatened some of the jewelers or made financing harder for some.

What sucked about the underground was that I couldn’t go to like Christies or Sotheby’s and sell it there. Those he couldn’t strong-arm. I was left to deal with shady parts that, while honest among thieves, were easy to intimidate if you were as big as Volkov. Even the Morelli name hadn’t worked in a place like Italy. After all that, I found out there was one buyer willing to get it off my hands. A billionaire who was also obsessed with the Romanovs, but willing to buy it from us. I met him and made the deal. Or rather, the opening of a deal. The buyer was willing to make the deal after he had seen the jewel. That was when I was able to go back to home. Back to Freya.

It was funny what being away from someone did to a person. It didn’t help that we hadn’t had sex yet. It made me think of her more. Of all the ways I was going to have her when I get back. What was even more interesting was in that entire time, I never once thought about Maeve. It was only when she called me saying we should talk that I realized she was out of my mind the entire time.

So my dumb little ploy worked. I should have been excited. It was what I was working towards. What I wanted, but I said no to her. My desire for Maeve was based on in-attainability and once I could have her, I no longer wanted her. It was different with Freya. I wanted her because she made my blood rush. I wanted her because she was artless and not conniving. There were no games with her. Her directness was refreshing and cute. I wanted more of that.

She was the first person I thought of when I arrived. And looking at her now after that passionate kiss that left me wanting more, I knew I wanted her in my bed. “I think it’s about time we stopped acting like teenagers and fuck like adults,” I said.

The previously supple body in arms turned rigid. She looked up at me, eyes wide and unsure. It was an odd reaction from someone as experienced as her. “Now?” she whispered.

I was feeling jet-lagged and barely slept throughout my time in Europe as I was searching for a buyer. “Not now, but after I’m well rested and back to full capacity, I’ll be making a call.”

“Right. Of course.”

Her face fell. She had been here for how long and we hadn’t even slept together. A sexual creature like her was probably feeling frustrated from all the blue-balling I was doing to her. It wasn’t intentional. I wanted to sleep with her so badly.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I have a whole thing planned for us tonight.”

Her eyes widened. It made her look like a Disney princess. “Another way to get back at your ex?”

I took her into my hands. “My Maeve obsession is over.” And what ended it was you. I only realized it now, but I wasn’t sure if I should tell her that yet. I was developing something for Freya, but those were feelings of lust. Nothing substantial, at least not yet.

Her hand went to my arm and stroked it. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not losing sleep over her, trust me. I just realized that I was chasing something I didn’t truly want but wanted to conquer.” I wasn’t obsessed with Maeve, I realized, but with proving to her and her ilk that I can get her. Which is funny because I’ve been with women of a higher class than her, but never felt the social pressure I felt when I was with Maeve and her friends. Maybe Freya was right. They are snobs and I would never rise high in their estimation. Even Rico had seen it and broke with them a long time ago. It took Freya for me to realize it.

“Oh.” Her face fell. “Does that mean my work here is done?”

“Not by a long shot. All it means is that my priorities have shifted.”

“Interesting. You have another woman you want to make jealous.” The playful tone of her voice made it clear she was having fun at my expense.

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