I nodded feebly. But as he began to pull out, I winced. “Ow, Enzo, that’s sensitive.”
“I know, fiore, I know.” Both hands gently spread my ass as he separated us.
I was glad for the blindfold. It was no doubt messy. He let me hang as he moved about the space. When a warm cloth pressed against me, wiping my skin, I choked on a breath.
“Are you crying?” he murmured, tenderly stroking my spine with his knuckles.
“No,” I hiccupped. I was close to tears, though. Such a powerful release, such a primal act, was giving my emotions an outlet they very much needed. It had been the same thing last night.
I wasn’t going to survive many more of these encounters with my past.
My past that was determined to be my future.
“Hush now, I’ve got you.” He unhooked my arms and carefully brought them down. “You did so well, fiore.”
The key twisted in the lock. Once the metal fell away, it was replaced with a strong, warm touch. Vincenzo rubbed my wrists. He massaged my forearms. I stood there, breathing hard.
Every time this man touched me, every time he blew into my life, I was left feeling lighter, freer—more whole.
I hated it.
Hated that I missed him so much. This feeling of completeness.
“Your groceries are in a bag,” he murmured. “They’re already paid for.”
Those words took a second to process. Such a mundane observation after he shattered my world.
I reached for the blindfold, but he caught my hands. Something silky and soft skated over them. It draped over my body.
“There.” He brushed his hands over my shoulders. “That’s more like it.”
“Enzo,” I warned, a peevish note flooding my words.
He chuckled. “I’ll let you get back to your day, Mandy. But only if you’re sure there isn’t something you want to talk about?”
I pursed my lips. “Quite sure.”
His knuckle caressed my cheek. And then his touch fell away. Footsteps sounded across the floor. I tore the blindfold off right as the backdoor clanged shut. He was gone. Sure enough, a brown paper sack with my items—and a few I did not select—was at my feet. I wanted to kick the thing. But that would be pointless. I bent to collect the bag, and the skirt of a sunny, yellow dress fluttered around my legs, reminding me that he’d dressed me.
An inhale caught in my throat. My favorite color.
“Damn you.” A single tear trickled down my cheek.
From now on, I wasn’t grocery shopping for myself. I’d just order the stuff from a supermarket to the house. It wasn’t worth the risk to have such a normal activity interrupted.
Chapter 31 –Vincenzo
Sitting in my private office, which was adjacent to the war room, I went over the accounting books for Don Morelli. My own empire had a thick stack of work to keep the businesses I owned surging ahead at full speed. But I would be damned if I let something for the famiglia fall slack because I didn’t balance the two workloads.
Someday, Cristiano or I would have to take over the Family Business. Neither the underboss nor the other capo had any sons. No one talked about succession. But I didn’t want it. Why would I, when my own empire was ten times as large in terms of revenue? Most of my businesses were legitimate, and the dirty money I funneled into them was far removed on paper. And my brother? Cristiano was pursuing his dream of being a world-renowned fighter. Plus, he had a wife and baby. He couldn’t run a criminal organization, risk going to prison, or wind up dead.
I sat back and tapped my thumbs against one another.
Things worked for now. But changes were coming to Boston.
“Boss?” #2 tapped on the partially opened door.
“Come in.” I sat up straight, pushed the ledger and pencil aside—because yes, Don Morelli preferred to keep a physical trail, rather than trusting newfangled digital methods.
