He groans into my mouth as he palms my ass, squeezing and kneading, and I rock my hips against him, ready to drag him into a room and have my wicked way with him.
The sound of approaching footfalls brings us crashing back to reality with a jolt. Our lips part as Alesso reacts fast, moving us back a few steps and spinning me around so my spine is pressed against the wall. Covering me with his body, he shields me from view. “Don’t move,” he whispers as he presses his forehead to mine. His minty breath coasts over my face, and our chests heave in sync as we gradually come down from our high.
“I want your cunt again later,” my husband says as he passes by, presumably with his fuck buddy in tow.
“That can be arranged,” the woman says in a girlish voice before giggling. “What about your wife?”
“What about her?” Alfredo says. “I could bring you home and fuck you in front of her, and she’d say nothing because she knows her place.”
The girl says something in reply, but they have moved too far away now to hear.
My cheeks burn with humiliation. I’m so embarrassed Alesso heard that.
“Serena.” Removing his forehead from mine, he tips my chin up with his finger. Anger commingles with sympathy on his face, and I hate it.
I hate to be pitied.
I hate that I’m so fucking weak I’ve become a perpetual object of pity.
“He’s a fucking prick,” he says, clasping my face. His fingers sweep over my heated cheeks. “Don’t be ashamed. That is all on him. Not you.” He brushes his lips against mine in an agonizingly slow fashion. “He’s an idiot for not appreciating what he has.” He trails a line of kisses from my mouth, across my cheek, and to my ear. I shiver as his lips graze my earlobe, and he gently sucks on the sensitive skin just under my ear. “You are beautiful, Serena. Inside and out.”
Tears prick my eyes because no one has ever said anything like that to me before or made me feel more cherished. In just a few moments, Alessandro has made me feel worthy and desirable, and he can’t know how much that means to me. “Thank you,” I whisper, running my hands through his hair.
“You don’t need to thank me for speaking the truth,” he says, straightening up and smiling at me. “And I wanted to kiss you.” Taking my hands, he brings them to his mouth, skimming his lips against my knuckles. “I have wanted to kiss you from the moment we met.”
“You have?” Surprise is evident in my tone.
He nods, smiling again, and I bask in the glow emanating from his face. “I know you felt the attraction too. I saw it in the way you looked at me.”
I guess I need to work on my poker face. “It can’t go anywhere,” I say, hating to admit it. “I wish it could. I wish I was single and I could explore this connection we have, but I’m not. I’m married, and Alfredo would kill you if he ever found out what just transpired.” He would see it as a mark of disrespect and waste no time taking Alesso out. That would be a pretty shitty way to repay him for the hottest make-out session of my life.
“He could try,” Alesso growls, a muscle popping in his jaw. “But you’re right. Us starting something would not be wise.” He steps back, and I instantly miss his warmth and his touch.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
He shakes his head. “Don’t apologize. I don’t regret what happened and…I’m here for you. If you need me, for anything, Serena, you only have to ask. You have my number. Use it.”
I open my mouth to respond when we are interrupted again.
“There you are,” a tall good-looking man says, striding up to us. I spotted him earlier. He came with Bennett Mazzone. Tonight, I discovered my sister’s ex-boyfriend is the acting don of the Mazzonefamiglia, one of the five New York mafia families. This man must be an underboss, like my husband, or maybe he’s Ben’sconsigliere. The man looks at me, nodding respectfully. “Mrs. Gifoli.” He extends his arm, gripping my hand in a firm handshake. “I’m Leonardo Messina.”
“Hello.” I flash him a soft smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” His gaze bounces between me and Alesso, a frown appearing on his brow. “I need a word in private,” he says, eyeballing Alessandro.
Alesso bobs his head before turning to face me. “Will you be okay?”
“I’m fine. I should get back. Sierra is probably looking for me.”
“Remember what I said,” he says before spinning on his heel and walking off with Leonardo. Their heads are bent close together in conversation as they stride in the direction of the main lobby.
Composing myself, I forget about visiting the bathroom and head toward the ballroom, wondering how Leonardo knows Alesso and what business they need to discuss.
1
SERENA – CONNECTICUT
3 months later
