Not only does she control the pace on my face, she also enters her fingers into me, controlling me from below. The tingling sensation flickers within me as she rubs my clit, my orgasm building. My hips move in rhythm with her.
“Let it out, Charlie,” Izzy says, and I do. I scream through my orgasm and scream against her, letting all my emotions out. I enter my fingers into Izzy and after a few thrusts, she’s reaching her peak.
She wiggles down so we’re side by side, wrapping me up in a cuddle. “Do you feel better?”
I keep my eyes on the ceiling. “I don’t know what to feel.”
I stand firm on the front steps, and the weight of reality presses down on me. Across the driveway, the men shuffle, restless, their faces a battlefield of doubt, suspicion, and barely concealed defiance. Mattia, Rocco and Isabella stand beside me, their loyalty unshakable. Below, Luciano, Stefano, Carlo, and Gabriele cluster together, their silence louder than any words.
I square my shoulders, lifting my chin higher, forcing every shred of strength and fire I have to blaze through me. This is my moment. “As many of you witnessed yesterday, Caterina, my mother, was alive but captured by Vince Andretti. Unfortunately, he escaped from beneath us but not before shooting Caterina in cold blood. As of today, I stand before you all and vow to take my place as the new Donna of the Cosa Nostra and ask for you to follow me in avenging my mother’s death."
A roar erupts. Voices clash, accusations flying like bullets.
“Come facciamo a sapere che non le hai sparato? Nessuno di noi ha visto.”How do we know you didn’t shoot her? None of us saw it.
“Non conoscevi nemmeno tua madre!” You didn’t even know your mother!
“Sa almeno come gestire Cosa Nostra?”Does she even know how to run the Cosa Nostra?
I lift my chin. “I know you have questions. You will be heard.” But they aren’t listening to me. Their voices are still yelling out.
“ABBASTANZA!”ENOUGH!Luciano bellows, walking up the stairs to stand beside me, cutting through their chaos like a blade. Silence snaps them into place.
A soldier steps forward, eyes locked on Luciano. “Dovresti essere tu al comando, Luciano. Non lei.”It should be you in charge, Luciano. Not her. He points at me aggressively.
Another joins, venom thick in his tone. “Come possiamo seguire un impostore?”How can we follow an imposter?
I glance at Luciano. He stands statuesque, unreadable, as the men pledge their loyalty to him, not me. The sting hits hard, anger and betrayal run through me again, but I bury it. If I want the Cosa Nostra right now, I need to marry him.
Raising my hand, I command silence. It takes a couple of minutes, but when they finally shut their mouths, I declare, “Luciano and I will be married next week. He will stand beside me as my underboss, but mark my words… I am the Donna. You have one chance to walk away today, and there will be no repercussions. However, if you stay and you break your oath and betray me, you will repay with a pound of flesh.”
A hush falls, but no one dares to leave. Stefano’s mutter reaches me. “Oh, fuck.” I glance sideways and see Luciano’s face drain, caught off guard, unsure how to navigate the storm I just unleashed.
All eyes burn into me, waiting, but I have nothing else to say. I pivot sharply and stride back into the house, the door slamming shut behind me. My mask falls away, and the cracks start showing. Voices drift through the closed door.
“Non sapevo che stessero insieme.”I didn’t know they were together.
“Possiamo fidarci che sia vero?”Can we trust this to be true?
“Alright, you heard the Donna. Stay and get back to work or leave any never return,” Mattia orders. I’m thankful to have him on my side.
38
Luciano
The announcement hits me like a punch I didn’t see coming. Charlie, who just yesterday was throwing fists at me, seething from my betrayal, now wants us to get married? Where the hell did that come from? I glance over at Mattia, hoping for some kind of guidance, but even he looks as lost as I am. Stefano, Carlo and Gabriele all hold their silence, watching me with unreadable expressions, waiting for me to explode.
I zero in on Isabella, the only one Charlie truly trusts right now. I lean in to her, my voice low so no one else overhears. “Did you know about this marriage plan?”
Not giving anything away, she spits, “Fuck off, Luciano,” and walks back into the house after Charlie. I turn to Mattia.
He shakes his head. “Good luck. It’s going to be one feisty marriage.” He smacks me on the shoulder.
I need to find her. I storm into the house, the weight of this absurd idea pressing down on me. She stands there in the foyer, back turned, like she’s already made up her mind. Isabella is now by her side, comforting her.
I take a step closer. “Principessa…”
Her head snaps around, venom dripping from her words as she pulls a gun out of her pocket, aiming it at me. “You don’t get to fucking call me that anymore.” The tears slide down her face. Isabella takes a step closer to her, but Charlie shakes her head.
