“If Serafina knows who you are and what you are, would she admit if her family was involved in the hit against me?”
“Even if she knew, she wouldn’t tell me. Just like I wouldn’t tell her.”
“What if I went with you, and she saw we’re involved?”
“That would give away far too much since she’d never keep that from Carmine.”
“We could pretend I don’t know what you are, but we’re involved.” I don’t believe it as the words come out.
“They’d never believe you haven’t dug into my background or that if you had, you found nothing.”
“Then we say we’re together, and I know your father isMala del Brenta, and that’s how you know Serafina. That would explain why I wouldn’t let you go to Carmine’s house without me. We could say that without giving away that I know you’ve been a gun for hire.”
She stares at me incredulously. “You cannot believe Carmine would think you’re dating a woman without knowing her entire background. Do you think he thinks you’re that big a fool?”
“No. But he’ll understand you’re important to me. And if his family’s in this up to their eyeballs and you’re near me, it’ll make them think twice about their involvement.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Positive. The Mancinellis know their involvement in anything that could risk you getting hurt will cause World War III.”
“Because he knows your temper?”
My gaze hardens to the one I use to intimidate people. Not because that’s what I want to do to her, but so she understands how far I will go to deal with someone else.
“He’ll understand what the fuck’s going on when I show up with my woman.”
“Your woman?”
“Vita, you’re the only woman I’ve dated in more than fifteen years. You’re certainly the only one I’ve ever brought home. You’re the only one I’d risk showing up to a rival’s home with. There’s no misunderstanding what that means when all the men in the Four Families are the exact same about the women they date, then marry.”
She must be coming around to the idea because she barely bats an eyelash at my proclamation.
“Then is it worth letting him know the real reason we’re there?”
Chapter Eighteen
Vita
Alejandro considers my question while I work through his pronouncement that we’re getting married. It’s hardly a proposal, but he states it like a foregone conclusion. In the back of my head, I already know it is. We aren’t in love yet—at least not all the way in love—maybe halfway to being in love—but I don’t doubt we’ll get there. Something just clicked when I met him.
I know I wouldn’t have gotten so aroused on the yacht if I hadn’t felt safe with him. It had me questioning my sanity once I got back to the hotel and all the way to NYC. It wasn’t me creating a false sense of security for my mark so I could lure him into my crosshairs. The way he defended me wasn’t about me personally. I recognized he’d do that for any woman, but that alone made me admire him. It wasn’t self-serving to get me to fuck him. It was genuine and altruistic. Those aren’t qualities often found in the men I’m around.
I haven’t known him long, but he was right about how time is measured differently in our world. I feel like I’ve known him for years. Today’s been eventful—perhaps the understatementof the year. But it’s given me a chance to see him in several situations. He could’ve killed me in the car or the hotel room, but he didn’t. He could’ve gagged me rather than let me explain; instead, he listened. He could’ve let me get shot, but instead, he dove on top of me to shield me. He could’ve saved himself and Pablo and left me in the room for whoever the fuck shot at us.
The sex—the sex was unlike anything I’ve experienced before. It was like an existential experience. It has me questioning everything I know about life and myself. It was more than just special. It was life altering. I don’t know that I could go back to meaningless orgasms. I don’t bang every guy I’m attracted to who looks my way. I’m selective with my partners and return to the same ones, but I feel nothing but lust when I’m with them.
There’s affection between Alejandro and me. I haven’t had that since university. I’d told myself that I didn’t have time to miss it. For the most part, I hadn’t. But now that I have it, I don’t want it to go away. I want to hold onto it and cherish it. There was a closeness I’veneverfelt before when I sat on his cock to talk to him. A type of intimacy that made me feel like I could share everything under the sun with him despite my hesitance and even resistance.
“Vita, if we go to them, then we control the narrative. It’d be better than them finding out, and Serafina confronting you.”
“What do we tell them?”
“We met while we were traveling and bumped into each other at one of my family’s nightclubs. We’ve been hanging out, and now we’re dating. None of that is a lie, just the convenient parts of the truth.”
“We have to stick to that. If we make up anything or even for a second look like we’re withholding anything that isn’t private between a couple, Sera will know I’m lying.”
“Besides giving her a heads up, what do you want to get out of the meeting,chiquita?”
