Simeon says, “Valentin, why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s his business, and I’m a private person, as you know. I’m telling you now because I have very rigid rules for him and parameters for others to ensure his safety and mental health.”
“Where’s he from?” Anders asks.
“Milan. Our families know each other. He needed a fresh start.” I don’t like lying to my friends, but now that we’ve gone down this path, I’m committed to concealing Giovanni’s true identity. If the other mob families knew the rightful heir to the Aponte family is alive and well in my possession, it would make him a target. “This is his first foray into BDSM, so we’re taking it slow. I’d like to bring him around, but he’s skittish. Requires a wide berth. Has a lot of triggers. No touching or name-calling. And he cannot have any drugs or alcohol because he’s also a recovering addict.”
Their expressions reflect some alarm at that admission. “You care for him,” Simeon says.
“Tremendously.”
“People tend to give you a wide berth already,” Anders says and glances at the table next to us where my men scan our surroundings, always on alert.
“Why don’t we take the boat out on Saturday?” Johann suggests. “The weather should be nice. Rupert will join us to make him feel more at ease.”
Rupert is a very considerate man and terribly nosy.
“There’s something else. For various reasons, he doesn’t like discussing his past. His focus is rather narrow, partly to cope with the stresses of day-to-day, so if you could refrain from asking him personal questions and stick to more academic topics.”
Johann nods in understanding. “I’ll tell Rupert to go lightly.”
“And no mention of Dimitri,” I say to Simeon specifically. “Or our age difference or anything else that might undermine his confidence in our relationship.”
They all stare at me in silence until Keller says, “He’s a really sweet boy,” and Johann follows up with, “I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Areyou looking forward to this outing?” I ask Giovanni during our two-hour drive to Bay Shore where Johann keeps his yacht. We’re in the backseat of my Lincoln Navigator with my security up front with my driver. I have a BMW I take out on occasion, but I prefer the Lincoln for long trips, helps keep my legs from getting stiff and it’s roomy enough for other pursuits as well.
“I’m not afraid of the water, and I’m a good swimmer. We won’t be going very far from shore, will we?”
“You worried I’m going to toss you overboard?” I tease.
“You might be tempted.”
“Then I’d have to go in after you. If the water’s calm enough, we may cross the bay to Fire Island for a swim.”
“Is this a booze cruise, Sir?” he asks playfully.
“I have only a loose idea of what that is, but I can assure you this is not it.”
Giovanni’s quiet for a moment, then says, “I’m not very good at making friends. I never have been. It’s why I used to drink so much at parties, to loosen up.”
I can’t fault him for it. His upbringing was fairly isolated once his grandfather took custody of him and even before then, his schooling was never very stable due to his mother’s drug addiction.
“You’ve made friends with Agnella and Rico,” I remind him. “And Phillipe.” Phillipe is his new personal trainer.
“You pay them to be nice to me.”
“I do not, especially not Phillipe. If anything, I pay him to be mean to you.”
He smiles and stares out the window. Now that we’re out of the city, there are trees and glimpses of true wilderness along the highway. It’ll be good for both of us to be out on the water. He spends too much time cooped up in my apartment.
“I don’t want to say something that will get me in trouble,” he says, still ruminating on his social anxieties. “I don’t want your friends to hate me.”
“As long as what you say is honest and polite, you won’t get in trouble, at least not with me, and I’m the only one you need to worry about.” He nods but the furrow in his brow remains. “How about this? If you’re worried about what to say, you can ask me first in Italian.”
“Isn’t that rude?”
“Probably less rude than what you might think is an appropriate response to a casual question. It will help keep our stories straight too. What they know is that you’re from Milan, our families are friends, and Silvio sent you to live with me here in New York because you needed a change of scenery.”
