He flushes. “No, I’m sorry, Daddy.”
I grin at him. “You will be if you keep this up. Sleep, Sandro.”
He takes a few deep breaths but closes his eyes, and I stroke his hair until he falls into a deep sleep. It doesn’t take long, the excitement of tonight wearing him out after so long out of the game.
There’s more we need to discuss. His role in the Family, for one. Was this his last stand? Or the beginning of him understanding he can beSandroandAllesandroat the same time?
I know what I saw, what I felt, but this isn’t like with Hollis and Benjamin, or even Roman and Emilio. I cannot sway his choice in either direction. After having his life ripped from him so viciously, this is a choice only he can make, but he doesn't have to do it alone. No, my Little One will never be alone ever again.
Giving him one last kiss, I get up from the bed, pulling out my phone to check Hollis’s location—he’s not the only one who keeps tabs on everyone.
Thankfully, Hollis is in the bedroom we’ve barely used, rather than his office. This conversation will be so much easier without prying eyes, or ears.
Leaving Sandro is harder than it should be, but I do, closing his door firmly so no one disturbs him.
Cristian stands in the doorway to his room, watching me, with questions in his eyes that I don’t owe him the answers to. If Sandro wants to tell his friend what’s going on, he’s welcome to, but I don’t have time for whatever dumbass thing could come out of his mouth tonight.
Walking away, I take satisfaction in knowing he can’t touch me anymore. Whatever obligation I felt toward him for so long, the guilt that sat in the back of my mind for years, even after I willingly left him behind…it’s no longer there.
Ifind Hollis in our suite, sitting in the chair he’s dragged into the bedroom, laptop on his lap, because even out of the office, my workaholic can’t help himself.
“I’m going to tell Javi to ban you from working after a certain time,” I comment lightly.
“Not even he’s that suicidal,” Hollis replies. He types something and then closes the computer, leaning forward to set it on the small table in front of him, before he stands and makes his way to me.
We don’t touch, just stare at one another. Hollis’s dark brown eyes almost seem black in the low lamplight.
“Did you have to fuck him?” His voice is quiet, but there's so much emotion wrapped in those six words, it’s as if he’s sucked the air from the room.
“Have to? No, I suppose not. Want to? Yes. And you can’t touch him.”
“Bullshit. You’re mine, Tennant. I gave you grace when you let Javi touch what doesn’t belong to him, but like hell am I going to lethimget away with not facing me.”
“He needs me, Tesoro. Like you did, like Emilio. He needs to be shown a better way.”
“Why does it have to be you?”
I reach out to cup his cheek and Hollis flinches. I don’t let him pull away, though, drawing him closer so I can hover my lips over his as I slide my fingers into his hair.
“Would you rather he fell apart? How would that affect the Little Monster? You know as well as I do that those two are as entwined as we are. Niente viene prima di te, Tesoro, niente. Lo sai.”
“That’s not the point and you know it.”
“No?” I lean in and nip at his lips, enjoying the taste of his blood. I'm sad I didn’t get to sample my Piccolo’s—something I’m going to have to rectify soon.
Hollis rips himself away from me. “You know what he’s done!” he hisses. “I may allow him to live because Emilio needs him, but I am not comfortable with you getting so close to him.”
I watch him for a long moment before saying, “You know what I discovered today? You and he aren’t so different.”
Hollis laughs bitterly. “Explain that one to me.”
“Go rewatch the video, Hol. It’ll show you how right I am when I say that I’m the only one who’s ever fucked Allesandro with his consent.”
Hollis sucks in a breath, his hand dropping to his scarred wrist, wrapping his fingers around it, as if keeping it hidden will prevent his self-harming thoughts.
“He didn’t have to say the words for me to read his reactions. Go rewatch if you need to.”
Hollis shakes his head. “I don’t need to. I believe you. That…fuck. I didn’t expect that, but…everything put together, it makessense. Who knows the horrors he endured with that father of his. From the research I’ve been able to find, the guy made Georgio and Sergio look almost sane.”
