La Dolce Vita: Romantic Suspense (Battaglia Mafia Series Book 7) Read online

  Yes. Of course, she liked it.

  The aftershock exploded in her pelvis and radiated pleasure all the way to her seizing heart. Marietta’s lashes fluttered shut, and she dug her nails into the mattress as his rock hard length, thicker than it was long, plunged deeper and deeper. Beyond protesting over his throttling, she sucked in a strained breath and held tight to her whimper. Lorenzo drilled every inch of himself in and out of her channel, slick with heat and sensitivity she felt the plunges and thrusts repeatedly. His hairy thighs forced her legs to spread into a rigid V-formation, and kept her pinned to the bed. She pushed back in desperation to take his cock deeper and control his rhythm. He loved her from behind, but it was the vaginal stress of his continued thrusting that had her switching from gasping for mercy, to writhing with pleasure. In the past, and most often, he was tender during their lovemaking. It was only when she denied him sex for longer than a few days that he became this beast.

  "So good, so fucking unbelievable," he groaned and bit her ear while screwing in and out of her. His thrusts slowed as if he savored the position he forced them into. Still, he pushed down with his pelvis and drove her forward, while his penis drilled her with his short repetitive strokes.

  "I need you, Marie, yeah, yeah, cara, this, need more of this, so much, so much," he panted. "Bimba, dammelo! Ummm, yes, like that too. Apri le tue gambe; sei bagnata--spread your legs; you're so wet!" he chuckled. He dropped his forehead to the back of her head and gripped the top of the mattress. His thrusting put more pressure on her, as his hands slipped underneath to grasp both of her breasts and squeeze. When he quickened his movements, she worked her ass and tried to cinch her inner walls on his invading manhood, hoping to drag him down to climatic bliss. Marietta squeezed her eyes shut and found pleasure, the sliver of it that Lorenzo offered when he swirled his hips and screwed her faster and faster.

  "Mannaggia!" he shouted, and all of him went rigid behind her as she felt his searing release fill her. He collapsed. His weight wasn't the worst of it. He rolled over onto his back and smacked her ass. He reached over for his pack of forbidden cigarillos and remembered. He tossed them back to the night table.

  "I love you, Marie. You love me?"

  He often asked her that question after they made love. It finished him off to hear her say he was her king.

  She laid still, didn't move or speak.

  "Marie?" He rubbed her sweaty buttocks in a manner so soft and tender her eyelids shut. "You're so fucking beautiful, Marie. Even pregnant you're fucking beautiful. I want my wife. I need her. Are you okay? The baby?"

  Now he asked about the baby? After nearly fucking her into labor? She smiled. He continued to massage her ass and the back of her thighs. Her eyes opened again. She reached over and touched his face. She leaned in and kissed his lips. "I love you. You know you're my king, honey," she said in a bland tone that made his brows lift with concern.

  "You haven't let me touch you in eight days. I missed you so bad. It's not my fault I lost control." He turned his face to kiss her palm. Lorenzo pulled her over to him and put her against his chest. Marietta broke. The tears flowed. Not from the rough sex. That happened between them at times. She cried for the fear she carried in her heart. The fear she had for her sister. She held on to him and let her sorrow go. He caressed her back and tried to calm her. To be wrapped up in his arms was the best part of the sex they shared. Just having him hold her. She wished she could return his passion. She wished she didn't have so many doubts. But the pregnancy and the past few weeks had left her confused, depressed, angry, and worst of all afraid. They fought more. She fretted more.

  He kissed her before he turned over to leave the bed. "No," she pleaded.

  "I'll be right back," he said.

  With great reluctance, she accepted his departure from her arms and turned over to hold herself with her hand to the soft swell of her baby. She closed her eyes. Still, her tears wouldn't stop. So she grabbed his pillow and hugged it to her. She buried her face into the downy softness and inhaled his cologne and sweat. There was water running behind her. She could hear the jets. The large circular spa tub was to the left of the room and was surrounded at every angle by tall windows. While a person soaked in its waters they could gaze out to the ocean and the islands in the distance. Lorenzo returned. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. He put her into the tepid waters. She was grateful for the care when he eased in with her. He soothed her. He washed the parts of her he could reach. He rubbed the swell of her belly where life was growing, and from their reflections in the window, she could see him smiling. He was so excited to be a father. He touched her belly often.

  They didn't talk.

  They didn't have to.

  Marietta relaxed and gave her husband complete control.

  ***

  "It's so beautiful, Lo," Marietta said.

  The night wind dried her hair. The edge of the veranda had no guardrails or gates. From their villa, perched high on the mountain cliffs, she could see the rocky shore. It was a drop that stretched downward more than fifty feet into a turquoise blue sea. A few sailboats glided over the calm dark waves with lamps on their sails. The light reflecting off the sea twinkled like scattered diamonds. The sky was clear and a million stars sparkled against the abyss. One of the boats docked near the pier was theirs. After sunset they had sailed here, and would stay for the night. Lorenzo folded his arms around her, putting both hands on her tummy. He tickled her belly piercing. "Isn't it time to take this out?"

  "Yeah, I will," she agreed.

  "How do you feel now, cara?" he asked.

  She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet smell of Capri. An island made of cliffs and rocky ridges that made her feel as if she were standing at the center of the universe. She finally felt calm. But the guilt of leaving her sister, even for a few nights, was still chained to her heart. She turned and looked at her buff tanned husband. He towered over her short petite frame. She touched his bare chest.

  "I know you've missed me."

  "I understand. Things are hard for everyone now with Mirabella not feeling well."

  "She's better. Every day she gets better," Marietta said and blinked away her tears.

  He lifted her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "Then why do you push me out of our bed? Why do the doctors tell me your pressure is constantly up, and I need to watch you closer? And sex? What of that? I need you, Marie. The doctors said we could have sex, so why not give it to me?"

  "Lo, good grief. It can't be about you all the time. My sister is hurting. And I'm pregnant."

  "And being pregnant doesn't end us, does it? Is it not a joy for you to carry my child?" he asked. "Gio said Mirabella had sex with him often when she was pregnant."

  "Are you talking to your cousin about our sex life?" she asked.

  "No... I say things, at times, yes. I am trying to understand. I want more sex."

  "And this isn't always about what you want," she said.

  "I say it is," he insisted with a smile.

  One look into his eyes and she saw how intense his love burned for her, and it made her flush with frustration. They may have problems, but sex was never one of them. From the first moment she let him have her body, he'd been obsessive about the physical aspect of their marriage. And she knew it wasn't an act. The man loved to fuck. He loved to fuck her. Marietta could admit he was a jerk at times, but he'd been a good boy lately. She opened her mouth to tell him the truth. The only reason why Marietta carried his baby was to please him and save her marriage. And she felt like an idiot for being so desperate to do so. If she had a choice, she wouldn't be pregnant. But he stared at her, and she remembered the most important thing. She loved him. No matter how infuriating, demanding, and stubborn she was, he loved her too. He was her life. And so was their child.

  She sighed in defeat. "I'm just stressed."

  "About what?"

  "Everything. I help run a company. My body is changing every day,
and I don't want to do anything to hurt the baby. And then there is Mirabella. She's not well. No matter what you or Gio say, I'm her sister, and I can see it. She's not well."

  "She will be okay, Giovanni will make sure of it," he reassured her.

  "Some days yes. But there are other days. Once Mirabella was so lost in thought, she didn't recognize me for a minute. It was as if her mind blinked out for a second and she didn't know me anymore." Marietta walked away from him. The cool night wind blew her sheer robe and uncovered her nightie, a black silk gown that stopped mid-thigh and was a bit tight around her hips and midriff because of her tiny belly. Her hair was wet at the ends from the bath. But still, her head was covered in thick dark ringlet curls. She brushed it from her eyes when the wind blew stronger.

  "She told me what Kei Hyogo did to her. How he poisoned her. She thinks he raped her more than once. She doesn't remember it, and Giovanni won't speak of it, so she's trapped in her mind trying to figure out what really happened. She's in so much pain still," Marietta said. "When I met her she was so open and full of love, now she's different. Less trusting, less forgiving, and you know me. I'm the one that always needs forgiveness."

  "Never. Marie, look at me." Lorenzo insisted. "You are the special one. Not her. And you never have to ask for forgiveness from her or anyone for being who you are."

  She glanced up into her husbands eyes. Lorenzo put his hand to his heart. "On my life, I swear to you, cara, none of that happened to your sister. Giovanni had her checked by the doctors. There was no rape. And nothing is going to take her away from you. The China man is dead. She is safe. You are too. It'll never happen again."

  "This woman that's out there. Isabella? She is the reason we got together, Lo. She has been stalking us from the very beginning." Tears welled in Marietta's eyes. He didn't deny it. "She knows the truth, Lo. She knows what you did. Remember she was the one that sent me the tape. She's the one who had my sister taken. She's out there!"

  "Is that what this is about? Why you keep pushing me away?" He took a step toward her. "You think my secret is going to surface?"

  "I'll die for you. I don't care what happens to me. I've proven that, Lo. I'd kill us both before I’d let them come and take you from me. But yes, I'm scared, and worried, and when I look at you, I'm afraid for everyone, not just us. This secret is going to come out eventually. And we have a child to think of. What will happen? What?"

  He grabbed her head with both hands and kissed her forehead. "Cara, cara mia, no, no, never will anything happen to either of you. I am hunting that bitch. And I will find her and slit her throat, take her tongue, rip out her fucking heart."

  "She's your sister," Marietta said in horror.

  "She's nothing to me. Puttana! Nothing. You are my priority," he lifted her face in his hands. "I have been selfish. You need me to be selfless. Trust me. Have faith, Marie. Protect our baby, and I'll protect our family."

  She nodded.

  She rose on her toes and brought her lips up to meet his. The kiss they shared healed her heart, and she had a little faith restored again. She hugged him. He hugged her with his chin gently resting on the top of her head.

  "You're pregnant," he said. "The doctors have already warned you about how delicate the first part of the pregnancy is for you. No stress. Do you hear me? Just happiness. Lots of happiness for you, cara mia."

  "Mmm, yes, happiness," she said. And to her delight, he scooped her up into his arms again.

  "Want another ride?" he asked.

  "You sure you're up for it?" she asked and held on to his neck. Lorenzo chuckled and carried her back inside. She rested her face against his chest. He walked into their bedroom and laid her on the bed gently. He joined her. He held her as she lay on her side with her back to him, and his hand kept caressing her belly. There was no hurry for either of them. The intimacy was the best prelude to sex.

  "Carlo returns from America today or tomorrow," Lorenzo said. "I'll have some business with him and Gio, and then I think we need to go back to Bellagio. A week or two of me and you together."

  "Did he find Shae?" Marietta asked and turned to face him. "Did he say anything?"

  "Shae ended this affair. He's over it."

  "No I don't think he is," Marietta said.

  "How would you know?" Lorenzo asked.

  "He's my friend too Lo."

  "He's not your concern. It's best that we leave it at that," Lorenzo said.

  "I want to talk to her. What she's been through..."

  Lorenzo put a finger to her lips to silence her. "Carlo created a fucking mess in America. I had to call in favors to get him and Shae out of it. That's all you need to know."

  His finger left her lips. He began to lick and suck her nipples.

  "We are partially responsible for her troubles I understand that," he stopped his kisses to fully open her robe. "Never involve yourself in the lives of the men that work for me. Yes, he is family. But he is still an employee. You have no relationship with Carlo. Understand?"

  "You're right. I agree. But it wasn't my problem it was hers. And Carlo cares for her. He wanted to go. We can keep this from Giovanni. Right? I don't want to create another situation like Renaldo had in America. It has nothing to do with the family business."

  "How do they say it in America?" Lorenzo tapped his chin. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?"

  Lorenzo chuckled.

  Marietta laughed. "Okay I get it. I'm done meddling in other peoples affairs."

  "Va bene," he agreed. He opened her thighs. "Carlo's tough. He takes a beating and he always gets back up. If Giovanni finds out what he did for Shae in America he can handle himself," Lorenzo said.

  "Grazie," she said. When he cupped her sex and began to fondle her, she closed her eyes.

  "Not everyone can have what we have, Marie." He looked into her eyes when he spoke. "Not everyone should have what we have. You make me a better man. I swear to you on my life, on the life of my sons, nothing in this world will ever take you and our family from me. Don't worry about Isabella." He put a hand on her belly. "Save your energy for the baby and me."

  She settled into his arms on the bed and yawned. Her body wasn't as sore as it was before. She felt a sense of peace. "I love Capri so much."

  "I know, cara, one day I'll buy the entire island for you. Now rest..."

  "I thought you wanted to make love again?" she yawned.

  "Later. I'll have you later."

  ***

  Lorenzo held his wife in silence until he heard her light snores. The woman never snored before she became pregnant. Instead of being irritated he found her little snorts to be cute. He could listen to her breathe and touch her all night. There was a grain of truth in what Isabella had said to him. At first, he envied Giovanni for having a wife and children. He struggled with that envy because it was just as strong as the love and devotion he had for Giovanni. It wasn't his fault. His mother had poisoned him from the cradle with her seething hatred for her brothers and his father. His life was always one of second best, and his mother was sure to remind him of it. But then he found Marie. Soon he would be a father, and now there was no need to envy his cousin. Now he had an actual purpose. His own famiglia.

  Gentle and with care, he eased out of her loving arms. He pulled the sheet down and then kissed the belly where his child slept. He whispered in Italian to his little soldier to protect his mother and then drew the cover over them both. He couldn't wait to be a father. He couldn't fucking wait! He turned down the dial on the light switch, grabbed the phone, his cigarillos and lighter, and then closed the door. Outside on the veranda, he stared at the dark sea in nothing but his boxers. He didn't feel the temperature cooling around him. He was blinded by another emotion--impatience. It gnawed at his confidence and threatened him at every turn. He settled down on the long white wicker chair and lit his cigar, cupping the flame of his lighter with his hand. He took a long drag and stared out at the moon.

  Her name is Isabella, and she is t
he bastard sister his mother never told him about. He had a sister. Who the fuck knew? Mancini? Flavio? How long had she been lurking in the shadows, threatening to destroy his life? Too much time had passed. The threat to him and his family was real, but still too far out of his reach. He picked up the phone and paged his man. He waited.

  After thirty minutes the phone rang back. Lorenzo answered. "What do you have?"

  "Nothing. People aren't talking. From door to door I'm told she doesn't exist. Maybe she's left Italy."

  "She didn't leave. She's fucking close, watching, waiting!" Lorenzo seethed.

  "Of course, she is. Which makes the search even harder when I do it alone," Renaldo answered.

  Lorenzo touched his neck where his sister's accomplice had injected him with the poison. He felt a phantom sting beneath the skin. For days he was sick after having the poison in his bloodstream. He lied to Marietta and told her he had a summer cold. He knew better than anyone what Mirabella suffered through.

  "Boss, you there?"

  Lorenzo scratched his brow. He could hear the wind in the line. The noisy traffic sounds of cars and honking horns. Renaldo had to be calling from a payphone.

  "Where are you?" Lorenzo asked.

  "Roma. I was supposed to pick up Carlo from the airport, but he never showed up. I think he may still be in America."

  "Mannaggia!"

  "It's okay, Boss. I got another lead on Isabella. I'm following up on it."

  "You are to do nothing if you find her. Do you understand me? She's mine," said Lorenzo. "Put a muzzle on the bitch and hold her until I get there."

  "I will call again at six tomorrow," Renaldo said.

  Lorenzo grunted. "I'm taking Marietta sailing tomorrow, and then home in time for the surprise party. Page me. I'll call you back from the boat." He ended the call. He set the phone down and swallowed his bitter disappointment.

  The failure to protect Mirabella fell on all of their shoulders. And even though Giovanni still owned their wives’ share of the Mancini fortune, he had stopped Lorenzo's plans to take down Armando Mancini. As underboss, he expected to be punished for his failures, but this was too much. In fact, his cousin was pushing them all away. Conducting business meetings without his council. He knew Giovanni was hunting for Isabella. And he was aware that Marietta was right. If his cousin found Isabella before he did, he'd lose everything. Lorenzo extinguished his cigar and got up from the chair. He returned to his wife. For the night he'd seek comfort as opposed to revenge. But tomorrow would be a different story.