Amore (31 page)

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Shae answered.

“Shae? What’s up? You headed out?” Marietta asked.

“Yes. I was on my way to come and find you. Do you remember my friend Harry?”

“Guilleti?” Marietta asked.

“That’s him. Guess who’s in Milan?” Shae turned and smiled. “Finally, girl. I can get out and have a little fun. See the city and mix it up. You know how I like to do!”

“You still date Harry? The man is in his seventies.” Marietta laughed.

“Don’t laugh. He has strong will power. And trust me it does get better with age.” Shae teased.

“Old men have worms, Shae. I’ve told you that.”

“Bullshit.” Shae giggled. She dabbed her lips with one more touch of gloss. Then pressed them together to smooth the gloss over.

“Well you can’t drive into Milano alone. I’ll tell Lorenzo to get you a driver. He’ll have to stay with you for the evening.” Marietta turned for the door.

“Already have one. Asked a man out front, don’t remember his name, one of them cuties. He’s cool with it.”

“Oh? Okay,” Marietta walked over and smiled at her friend. “You gonna stay out all night? We have an early morning remember.”

“Not sure. Trust me, I’ll be back in plenty of time for your big day,” Shae said.

“Have fun.
Ciao
.” Marietta kissed her right and then left cheek. Shae nodded to her and watched her leave. She waited for the sound of Marietta’s door closing next to her room before she grabbed her purse and shawl and hurried out.

**

The women in the family were off limits. It was a commandment that every man who worked for or served under Giovanni respected and obeyed. This oath, along with his vow of friendship to Lorenzo, has kept him from acting on his desires for his best friend’s wife. Though Marietta rarely glanced his way, there were times when he caught her staring and saw temptation in her eyes. At least that’s what he told himself.

Carlo reasoned that the American woman was different. She was an outsider. And he’d seen her watching him. He tried to ignore her beauty, her sexy body, and that teasingly sweet voice of hers. However, last night, in the woods, she reminded him of the sweetest temptation life had to offer. There was no better pussy than new pussy.

He waited outside of his car. A two-seater, canary yellow Ferrari he’d taken off the hands of a businessman in Napoli who couldn’t pay his debts after he broke his jaw. He opened his father’s pocket watch and checked the time. The watch was sterling silver and the only token of affection he ever received from the old man. He was considering giving it to Ciro. He just might before the kid’s next fight. The watch could boost his kid brother’s confidence.

“Leaving, boss?” Eli asked. He walked up and flicked his cigarette to the grass before crushing it under his boot heel. Carlo didn’t bother to answer. Eli got the message. He moved on. When was the last time Carlo had gone through the actual effort to plan a date? He was out of practice. He’d take her for a drive and a drink, maybe some dancing. He’d be a fucking gentleman if she wanted him to be. He had hopes she didn’t. Contrary to what his friends believed, he could be as charming as Gio if need be. Yes. He’d be a gentleman and maybe learn what it is that made these American women so fucking special.

Earlier —

“Carlo, aspettare. Un momento!” Lorenzo jogged toward him. “What’s your hurry? The ladies have a big dinner prepared. Family will celebrate tonight.”

“Beh! Need to leave and check on Ciro,” Carlo said. The conversation with Marietta rattled him. When she was upset he wanted to comfort her. When she was happy he wanted to be near her and share in her excitement. The only remedy for his conflicting emotions was to keep distance between them.

“Why?”

“Why what?” Carlo asked.

“Why run out to check on the kid constantly?”

“He has another fight in Bergamo, and if he wins it we will be accepting a match in Napoli.” Carlo answered. He continued on toward the door.

Lorenzo caught
him by the arm. “Christo! Would you slow down a minute? I need to know. Did you make sure Marie’s birthday gift is ready for her?” he asked.

Carlo glanced up at him. “I have. The staff in Bellagio will make sure it’s as you wanted.”

“Grazie!” Lorenzo grinned. “She’s going to love it. I hurt her the other day. I made a comment about Fabiana. Never mind. I want to show her I support her.”

He was in no mood to listen to Lorenzo brag on his wife. He tried to step around him but Lo effectively blocked his pass and pushed him further from the door. “What is it between you and me? Are you still pissed over the boxing thing?” Lorenzo frowned.

“Ciro will be a boxer. Why would I be pissed? Giovanni believes in me. It’s my turn to prove myself. I can do it.” Carlo glared at him.

“Sure you can,” Lorenzo taunted him with a sly smirk. “And for the record, you asshole, I convinced Giovanni to approve it.”

“Bullshit!” Carlo scoffed. “I know it was Domi. You bust my balls for going behind your back.”

“Dominic has no influence. I do! I bust your balls for stepping out of line.” He poked Carlo in the chest. “It’s a good business plan and I always agreed on its investment. Giovanni wanted my opinion and I okayed it. You can do this. I support you. Make the kid into a champion. I’ll help slap him around and toughen him up if you need me to.”

Carlo looked down to Lorenzo’s hand of friendship extended to him. He set aside his aggravation and shook it. Lorenzo pulled him into a brotherly hug. His best friend kissed his jaw. “I am glad it is settled between us.”

Free from Lorenzo’s hold, Carlo nodded and started to walk off again when they heard the laughter of the women. Carlo glanced back and saw Marietta and Shae giggling as they walked down the hall toward the back of the villa where everyone dined.

“I hear you’ve made a friend?” Lorenzo asked.

“I did nothing wrong. The woman comes to me. Flirts with me,” Carlo said. “I never crossed the line.”

Lorenzo chuckled. “You curious?”

“Not my thing. You and Gio like American women like them.” Carlo shrugged it off. “I prefer my own kind of woman.”

“Bullshit. I see the way you look at Marie!” Lorenzo laughed.

Carlo frowned. Lorenzo shrugged off the awkwardness. “I trust you, brother. My wife is beautiful. I know men see it.” Lorenzo stared Carlo in the eye. “So you’re curious about the pink hair lady? At least admit it.”

“I don’t have time for this shit,” Carlo grumbled.

“Why don’t you take her out to the city? Take her to Corso Venezia, spend some money on her, maybe the Diana afterwards, and have some pink pussy for dessert?”

“Gio would be pissed if I—”

“I’ve okayed it with Gio. There won’t be any trouble from the boss.” Lorenzo patted his arm and started to walk off. Lorenzo stopped. “Be a gentleman, Carlo! I trust you with my wife’s friend. Treat her with respect. I don’t want no shit from Marie.”

Carlo stood there for a moment conflicted. He should go see Ciro and train with him tonight. Keep his mind focused. He was however the man to do exactly the opposite of what he was supposed to do.

**

After an hour-long wait Carlo had begun to consider that Shae might have changed her mind. He checked his watch again. It was early. He had time to catch his brother in the practice ring. When he lifted from his lean on the car, the door to the villa opened. A vision of beauty walked out.

“Hola!”
she said, greeting him in Spanish.

A jolt of lust hit him hard. Shae smiled for him and started down the steps. She wore a dress that presented her larger than average bosom to the front, and fit snug on her hips, before fanning out around her thighs. The fabric had to be light because the night wind caused it to lift and ripple, revealing a hint more of her shapely legs.

“All ready,” she said. Her voice had a smoky seductive pull to it that made his loins stiffen. Or was his dick hard for another reason? Carlo opened the door to the passenger side of the car. He glanced over and saw two of his men. Both stared at him.

“Gracias,”
she said as he helped her get in the car. He was forced to swallow his smile.
Gracias
was Spanish for thank you. This beauty still failed at his language, but he appreciated her effort to try. He closed the door and hurried around the Ferrari. Once behind the wheel he lowered the top. He glanced over to her crossed thighs and smiled.

Men didn’t make Shae nervous. They never did. But this one gave her the jitters like a virgin on her wedding night. Although she had many male suitors, she didn’t sleep with every man with a big wallet. The men she took to her bed, married or not, were always those she’d seen and dated for months. Those lucky blokes worked tirelessly to earn the pleasure.

Carlo hopped in the car and they were off. Shae rolled her passenger window up. It helped to block the wind from tangling her hair. The car was made for speed. It didn’t take long for them to arrive on the busy city streets of Milan. The Italian city was far different than the subdued beauty of the Amalfi. The buildings were tall, box shaped, with medieval architecture. Train cars carried people through the heart of traffic. Several cars they passed had left the passengers gawking at them. She felt like royalty in his golden yellow chariot. This was the life! He glanced over at her and then to the road. She caught a couple of his sideways stares. She didn’t acknowledge any until his quiet nature got to her.

“How did you learn English?” she asked.

“My brother taught me,” Carlo said. He shifted the car into a reduced speed and slowed to a crawl behind the others congesting the two lanes.

“Really? Your brother is American?”

“He was Sicilian. He left for America as a baby and returned later to find me,” Carlo told her.

“Oh? That’s cool. Wait? You said was?”

“He’s dead,
cara
. Died two years ago,” Carlo replied.

“Sorry to hear that,” said Shae. “What was his name?”

“Carmine,” Carlo told her.

“Have you been to America?” she asked.

“No. You inviting me?” he answered.

“Sure, you would love Chicago,” she smiled. “It’s like Milan, busy, lots of buildings and people.”

“Do you have sisters, brothers?” he asked.

“No. Well yes, but I don’t know them. My mom was my father’s sixth wife. He had other families and kids before me, but the kids were never around. I grew up as an only child.” Shae turned her gaze away. Her parents were still married and estranged from her. That’s what she and Marietta had in common. They both despised the people who raised them. Shae’s parents were never open or trusting of her free spirit. And when they discovered her profession in adult entertainment, they actually called the police on her twice to have her shut down. She cut all ties. She hadn’t seen either of them in years.

The sad memory evaporated when she looked up at two twin buildings lit by green spotlights. The monuments had columns enclosed within its walls. Carved along every angle were three-dimensional images like the raised stamps of dead presidents on American coins. The closer they came she saw more of the details. The classical architecture told a story of ancient times in the way Egyptians recorded their history.

“What is this? Where are we?” she asked. Her head went back to look up at the gargoyle statues peering down at her from the tops of the buildings as they drove through.

“
Corso Venezia
is the avenue we traveled, and there, those twin buildings are called the gates of
Porta Venezia
,” he told her.

“Gates?”

“
Sí,
twin buildings hundreds of years old. I think it used to be part of the gates to keep invaders out of the
rione
.”

After turning off the main road they travelled down a few narrow streets before he parked the car. Shae pondered her predicament. A night walk along these side streets in her heels would wreck her feet. She should have thought better of her shoe choice.

The top lowered and snapped shut on the Ferrari. Carlo turned in his seat. “Do you drink?” he asked.

“I do.”

“And you are a dancer?” he asked looking again to her breasts as if they would speak back. She lifted his chin to draw his gaze back up to hers.

“I used to be. I’m a business woman now.”

“What is your business?” Carlo asked.

“Pleasure. What’s yours?” she countered.

“Pain,” he winked. He threw open the door and Shae waited for him to open hers. She was helped out of the car and brought to her feet only a few inches apart from him. Carlo took her hand in his and began to walk her past some of the closed stores to the street. They broke left. There were plenty of people out. Some of them dressed impressively, while others appeared to be the dregs of society. Carlo marched down the center of the sidewalk. His tall brooding stature knocked several people out of his way. Shae found herself giving apologetic smiles because of his rude behavior.