Bellissimo Lotta (Beautiful Struggle): Companion Novel to Bellissimo Fortuna (The Family Trilogy Book 2) (6 page)

“Papa,” I plead for him.

“Gia, come. Breakfast needs to be ready in a few minutes.” His eyes meet mine. “I love you, Bianca Rose. Don’t doubt that. We’ll talk later.”

My mom looks at me with disappointment in her eyes, not a look I’m used to, following my father. I hear my door open and immediately hide the emotions I’m feeling. I drop the invisible cloak over my heart and turn towards Bronson.

“What’s going on? Did I hear Mom and Dad?”

“Yes, they were just getting on me for torturing you. You’re such a mama’s boy.” I head back in my room. “I’m going to jump in the shower. I’ll catch you later.”

“You’re not eating?” Callie looks at me. I see her shock when she realizes that I’m on the verge of tears. I don’t cry.

“Not hungry.” I shut and lock my door before she can push me further and stay back to find out what’s wrong.

My phone dings. Does that boy have a sixth sense?

Dakota: Sleep well?

Me: Like a baby.

Dakota: See you later?

Me: Not today. Don’t feel well.

Dakota: Need anything?

Me: You’re not my boyfriend. I don’t need you to take care of me.

Dakota: But, I am your friend. Get some rest, cranky.

I throw my phone down in frustration.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
I crawl back in bed and cover my face with the covers. I allow the tears to come; I’m hidden from anyone seeing this weakness. Weakness in this family is frowned upon. As confused as I am, I don’t want to hurt my dad . . . or my mom. They’ve given us everything any child could ever wish for, and I repay them with the equivalent of spitting in their faces.

The knock at my door pulls my attention from my self-pity. I open it to find my father. “
Dolce cuore, come eat with your family.”

“I’m sorry, Papa.” The tears come back, streaming down my face. I don’t bother hiding them. I want him to see that causing him pain distresses me.

“No, Figlia, I’m the one who’s sorry. Your tears hurt me worse than your words.” I immediately wipe my face and sniffle, trying to control the raw emotions tearing through me. “Come eat, we’ll talk later. A lot has happened around here, and I need my family with me today.”

“I love you.” The words are so true, but yet I feel like they are a lie.

“Bianca, you’re my heart. My baby girl. Nothing will change that. La mia bambina.” He pulls me in for a hug, his grip tighter than it has been in years, like he doesn’t want to let me go. Doesn’t want to let anything between us. I hate that I’ve let my opinions, my doubts, my frustrations worm their way into our relationship. He may call me his baby girl, and I wish I were. I grew up, but when I was truly his little girl, I was clueless as to what happened in this life, and I adored him. He finally releases me and looks down, placing a kiss on my head before walking down the steps, allowing me to follow him.

Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.

~
Khalil Gibran

Chapter 6

Dakota

Bianca’s attitude has plummeted since Callie and Bronson have been together. She swears to me it isn’t that, but won’t tell me what’s wrong with her. Her games continue, hot and cold, teasing and relenting. Right now, the way she is eating her ice cream off a spoon is enough to drive me mad. I try to adjust myself discreetly on the couch; Bronson is within swinging distance. I know the moment she realizes the situation she’s creating; her lips wrap around the spoon, her eyes close in ecstasy, and her tongue darts out flicking over her lips . . . making sure to capture every last drop of that fucking Neapolitan ice cream. I. Hate. Her.

Yet, I desire her.

I clear my throat, drawing her eyes to mine, silently warning her. Narrowing my eyes and shaking my head, she giggles.
Fucking giggles
. I’m in agony over here. Our senior year is wrapping up, and Bronson still hasn’t made his decision on where he is going for school.

“You up for a work out?” Bronson draws my mind from his sister. I hate lying and sneaking to see each other, but until she gives me a clear sign about what she wants, I won’t risk his friendship.

“Sure. I’m going to head home and take care of a few things. We still leaving in the morning?”

“Yep, the boat is gassed and ready to go. My girl’s birthday and she wants to spend it on the water.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in an hour.”

He just nods at me and goes back to talking to Callie. I don’t see Bianca; she must have left while I was talking to him. I barely make it to the hallway when I’m pushed against the wall.

“Leaving so soon?” She purrs, as her hands snake up my chest and around my neck.

“What the hell, Bianca. Are you trying to unman me? No. More. Ice. Cream.”

“What about tomorrow night? I’ll let you lick it off me.” I swallow hard, my mouth full of saliva.

“Tomorrow night?” My voice raises a few octaves. I sound like a pre-pubescent kid.

“Yep, it’s Bronson’s night in our custody arrangement with Callie. I get her tonight. So since I’ll be all by my lonesome, I took the liberty of booking a suite at The Hyatt in Clearwater. My parents have a business dinner, and I told them I was spending the night with a friend.”

“You have this all worked out?” I’m not sure this is the smartest decision.

“I have a few ideas.” She winks at me and retreats back to the room. Temptress.

“This is going to change everything.” My words stop her. I see the conflicting emotions across her face.

“It doesn’t have to.”

“You’ll be mine. I’m not planning on spending all night holding you.”

“You can claim me all you want. We already agreed when we started this that when we started having sex, it would be exclusive. Don’t get all romantic on me.”

I lean down to her ear, “Oh, there will be no romance. After I touch every inch of your body, make you come on my fingers, I’ll replace those fingers with my tongue until you’re begging for mercy. When you think you can’t take anymore I’m going to fuck you so hard you’ll be reminded for weeks to come. Once the soreness eases up, I’ll fuck you harder. “ I see her eyes glaze over, and her eyelids start to flutter shut.

“Fuck,” she whimpers.

“Exactly.”

“I’ll text you the room number. I’ll see you in the morning.” She glances over her shoulder, rises on her tiptoes, and kisses the bottom of my chin.

“Get plenty of rest tonight Bianca. I can guarantee you won’t get any tomorrow.” I see her swallow as she nods.

Bronson and I are sparring. In between throwing jabs, he asks, “Who are you taking to prom?”

Shit. “Not sure yet.” I would go with Bianca but that’s off limits. “I may not go.”

He begins taking off his gear so I follow suit. I guess we’re done. “You’d miss your senior prom?”

I shrug. “I haven’t given it much thought. I don’t have my own Callie.”

He punches me.

Right in the fucking eye. I see stars.

“Or you could quit acting like my sister is a dirty fucking secret, grow some balls, and talk to me. Better yet, take her to prom. Act like she means something to you.”

I shake my head, trying to regain my vision. “I had that coming. But you have it all wrong.”

He snickers, “Please enlighten me. Tell me I’m wrong, and you haven’t been going behind my back for months.”

“We have been keeping it quiet. It’s her choice; she has some hang-ups with labeling us. If that punch was for not talking to you, being honest with you, I’ll take it. But if it’s because you’re under the assumption she doesn’t mean something to me, you’ll have a fight on your hands. God help me, that girl means everything to me.” I’m stunned by my own words. She’s opened up to me, not completely, and her games are still in full force, but she’s slowly letting me in. I don’t want to be a ‘fuck buddy,’ or ‘friend-zoned.’ I want to be a couple . . . two halves of one whole.

“Then make her want it.”

“You’ve met your sister…right? Tiny, brown hair. Gold eyes that can make you feel like you’re king of the world or scum on the bottom of her shoe, depending on which look she gives you? A mouth a sailor would be ashamed of?”

He laughs. “You have your work cut out for you. I can’t say I like it, but if any guy was going to be sniffing around her, I’m glad it’s you.”

“Thanks.” I wipe a fake tear from my eye. “Hug it out?”

“Fuck off.” We pick up our gear, and he lets out a long sigh while staring at me. “She’s going to kill me.”

“Callie?”

“No, Bianca. You show up tomorrow with a black eye, and I’m fucked.”

“I can’t ditch her.” Just thinking about what she’s planned for tomorrow night makes me want to fast forward time.

“Maybe I can buy her something tonight and get her all warm and fuzzy.”

“Yeah, good luck with that. It was nice knowing you.”

“Fuck.” I just laugh. “Okay, see you in the morning. “

“God speed, my friend.”

“You’re an ass.” I nod my head. I get home and put ice on my eye and thank the heavens he has no clue what we’ve planned for tomorrow night because I wouldn’t have gotten off with one punch.

The sun is bright, and I keep my sunglasses down as I make my way up the dock. I bend down to help Bronson load up a cooler, and my glasses slip off my head. She bends down to pick them up and sees my eye. I hear her gasp and before I can grab her and talk to her, she has shoved her brother, and he ends up on his ass. Callie slides next to me, “We should have popcorn. It’s going to get interesting in a minute.”

“
Che cazzo?” Bianca’s hands are flailing, her eyes slits, glaring at Bronson. Her voice is husky, more than likely dry from the screeching. My girl is fucking furious. I glance to Callie, and she is smiling.

“What’d she say?” I don’t speak Italian.

“I don’t know, but it’s going to get good. She switches to Italian when she’s really pissed. I know one word was fuck.”

I lift my eyebrows. “She tried to teach me the bad words one night.”

“Of course she did.” Bronson is up off his ass, and they are toe to toe. He can’t get a word in edge wise. I step forward to break them up and calm her down.

“If you value your balls, stay here. It’s not as bad as it seems. She’s hot-headed; he’s stubborn. She will blow up, rage at him until you think she is going to explode, he won’t give in and apologize like he should. She’ll tire out, or run out of cuss words, he’ll give her a kiss to the temple; all will be right in the Agosto siblings’ world.”

“So what you’re saying is this is par for the course?”

“Exactly. But hurt her and you won’t have to worry about a black eye. I. Will. End. You.” I didn’t think Callie could be fearsome, but she just scared me.

“It’s not like that.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” I’m not discussing it with her.

“Pompinara.” Bianca is still going at it. Callie laughs. Bronson didn’t like that.

“She just called him a cock sucker. That one I remember.” I shouldn’t laugh, but I can’t help it. Standing there watching her combust, she is like a hellcat on steroids.

“Hey. It’s Callie’s birthday! Do you two want to pick this up later?”

They both glare at me. She throws one more insult at him, he shakes his head and reaches for her, and she slaps his hands. “No, you don’t get to make it all better. God, you’re such a dick.”

He smiles at her and grabs her by the waist, dragging her to him. I see his lips hit her temple, and I see the fight leave her body. I’m going to have to ask him about that trick. She makes her way over to me. “Looks like the cat’s out of the bag?” She doesn’t answer me. “And can I say I’m so fucking hard after hearing you speak Italian.”

“
Voglio il tuo cazzo,” she whispers in my ear.

“Translation?”

“I want your cock.”

“Fucking hell, woman. You’re killing me.”

“I know.” And she gives me the smile I crave; the unreserved one, the one that lights up her entire face and chases the shadows from her eyes.

“You were like a stick of dynamite. I was waiting for sparks to shoot out of your head.”

“Remember that. Don’t piss me off.”

“It’s okay. You could yell at me for hours, and I’d be clueless what you were pissed about.” She giggles and grabs my hand, pulling me towards the dock. This feels right. Normal. Tranquil. If I’m not mistaken, it might be a relationship, but I won’t make the mistake of saying those words to her.

The day seems to speed by once we get on the water. Sun, laughter, friendships, and memories are made. Bianca and Callie are ridiculous together. They giggle like first graders, and each time Bianca tries to shock Bronson with her mouth, it causes Callie to laugh and roll her eyes.

My phone dings.

Bianca: Rm. 512 - come prepared
.

I stare at her, and she just smirks.