“And your sister? That’s the real mind-fuck. Shit, people at home I told didn’t believe it until we saw you on the news. Girl! I would have met you in New York when you came. I turn on the TV and see you walking out the Waldorf in a mink coat. Bitch! I almost fell over. What is she like? Mirabella? That bitch is the baddest in—”
“Shae, drop the ‘B’ word. Okay?” Marietta sighed.
“What? Bitch? It’s a term of endearment, you know that!” Shae laughed. What she said was half-true. She and the girls used the word ‘bitch’ as a compliment of the fiercest, or as a deepest insult for treachery. It depended on how you phrased it in a sentence.
“Here they call my sister ‘Donna’. And everyone gives her respect.”
“Why is that her middle name or something?” Shae frowned.
Marietta laughed. “No. It means lady in Italian. For the family, she’s the head next to her husband. He’s the Don and she’s the Donna. Get it?”
“Oooooh, okay. I get it.” Shae nodded.
“Good, because you will call her that too. She’s really sweet, Shae, not stuck up at all, but… well the people you meet treat her special. She gets respect from everyone. At all times. I told you about this… it’s different with the Battaglias.”
Shae nodded. “Calm down. I’m not an idiot. I won’t go to anyone’s house as a guest and act up.” Shae chuckled. “I got your back. I always have. You need to relax. Remember my people skills.” She popped her gum with the toss of her pink bang from her eye and grinned.
The tension eased out of Marietta. She missed her friend. It was hard being one hundred percent herself with Mirabella. With her sister she just wanted to please her and be accepted. Deep down she feared losing the connection that they just discovered. With Shae she was her old self again.
“Are you excited? This is your big event too, the fashion show. You helped coordinate it right?” Shae asked.
Marietta nodded. “I did. It’s going to blow your mind. My sister has given me part of the company too. It’s our thing. I told you she is really sweet.”
“Yeah, yeah, but what about you, Mae? What is it you do?” Shae asked.
“You know I love to decorate and stuff. The set designs and the choreography for the runway show is all me. The music and entertainment. Girl I have celebrities calling me to get an invite. You are going to be blown away by the guest list for our party.”
“Wow! Check you out!” Shae elbowed her. “Bitch… ah, sorry, I mean, girl, you are doing your thang!”
“Wait until you see Bellagio. It’s so beautiful. The house there is mine. Lorenzo gave it to me for a wedding gift,” Marietta grinned.
“I went to the book store,” Shae said. She reached down in her bag and started to pull out books and maps. “This here is my translation book.” She passed it to Marietta. “So I can communicate with the cuties. I learned the curse words, and some of the naughty ones too. I just love Italian!” Shae looked up at Renaldo who kept driving.
Marietta laughed. “They’re Sicilian, Shae.”
“Same thing! And oh! This! Here is my map of the places we’re going. I got one for Sorrento, Milano, Bellagio, and I want to go to Venice. Please! Please take me!” Shae pleaded. “I want to ride in a gondola with Renaldo! You interested, baby?”
He glanced up and looked at her in the rearview mirror over the top of his sunglasses. Shae winked at him. Marietta shook her head amused. “Okay, I’ll talk to Lorenzo and see if he can take us. If not there’s the train. We can take it and the ferry into Venice. No problemo.”
“Goodie!” Shae clapped causing her bracelets to jingle. “Wait, Mae, I’m sorry. Shit. Here I am going on and on about partying and I didn’t ask you how you’re holding up. The death of that bastard father of yours.”
“Octavio Leone was never my father,” Marietta said dryly.
“He was shot in the back of the head leaving Smithy’s bar, and his body dumped behind it. You know it. The old dive off Crescent street.”
“Yeah I know it,” Marietta mumbled.
“The police still can’t figure out who was responsible. I checked. Your mom, ah, your adoptive mother has moved to New York with her sister. It’s all so fucked up. Random.”
“I don’t care about either one of them. Dead or alive.” Marietta said.
“Sorry for bringing it up, girl.”
“You will have a great time. Italy and the
Campania
is the most romantic place in the world.” Marietta smiled.
“Romance huh? Well I can believe that, if all of the men look like Mr. Sexy up there. Does he speak English? Pass me my translation book!”
Marietta laughed. “You so damn crazy! I’m going to love having you here!”
**
There were times when Catalina found it hard to recall all of Mirabella’s wishes from notes and previous phone conversations. On the eve of Mirabella’s return, the biggest test of Catalina’s career was at hand. Self-doubt and fear crept in. She had difficulties now making the simplest decisions. She had to get it together.
“Yes, Catalina. We can definitely do this for you. I’ll see to it personally. But may I suggest we go with the pre-season selections you and Marietta chose for the opening? It was something Mirabella mentioned on her phone call. I think it may be an expectation.”
“Mmm, I’m not sure,” Catalina’s gaze lifted from the sketches before her in time to see Dominic and his men arriving. She stood upright and straightened her skirt. “Clara and Mateo, I need a moment please.”
“Sí, signora,”
her assistants nodded and gathered the plans they brought in for her review. Dominic held the door for them to pass through. He had to know of Armando’s visit. Would he be angry? Would he be disappointed in her? Either way she was nervous and a little afraid. The ruling emotion was guilt. And even now she couldn’t quite determine what she was guilty of.
“
Ciao,
my love,” Catalina said. “I am so happy you’re finally here!”
“Why was Armando Mancini here?” he asked.
The question stopped her approach. Catalina glanced to the men who were behind him. They glared at her. The damn bastards couldn’t wait to give her up. “You just got here and that’s the first thing you have to say to me?” she asked. She walked over and put her arms around his neck.
“Ciao, mio amore…
let’s greet properly.”
The last of her words were smothered under the press of his lips. She glanced over his shoulder at his men and they turned and walked out. She rose on her toes to welcome him with her tongue. His breath was warm against her mouth. And the feel of his body pressed against hers was what she craved. His kiss felt tender, forgiving. It delivered the sweet remembrance of the promises they made to one another. No girl on the planet deserved to be as lucky. When their lips parted he cradled her face in his hands and looked at her with so much love she blushed. “How’s my girl?” he asked her.
“
Bennisimo
. I’m so glad you’re back.”
“I was only gone a few days,” he chuckled.
“So you didn’t miss me?” she asked.
“Of course I did,” he kissed her once more. He released her face to wrap her up in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her ass.
Catalina shivered. She was so horny she had a mind to take him to the bathroom and reunite properly. “I know, but still, I need you.” It was the truth. She took good care of Dominic Battaglia, her future husband. Whenever he could plant himself in Milano between business trips, she made sure to be the dutiful fiancée. And the pressure eased on her for a wedding date. However, Catalina was far from naïve. She knew after two years of delaying the inevitable she couldn’t hold his desire to wed off much longer.
“Now. I want an explanation. You requested a meeting with Armando Mancini. Why?” he asked.
Catalina let go of him. She looked up into his eyes. “I didn’t.”
“What do you mean you didn’t? You told the men you invited him here,” Dominic said.
She stepped back. “I didn’t, Domi. He just showed up.”
“Mannaggia!”
Dominic paced away.
“It really wasn’t bad, Domi. He wanted to ask that I speak with Mirabella. He asked for a favor.”
“Who is he to ask a favor of you?”
“He told me that Marietta invited him to the party in Bellagio,” she said. Dominic stared at her. She continued. “He wanted me to speak to Mirabella to see if it was okay with her. He didn’t want to come and make it a problem with the family. Especially on their birthday.”
“If this is truly what he wanted then he should speak to Gio about the impropriety. He knows this. He’s fucking with me by coming here to see you.”
“You? It had nothing to do with you?”
“Really?” Dominic lowered his brows. “Are you telling me it had everything to do with his wanting to see you?” Her sweet lover tensed. Dominic didn’t rise to anger quickly. But she’d learned with Franco that if a man got in between them and hurt her in any way he wouldn’t hesitate. Armando Mancini was a Don. He shouldn’t be challenged over some petty jealousy.
“No. No of course not. Oh Domi, stop. It wasn’t that sinister. He’s trying to find a way to make this work with our families. He hasn’t gone public about the twins. He keeps the family secret. Giovanni may have told the men in the family, but the press and the world still don’t know that Mirabella is a Mancini. Isn’t it wise for us to come together and manage the risk of how the truth comes to light? Armando coming to the party is a good start.”
Dominic waved off her logic. “Fuck him.
Che palle
!”
Catalina waited. She watched Dominic pace in front of her. There was no need to try to reason with him when he was like this. She let him decide on what to do next. He stopped pacing and looked over at her. “How much longer here? I want to take you to lunch. I want to spend some time with you.”
Catalina nodded in agreement. “I’ll go with you now. No problem. Wait!”
“What is it now?” he asked.
“What time does everyone arrive? I need to make sure everything is ready for them.”
“They won’t be here until late in the afternoon. You’re mine now,” he smiled.
“Andiamo!”
She kissed him. “Then let’s skip lunch. Take me home so I can welcome you properly.” She squeezed his groin. He chuckled and nodded in agreement.
**
A hand pressed against her lower back. Mirabella wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand and continued to slice through the tenderloin. She’d warm and sauté the meat, then make fresh panini’s for lunch.
“What is it, sweetie?” she asked.
The touch was that of a man’s. No man in or out of this family ever touched her but Giovanni. When he didn’t answer she glanced back. He stared into her eyes. She put down the butcher knife and turned to face him. He took her by the hand. Without a word he walked her away from her tasks. Zia glanced up. She was cutting fruit for the salad and chatting with Ana the cook who sat at the table rolling pasta with her hands. They both ignored the Don’s mission to steal away his wife. He walked her into the hall and to the first room they came to that offered privacy. It was a guest room on the lower level. The moment she entered she was pushed up against the door and it closed.
“I have meetings today,” he said with a soft groan of regret. He brushed his lips over hers. He kissed her cheek. Mirabella held to his side.
“I know. I was working on lunch. I’ll send some sandwiches for you and the men.” She touched the side of his face. “Make sure you eat. Please. We’ve got a busy day with our traveling out to Milano.”
“About last night?” he said. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you, Bella,” he shared with her. His hand rubbed up her thigh. She wore blue leggings and a long, loose-fitted, white button down shirt. He started to push loose each of the buttons.
“Gio, I can’t, not right now. We both have so much to do before we leave,” she reasoned. When his lips brushed her neck she fell silent. He lifted her by the hips. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he turned and carried her to the bed.
“I’ll be quick, Bella. Just a taste and I’ll let you go.” He and she went down on the bed together.
She grabbed his face. “We should have taken a shower together. That would have worked. I’ll have to shower all over again.”
“Shhhh…” He kissed away her protests. “I want to fuck you right here, right now, say yes.”
“Yes,” she breathed.
He pulled down her leggings until they were snatched from her ankles. She helped by rolling her panties off her hips and down her legs, kicking them off her feet. He drew his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. He undid his trousers and let them drop. His erection had nearly punched through the front of his boxers. Mirabella tingled with excitement.
Giovanni dropped on her before she could remove her shirt. It didn’t matter. All she craved in the moment was him. It was always like this between them after they’d been separated. Marietta and Catalina didn’t believe her when she said she made love to her husband every night. No exceptions.
There was no woman on the planet that excited him like his wife. Each time he fucked her it felt as sweet as the first. He thrust into her. Mirabella gave a thin soft moan. She gripped his arms to steady herself as she simultaneously pushed her pelvis down on his thrust so she could take him in deeper. They were on the edge of the bed. He eased up on her and brought her left leg up and over to press it down on her right. She gripped the sheets as he thrust into her again. And even though she was pinned into position she was ready. He rocked his cock into her and her tight little cunt lips tugged and clenched to draw him even further.