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My stomach resembles the titanic being submerged into the Atlantic.
He pats his thigh, summoning me to him.
Bile burns my throat and I try to think of a way to get out of having his hands on me.
His touch will undo Ricardo's...his touch will make my skin crawl.
He snaps his fingers. “Now.”
I hang my head and close my eyes as he proceeds to reach across the seat and haul me onto his lap.
He grabs my thigh and I snap my head up. “What the fuck is going on with you, Lucia
I wince when he tightens his hold on me. “Nothing,” I say.
His grip becomes so tight I know it's going to leave a bruise. “Y-you're hurting me, Bruno.”
“That's the point. Now tell me why you're acting so strange?”
I need to think of something...fast.
“Because I can't take having your hands on me when I'm supposed to be seducing Tyrone and Jackson.”
He narrows his eyes and I quickly twist on his lap and grab his cheeks. “It makes me feel like I'm disrespecting you and what we have. It makes me feel wrong because I belong to you and only you, mio amore.”
I add a sniffle for dramatic effect.
His eyes soften and he pulls me into a hug. “I'm so sorry my beautiful, Lucia
My cheek rubs against the material of his suit and I stifle a gag. “It's so hard, I hate it.” I add another sniffle. “I love you so much, Bruno.”
He stills himself. “Are you crying?”
Shit...I took it too far. I never cry...or at least, I didn't. Bruno knows this.
I look down and sure enough, there really is a damp spot forming on his suit jacket because of my tears.
This is bad...real bad.
“I'm sorry. I didn't—”
He puts his finger over my lips and studies my face. “You really do love me, don't you, Bambina?”
“So much,” I lie.
My self-preservation is back with a vengeance...but it's not only myself I'm worried about anymore.
He reaches for my hand and kisses the underside of my wrist. “I guess it's a good thing I came here to see you this morning after all.”
“What do you mean? Not that I'm not happy you did.”
He pulls out a thick and gaudy gold bracelet loaded with diamonds. I never wear jewelry—I hate it and that's something he should know. Every trinket he's ever given me ends up in a jewelry box.
And if I did wear jewelry? I most definitely would not wear this hideous monstrosity.
He fastens the bracelet around my wrist and kisses it. “You don't have to seduce them anymore. Happy birthday, Bambina.”
Before I can question him further, he's fastening a diamond and gold choker around my neck as well.
Great, this must be my fucking collar.
“Do you like it? I picked it up for you in Italy.”
I finger the choker on my neck...fitting name for it because it's definitely choking me right now. “It's beautiful. But um...my birthday isn't for another 3 days.”
He sighs. “I know that. I know every single thing about you. However, this was the only time I could get away from conducting my business in Italy. I'll be going back shortly.”
“Oh?” I question. “What exactly are you doing there, anyway?”
I cover my mouth when I realize my mistake. “Sorry, mio amore. It's none of my business.”
He smirks. “You know, you're more obedient now. I think I like the effects you being here is having on you after all.” My cheeks burn and anger flares but I stuff it down.
If he likes me being here he'll let me stay longer.
I mentally smack myself when I realize what he said before. “So, you don't want me to seduce Jackson and Tyrone anymore? Does that mean I'll be going back to the Hamptons tonight?”
I try to make myself sound happy at the prospect but it feels like the choker tightens around my neck.
He takes a cigar out of his pocket and lights it. “I need you to stay here for a little while longer. But your sole focus won't be seducing them anymore.”
“Wait...am I supposed to seduce them or not? I'm confused.”
He rolls the cigar around before taking a puff. “I don't want you to change your behavior...I still want you to flirt with them and rile them up. I just don't want you dropping to your knees for them, understand me?”
I nod and blow the smoke out of my face. “Not that I'm not happy about the sudden change of plans and all. But can I ask why the plan has changed?”
He stares me down. “A number of factors.” He rubs his chin. “The first plan didn't work out quite like I'd hoped.”
I start panicking. “I'm sorry, mio amore. It's only been a couple of weeks...” I start rattling off.
“I didn't say I was displeased about the sudden turn of events, Lucia
He grabs the back of my neck and pulls my face close to his. “I know without a shadow of a doubt now that we are meant to be.”
“Of course, we're meant to be,” I whisper while looking down because there's no way I can look at him and say that.
“What do you need me to do, Bruno?”
“I want you to be my little spy.”
“I thought I was already doing that?”
His eyes darken. “I want your main focus to be on my son.”
All the air leaves my lungs and I begin suffocating. I wave my hand around the smoke from his cigar, blaming it on that.
“Why do you need me to focus on him?”
He huffs and pushes a button beside him, letting some of the smoke clear out. “My son called me the other night.”
This is complete news to me. “He did?”
“Yes,” he says. “We spoke for awhile. And do you know what he ended our conversation with?”
When I don't answer, he continues, “He said—I'll see you when you get home from Italy....Babbo.”
I open my mouth to ask what the big deal is but I close it when he says. “He hasn't addressed me as his Babbo since he was a boy, a teenager.”
Damn, Ricardo wasn't kidding about his plan.
DeLuca's eyes light up and he grabs my chin. “I don't know what you've been doing to my son, Bambina but I need you to keep doing it.”
Oh. Fuck.
“What?” I screech. “I'm not doing—”
He gives me an odd look. “Ricardo tells me you've been singing my praises. He said you told him about how I saved you when you were a child.” His eyes soften. “I didn't ask you to do any of that but you did it anyway. You knew how important having my son look up to me is and you did that for me. Do you know how much that means to me?”
“I—” I'm at a loss for words.
Ricardo's good.
He puffs on his cigar and a smile spreads across his face. “I figure, if you keep working your magic on him, he'll be open to taking over the family business one day.” His smile turns wicked. “But I'm not stupid enough to believe his act for one goddamned second. Not until I have some solid proof.”
My stomach turns sour. “How do you know it's an act maybe he—”
He turns his dark gaze on me. “Are you defending him to me?”
“No,” I say. “God, no. Bruno, I was only—”
“Well don't,” he snaps. “Really, you were doing so well, Lucia
“Sorry,” I say. “I know how important Ricardo is to you. I just...I want the best for you, mio amore. I want to see you happy.”