Riccardo (20 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

LORENA

For years I felt like an outsider in my own family, until Riccardo. He made me feel like I belonged. His love made me whole. I smiled happily as I surveyed everyone at the family dinner table. It was that time of the week again, when the
famiglia
all got together. I would never get sick of our family dinners. Well…apart from the one where Uncle Joey told everyone about Riccardo and me. It was happy ones like these that brought our
famiglia
together. I’d take them any day of the week.

Paulie was sitting next to me, laughing at Stefano, who was coming on to Gracie, yet again. Paulie was still firmly in the closet, but I was sure he’d come out in his own time. I was certain of that fact—his current squeeze was freaking hot!

"Come on, Gracie, let me take you to the movies. I'll even watch a chick flick," Stefano begged her from across the table, giving her his best impression of puppy-dog eyes. Stefano was anything but a puppy dog. He was rugged, rough and rude, which women went crazy over. And Raphael was most definitely identical to him. The only way I could tell them apart was by a tiny mole on Stefano’s right upper lip. Other than that, you could barely tell them apart.

"Jesus, brother, do you have no pride at all?" Raphael scolded him.

Raph made it sound like watching his brother behave this way, offended him. As if! Both twins were so alike and not just in looks. Stefano’s continual flirting was at times embarrassing to watch. Maybe that was what I used to be like with Riccardo on the numerous occasions I flirted with him. Stefano meant well and I knew that his intention was to make Gracie feel beautiful and wanted, instead of feeling ashamed about what happened to her.

I was even more surprised with Vincenzo. He hardly ever berated Stefano or warned him off with his usual 'keep your hands off my fucking sister' attitude. I turned to see what was distracting him. Angel. It was always Angel. Vincenzo was as obsessed with Angel, as Stefano was with Gracie. Actually, he was way more obsessed; he just went about it in a sweeter way. That could be because Angel came across as innocent and sweet herself, even though she was a stripper. I wasn’t saying Gracie wasn't sweet, but she had grown up around these guys, just as I had. Before her assault, Gracie was a bit like me in a way, always chatting and striking up a conversation with one of them. Now she was timid and apprehensive.

Angel had been coming to the last few family dinners and she had finally allowed my father to replace her car. Not that she really had a choice, in the end. When Riccardo and Raphael borrowed her car for
Zio
Joey’s hit, they returned in a completely different vehicle. When she questioned them about it, they told her that her ‘shit heap of a car was too soiled to return'. I'm just glad they didn't venture into too more detail. Angel sure didn't need to have any disturbing thoughts of blood and gore floating around in her mind.

Thinking of
Zio
Joey's death reminded me of the fact that the whole family wasn't present. Aldo and his family had all been absent from our family dinners ever since the fateful day of
Zio
Joey’s death. They didn't hold his death against us. They knew what the consequences were for such a betrayal. Due to his greed and quest for revenge,
Zio
Joey’s death was inevitable. But, it was a member of
their
family; a husband, a father and grandfather. It was normal for them to be grieving, like I still grieved my mother. They weren’t ready to play happy families with us yet. They knew they would always be welcome and that was the most important thing. That was what our
famiglia
was all about.

“Hey, Ronnie, how about you take a tumble with me. I bet being with a stud like myself would make you switch sides. Come on, take the risk. I know you want to. What do you say? I guarantee, one night of loving with me is all it’ll take,” Raph said, sounding almost as desperate as Stefano had only minutes ago.

“Raph, I know you act like you have a vagina, but do you really have one?” Ronnie quipped. God, she was tough as nails that woman.

Raphael didn’t give her a reply, he just glared at her.

“I thought not,” Ronnie said happily as she put a forkful of pasta in her mouth.

Laughter erupted around the table. Everyone knew Ronnie preferred women, but Raphael was determined to break her. It wasn’t often Raphael got knocked back like that, and it served him right. He could be such an arse sometimes.

While everyone was distracted, I discreetly reached under the table and shimmied out of my underwear. I’d become somewhat a pro at this. It had become a ritual of mine. At every family dinner, I removed my underwear and slid them into Riccardo’s hand, ensuring I brushed them over his crotch as I handed them to him. Tonight was no different. I felt his erection grow beneath my fingers, before he tugged on my panties and slipped them into his pocket. I glanced around the table with a smirk on my face to see that no one was even looking our way. It was funny how oblivious everyone was, happy in their own conversations.

My eyes fell on my father, who seemed to be the happiest I’d ever seen him. If someone had told me three years ago that my father would be this settled, and one of the happiest people in the room, I would have laughed in their face. He was feeding Matias, switching between playing ‘catch the aeroplane’ and ‘here comes the train’ with each spoonful of food. Watching him do things like that with Matias sometimes gave me a pang of jealousy. But I brought myself into line and reminded myself he may never have done things like that with me because he didn’t understand how to love or how to be a playful father back then. Sierra had shown him what love was all about. I was so grateful he found Sierra. She made him a better man. Watching the three of them together, I knew that the scene around this table would have been entirely different, if he’d never found her. Most importantly, he would never have accepted my relationship with Riccardo.

“Who wants to help me bring the dessert out?”
Nonna
asked, pulling me away from my thoughts.

All the guys jumped up from the table, offering to help. They would all do anything for
Nonna’s
desserts.

***

RICCARDO

“Sit the fuck down,” Sebastiano roared at everyone. “I have a surprise for you all, an announcement actually."

Everyone sat back in their seats, knowing Sebastiano meant business when he raised his voice like that. As we all gave him our undivided attention, the doorbell rang.

"That man has impeccable timing," Sebastiano mused, before looking at Lorena and saying, "You might like to answer that, sweetheart, seeing as you took a shine to Dante in Italy."

"Dante is here?" Lorena squealed, bouncing up from the table next to me. I fucking hoped she didn’t jump around too much, because her damn underwear was balled up in the front pocket of my jeans. It was only a second later and she was dragging in a guy that almost looked like Sebastiano's double. The Morassi genes were strong fuckers. I'd met him once or twice before, but the resemblance between the two men still amazed me every time I saw Dante.

I let my eyes fall on the family members to see how they'd react to him, knowing not everyone had seen him before. Gracie sat up straighter in her seat, and gave him a beaming smile as Sebastiano introduced him to everyone. "This is my cousin, Dante. He's come across from Italy to help us fix our problems with Merico and the Melbourne
famiglia
."

“
Ciao
,” he greeted everyone.

Catching Gracie's reaction to Dante, Stefano glared as he grumbled a complaint to Sebastiano, "What do we need help for? Why can’t we just go kill the fucker?” It looked like Stefano felt he had some stiff competition, which he was not a fan of.

"We do not talk about business at the fucking table, Stefano," Sebastiano reprimanded.

Stefano glanced down looking regretful. Rightly so, too. We all knew not to talk business in front of the women. All the guys shook hands with Dante, the women stood and gave him a welcoming hug and kiss on the cheek.
Nonna
gave him the grandmotherly hug she gave us all, before grabbing Stefano and dragging him to the kitchen by his arm, giving him a good ear chewing, "Because you were so disrespectful, you can help me with the dessert and then you'll be doing the dishes..." was all I heard as they left the room.

As everyone crowded around Dante, I took advantage of the distraction and pulled Lorena aside. I tugged her into my arms as she grinned up at me, slipping her hands around the back of my neck. "
Ciao, amore mio
," she said sweetly.

I slid my hands up the back of her thighs just brushing the edge of her arse cheeks with my thumbs, being careful not to lift her skirt. "Don't forget I've got something that belongs to you in my pocket," I reminded her.

She moved her body making my thumbs move higher, teasing me. "I thought you'd forgotten."

"It's all I can think about, baby doll. I can't wait to get you home so I can have my wicked way with you," I replied, before kissing her to cover the huskiness I heard in my own voice. Jesus, this woman owned me, heart and soul.

"Capo, put my fucking daughter down. This is the dining room not a fucking bedroom," Sebastiano yelled from across the room.

Lorena took her time peeling herself off me as we heard
Nonna
and Stefano return, placing dishes on the table with a clatter. She was no doubt trying to wind her dad up some more. She knew he was accepting of our relationship, but she loved making him uncomfortable by being overly affectionate. It didn't seem to faze him.

Sebastiano had complete control of the situation.

He was every inch a mafia kingpin.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

LORENA

"Hey. I'm back. Your new driver is a gem. I have ham and cheese croissants from Duffy’s Bakery and I bought some Krispy Kreme caramel doughnuts. They look delicious. I hope you're hungry.”

“Nah. I ate earlier.” He smirked at me over the top of his coffee cup.

Cocky bastard. I smirked back when I remembered what he’d had for breakfast.

It was time to return the favour. I set down my mug. “I hope you don’t mind if I indulge. I love caramel. So thick, and sweet and sticky.” I picked up the doughnut out of the box and dipped my finger in the centre of the gooey mass. I sucked my finger provocatively. “Wanna taste? Mmm-mmm.”

“Lorena—”

“Riccardo.” I leaned forward and let my sticky lips trace the line of his jaw. “Take your boxers off,” I breathed heavily in his ear. “Don’t ask why. Just do it.”

His coffee cup hit the counter and a second later, his boxers hit the floor.

“Oh, what a good boy,” I told him. “It's about time you let me be in charge. Now, grip the counter and spread your legs. Keep your eyes on me. Watch me.”

“Watch you do what?” he choked out.

“Show you my favourite way to eat caramel.” I recoated my fingers with the sugary goodness, scooping a dollop into my palm.

Keeping my eyes on his, I circled my hand around his cock. “Um…this might get a little messy. I know you prefer to be in control, so are you okay with it?” Although he liked to be domineering during sex, there was the odd occasion when he let me take control.

“If you recall, I made a mess with some icing sugar not so long ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love to get messy.”

With the hand that wasn’t stroking his caramel coated shaft, I scraped the gooey topping off three caramel doughnuts and smeared it on his chest. I took special care to paint both his nipples, thoroughly.

Then I bent my head and tasted him.
Mmm, sweet sugar and salty Riccardo. The perfect combination
. I enclosed my mouth around his left nipple and sucked. And sucked. Worrying the pebbled tip with my teeth, I stopped to rub my cheek across his pecs. Each brush of my mouth and lips made those tight muscles dance.

He didn’t utter a sound until I bestowed the same treatment to the other side.

I followed the sweet trail down the centre of his spectacular body. I traced small circles around his belly button, dipping my tongue into his navel, several times. I enjoyed the way his six-pack rippled with each wet swipe. Then I dropped to my knees.

He growled. “
Madre di Dio
.”

Damn, how I loved staring at his cock up close and personal. It never ceased to amaze me how big it was. Honestly, I swear it must increased in size every time I looked at it.

Yeah, I'd felt it inside me, but staring at it was a completely different thing. He had dispensed with the use of condoms for a while now. But damn, I missed putting them on him. The feel of his pierced cock in the shower this morning and when he hoisted me up against the tiled wall, as I'd been trying to gather my wits after my second orgasm, was amazing.

I looked up at him. “You sure have a seriously hot piece of junk there,
Mafioso
.” He grinned at me again. “But I'm not complaining,” I told him, keeping my eyes on his. I licked all the caramel from the head of his cock. “I’m not complaining, not one little bit.”

“Fuck, baby doll. That feels good.”

“Shhhh. You need to stop talking so I can get to the really good part.”

I flattened my tongue and licked from the root to the crown, licking and lapping at the purple head, flicking my tongue over the pre-cum oozing out the tip. Then I began to suck. I bent my head and swallowed as much of his cock as I could. He let out a strangled groan and I smiled around his cock when he swayed. I sucked off the brown sugary sweetness until all I could taste was his muskiness.

“You always tease me when you go down on me, so I’m just returning the favour.”

“
Dio
,” he muttered. “I’m only gonna last a few more seconds.”

I giggled and loosely wrapped my fingers around the base of his shaft and I stroked my hand up to gravitate it towards my mouth. Oh, God, the power I had over him when my mouth met his cock and devoured all that delicious hard male heat was incredible. I curled my left hand around his right hip, stroking my thumb on the delicate skin by his hipbone as I bobbed my head up and down on his dick. I felt his balls tighten and I knew he was close. When he started bumping his hips into my face, I jacked his cock faster and focused my attention on the sweet spot beneath the pierced cockhead.

“Ahh…fuck. Yes.” His cock twitched against the roof of my mouth. “That’s it, baby doll. Suck it just like that.”

I sucked him as deep as I could, suctioning as hot bursts of semen hit the back of my tongue. I swallowed the salty taste, losing myself in the satisfaction of pleasing him. After letting him slip from my mouth, I kissed the tops of his thighs and rubbed my face against his semi-soft cock, nestled in the dark hair covering his groin. Marking him with my scent as clearly as he’d marked me with his.

Before I could even meet his gaze, he lifted me to my feet and picked me up, perching me on the white marble countertop. “What are you doing?”

“I’m wanting a taste of some caramel sweetness of my own.” He pushed me back, keeping his hand in the centre of my chest. “Don’t move.” Then his other hand was smearing caramel between my thighs.

“Riccardo—”

He lapped at the caramel as delicately as a cat. The pointed tip of his tongue traced the outline of my weeping sex, from my clit, down through the cleft, to the slit of my pussy, to the rosette of my ass. He swirled and licked and probed with his skilled tongue until my whole body vibrated. Riccardo had the skill to drive me to the brink of orgasm, keep me dangling at the edge and then yanking me back at the very last second.

“Are you going to let me—?”

“No.”

He took great pains to erase all remnants of the caramel with his Hoover-like mouth. Lightly tonguing my clit, he inserted one finger into my pussy. He pushed in a second finger as he licked at the sweet stickiness along my folds.

“I can't wait. How long—?”

“When I fucking say.” Fucking me with his clever fingers, his tongue flicked relentlessly. “I love the taste of a sweet doughnut.” He blew a cool stream of air over my burning pussy. “But I love your sweet juices.” Riccardo latched onto my clit and sucked without pause. His fingers curled inside me, gently rubbing at a spot beneath my pubic bone. The tension was so tight that when I exploded, I let out a gasp resembling a scream. He chuckled against my wetness.

I felt every throb, every pulse, every one of my muscles twitches synchronized into a whole-body orgasm. Just as I caught my equilibrium, he knocked me off balance again by flipping me face-first on the counter. He yanked my hips back until the lower half of my body hung off the counter edge. Then his hot breath teased the skin behind my ear.

“You have no fucking idea how many times I’ve dreamed of fucking you on this island bench.”

“Your dick is hard again?” I asked in awe.

“Yes. Fuck, woman, you’d tempt a fucking monk.” Positioning his cock, he plunged inside.

“Oh, God, you’re so good at that.”

“Yeah, I'm a professional,” he answered, stretching his upper body across my back so he could whisper in my ear. “One day, I'm gonna take you from behind. I want to fuck your arse, not your pussy. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, baby girl?” He didn’t wait for my response before he continued. “Or perhaps I can use a vibrator in your sweet pussy. That way I'll be fucking you in both places.”

Oh, my God. I knew he had dabbled in threesomes. Was this his way of breaking me in? I didn’t respond.

“Answer me.”

“Yes! Damn you, yes!”

“There's nothing to be ashamed of, baby. You know how I like it. But I'll never share you with another man.
Never
,” he said as he drove into me again and again, slamming, and withdrawing.

My tank top was wet from perspiration and sticking to my back.

“Lorena. I'm so close. I'm gonna come. You ready, because I can't hold back?” He came and pulled out, groaning with his release. The heat of his ejaculation sprayed my butt. I looked over my shoulder at him. His hand was still pumping his cock, but his gaze was focused entirely on my arse.

“Fuck, I love your arse,” he said, hugging me from behind. “
Gesù Christo
. That was hot.”

“Mmm-hmm. And sticky.”

“Shower. Now.”

“And then?”

"You want more?"

“I always want more.”

***

RICCARDO

“I love you, Lorena.” I’d never admitted I loved her before, not directly to her anyway. I had told Sebastiano I loved his daughter, but that was in a fit of rage. Telling her face to face was different. I knew saying it aloud was a risk, but I lived a life of risk. Compared to that, admitting I loved her was a piece of cake.

She was silent. I tilted her face up to mine and cupped her cheeks. “Did you hear what I said, baby doll? I love you.”

“You love me.” She said it as if she had to pinch herself, as if what I’d said didn’t make sense, as if it didn’t fit into my view of the world.

“Yes, I love you. I know you love me even though I know you shouldn’t love me. I've told you a thousand times I’m not someone who should be loved. People fear me, hate me, respect me, and admire me, but they don’t love me. I’m a hitman for the mafia. A killer. I’m good at killing. What makes it worse is that sometimes I fucking enjoy it. I don’t regret it.

“And I've told you a thousand times, I know who you are. I've grown up in the mafia. It’s not a matter of want, Riccardo. It’s not like I can just turn off my feelings like a tap and stop loving you.”

I nodded as if her explanation was enough. It wasn't. “I don't want you to hate that you love me Lorena. In years to come, when you hear or witness things you've never dreamed of, I don't want you to regret it,” I told her.

“Never. I'll never regret loving you. I still love my father, don't I? I know he's a dangerous man. I know what you do and what your role as The Capo entails. I’ve always known it, and I don’t care. I know I should. I know I should fear it. But I don’t. I've lived it for so long. My father is the boss of one of the most brutal and worst feared crime organisations in Australia. But I don’t.” She took in a deep breath, still staring at me in love and wonder.

“For fuck’s sake, I killed my own mother to avenge Sierra. What does that make me?” She paused, staring down at her hands. “I killed my own mother.” Tears streamed down her face. “I had no remorse for killing her. I'm glad she's dead. So tell me, what does that make me?” She glanced up at me. “I'm a killer, just like you and my father. It's inevitable since I'm a mob boss' daughter.”

“Your mother was a drug addict and a vindictive two-faced whore who turned on The Don, the man who saved her. She deserved what she got.”

“At the end of the day, she was my mother. No one really deserves to die, right? What right do we have as the mafia to take a life and get away with it?

“Fuck. It's my fault. I taught you how to use those weapons in the basement all those years ago. The clippers, the knives, the—”

“No! You never forced me to do anything. I was born into this mafia world. I can't ever escape it. It's my
famiglia
. It's all I know.”

“Yeah, but I took your choice to stay away from me when you became mine. I will never let you go, Lorena. I need you to understand there's no way of escaping this world we live in. Being a part of this
famiglia
means we kill, we bleed, we sin and those sins are forever etched in our soul.”

After a moment of quiet, a small smile played on her lips. “Let’s look on the bright side of living a mafia life, shall we? We live a life of luxury. We have all the money we could wish for
and
we have each other. You are my bright side, Riccardo. You are my good amongst all the evil.”

“Yeah, right. Me good? I don't think so.” I sighed.

“Well, you're good for me and that's the main thing. You make me feel safe. I love you and there's no other man more suited to me.” Her voice held fierce conviction. “My father is The Don and you are his Capo. There is no other man my father would accept. Deep down, we both know that.”

I closed my eyes. “Lorena, the two of us loving one another is a huge risk. It's a sign of weakness no member of this family can afford. Our enemies go after what we love and who we love.”

“I know,” she responded, her voice full of emotion. “But everything is a risk in this family. And this is a risk I'm willing to take.”

I stared at her with love and adoration. “Yes. You're right and I don’t give a fuck. I thought I'd never love anyone. Giving in to you and loving you, has given me a happiness and complete fulfilment in my life.”

Her eyes were brimmed with tears. “I can't believe you love me. I was hoping against hope it was true when you yelled it out at my father that fateful night at the family dinner. But you never told me or repeated it again, until now.”