11. Luca

I'm a decisive man. To get what I want, I can manipulate seductively or coerce forcefully. I chose the former on Aria, and as I leave her, I feel certain that she"ll choose me as her future.

But there"s an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. It almost feels like my conscience is chastising me for manipulating her. I push it away as I head downstairs, situating my tie in place and going on the hunt for Roberta.

I find her in the kitchen, conferring with a book. "I"m going to Rome. I hope it will only be for tonight, but it may be more than that. It"s your job to keep an eye on Aria. Keep her comfortable and happy, but she"s only to leave with Bianca, understood? Have Bianca take her shopping for a wedding dress."

Roberta nods. "Si, Don Conte."

When I return to the foyer, Bruno is waiting. "The car is ready to go to Rome."

I make a beeline for the front door, which Bruno opens, and I stride out ready to conquer the world, or at the very least, Sabini.

When we arrive in Rome, I have my driver take Bruno and me to the butcher shop that my family has owned for over a century, long before my great-grandfather became a Mafia Don. I promised my father I"d keep it, as it was one of those things that represented tradition. It's a legitimately run business, except for the secret room in the basement where I often meet with my men. That"s where I head to now.

When I get there, all the capos from the area are already waiting. As I enter the room, Gino Fontana gives me a knowing smirk like a fourteen-year-old boy with a hard on, which, his being a sixty-something-year-old man, makes him look like a pervert. "Bianca likes your new pet better than the other one."

My fingers itch to grab my gun and put a bullet in his forehead.

Leonardo, a contemporary of Gino"s, has the same disgusting smirk on his face as he grabs his crotch. "Maybe now the boss will share Electra with us. I wouldn"t mind her mouth around —"

This time, I do pull out my gun and hold it toward them both. "Is this the type of thing you do while on the job for me? Jerk off?"

Leonardo has enough smarts to bow his head. "Mi dispiace, Don Conte."

Gino crosses his arms over his chest but keeps his mouth shut.

I set my gun on the desk as a reminder that I"m not the sort of man who puts up with a bunch of bullshit.

Bruno goes to stand behind the two men, at which point Gino drops his arms.

I stand behind my desk, inventorying each of my men one by one. "I"m getting married this weekend. You are invited, and you can bring your wives. And I mean wives. None of your mistresses or playthings. For those of you who aren"t married, you are to bring a respectable woman. We're marrying in a church. Avete capito?"

My men nod.

"Congratulations, Don Conte," Leonardo says. "May your marriage be happy and filled with healthy, beautiful children."

Inwardly, I roll my eyes at his suck up, but I nod and then sit down. "Sabini"s looking to make some moves. I want to find out what, if anything, you"ve seen since he sent that dead motherfucker to my dock."

"They"re trying to be subtle, but they stand out as obvious as my dick—" Gino stops himself as if he realizes being crass probably isn"t the right way to move forward. "Let"s just say they"re easy to spot. Mostly, they seem to be casing. Me and Leonardo followed a couple, and we think we found where some of them might be hiding."

"Sabini thinks Rome is his, so his center base is likely here. But like a spiderweb, he"s trying to move throughout Rome and beyond into my space. That"s going to stop. You keep your eyes and ears open, and don"t do anything unless there"s an act against me. You understand?"

My men nod. "Bruno, Carlo, and Paolo, I want you to return the favor. I want you to see where Sabini"s weak and we can walk in and take it." They nod their heads as well.

I have each of my capos check in, reporting about their duties and the men who operate underneath them. By the time I finish, it's nearly eleven, but my night is unfinished.

I get into my waiting car, and Bruno slides in with me. "When are you finally going to take out that motherfucker Gino?" he asks.

My lips twitch upward knowing my second-in-command would happily take care of it for me if I wanted. "It won"t be long before he either strokes out while one of his mistresses sucks his dick or someone else will take him out for us."

Bruno shakes his head. "Your father"s gone."

"But he trusted Gino. I can"t go against my father, dead or not. But I won"t cry any tears when Gino is gone."

Several moments later, my driver pulls up in front of one of my clubs. I"m happy to see that it"s busy even on a weeknight. Being in Rome, it"s a hotspot not just for Italians, but anyone of any nationality visiting the city.

Enough people know me and of my reputation, even though no law enforcement has ever been able to catch me. As a result, the crowd parts like the Red Sea for me. That is, except for a few tourists, but I don"t mind. My men easily maneuver them aside as I make my way to my usual table.

Just before I get to it, Electra appears before me. She's not a dancer anymore now that I made her the dancer supervisor. So, she's not dressed quite as provocatively as she used to be. Instead of a skintight dress, she's wearing one that fits looser in a dark color. That isn't to say that her tits aren't nearly falling out of the bodice. They seem larger, which is saying something. Even so, I'm not tempted.

Electra makes her way to me, her eyes filled with the promise of a great blow job, and there was a time when I would have dropped my pants willingly. But since meeting Aria, I've lost all interest in Electra, or any women, actually.

I suppose it"s my fault that she continues to think she can become my wife, or at the very least, my mistress. I never outright told her that we were done. I guess I was keeping my options open in case Aria didn't come to me.

Electra"s finger draws down my tie and then wraps around it. "I thought maybe you forgot about me, Don Conte." She licks her lips. "I"ve been so thirsty for you."

My dick stays still in my pants, not tempted even a little. I wrap my hand over hers. "You"re welcome to find someone else to sate your thirst." I tug her hand away. "Find Carmine and send him to my table."

I sit, and my drink appears, scotch on the rocks.

Carmine, the club's manager, arrives and sits at the table. "Buonasera, Don Conte."

"I need you to be extra alert. At least from now until the weekend. My bride-to-be"s brother may come or send some of his men to try and take what"s now mine. Bruno here will give you photos."

Carmen bows his head. "Of course." Behind him, Electra"s brows furrow, a mixture of shock and anger, but I ignore it.

"I"m asking all the clubs to be extra vigilant, but I also want you all to talk together. It"s possible they"ll take a divide and conquer approach."

"We"ll keep an eye out." Carmine takes the photos I have of Niko, Donovan, Lucy, and Liam, along with a few other of his men.

"Grazie, Carmine."

Recognizing I"ve dismissed him, he stands, ready to return to work.

"Take Electra with you," I order.

He grips her upper arm and tugs her away. She's smart enough not to argue.

"Speak of the fucking devil," Bruno says, nodding toward the bar.

I turn to see Gino, his eyes on Electra and his hand snaking down to his groin.

I down my drink. "If there"s anybody that can give Gino a deadly stroke, it will be Electra sucking his cock." She really is good at it, but Aria… God, when her lips wrapped around my dick, I was the one nearly stroking out.

I rise and make my way to the door to call it a night. I ask my driver to take me to my apartment in town, leaving Bruno to go to his place.

Once home, I take my clothes off and lie in bed, doing my damnedest to resist the urge to call Aria. For one, it"s late, and she"s probably still adjusting to the time change. But two, I can"t give in to these urges to want to hear her voice.

But the image of her sucking me off. Of how her ass looked as I fucked her today… that urge can't be brushed off. I really thought that once she arrived, I wouldn"t need to deal with such things. But my dick has other ideas.

I push the sheets down, exposing my naked body. I wrap my hand around my dick, stroking fast and then slow. I think about her, not just sexually, but how she's going to be mine. I have no doubt she'll choose me.

Thinking of the power that she and I are going to wield together excites me until my cum shoots like a fountain onto my chest.

After a quick shower, I climb back into bed, placing my hands behind my head and smiling. Is it an American saying about the world being my oyster? It's definitely mine, and Aria is my pearl.