Chapter Nine

Today was Clifford’s eighteenth birthday, which meant it was the beginning of August and only two more months before our engagement and six months until I’d move to Paris temporarily.

I already had a list of events I’d have to fly to Chicago for to uphold my social responsibilities but I was still excited.

As promised, I snuck Leonas, Rocco, and Ricardo into Clifford’s party. Clifford didn’t mind. It was a huge party with over two hundred guests so nobody would notice three pot-headed tweens.

Santino pretended he didn’t care. He’d hardly talked a word to me since I made him help me with Paris a few weeks ago. When I’d thanked him for helping me, he’d given me a murderous look and growled, “Don’t thank me.” That was our longest interaction since then.

Mom’s words had been replaying in my mind constantly. Well, her warning. That was why I’d respected Santino’s desire for distance. Breaking my promise to Mom wasn’t something I could do lightly, and I’d sworn myself to at least try to stay away from Santino. Of course, that had only fueled my nightly fantasies of him. But there wasn’t any harm in that, right?

Right.

I was determined to have as much fun as possible at Clifford’s party, without wasting a single thought on Santino. He was off limits.

Off limits.

We picked up Luisa first. I grinned when she got into the back seat beside me and Leonas. She’d never accompanied me to a party before and I was glad to have her at my side. She could talk some sense into me in case I forgot my own limits…

Luisa was as usual a bit shy when she greeted Santino. She was a good girl through and through, and I loved her for it. Since she’d found out about our forbidden kiss, she had even more trouble interacting with Santino, though he had always intimidated her. “I’m nervous. This is my first real party.”

I gave her an encouraging smile. “You’ll be fine. Just have fun.”

She nodded, clutching her purse as if it were her lifeline.

Santino headed to the Scuderi mansion next. It was where Riccardo and Rocco still lived with their mother after their father had died. They were already waiting in front of the door and raced down the stairs with huge grins. Of course, they didn’t have to sneak out of the house like Leonas had done. Their mother had enough to do getting past her marriage trauma to take care of them properly.

There wasn’t any room for them on the back seat, and Santino snarled at them when they tried to get into the passenger seat, so they had no choice but to sit in the legroom in front of us. Riccardo grinned and exchanged a look with his brother when he pressed up to my legs for lack of room.

“You better keep your excitement down,” Leonas muttered.

“Oh he will,” I said. “Or he’ll find out how sharp my heels are.”

Riccardo exchanged another look with Rocco but they didn’t get a chance to say anything because Santino hit the gas.

If he thought driving like a madman would ruin the party for me, then he was very wrong.

Luisa and I ditched the boys as soon as we arrived at Clark mansion, except for our shadow Santino of course.

We picked up drinks right away and headed toward the dance floor.

Luisa took a hesitant sip from the white wine bowl.

“Take it slow,” I told her. I didn’t want to be responsible for her passing out from too much alcohol. I’d never seen her drink before. I took out my phone. “Selfie time. I want to send a few photos to Sofia to cheer her up.”

Her marriage with Danilo was still a bit bumpy, and I was sad that she couldn’t be here with us. With her now living in Indianapolis , we’d hardly see each other often, especially now that she had wife duties. We made funny faces into the camera and I sent the five most ridiculous ones to Sofia.

I was glad I didn’t have to marry soon. I guess I had to thank Clifford for that. “I’m glad you aren’t married yet,” I told Luisa.

Luisa made a face and shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind getting married, but Mom is being super picky when it comes to possible husbands.”

No wonder considering her backstory with an abusive rapist of a first husband. I didn’t say it. Luisa never talked about her biological father.

“You’ll be married soon enough. And you could just pick a husband yourself. I doubt your mom would say no if you fell in love or in lust.”

Luisa flushed at the mentioning of lust. I laughed and nudged her. “You’re really going to be the blushing virgin in your wedding night. If I was gay, I’d marry you. You’re just the cutest.”

Luisa nudged me back, looking even more embarrassed. “Do you know anyone?”

I shook my head in response. I hardly knew anyone, but that wasn’t the worst thing. That way I could relax and not worry too much about every detail of tonight making the rounds in our circles and eventually finding its way to my parents. With Santino in my hands, my life had improved considerably. Even his increased grumpiness because of my little blackmailing scheme was worth it.

“Where’s Santino? Shouldn’t he be watching us?” Luisa asked worriedly as she looked around. Santino had agreed to watch us both tonight so we wouldn’t draw too much attention to us with a second bodyguard. It had only taken a little convincing on my part for Luisa’s mom to agree. Adults always thought I was the good girl so they gave me what I wanted, even the overprotective Bibiana.

I allowed my gaze to search the dance floor then drift to the bar on the patio. Most guests were outside, enjoying the warm summer night. I didn’t see Santino anywhere. Only Leonas and his two sidekicks were chatting to a couple of girls. Suspicion filled me. Luisa was right, Santino had agreed to watch. Though, I doubted anyone would attack a senator’s house to get to me. Where was he? Either he’d hidden away in the furthest corner for some peace and quiet, or… he wouldn’t dare… most of the guests were around my and Clifford’s age, only a few seemed to be a couple of years older. If Santino banged a girl around my age, I’d make his life hell.

Off limits, I reminded myself, but my heart ignored my brain.

I motioned at Leonas that I’d head to the toilet and he pointed at his watch, which made me roll my eyes. It meant he’d come looking for me if I wasn’t back in five minutes. Whenever he was in charge of my protection, he became this bossy, uber-protective-wise guy.

This was a party of spoiled rich kids who cried already when a piece of bubble gum got stuck under their boots. In our world, you asked your brother to hand you his knife so you could scratch it off and he’d still use the blade to stab someone afterward. I could deal with any boy who dared to approach me. I’d make them cry into their fancy-pansy white-wine-bowl in no time.

“I’ll go looking for Santino,” I told Luisa. “Do you want to come with me?”

Luisa immediately shook her head. “I’d rather not get involved in a fight.”

“Who says we’re going to fight?”

Luisa gave me a look that said really?

I grinned. “We’re an explosive combination.” Then I glanced around. “Maybe you can head over to Leonas? I’d feel better if I didn’t leave you alone here.”

Luisa laughed. “I’m shy and not as outgoing as you, but I’ll be fine, Anna.”

I didn’t move.

She sighed with a small smile. “All right. I’ll head over to your brother.”

“I’ll be quick.”

I wiggled my fingers at Leonas and motioned at Luisa then moved outside. Seeing how many people danced in the yard or in the pool, I doubted Clifford had invited only two hundred people. The place was swarming with guests. Mom would kill me if I invited that many people to a wild party. I glanced toward the pool house, which was bathed in darkness. Clifford was clever enough to keep the party out of his own walls. That was the perfect place for Santino to chill, or do other things…

I hurried toward the glass door. The shutters were all closed so I couldn’t look inside. I pushed the handle down and was surprised to find it open. Why hadn’t Clifford locked it?

Or had Santino picked the lock? I really wouldn’t put it past him. The moment I stepped inside, I heard giggling. The asshole.

Had he really picked a girl to bang? Next time he told me I was too young, I’d give him a piece of my mind. As if a few months made such a big difference!

Another giggle rang out. It sounded absolutely wrong. I couldn’t pinpoint why exactly.

I followed the noise toward a door behind which I suspected the bedroom. By now the noise had turned into muffled groans and gasps, intermingling with awed “oh gods”.

I pushed open the bedroom door, trying to be quiet.

The first thing I saw was Mrs. Clark’s awestruck face. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted and she was sweaty. Her breasts jiggled in front of her and the neckline of her dress shoved down so it wrapped around her ribs. Her red throng dangled around her ankle as she kneeled doggy style on Clifford’s bed, the skirt of her dress pushed up on her back so her ass was propped up in front of none other than Santino.

She made a face as if the holy ghost had descended on her and she chanted oh god oh god, as if she’d arise to the gates of heaven any moment. Either Clark Senior was the worst lay ever, or Santino had a magic dick. Santino was mostly dressed, but his shirt was untugged and his pants were open as he pistoned into Mrs. Clark with the determination of a brand-new jackhammer.

In a spur-of-the-moment decision, I grabbed my phone and snapped a photo then quickly shoved it back into my purse.

I took a step back and the floorboards creaked. Santino’s eyes cut to me and he didn’t stop. Only made a motion with his hand that suggested I should get lost.

He did this to spite me. To punish me for forcing him to come to Paris. Maybe even for our kiss. He was pissed. But so was I.

My lips curled and I turned on my heel. For all I cared, he could fuck Clifford’s mom until her fake lashes fell off and her contact lenses dropped out. Maybe she’d take him to the gates of hell with her, because God would definitely not answer to her ridiculous chanting.

I was seething. Seething.

But worse.

Worse.

I was hurt and jealous.

And that made me even angrier because I didn’t want Santino to have the power to hurt me. I wanted him to bang me. That was it. My emotions needed to kindly go fuck themselves and leave me be. My life was already complicated as it was, I didn’t need my crush on Santino to complicate things further.

I couldn’t believe he’d picked Mrs. Clark to bang. This was his way to pay me back.

Two could play this game.

If he acted like an asshole, I’d show him what kind of bitch I could be.

I checked my surroundings for Clifford but only caught the back of his head. He was busy tongue-wrestling a brunette I didn’t know.

I released a slow breath, close to snapping. The guy I should be obsessed with and the guy I was actually obsessed with were both getting it on with other women.

I looked around for my brother, his two sidekicks, and Luisa. Instead of finding the Beagle Boys or my friend, I only found Rocco close to the French doors, looking entirely up to no good. Which meant my brother and Riccardo were probably somewhere outside, getting themselves, and if I was particularly unlucky, me into trouble.

Luisa wasn’t anywhere. Today wasn’t my day. I scanned the crowd again as I slowly made my way over to Rocco, desperately hoping Luisa would show up again and not let herself be dragged into my brother’s shenanigans. I needed a pep talk, or someone to talk me out of doing something particularly stupid. She was good at both, but had plenty of practice with the latter.

“Don’t get me in trouble,” I said in warning when I arrived at Rocco’s side.

“You look like you’re in trouble yourself,” he commented curiously and with that head tilt and x-ray look that always made you believe he knew more than he should. Sometimes he creeped me out.

“Not in trouble, but I need someone to make out with.”

Rocco’s eyes widened.

Gotcha.

Then he gave a sly smile, and my lips curled.

“Not you, moron,” I muttered.

I wanted to pay Santino back and not make him pity me for kissing a fourteen-year-old kid. Not to mention that I really needed a spectacular kiss that would make me want to sing to heaven as well. Maybe Mrs. Clark had been faking it, but she hadn’t looked like that had been the case.

“You and the other Beagle Boys stay out of trouble, understood? I won’t go down with you today,” I growled.

“That’s a stupid name.”

I gave him a look that made it clear it fit them to a T before I finally found Luisa standing in the lobby. She was clutching her glass and giving the two boys who were talking to her an awkward smile. Unlike me, boys didn’t recognize her as a mafia princess, so they actually dared to approach her. She looked like Bambi in human form, with huge brown eyes and long lashes, plus silky brown hair. Of course, she also reeked of innocence which seemed to draw in the boys even more. I made my way over to her and immediately relief crossed her face. I didn’t spot my brother anywhere. I decided not to care for the time being. I’d later give him an ass-kicking for leaving Luisa’s side.

“Anna,” she said with a grateful smile as if I’d saved her.

Both boys checked me out as usual, before the face of the first guy flashed with recognition and then caution.

“That’s my friend Anna,” Luisa introduced me.

I leaned in and whispered in her ear while deciding my chances with the guy who hadn’t recognized me yet were better. “I’m going to put the moves on the guy on the right, or have you called dibs?”

It was a rhetorical question. Luisa was determined to wait until marriage for her first kiss.

“He’s French,” she murmured.

It was a clear sign and explained why he didn’t know who I was.

I hit him with a charming smile. “You’re from France?” I asked in French.

His smile brightened. “Yes, from Paris. I’m here to improve my English.”

“What a coincidence. I’m looking for someone to improve my French.” Kissing…

The guy smiled as if he knew what I hadn’t said and introduced himself as Maurice. I told him about me going to Paris and soon we were immersed in a conversation. He often touched my arm and his eyes darted to my lips, so I knew things were going in the right direction. “How about we head outside for a bit? I need some fresh air.”

Before I left with him, I leaned toward Luisa. “If you see Santino, tell him you can’t find me.”

She shook her head with a warning look. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Of course not,” I said with a laugh.

Maurice and I strode out into the backyard of the mansion. It was still warm and I could feel the heat rise through the soles of my shoes as we crossed the expensive marble tiles surrounding the pool area. The music was so loud, I was surprised none of the neighbors had called the police yet. Either they had been bribed or Clark’s connection to the Outfit was having effects.

Maurice led me toward a more secluded part of the premises down by a pond which was lined by a few tall trees. A bench perched on the very edge of the pond. Maurice and I settled on it, our legs touching. We chatted for a bit but I could tell his mind was already on another task. His gaze was now practically glued to my lips.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Santino step out onto the porch. I wasn’t sure if he could see us from his vantage point because our part of the backyard wasn’t as brightly lit as the rest.

But he’d find us. That was his job after all.

I batted my lashes at Maurice and bit my lower lip. He didn’t need another invitation. One of his arms came around my back and with the other, he cupped my head and kissed me. He wasn’t as hesitant as Clifford had been and the kiss was much more enjoyable. Of course, it couldn’t hold a candle to Santino’s kiss. Still I found myself being pleasantly surprised. Paying Santino back at least proved a nice experience. His palm traveled down my back until it rested right above my ass and our kiss picked up pace. My body didn’t spring to life like it had done with Santino but I could imagine getting into it more after a while.

Suddenly Maurice was ripped away from me. It took me a moment to understand what had happened. Maurice’s kiss had actually made me forget the reason for the kiss in the first place.

Maurice sat on the ground with Santino standing over him. Maurice let out a string of French curses then lunged at Santino. My eyes widened. Bad idea.

Within a minute, Santino had Maurice back on the ground, face first. Santino’s knee pressed into Maurice’s back, and his expression suggested he wanted to break his spine.

“Santino,” I warned. “Maurice doesn’t know who I am.”

Santino’s cold smile hit me and sent a shiver down my back. “Maybe you should let guys know before you kiss them that they’re risking their lives by touching you.”

“Get off!” Maurice growled in English.

Santino dug his knee deeper into his back, making him groan in pain.

“Are you her boyfriend?”

“Bodyguard,” I said quickly and moved to their side. I grabbed Santino’s shoulder, feeling his muscles flex under my fingertips.

“Santino.”

Santino straightened and finally released Maurice who immediately shoved to his feet but kept his distance to us. “Bodyguard? You’re famous?”

Santino sneered. “She’s a mafia princess, so you stay the fuck away from her unless you want me to break your spine.”

Maurice seemed to think Santino was joking but a look at my apologetic face had his eyes go wide. He shook his head with another string of French curses. “You Americans are completely crazy.” He went off without another word.

Santino grabbed my arm and dragged me away, but not back toward the party instead toward the driveway.

“What are you doing? It’s not even midnight yet! I didn’t get the chance to congratulate Clifford.”

“If you think I’ll stay another second at this party so I can watch you let Clifford cop a feel as his birthday present, you’re very mistaken. If you think getting it on with horny teenage boys is the way to piss me off, then you don’t know me.”

“By your standards, I should probably seduce Clark Senior. I won’t ever sink as low as you, Santino.”

“Give it some time, considering your behavior in the last few weeks, I’d say you’re on a good way.”

“You want me to be a good girl? Then stop being such a dick.”

We arrived at the car. Luisa was already inside.

Santino leaned down, his eyes burning with rage. “Who ever said I want you to be a good girl?”

Oh holy shit. “You want me to be a good girl around other guys.” I moved even closer, grabbing his shirt. “But deep down you want me to keep my naughty side only for you.”

Santino gripped my hand and pried it off. “I’m not playing your games, Anna. And you better stop playing them. Next time I see you with another guy, I’m going to break his bones, no matter who he is, even Clark Senior.”

“I’ll stop kissing other guys if you stop banging other women.”

He laughed darkly. “This isn’t a negotiation.”

“So you think you can fuck Mrs. Clark, and I’ll just sit back and watch like a good little girl.”

“We aren’t anything, Anna. So me fucking whoever I want isn’t your fucking business.”

“It is if you’re doing it while on the job.”

“Get in the car, now. This discussion is over. I’ll keep fucking Mrs. Clark and every other woman I want, and you keep your legs closed until Cliffy feels ready to marry and pops your cherry.”

He threw the door shut in my face and engaged the locks. I let out an enraged cry and gave him the finger.

He smirked and turned, heading back to the house.

Luisa stared at me with shock-widened eyes. “Wow. You two will end up killing each other. Maybe you should take another bodyguard to Paris with you.”

“No way. I won’t let him off so easily. He thinks he can order me around. I know he wants me. And I won’t give up until I’ve made him eat his words.”

“I have a really bad feeling about this. What do you want to do?”

“Santino thinks he knows the game I’m playing, but I haven’t even started playing. In Paris, all bets are off.”

“I’m really worried about you, Anna. You still have feelings for him. What if you get hurt?”

“I don’t have feelings for Santino, not anymore. But I’m attracted to him. I’ll just have a fling with him in Paris. He’s like an itch. I just need to scratch it.”

“My itches always get worse once I start scratching, and usually I can’t stop until I’ve scratched myself bloody.”

I shook my head. “I have it under control, don’t worry.”