Reign (The Larussio Legacy Book 3)
Page 12
The middle brother speaks up. “It’s not going to be as easy to convince Nonna; she has a deep hatred for the Larussios. I don’t know if anything can get through to her, Giovanni, but like my brother, I have seen how much you care for our sister and wish you both well.”
Great-Uncle raises his glass. “Salute! We will welcome a new generation to the Larussio Family!” he says, nodding his head in my direction.
“We most definitely will, but first we need to come together and find the fuckers that have a target on Serena’s back. Nate, were you able to get a message to Jay about a meeting this evening?”
“It’s all set, Gio. As soon as you’re ready, we can get things started,” Nate says.
I nod. “Thanks, Nate. The tech guys have installed updated communication equipment. You’ll find the cabinet behind you and the others more than equipped to handle any conference call we need to have,” I say.
Nate opens the mahogany cabinet, revealing a five-foot-long screen, along with top-of-the-line audio and visual equipment that isn’t even on the market for anyone outside the intelligence agency, courtesy of our Prestian connections.
“Damn, our intel guys did a great job wiring this up,” Nate says, smiling at the technological package unveiled to the room.
“They certainly did,” I say, and he nods in agreement.
“We’ll have Jay and the others on the line momentarily. There’s been a lot of traffic this evening,” Nate says.
“Excellent, I’m anxious to find out who’s pulling Mancini’s strings,” I say, because whoever it is has purposely not gone after me or my family, but have been given strict orders to bring Serena in alive. It can only be for one reason, torture of the worst kind. This person, whoever it is, has a vendetta with me, that is for certain, but who? There are so many enemies of the Family.
The monitor lights up, signaling the connection, and Jay and Matt, another security member, come into view and in a couple of seconds are connected to audio. “Gentlemen, we have a full agenda this evening. I’m sure Giovanni has had an opportunity to fill you in on the details, but there is much we have learned, and it’s going to be a very long night,” Jay says.
“I think most of you know that Dominic Mancini has been the one issuing orders for Serena’s abduction. We would have taken him out in a heartbeat if it had been that easy or uncomplicated, but it wasn’t. We realized that someone else was pulling the strings at the top, and removing Mancini wouldn’t get rid of the problem but instead eliminate our ability to find the person at the helm. We needed time to get to the source, but I’m happy to say that we did.”
The entire room stills. The men stop drinking and lean forward, giving their undivided attention to the screen. Everyone around this table, for once, is focused on the same thing at the very same time, waiting for Jay to continue.
“Gentlemen, while we’ve found the source, we need to discuss and strategize on our next steps, because unfortunately we are dealing with Alfreita’s Family. He may be dead, but his son is very much alive and is seeking vengeance.”
Suddenly, everything comes together. I know exactly what this fucker wants, so does my great-uncle and Salvatore. Alfreita tried to overtake our territory and highjack the cargo transit between Italy and the United States. He even tried to get Chase Prestian, Katarina’s husband, to let him use some of his shipping connections to get dirty, poisoned product into the United States. Chase wouldn’t do it, which resulted in Alfreita attempting to set Chase up in an illegal possession and movement of product across international waters charge, among others.
I look to my uncle. I don’t want to usurp him, but my heart is racing with the knowledge that we know who has their sights on Serena. If he doesn’t make the call, I will.
“We take his entire fucking Family out, we do it now!” Great-Uncle roars.
Serena
I rouse, stretching and slowly acclimating to the morning sun pouring into the safe house’s bedroom window. I squint and pat around to find my phone and check the time. Ugh, way too early to be awake. Giovanni has been near, because I can smell the scent of his skin. It’s emanating all around me, even though he’s no longer here.
I shower and leisurely get ready for the day, unable to get the thought that we are going to be parents out of my mind. I absently rub my hand over my belly through the skirt I’ve selected from the closet of clothes Giovanni has had purchased for me while at his home, and smile widely at the reflection looking back at me from the mirror. I am going to be a mama.
I turn to head downstairs, and Giovanni is leaning against the doorjamb. “Where are you going, Tesoro?”
I reach for his face and take him in both hands, bringing his face down to my own so I can kiss his lips. “I was headed down to the little library off the dining room to find a book before breakfast.”
Giovanni watches me for a long moment. “I’ll walk you and fill you in on the details from last night after you fell asleep. How are you feeling?” he asks, turning my face up to him so he can look into my eyes.
“I’m not ill, Giovanni. I feel good, a little troubled with timing. I want to be with you, so desperately want this with you, but what about the safety? What if they take me and kill our child? All the training I’ve undergone, it was intended to keep me safe at a moment’s notice, but we never planned for a child. I don’t know how to process this. How could I ever go against someone, knowing it could put our child at danger?” It’s as honest as I can be. I simply do not know how to navigate this. I have done everything that I can, training day after day in case someone came for me, but being with child, that is different.
“Look at me, Serena. These men, they want you, but my Family knows who they are now. The security team and intel has identified them. We know who we’re after. It will soon be over, but until then, I need you and our little one safe. I know you are going to hate this, but I want you to stay at the estate for the next couple weeks while I’m in Vegas.”
My heart tightens with sadness that he wants me away from him, but I see the look in his eye. He is not to be dissuaded. He strums his finger against the pulse on my neck and leans down to kiss me before whispering in my ear. “I love you, Serena. Do as I ask, Tesoro. It is for your safety and the security of our child. Do not make me punish you,” Giovanni says, watching me as his words and demand sink in and everything south goes wet.
He bends to kiss my lips, capturing me with his and sliding his tongue along the seam of my lips causing my center to moisten and lips to part for him. “Sweetheart, you are mine, and I will care for you and our child, you do not need to ever question this. The Family will put an end to this, I promise you,” he says, stroking my cheek and watching, waiting for an answer.
I don’t know how all of this gets better, but I do know that he and his Family have a great sense of family and loyalty, and although Giovanni and I are not official, I do believe he will do everything in his power to protect our little one.
“Giovanni, all the training. I won’t be able to protect myself, because I will put our child at risk,” I say and this time the tears fall because I am unable to hold them back.
He leans down and kisses me, running his hands along my body, settling under my backside, and then lifts me, pulling my body onto his own. “Wrap your legs around me, Tesoro,” Giovanni says, and I do as he walks me to the bed.
“I am not letting you take things in your own hands; I am not letting you put you or our child at risk, do you understand, Serena? I know you’ve grown up fearing the Family, but this Family is now yours, and we will not let any harm come to you and our child, okay?” Giovanni says, stroking my cheek, watching me intently with his dark eyes.
“How? How is this ever going to end? They want me, and while I have trained hard, I don’t know if I can overcome men, knowing that in combat I may be putting our child at risk, Giovanni. I just don’t know what to do.”
“I trust you and your Family, but I don’t feel safe without you, Giovanni. I want to come with you, be with you in case something happens.” I know I’m asking for a lot and watch as a myriad of emotions play over his features.
I pull his face down next to mine, so close that I can feel the warmth of his breath as it caresses my skin. He groans, grasping my face and capturing my lips in a claiming kiss, and devouring me with his passion. His kiss is heated, but then he pulls back and licks my lip. “Against my better judgement, I can’t deny you, sweetheart. You will come with me back to America. I will make the arrangements.”
I grasp around his neck tighter, pulling him closer. “I love you so much, Giovanni. I never want to be away from you. My soul dies when I’m not with you.”
He groans, placing me down on the soft linen and lifting my skirt. “You are mine, Serena, and if you are so concerned about your safety and that of our child to the point that you want to leave your nonna and family, you will be with me when I get on that plane to America. I will deal with Great-Uncle and Salvatore,” Giovanni says, at the same time he hooks his fingers into the lacy material of my panties and commands me to lift, before he drags them down my thighs and tosses them to the floor.
He undresses and crawls over the top of me, caging me with his masculinity. “Do you know how crazy you make me, Serena? I want to devour every single bit of your heat. I want to lap up your sweetness until you’re bucking against me and screaming my name, and then I want to drive my cock into you until you come all over me, time and time again,” Giovanni says, nudging past my entrance and thrusting hard.
I don’t move, because I can’t, he’s so deep and it’s so good. He pulls out slowly, his eyes watching me intently as his head caresses and teases my entrance. “More?”
“Yes!” I start to push up to take him, but he places his palm against the span of my belly. “No, sweetheart. I’ll tell you when you’re ready, and it’s not now,” Giovanni says, holding me in place, rubbing the hard tip of his cock along my heat, dragging my wetness from center to my clit, caressing and teasing, setting all of my senses on fire, while he continues to deny me the ability to move. “Take what I have to give you, sweetheart,” Giovanni says, watching me with those dark hooded eyes and when he’s finally done teasing me, he drives hard; one thrust puts him deep inside of me, completely seated. He grasps my face between his hands and raises me to devour me with his kiss, taking my breath away as he begins to slowly but deeply thrust.
“Tell me how you like it, sweetheart, wrap your legs around me.”
I don’t need to be told twice, wrapping my legs around his waist as he thrusts over and over, and deeper and deeper. I am right on the edge; he reaches down and strokes my clit as he continues to power me with his thrusts, and I hear myself moaning with pleasure.
“Come for me, come for me now,” Giovanni instructs and at the sound of his demand I do exactly as he has demanded, shivering at the dominance in his voice and command he has over my entire body.
Gio
I watch as Serena’s eyes sparkle with mischief and absolute delight. My chest tightens knowing I need her by my side, to protect her myself, as much if not more than she needs to be with me, but how the fuck to explain this to Great-Uncle after everything that has transpired? He is going to hit the roof when he learns that Serena and our unborn child will be coming to America with me and Salvatore and not staying with him in Italy, along with all the other plans that Salvatore and I made well after he retired last night.
Her lips are still swollen from my kisses. I lick against the seam, exploring and teasing until she parts for me. I devour her sweetness, swallowing her moan as I pull her against me, already hard for her again, but it’s not sex I really want. I need to feel her heartbeat against my chest, feel the liveliness coursing through her, because she has become my entire world and my blood runs cold at the thought of anyone getting close enough to harm her.
It’s all I’ve been able to think about since we learned Mancini wasn’t the one calling the shots. If it had just been him, easy, we would have had him taken out by the men that are loyal to us in prison. Fortunately, our security team knew that wasn’t the case, and once we received confirmation, we were able to get a well-laid-out plan in place. Great-Uncle initially led the meeting, pulling cousins in from all around the country, but once he went to bed, Salvatore and I worked well into the night with Jay, Matt, Nate, and Antonio to ensure all the details were in place.
As soon as our men have radio contact, they plan to draw them out of hiding, and when they do, all hell is going to rain down on the Alfreita Family. If they thought they could intimidate the Larussios, try to remove me and Great-Uncle, and try to kidnap my fiancée, they are wrong, and they will learn that lesson in a very clear and meaningful way.
Only when each and every one of them is in a body bag will Serena and our child be safe. I will do everything in my power to ensure that happens quickly and with a powerful message to those that seek to bring trouble to our door in the future. Perhaps I am more of a Larussio than I knew, ever intended, or wanted to be. I pull myself out of my thoughts as she sighs into me, sated and happy that she’s going to America with me.
I stroke her cheek and gently kiss her lips. “I love you so much, Tesoro. Marry me here, before we leave your family, before I take you to a new land, let me make you my wife,” I say, kissing her lips and pulling her body toward me.
Serena’s beautiful red lips part for me and dazzle me with a bright wide smile. Her eyes mist with emotion as she pulls my face close to hers. “Giovanni Larussio, I would absolutely love that. Yes, yes, and yes!” she says, kissing my lips.
“You have made me a very happy man, Tesoro. I’ll get in touch with someone to help you work through the details for a quick family wedding, but right now I need to deal with a few things downstairs. You can stay here and read, go out on the balcony, do whatever pleases you,” I tell her, gesturing toward the French doors that lead to the outdoor space overlooking a vast countryside beyond.
She narrows her darkened eyes at me, not fooled for a moment. “You want me to stay in our room because you and your family are going to talk about things you don’t think I need to hear, don’t think I have the stomach to hear. Why? Because you think I will think less of you, or Salvatore, or your great-uncle, or your cousins? No, you are doing what you must do to protect our family. I love you even more for that, Giovanni. Do you understand that I don’t hold this against you, but that I still want to be there?”
“Serena, you think so right now, but you have no idea the hell that we are about to unleash on the Family that has threatened harm to you and our unborn child. Do not make promises you cannot keep. It is my job to protect you from everything, physical and emotional. You do not need to be a part of what will happen, nor do I want you to be. Let me do this alone, Serena. Let me keep you and our child protected from all the ugliness in the world, Tesoro,” I say, tilting her head so I can see her eyes.
A myriad of emotions run through her deep brown eyes, questioning, concerned, and then finally, at last, even with all the trials and issues she’s had with this Family, acceptance. I feel her body physically relax and completely submit to my request, before I pull her close. She turns her face up for a kiss and runs the tip of her tongue over the seam of my lip, causing my dick to instantly harden. My dark-haired beauty wants to play, but unfortunately showing her who is in charge of her pleasure, since she seems to have forgotten, will need to wait.
“I love you, Giovanni. Do what is necessary to keep our family safe, with no sha
me, with no second-guessing how I will think of you in the future. Whatever happens, I will know that you protected your Family, and I will be proud, and I will love you for it, Giovanni Larussio, no matter what,” Serena vows.
My chest tightens, and I swallow hard past the lump of emotion as I pull her closer and let her sweetness envelope me. In all my years as a Larussio, all the years I’ve fought to get away from the stigma, strived to make my own legitimate way, never once has anyone alluded to the fact that they would be proud of me for doing what the Family does. It takes a moment to settle, and I keep her pressed tightly against me while it does.
I kiss her forehead, then her eyes, trailing to her nose before capturing her lips with my own. I’m not gentle, wanting to ravish her completely. The fact that she has submitted control, placed complete trust in me to take care of our family, putting all the things she has endured at the hands of my Family behind her, is a gift I didn’t expect to earn for a very long time, if ever.
I lift her chin to me. “Serena, I need to go downstairs and help Salvatore get everything prepared for our trip. I’ll have breakfast and a book brought up for you while I work,” I coax, stroking her cheek.
Serena watches me for a moment, and then gets a big smile on her face. “Nonna needs to stay on this earth just a little bit longer, at least long enough to see her granddaughter married and to meet her great-grandchild. I think I’ll give Kate, Sasha, Marenah, and Jenny a call and see if they can help. We have a wedding to plan in less than two days,” she says, smiling up at me.
“Yes, you do,” I say, before kissing her lips and then reluctantly leaving the warmth of her mouth. “If you need anything, just let the security team know. I’ll be tied up most of the day.