She didn’t dare say otherwise. She nodded her head vigorously. He blew her a kiss, already anticipating the evening. He would go see the lovely widow, take care of business, retreat to his wing of his other home, stay a day and then recover enough to see Lissa and give her the last and final assignment – the one that would make him boss of both families.
The elation was so strong he thought his heart might burst out of his chest. He’d begun planning when his brother ascended to the Abbracciabene throne. Marcello might have been older, but Luigi should have been the natural successor. He was very, very good at what he did. That was when the plan had come to him.
He stared out the window as the car sped toward the town Cosmos resided in. It was nearly an hour away. He had plenty of time to anticipate what the good widow would be doing for him and all the money he’d make off of her after. Seventeen years of waiting was coming to an end, and the nearly euphoric feeling was almost better than when he was finally told his brother and sister-in-law were dead.
He really wanted to go see Aldo before he sent his best weapon after him. Smug, little Aldo who ruled his empire and treated Luigi as a poor relation. Luigi shook his head, a small smirk playing around his mouth. He could see his reflection in the window now. He was young enough to rule both empires for a very long time. He would have it all. Power. Wealth. Women. He enjoyed playing chess with other people’s lives. And he’d won. He’d nearly toppled the king. It was his own little pawn that was going to take that king down.
He burst out laughing. “We’re so close, Arturo.”
“You got that right, boss,” Arturo said, elation in his voice as well. “She came through again, didn’t she? She always does.”
The smile faded from Luigi’s face. It wasn’t that he had affection for Lissa. He didn’t feel emotions like affection, but he definitely regretted having to kill her. He’d sent her to the States to get her away from him. She was too damned intelligent to keep around on a daily basis. She would have figured the entire plan out by now had he allowed her to stay close.
Angeline had been with him seventeen years and she hadn’t figured out a damn thing. Not. One. Damn. Thing. She believed he loved her. He gave a little snort of derision. He despised the bitch. She claimed to love him, but she didn’t know the first thing about him and she sure as hell didn’t do anything to show him. She hated him touching her. She found sex too messy. She lay under him, the only position she’d go for, completely unmoving while he rutted like an animal. It was never fun, and she always had a look of distaste on her face afterward.
He’d given up long ago trying to make something of his marriage. In the beginning, he thought to keep her alive, but after the first five years he’d changed his mind. Once he had sons he could mold into what he wanted – and needed – he left her alone. Well, unless he was seriously pissed at her. Then he got drunk enough to make sex last a long time and he forced her to do her duty, just because he enjoyed punishing her that way.
Arturo pulled the car onto the private drive leading up to the Agosto mansion. It was a mansion, nothing less. This would be his as well. He pushed all thoughts of his wife away and looked forward to what was to come.
Cosmos’s wife, Carlotta, stood anxiously waiting in the doorway. She was seriously beautiful. Her face was perfection and the flow of wavy, black hair tumbling around her soft, delicate features only accented her classic bone structure. Her eyes were enormous, dark and surrounded by thick, long lashes. She’d been in countless magazines, famous for that face and body.
Cosmos had dictated that his wife keep her body through diet and exercise, and she had obeyed him. He’d managed to make her submissive in a way Luigi had failed with Angeline, but that was all right, Luigi was going to reap the benefits of Cosmos’s training.
He walked right up to her and took her into his arms, holding her close while she wept. She wore a skirt and blouse. Cosmos didn’t like her in pants or underwear. When they went out, he liked showing her off and her clothes bordered on scandalous. Even now, her blouse was low-cut and thin, the material see-through to show her black bra, the one that lovingly pushed her breasts up so that the shadow of her nipples showed.
Luigi patted her back, moving her into the house, Arturo right behind him, closing the door. “I’ll take care of you, Carlotta,” he assured. “You saw the body?” He put her from him gently, smiling down at her.
She tipped her face up, nodding. “He fell just at the cliff. I didn’t call the authorities. I didn’t know what to do, so I called you. I knew you’d come, that I could rely on you.”
“You did the right thing. First, I need you to show me where Cosmos kept his safe. He had important papers he wanted me to deal with in case of his death.”
“He had the safe in the bedroom, built into the wall.”
He took her hand, again, quite gently, turned up her wrist and kissed the soft skin there. “Show me, bella. You have the code to open the safe.” He made that a statement.
She beamed when he called her beautiful, eagerly nodding her head. “He made me memorize it just in case something like this happened. He said the papers were important.”
He nodded solemnly as he followed her into the bedroom. Arturo trailed behind. Carlotta didn’t seem to notice. She pointed to a picture on the wall and stepped back.
“Cosmos had a lot of enemies,” Luigi said, pouring concern into his voice. “Did he explain that to you? Enemies he worried would harm you.”
She nodded, her hand going defensively to her throat. She was tall, nearly as tall as Luigi, but slender and delicate looking.
“He wanted me to look after you.” Luigi spoke to her, as he swung the picture aside. It opened like a door. “Tell me the code.”
She did and he pressed the numbers she gave him. Already, Arturo crowded close to her. He and Arturo had a way of having a very good time with women. It mattered little to them whether or not the woman had a good time.
“I want you to look after me, Luigi,” Carlotta said. “I need you.”
He glanced over his shoulder, his gaze sweeping over her body. He turned back to the contents of the safe, dismissing her. “I don’t know, Carlotta. I have a big territory and a demanding wife. What do I need with you? What can you do for me in return for my protection?”
He glanced over his shoulder again and saw her twist her fingers together. She looked deliciously anxious. He pulled out the heavy stack of papers from the safe, quickly sifting through them, looking for the journal Cosmos had kept of their pact together. He found it, scanned it and slipped it inside his jacket pocket.
“Please, Luigi. I don’t know what I can give you in return, but anything.” She sounded close to tears.
“Come here, bella.” Luigi’s voice was gentle. Loving even. “Right now, Carlotta.” He pushed a little command into his tone, just enough that her submissive nature would demand she obey. That and her fear of being abandoned. She already looked at him with hope.
When she approached cautiously, he reached out, caught the front of her blouse and gave it a vicious yank. The material parted and he threw the scraps aside. “You know what to do to please me. Cosmos said you were very good at showing him how grateful you were to him for giving you this home.”
She stood there, looking shocked, afraid, and a little uncertain. Arturo grabbed her hair in his fist and yanked her head back so hard she nearly fell over.
“You heard him, bitch. Get rid of the clothes and crawl to him. Show him you’re thankful for his protection.” He kept his hold on her hair with one hand and with the other he produced a knife. “Don’t move yet. Stay very still. Luigi doesn’t like blood. I don’t mind it, but he likes a woman’s body without a blemish.” He slid the blade of the knife flat along her cheek and then down to the swell of her breasts.
Carlotta kept her eyes on Luigi. He smiled and winked at her. “Arturo won’t hurt you, not as long as you behave. And you will behave, won’t you, bella? You’ll do whatever I ask.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Luigi, anything for you.”
The knife cut the straps of the bra and then slid along the side to cut the material, freeing her breasts to their sight. Arturo slipped the blade into the waistband of the skirt and shredded that as well. She wasn’t wearing panties, and she stood completely naked between the two men.
Luigi went back to looking through the papers as if dismissing her again. Arturo applied pressure until she was kneeling, and then on all fours. “Crawl to him,” he snapped. “Show him how grateful you are.”
She did, and the closer she got the more Luigi moved back, forcing her to follow him. Arturo laughed. “She’s a well-trained bitch already, Luigi. I don’t think it will take much time to get her into shape.”
Luigi smiled at Arturo. “I think she’s very cooperative.” He stopped moving so Carlotta could catch up to him. He made certain it was in the center of the room where they could have plenty of room to do whatever they wanted with the woman.
“Luigi, I’ll do whatever you want,” Carlotta said.
Arturo’s belt landed hard on her naked butt. She screamed. “You don’t call him Luigi. He is no longer your friend. He’s your protector. Show some respect.”
“Arturo,” Luigi said softly. “She’s trying. Don’t cry, bella. He wants only to help you remember how to behave so you won’t get into trouble. Arturo, make her feel better while she sucks my cock. Open my trousers, Carlotta, and do a good job. I want to fuck your face, shove my cock right down your throat, and you’re going to swallow all that meat I’m offering you. And you’ll be grateful while you do it. I want enthusiasm. If I don’t get that, I can’t be responsible for what Arturo will do. He has a bad temper, that one.”
Arturo was already rubbing his hand over the vicious mark of his belt, his fingers wandering lower. He pushed her legs farther apart with his foot and plunged his fingers deep into her. His thumb slid into the crease of her cheeks. She gasped and squirmed, trying to dislodge his hand, but he kept working her.
She had a difficult time taking down the zipper to Luigi’s trousers while Arturo used his fingers to spread her wider and wider. Luigi grabbed her head, suddenly tired of waiting, and pushed her down over his waiting cock. She swallowed him whole. He found it more than entertaining watching Arturo first fist her and then take her brutally, slamming into her, driving her mouth over Luigi with every stroke. Of course he didn’t stop there. He took her in every way possible while she screamed deliciously around Luigi’s cock. Tears poured down her face while Arturo opened her so Luigi could easily sell her body again and again to the highest bidder, allowing them to use her any way possible. When they were done with her, he could sell her to Evan Shackler-Stavros for use on one of his snuff freighters.
He rubbed her cheek, smiling benevolently. “I will take such good care of you, bella, you’ll be a treasure in my stable. Arturo will take you to a safe house. He’ll look after you. I’ll visit later tonight, after you get settled. You’ll have papers to sign. You can’t ever come back to this house. Cosmos’s enemies will look for you here.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss on top of her head. “Have no worries, I’ll take very good care of you. You’ll have a nice apartment and you’ll only be required to entertain the best of men. You’ll enjoy yourself. Arturo will see that you know exactly what to do.”
He stroked her head again and then presented his hand to her. “Show your gratitude, Carlotta, and remember, I expect absolute loyalty and obedience. No questions. You understand?” Suddenly he gripped her hair hard and yanked her head back to stare down into her liquid-filled eyes.
She swallowed hard, her face blotching, her mascara running. He thought she looked even more beautiful that way. “Si, Don Abbracciabene.” Eagerly, when he released her hair, she bent to kiss his hand. “Anything you say.”
“I will leave you in Arturo’s more than capable hands. Arturo will see to it that you are fully trained and know what to expect anytime I come to visit you or send someone I want you to please.”
Carlotta nodded her head, started to make a move to rise, but halted when the belt lashed across her bottom again. She cried out and received another blow. Luigi winked at her and, taking the papers, sauntered out, whistling. Behind him, he heard blows raining down on the woman’s bare bottom and thighs. Arturo enjoyed inflicting pain. He took great care that the women he trained learned to enjoy that pain so they were worth something to Luigi. Luigi had found the man invaluable. Women in the Abbracciabene stable were the most sought after of any other ring. He made certain they were clean, beautiful, well-trained and would do anything at all when told.
He would slip back into his retreat, the house Angeline knew nothing about, and hide in his private wing for another day or two before emerging sick and weak to listen to the details of Cosmos’s death. He didn’t want to go back home and face his disgusting wife. He would visit Carlotta again in the middle of the night. Arturo would have her hanging by her wrists from the ceiling, her body deliciously striped. She would need his loving care, a gentle hand to guide her into her new life. After Arturo’s violence, his women always welcomed him and were more than happy to comply with his every wish.
He needed to look over the papers, have his lawyer prepare the ones needed for Carlotta to sign over the estate to him and give him power over her bank account. All that money he’d paid Cosmos, coming right back to him. He laughed softly as he drove, anticipating his next encounter with the grieving widow.
Casimir watched the car come up the long drive, park just outside of Luigi’s private wing and Luigi emerge from the driver’s side. He was alone, Arturo no longer with him. It was very unusual to see Luigi without Arturo and Casimir didn’t like not knowing where the bodyguard was. Luigi went inside and clearly, there was nothing wrong with the man. He drove alone and he walked without help.
Almost at once, Tomasso’s pager went off, a summons from Luigi into his private wing. That too was unexpected. Luigi had barely glanced at him since his arrival, a month before Lissa had shown up. Tomasso had been working nearly six weeks for Luigi, and most contact had been through Arturo. All orders had come from Luigi’s main bodyguard.
He went around the house to enter through the back so that he could go to Luigi’s private wing through the main part of the house. Lissa was back and she raised an eyebrow as he knocked on Luigi’s door.
“Entrare.” The voice sounded weak.
Lissa was there in heartbeat. “Tio Luigi, is everything all right? Should I call a doctor?”
Tomasso dropped his hand to the door and found it unlocked. He opened it just a crack, enough to allow Lissa to see in, yet make it look like he was protecting Luigi.
“Go, go away, Lissa,” Luigi said. He coughed. Waved his hand at his niece, adamant that she obey him. “We will talk tomorrow or the next day. I need Tomasso right now.”
Lissa nodded reluctantly and turned away, allowing Tomasso to slip into Luigi’s private apartment. The wing was huge and very well appointed. Luigi didn’t lack for luxury – or his ability to defend himself. The walls were thick, ensuring absolute privacy.
“Come in, Tomasso. It’s time we got to know each other.” Luigi waved him toward a chair and Casimir toed one around and straddled it, facing his “boss.” “Arturo says good things about you. I’ve looked over your resume. Very impressive. You come highly recommended, although both my friends say the same thing about you. You prefer to shoot first and ask questions later.”
Tomasso shrugged. “I prefer to keep my employer alive.” He glanced around the room, noting the fireplace was going in spite of the fact that the night wasn’t cold. Wisps of blackened, curled paper lay smoldering among the logs. Clearly Luigi was destroying whatever evidence Cosmos had against him.
“I see that you’ve done that, but you had to leave until things cooled down,” Luigi pointed out. “That’s not good for you, never giving you a real family. Arturo has been with me since I was a boy. Some of the men have wor
ked for me or my family for over thirty years. It is far better to have a family than to be alone in this world.”
Casimir kept his gaze on Luigi, wondering where this was going. He nodded, only because something was expected of him. That seemed enough for Luigi, who took it that any of the men he employed would agree with him.
“I received word tonight that a good friend of mine died in a tragic accident. I don’t always believe in accidents. I have learned not to be the most trusting of men with good reason. My own brother and his wife were murdered by a family I believed to be my friends and allies.” Luigi watched him closely for signs of reaction.
Casimir nodded again. “I heard of this tragedy.”
“The point is, when my niece visits me, Arturo generally watches over her, but I’ve got him watching out for my friend’s widow. I would trust no one else with her. That means, while I assess the danger to this family, I will need someone protecting my niece. She’s very precious to me. She won’t like it and she’ll protest, but she isn’t to leave this house without protection. While in it, I want you close to her.”
“Of course. No harm will come to her.”
Fire Bound (Sea Haven Sisters Page 17
