Her lips parted in shock and she laughed bitterly. “Are you still pissed because I didn’t invite you to Vinny’s birthday party? I thought I was doing you a favor, God knows what kind of scene you’d make if you got drunk. I didn’t want another Alpha Tau situation happening.”
I clenched my fists around my backpack straps and did my best to remain calm. “Well, I’m glad you had such a nice birthday without me there to screw it up.” I said with a sneer. “And we can forget lunch, Vinny. Vivian is right, I don’t need your hand-outs anymore.”
The look of irritation on his face almost undid me, but I refused to fold.
“Autumn…”
“See you at work.” I turned and walked away.
“Autumn!” he called after me, his voice stern. “Why do you have to be a bitch to her all the time?” he snapped at Vivian.
“Oh Vinny, will you stop trying to play the hero? She’s pathetic and you need to stop catering to her.”
“I’ll stop being the hero when you stop being a bitch.” he answered. Soon enough, the sound of his shoes squeaking on the linoleum floor echoed behind me as he jogged to catch up. “Autumn, would you wait?”
“I swear to god Vinny! You’re hopeless!” Vivian called after him.
I threw open the campus door and hurried outside into a burst of blinding sun. The tears in my eyes made the glare worse and I felt lost in the crowd of people walking past me on the sidewalk.
“Autumn!” he snapped and yanked my backpack off my shoulder.
It hit the ground behind me and I spun around, glaring back at him. “What the fuck?!”
“I’m sorry. I was just trying to stop you.”
“Yeah well stop trying!” I choked out and reached down for my backpack.
He snatched it up first and slung it over his shoulder, his eyes defiant. “I’m not gonna stop trying. You need to grow the fuck up. Stop running away like a little kid.”
I scoffed. “Oh I need to grow up?”
“Yeah, you need to grow up.”
“Give me my backpack, Vinny.”
“No.” He slid his arm into the other strap, securing it on his back. “Not until you stop acting like this. Come to my car so we can talk without the whole campus watching.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Don’t make me carry you.”
“You’re fucking ridiculous.” I shook my head and turned away, heading down the sidewalk.
The next thing I knew he lifted me into his arms in one swoop.
“Vinny!” I yelped in surprise and grabbed onto his shirt. Embarrassment flooded my veins and I clenched my teeth as he carried me across campus. “Why are you doing this? You’re so infuriating!”
“Yeah, that makes two of us!”
Once we arrived at his car, he set me down and unlocked the doors. I dropped into the passenger seat and he slammed the door closed after me. He slid into the driver’s seat a moment later and tossed my backpack near my feet. Silence fell over us, and I listened to his aggravated breathing.
“You just made it worse.” I said, defiantly staring ahead.
“Made what worse?”
“Everything. You are so afraid of what Vivian and your stupid friends think, yet you just carried me across campus like some fucking idiot in a romance movie. You make no fucking sense! One minute you want me in your life, and the next you are embarrassed of me. I should be the one ashamed of you! I’m the one getting fucked here, Vinny!” I glared at him. “Maybe I should listen to Suz, and stay the hell away from you.”
“Hold the fuck up. I never said I was embarrassed of you! And what the hell are you talking about what my cousin said? You said something to her about us?”
The accusation in his voice made me feel like a scolded child and it fueled my anger.
“No, I didn’t say anything, she just knew.”
“Knew what? What the hell does she know?”
“Ask her yourself.” I answered, purposely frustrating him.
His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “You told me you were going to be patient and keep this between us until this deal was over, Autumn.”
“Yeah, well you told me Vivian and you were over, but that obviously isn’t true either.”
“Don’t say that shit!” he slapped the steering wheel. “You know why I keep her around.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Vinny.” I said, pressing my fingers into the corners of my eyes to block the tears from escaping. “You are the only one who believes it.”
“You know what? Maybe Viv is right. All you want to do is give me a headache. And right now you are giving me a fucking migraine.”
I glared over at him and scoffed. “Screw you, Vinny. If I’m a migraine then you are a fucking aneurism! I’m sick of this shit. I deserve better than to get screwed around like this!”
I reached for the door handle, but he slapped the door lock button before I could get the door open. I turned back towards him, tears burning in my eyes. “You are such an insecure little boy! You are going to let everyone including your mother push you around for the rest of your life.”
He stared at me, anger flashing in his eyes. He opened his mouth to answer then looked away and grit his teeth. Silence filled the car and the anger slowly drained from his face. His jaw ticked and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re right.”
“About what?”
“About me being insecure.”
“I’m glad we can finally agree on something. Now can I leave? I think we’ve said all we need to say.”
“I might be an insecure asshole, but I don’t want to lose you because of it.” He looked over at me.
I laughed cynically, letting a tear slip down my cheek. I stared ahead at the campus in the distance. “You don’t want to lose me? Have you ever even had me? You know what pisses me off the most about all of this? I didn’t want any of it. I came to Adelphi to focus on a business degree. You weren’t part of my plan, Vinny. I knew better, but I gave you a chance and you broke my heart just like I knew you would!”
“Since when did I break your heart? You pushed me away, Autumn.”
“Yeah well you didn’t exactly seem upset over it when I did.”
“I was upset. Just because I didn’t show it, doesn’t mean I didn’t care.”
“Well maybe you should start showing it.”
He sighed and threw his head back against the seat. “You think you are the only one suffering here? Come on, Autumn! You are the last girl I thought I’d fucking fall for. I won’t deny that. I can’t stop myself from caring about you. You are the best part of my life. You make me happy. And I don’t want anything to take that happiness away. Especially Vivian…she’s taken so much from me already.” His Adam’s apple bobbed and he looked over at me. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel like an embarrassment. That’s the last thing I wanted to do. I hate being the reason you aren’t happy, and if that means letting you go, I’ll do it, because you are right, you do deserve better. So if you want to leave, then go.” He unlocked the doors and looked away.
His words were enough to break the dam holding back all the emotion in my heart.
“You know I don’t want to leave!” I pressed my hands against my face and sobbed.
“Then don’t,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “Stay…please.”
His hand caught my wrist and I drew an unsteady breath. He lowered my hands away from my face one by one and his palm curved behind my head, drawing my gaze to his.
“Don’t give up on me, Autumn.” He rubbed his fingers gently through my hair. “I need you.”
The desperation in his voice shattered my resistance. He leaned in and pressed a kiss against my damp cheek. I reached out to push him away, but he cupped my cheek in his warm palm and turned my face toward his. I opened my eyes as his lips met mine, and the salt from my tears and the sweet taste of his lips mixed. His kiss combined with my emotional turmoil was kryptonite. I closed my hand around the front of his shi
rt and pulled him into me, the mix of yearning and heartache making our kiss that more intense.
“I love you, Autumn,” he whispered against my lips.
Fresh tears flooded my eyes. It felt like I waited a lifetime to hear him say those words. My lips trembled against his. “I love you too, Vinny.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and my tongue delved deep inside his mouth, the need to be close to him overwhelming me. My heart thundered as he pulled me into his lap and his arousal pressed between my legs, sending lust penetrating through me.
“I love you,” he whispered again, his hands moving beneath my sweater to cup my breasts.
“I love you too,” I moaned back as our hips moved together in a slow agonizing grind that made my whole body throb with need. His lips trailed over my neck and his tongue made a small circle at the hollow of my collarbone.
“I want you so bad,” he groaned.
An explosion of heat shot through me when he placed his hand down between my legs, to entice me through my pants. I leaned my head back, the need for him becoming unbearable by his fingers stroking. My breath came in short pants as he lowered the seat back and peeled down my leggings and underwear. I was thankful for his tinted windows as he drew my sweater and camisole over my head and tossed them into the back seat, leaving me in just my bra. He shoved down his pants and boxers, and his eager shaft sprung forward to greet me. I watched in anticipation as he removed a condom from his wallet and slid it down over his length, giving it a clear sheen.
Once it was on, I lowered my hips over him, impatiently taking him inside of me with a choked moan. He filled me completely and I shuddered in satisfaction. The world around us fell away as our hips collided time and time again. I couldn’t get enough of the ecstasy that only he could give me. His expression was a mixture of pleasure and admiration and I knew he was lost in the same emotions I was as we stared into each other’s eyes. The sounds of our excited panting and moaning filled the empty space. Every moment that we grew closer to the end, my heart pounded harder, part of me wanting to hold back, another wanting to dive forward into the bliss waiting for me on the other side. He bounced me up and down on his lap until I finally caved to the carnal need inside, crying out his name as I came. His release followed mine, his eyes closing as he lost himself in the throes of pleasure.
Afterwards, he held me against his chest and stroked my hair. I rested my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes, listening to him breathe. I kissed the side of his neck, and felt his thrumming pulse beneath my lips. Love didn’t feel like a strong enough word to explain how I felt for Vinny. There was no word for what Vinny made me feel. I knew that with him was where I wanted to be.
Once we were back in our right minds, we drove down to a beachside restaurant called Crabby Johns, where I enjoyed the best fish and chips I had ever eaten.
After loading up on battered fish, breaded shrimp, and beer, we took a walk on the beach. The sky was overcast and a cool wind came off the sea. Even though the weather wasn’t perfect, we took our shoes off and walked hand in hand over the sand.
As we walked, he told me about how nice the summers in the Hamptons were. He said he wanted to take me to Coopers Beach in South Hampton because it had the best sunset. I admired how handsome he was when he was happy, his smile was addicting.
We came to a large gathering of rocks near the water and we climbed them, sitting down on one long enough to share. Small waves combed the shoreline and a few gulls cried curiously overhead. I sat between his knees with his arms wrapped around me. Sighing in contentment, I closed my eyes and listened to the oceans roar, wishing I could stay in the moment forever.
“I wish we could stay here forever,” he said against my ear, giving me a squeeze.
“You read my mind.”
“I could use more peaceful moments like this in my life.”
I knew I should be in my advanced algebra class, yet there I was, in Vinny’s arms watching the ocean. I was hopeless and I didn’t care. Vinny was the main equation in my life, and I was confident that he was what I wanted more than anything else.
It was as if his mother knew we were having a good time and had to step in. He sighed and pulled his ringing phone out of his pocket and we both clearly read ‘Mom’ on the screen. Our peace was over.
He frowned at the phone ringing in his hand. “Sorry, I gotta take this.”
“It’s okay.”
He brought it to his ear and answered. “Hello?”
There was a pause.
“No, I’m not in class right now, it got canceled,” he said, giving me a squeeze with his free arm.
“What?” His voice grew serious. “Right now?”
I furrowed my brows and turned to glance back at him.
He slowly pulled his arm from me and rubbed his temple. “Wait. Dad called Vivian’s father?”
He stared at my face, but it was as if he was seeing right through me, his brows knit tight with concern. “Okay. I’ll be right there. Bye.”
He lowered the phone and frowned at me. “I guess my father called Vivian’s father today and he told him we don’t own Mazzolas.”
I frowned. “Is your father pissed?”
“Yeah, he just called my mother and chewed her out. I gotta get down there.” He stood up and helped me down from the rocks. We headed back to his car, and I felt bad putting my sandy feet inside, but he didn’t seem to notice. He was driving before I could even get my seat belt on.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure yet.” He stared intently ahead. “I’ll drop you off at your apartment, okay?”
“Sure and I can find my own way to work tonight.”
“Shit! I forgot you work tonight.” He shifted gears extra hard.
“Don’t worry, I will find a way there Vinny.”
He frowned at me. “We need to get you a car, Autumn.”
“I know, my parents are going to buy me one in—”
“No, I mean now.” He shifted gears again and sighed.
I frowned, feeling guilty for having to depend on him so much. The last thing he needed was to worry about me on top of everything else.
“I have a few paychecks saved. I can use them for a down payment or I can call my dad and see if he can get me the car early…”
“Maybe I can see if my mother will let me borrow her Mercedes and I can let you drive this. Do you know how to drive stick?”
“I’ve only drove stick once, but I can learn.”
The closer we got to home, the more impatient he grew. He squealed tires as he pulled into the apartment parking lot and came to a quick stop. “Sorry, I can’t walk you up.”
“I didn’t expect you to.”
He had an iron grip on the wheel and tight lines of frustration on his face. He was freaking the hell out.
I reached over and took his hand, trying to calm him down. “It’s going to be okay, Vinny.”
He looked at me and hesitated, the irritation in his eyes slowly fading away. He frowned and squeezed my hand. “Thanks, I needed to hear that.”
I reached over and pulled his face close to mine so I could kiss his lips.
He returned my kiss and then looked into my eyes. “Sorry I had to cut our afternoon short.”
“It’s okay. Everything will be okay. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I love you, Autumn.”
I smiled, wondering if I would ever stop getting excited when he said that. “I love you too.”
I pecked his lips once more and slid out of the car, taking my backpack and shoes with me. I stood on the sidewalk and watched as he sped out of the parking lot.
That evening I rode the train to work with the anticipation of finding out what happened between Vinny and his father. When I arrived at Mazzolas, everything was as it should be, but Vinny was missing from the kitchen staff. The moment I stepped up to the hostess stand, Suz took me by the hand and led me off to a private corner to talk.
“Shit went down this afternoon, Autumn.” She whispered, frowning.
“What happened?” My stomach turned to a giant knot.
“Aunt Tina promoted Vinny to the manger of Mazzolas.”
I blinked. “Oh my god.”
“I know, but that’s not all. I guess Vivian’s father owned Mazzolas secretly all this time, and it was supposed to be given to give it to Vinny, but her father got greedy and wanted to keep a share of it in his family, so he told Vinny the only way he’d sign the documents is if Vivian was to have partial ownership.”
My eyes went wide. “What?!”
“I know, and he told Vinny that if he didn’t like the terms that he could just sell it back to Vinny’s father. So, to keep it out of his father’s hands, Vinny agreed to let Vivian have partial ownership. Aunt Tina was so pissed. Now Vinny’s father has heard about Vinny getting the restaurant and he is on Aunt Tina’s case. I just hope he doesn’t do anything crazy.”
I covered my hand with my mouth. “Oh shit, Suz. What do you think is going to happen?”
“I have no idea, but I have a feeling Vivian is going to be using her new position to her advantage so watch yourself around her.”
I looked over my shoulder. “Do you know where Vinny is?”
“No. Last time I saw him he was in his mother’s office and then he left out the back entrance. That was about thirty minutes ago.”
“Where is Vivian?”
“She left with him.”
I frowned and glared toward the entrance, feeling as if one-hundred butterflies had been released into my stomach.
Suz followed my gaze toward the door. “He’s fine, Autumn. Let’s just do our job and stay out of the way. I think he has enough to worry about right now.”
I nodded and reluctantly followed her back behind the hostess counter. Regardless of all the drama behind the scenes, Mazzolas was packed and there was no time to think about Vinny. I seated at least forty guests before nine PM and then I took my break and called Vinny. He didn’t answer so I texted him.
SUZ TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED. ARE YOU OKAY?
I waited a minute for him to answer before I sent another text.
VINNY, PLEASE CALL ME WHEN YOU CAN. I’M WORRIED.
Down to Business (Business Series) Page 28
