Down to Business (Business Series)

by Alexander, J. C.

  “Hey Vinny! How you doin’?” the man asked in a Jersey accent.

  Vinny looked over his shoulder at me then back to the man, trying to close the door enough to hide me. “Hey Leo…I’m doing great.”

  “You enjoying your stay at the Seaview? Vivian told me you were here, I could have gotten you this room for free you knucklehead. Why didn’t you call me?”

  “Oh…well I didn’t want to ask for any favors…”

  “You got some company with you?” he asked, peering over Vinny’s shoulder to look right at me.

  I raised my fork and waved it a little with a hesitant smile.

  “Shit Vinny, I’m sorry. Vivian didn’t tell me you were coming with a girlfriend.”

  Vinny shook his head. “Yeah uh, she’s—”

  “Oh I get it, I get it. You fuckin’ dog you! I’ll keep it between us. Let me get you kids some comps. I’m friends with Timmy Toledo. He owns the seafood restaurant downstairs. Grade A food. The salmon will fuckin’ melt in your mouth.”

  “That sounds great Leo, thanks.”

  “Anytime Vinny. Those comps will be waiting at the front desk for you. You kids have a good time.”

  “Thanks. See you.”

  Vinny waited until he left to shut the door and pressed his forehead up against it. “Fuck me. You know who that was right?”

  I bit down on my fork. “Viv’s uncle?”

  “Yeah. I hope to God he doesn’t say anything to Viv about me being here with you.”

  “He said he wouldn’t.”

  He gave me a look that made me feel like an idiot and I looked down at my plate.

  “Fuck it. There’s no use in worrying about it now. I’ll forward her to voice mail if she calls and deal with it when I get home. I’m not letting her ruin our trip.”

  I smiled. “So does this mean we are going to get those dinner comps?”

  He smirked at me. “If that’s what you want to do. I could always just pay for it.”

  “Hey, I never turn down free food.” I said shoving another bite of waffle into my mouth.

  He chuckled and shook his head.

  After breakfast, we decided to check out the indoor heated pool. I wore an aqua colored bikini that I never would have had the guts to wear, but Vinny picked it out when he was watching me swimsuit shop online a week before. I always felt I was too long and not curvy enough to wear a bikini, but seeing the way Vinny looked at me when I stepped out of the bathroom in it gave me the confidence I needed. It came with a sheer wrap for around my waist, which made me feel a little more comfortable.

  Being off-season, we had the pool to ourselves besides a few older people in the sauna. After spending an hour at the pool, we went back to the room to redress and then walked down the boardwalk. We stopped to eat lunch at a little sandwich shop where the smallest sandwich was fifteen inches and packed with so much meat Vinny and I shared one. Afterwards we walked next door to a casino and I watched Vinny play blackjack. He walked away with three hundred dollars in winnings.

  Afterwards, while we were on our way back to the hotel, we walked passed a tattoo parlor, and I yanked him inside, teasing that he should get my name tattooed on him. Having a tattoo was taboo in my family. My father had them but my mother never liked them, therefore I was forbidden from having any. After looking through three different tat design books, I decided that instead of Vinny getting that tattoo, I wanted one.

  I combined a design from the book and something Vinny and I thought up on the fly. It consisted of the cursive words Live followed by Love with a little black swallow connected in flight at the end. I wanted the design to be drawn by Vinny. I decided to get it done on the inside of my left wrist and since he wasn’t that great at drawing, I drew the swallow at the end. Having a tattoo that we created together made it so much more meaningful.

  I always assumed getting a tattoo would hurt like hell, but after a while, the pain numbed, and it turned into burning irritation that made me want to scream and pull my arm away. Once it was over and the artist treated and bandaged my tat, he gave me instructions on how to care for it. I felt so proud as we left the shop. Vinny kept teasing me when I peeled back the bandage to admire it while we walked. He said he had a new excuse to hold my hand so I stopped tampering with it.

  We picked up our comps when we got back to the hotel and made our dinner reservation at the seafood restaurant for 7:30PM. We had a few hours to relax before hand, so we went back to our room, turned the large roman tub into our own personal sauna, and brimmed it with bubbles. The hot water combined with the jets made it the best bath I’ve ever experienced. Having Vinny there was an obvious plus too. Since I couldn’t do much with my tattoo arm, I used it as an excuse for him to do my body washing for me.

  “So, he asked, dragging the wash cloth lazily over my backside. “Have you told Lindy the news?”

  I glanced over my shoulder, with my hair pinned above my head in a messy bun. “No, I was going to wait until I got home.”

  “What do you think she will say?” he squeezed some water over my shoulder, making it trickle down over my breasts and stomach.

  “I honestly don’t know. A part of me thinks she will be happy, but she’s been so lonely lately, she might not want me to move out.”

  He leaned in and kissed my shoulder, one of his arms moving around my waist to pull me back against his chest. “Maybe we can go furniture shopping next Tuesday.”

  My stomach tingled with excitement. We were talking about picking out furniture. It was so crazy. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

  “It’s a one story ranch style house with three bedrooms and a two-car garage. I figure we can make one room into an office.”

  I nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

  “The yard is a little tore up, but I think I will wait until spring to have it re-landscaped. No use in doing it now with winter coming.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed, closing my eyes as he moved the washrag down over my breasts and stomach.

  “Have you thought of any wall colors you like?” He moved the washrag over my inner thigh.

  “No.” I answered and instinctively moved my legs apart. I expected the washrag to go south but instead, I felt his fingers slide over my warmth. I gasped softly, and I grabbed the side of the tub, my hips arching to his teasing. He smiled against the side of my shoulder as his fingers tickled and teased me until I was breathing unsteadily and then he brought me to orgasm. Once I finished, I turned and straddled him, pulling his mouth to mine, and forcing my tongue between his lips, hungry and impatient with lust. His hands grabbed my hips as I settled over him and took him inside my walls. He released a groan inside of my mouth as I clung to him and rocked my hips. As my need for him got more intense, so did everything else until we were making waves, sending the bathwater sloshing around us. I came again with a pleasured sob, my body surrendering fully to the current of satisfaction that washed over me. His body tensed moments after and he buried himself deep inside of me while he called my name. Watching the pleasure on his face when he finished always thrilled me. Once he was done, I collapsed against his chest, letting him hold me, our bodies still joined.

  His soft sigh tickled my neck and his hands stroked my back. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” I whispered and kissed his ear lobe.

  A hollow knock on the door of our room startled us both. I stared at him in question.

  “Did you order room service?”

  “No.” His brows knit.

  Another three firm knocks erupted before he slid me off him and stood up.

  “Stay here.”

  He stepped out of the tub, towel dried his body, and shoved on his white terry cloth robe. I watched with concern as he left the bathroom, closing the door behind him. I heard the front door open and him speak to the person on the other side. I couldn’t make out what was being said, so I stood up and grabbed my robe. I quickly tied it around my waist and pulled open the bathroom door to find the room empty.
/>   Where the hell did he go?

  I walked to the door and without thinking and yanked it open. A bolt of shock struck me as Vivian’s cold gaze met mine.

  “What the fuck is she doing here?” she snapped, turning her venomous look on Vinny. He shook his head with a sheer look of shock as if he just realized I was there.

  It was too late to hide, so I just stood there, unsure of what to do.

  “Viv…” Vinny said sighing.

  “You’re fucking her? I can’t believe this! You lying piece of shit!” she yelled and slapped his chest so hard the thud echoed down the hall.

  Vinny winced and grabbed his chest where she struck him. “Would you stop freaking out and let me talk?!”

  I felt like I was the mistress in the middle of a marital dispute.

  “Are you out of your fucking mind? When Uncle Leo said he saw you with some bitch, I didn’t believe it. I especially didn’t expect to find that slum whore in here!”

  A few people opened their doors and peered down the hall at us. Vinny raked his hands through his hair. “Come on, Vivian. Don’t make a scene.”

  “No! Fuck you. I will do what I want. You lied to me!”

  Who was the drama queen now?

  I crossed my arms and smirked, unable to hide my amusement.

  “I didn’t lie to you!”

  “This is why you don’t want to give us another try? Cause you’re too busy fucking her?” she shoved him back against the wall.

  He bounced off the wall and came back at her, his jaw set and anger flashing in his eyes. “Don’t fucking touch me!”

  She reached out to grab him again, but he caught her hand in mid-air and shoved it back at her. “Get your fucking hands off me, Vivian. It’s why I dumped you in the first place, you can’t keep your hands to yourself, you psycho bitch.”

  “Oh, I’m the psycho bitch?! After all the shit that drama queen has put you through?” She pointed her finger at me.

  “This isn’t about her.”

  She released a high pitch cackle. “The fuck it isn’t. She’s been nothing but a fucking problem since the day you met her! She’s clung to you like a leech! Can’t you see that she just wants your money? She doesn’t love you like I do.”

  Her accusation was so false that I had to laugh. “Oh please, Vivian! Everyone knows you only want him for his money. You don’t love anyone but yourself!”

  She turned on me, her dark eyes bulging. Her breasts bounced as she stomped the two feet it took to get to me and she stabbed one of her long acrylic nails in my face. “You fucking shut your mouth, you don’t know shit!”

  I sneered back at her, adrenaline biting at my insides. “Admit it. The only reason you want him back is for his money, Vivian. If that wasn’t true you would sign over Mazzolas without the fifteen percent.”

  “Fuck you! I’ll kill you!”

  “I told you not to threaten her anymore.” Vinny appeared in front of me, making a wall between us. I leaned around him, my pulse pounding in my ears.

  “I told you not to touch him Autumn and I meant it.” The insane look in her eyes made my blood run cold.

  I put my arms around Vinny’s waist. I wasn’t sure where the need to be a bitch was coming from, but I just couldn’t stop myself. “Oh no, I’m touching him. What are you going to do about it?”

  “You Bitch!” she screamed, taking a swipe at my face. I ducked behind Vinny, her nails missing my face by half an inch.

  “That’s enough!” Vinny snapped, blocking her from getting to me.

  “Move! I’ll fucking kill that bitch!” she screamed in his face, her eyes wild as she shoved at his chest.

  “No.” Vinny said in a firm voice, placing his hands on either side of the door, protecting me from her. “It’s time to leave, Viv.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do, you fucking liar!” she screamed. “After all I’ve done for you? You can kiss the Mazzolas deal good-bye! Do you hear me, Vinny? I’m done playing nice! It’s on now!”

  “Viv, you either leave or I’m calling security,” he said and pointed down the hall.

  Black tears ran down her face, making her look like a tragic clown. “You’re going to be so sorry Vinny! So fucking sorry!”

  A miniscule part of me actually felt sorry for her. He had led her on, and it was wrong, but I knew she also used him and from what I could tell, their relationship was more fucked up than I ever could have imagined.

  Her sobbing carried down the hall as she made her way to the elevator. His arm slowly fell away from the door and I stepped out next to him to watch her walk of shame. I glanced up at his face and if I didn’t know better I’d think his eyes were watering. I reached out and took his hand in mine in an attempt to comfort him. He squeezed my hand and set his jaw as the elevator doors closed.

  After she was gone, we went back inside our room and dead bolted the door. He walked to the center of the room and rubbed his face with his hands, looking distraught. His troubled stare moved to the incredible ocean view at the window and he sighed.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “No, not really,” he answered, with a sarcastic smirk on his face. His eyes narrowed as he continued to stare out at the view.

  I approached him and reached out to place my hand on his backside, but he stepped away and walked closer to the window.

  A shot of cold rejection put knots in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking.

  Did he regret everything between us all of a sudden? Was he angry with me or her?

  I swallowed and crossed my arms loosely beneath my chest. “Are you going to go talk to her…?”

  “I don’t want to talk to her.” he snapped, his back still to me.

  I bit my lip and dropped to the corner of the bed, tugging my robe tighter around me like a cocoon, trying to squelch the anxiety aching from my every pore.

  “Do you realize what just happened here?” he asked over his shoulder, in his cold managerial voice. He didn’t give me time to answer before he spoke again. “Everything I was banking on with Mazzolas went out the fucking window. And not only have I fucked up everything for my family, but I’ve fucked up everything for us.”

  “You didn’t ruin everything for us…”

  “Yes, I did.” He said turning to face me fully, his features harsh.

  I swallowed hard and looked down at my lap, my throat working to stop the onslaught of emotion.

  “Fuck!” he suddenly yelled, bringing his hands to the sides of his head. “I can’t believe this fucking happened. This is such a fucking mess. I never should have done this.”

  “The vacation or us?” I asked.

  “You have to ask?”

  “Well yeah because…” my voice caught in my throat and tears assaulted my eyes, “apparently if I wasn’t here, none of this would have happened. I’ve ruined everything for you, Vinny, I’m so sorry.”

  “No, Autumn. Jesus…” he said, the compassion finally returning to his voice. He approached me and pulled me to my feet and against his chest. I wrapped my arms around him, the heaviness of the situation bearing down on me. His fingers moved into the back of my messy bun and he pressed my cheek against his shoulder. “This is not your fault. It’s mine. I’m the one who’s been hiding everything. I never should have lied to her. I just…I wanted to have it all. But, I want you more than anything else.”

  A tear slipped from my eye when I looked up at him and he wiped it away.

  “Please don’t cry. I’m not mad at you. And I don’t regret a single second of everything we’ve shared. You’re the only good thing left in my life and I’m not letting you go.”

  I held back another burst of emotion as his lips met mine in a firm kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and he returned my embrace.

  “I love you Vinny.” I whispered against his lips.

  “I love you too.” He replied and kissed me, rubbing his hands over my back.

  A knock at the door startled us both and he pinned me against
him.

  “Fuck, what now?” he sighed. “Stay here this time, please.”

  I sat back down on the bed while he went to the door and checked the peephole. He immediately opened the door to a security officer dressed in blue.

  “Hello, Mr. Vincenzo Mazzola?”

  “Yeah.” Vinny said, scratching the back of his neck.

  “We got a call about a disturbance coming from this end of the hall. Is everything all right?”

  “Yeah. It’s fine now. I just got an unwelcome visitor, but we worked it out.”

  The officer rested his palm on his baton and looked over Vinny’s shoulder at me. I half-smiled and he gave me a nod. “Alright, well if they come back all you need to do is call us.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  “Enjoy your honeymoon.”

  Vinny smiled over his shoulder at me as he closed the door.

  “Honeymoon?” I asked with a laugh. “Why would he think that?”

  “I have no idea, maybe this is the honeymoon suite?”

  I stood up and walked over to him, lacing his fingers with mine. “So I guess we are headed home?”

  “Nah, we can still go to dinner. We have time.”

  “But what about—”

  He placed his fingers over my lips. “Let’s just…enjoy tonight and worry about everything else tomorrow.”

  I smiled against his fingertips and nodded. He was right, we should enjoy our night because who knew what tomorrow would bring.

  It only took me thirty minutes to get ready for our dinner date. I had packed one of Lindy’s dresses, a delicate spaghetti strap coral colored chiffon dress that showed just the right amount of cleavage and ended just above my knees. She wore it only once, last summer for her cousins wedding. I straightened my hair and thought to leave it down, but I felt a little under dressed so I pulled it pack into a sleek ponytail. It was better than nothing. Instead of buying new heels, I borrowed Lindy’s silver stilettos and I regretted it the moment I slid my foot into one of the towering heels. I felt like I was walking on my tippy toes. It was the closest I had ever been to attempted suicide.