Sweet Temptation

by Cora Reilly

  “The breakfast casserole was absolutely delicious. Thank you for that,” I said as a peace offering. I didn’t want Sybil as my enemy. I needed all the help I could get.

  Surprise crossed Sybil’s face. Then she nodded, and a hint of pride flickered in her eyes.

  Simona on my hip, I held out my hand for Daniele. “Come, let’s go shopping. We’ll get you new shoes and cool shirts.” Daniele looked back down to his tablet.

  Searching for a way to convince him, my eyes settled on Loulou, who slept under the table. “We’re going to buy new things for Loulou too. Don’t you want to help me choose the best toys for her?”

  Daniele’s head shot up, and he hopped off the stool at once.

  “The tablet has to stay here. You need to really pay attention so you can check out all the toys.”

  Daniele hesitated, the tablet pressed to his chest. Then slowly he put it down on the chair and came toward me. Simona was tugging at my bangs curiously. Daniele didn’t take my hand, but he followed me out into the entrance hall where Elia was waiting for us.

  “Do you need help?” He motioned at Simona.

  “Actually, yes. I can’t put on my shoes and help Daniele with his jacket when I’m holding her.”

  Elia smiled and came toward me. As he took Simona from me, his fingers brushed my hand. For some reason it didn’t feel like an accident. Simona began wailing the moment he held her, and even if her cries bothered me, I was secretly elated that she hadn’t cried while in my arms. I quickly got dressed and found a jacket for Daniele before we finally set out.

  I was wedged between the two child seats in the back of the Cadillac while Elia and Domenico sat in the front. When I’d gone shopping in the past, it had taken two or three hours tops, but with two small children, things were very different. Eventually I gave up on having them try on the clothes and just held the pieces in front of them, hoping they’d fit. Despite the crying fits, it was enormous fun buying kids’ clothing. There were so many cute pieces that even my ovaries exploded. I couldn’t wait for Cassio to see them, even if I was a bit worried regarding his reaction to the cute overall dresses that I got for Simona. One of them had sunflower buttons.

  For Daniele I got a few sweatshirts with big brother quotes which, when I told him what they said, made him smile a tiny bit.

  Six hours, ten crying fits, three changed diapers (which proved to be extraordinarily tricky), and ten shopping bags later, we returned home. Both children had fallen asleep on the drive to the mansion and didn’t even wake when we carried them inside. Simona in my arms and Daniele in Elia’s.

  After we’d brought them to bed, Elia followed me back downstairs. “You have a knack for kids.”

  “Thank you,” I said. I still wasn’t entirely sure if he was being friendly… or more. Something was definitely off.

  “Loulou!” I called. A scratching sounded behind the storage room door followed by barking. Sighing, I opened the door. Sybil must have locked her in again. It was already much later than I’d planned. Maybe Loulou had peed inside the house again. I needed to figure out a schedule that allowed me to take care of the children and Loulou. I let her out in the garden, Elia always by my side. I slanted him a curious look. “Have you been working for Cassio for long?”

  “As a bodyguard? Less than a year. But I’ve been working other jobs for him for close to ten years.”

  “Did you guard Gaia too?”

  Elia’s face closed off at once. He nodded toward the garden. “Is the dog supposed to dig a hole?”

  My head twisted around. “What?” Loulou was indeed digging a hole, half of her small body disappearing in the ground already.

  I rushed outside. “No! Loulou, don’t.”

  She peered up then continued as if nothing had happened. I snatched her up, grimacing when I saw how dirty she was, and now I was too.

  I moved back into the house. Dirt rained down on the floor and me. Loulou’s fur was beyond saving, that much was clear. “It’s bath time.”

  To my surprise, Loulou didn’t fight me when I put her in the tub. She just stood there and let it happen. After the bath and towel-drying her, I grabbed the trimming scissors I’d bought and settled on the floor of the entrance hall with Loulou in my lap. It was the room that seemed the easiest to clean. There weren’t any rugs. At first, when I brought the scissors near her body, she squirmed, but eventually when she realized I was trying to help her, she relaxed and let me cut her fur. The matted fur had to make her skin itchy. When I was done, she was half her previous size and looked impossibly adorable. “Done,” I said and released her.

  For a moment, she didn’t move. Then she sprinted toward her new basket that I’d set up in the living room and threw herself inside before she began to wiggle happily, her tiny legs in the air as she enjoyed the feeling of air on her skin. Only an inch of fur remained, but I had a feeling it would grow soon. Looking down at my clothes, covered in fur and dirt, I decided to clean up too.

  I rushed up the stairs and changed into more comfortable clothes. Black over-the-knee socks, pleated skirt, and the yellow sweater. At once, I felt more like myself.

  After checking on our newest drug lab and one of our underground casinos, I headed to my parents’ house because Father had asked me for a meeting. Of course, I knew what it was about.

  Giulia.

  Before I got out of the car, I sent Elia a text. He called me shortly after. “How’s it going?”

  “She’s insecure around me. She seems to notice that something is off, but I don’t think she knows what to make of me just yet. She’s good with the kids and dog.”

  “She is?”

  “Very patient. Just really lovely.”

  Everyone used that word for my wife, and damn it, she was indeed lovely. “Hmm. Don’t come on to her too fast. It might make her suspicious.”

  “All right, Boss.”

  I hung up and left the car. The door to my parents’ house opened before I got the chance to ring the bell. I gave my mother a look. “Have you been looking out of the window?”

  She shrugged. “I was just wondering what you were doing in the car.”

  “Working, mother. I’m always working.”

  “Even so shortly after marrying that girl?”

  “That girl’s name is Giulia and stop calling her girl. It makes me feel old.”

  Mother touched my cheek. “You’re not old.”

  I stepped out of her reach. “Where’s Father?”

  “In the cigar lounge. He won’t listen to me. Can’t you tell him to drop this awful habit? He’s already had three heart attacks. The smoking doesn’t help.”

  “Father won’t listen to me either.” The cigar lounge was filled with the thickly sweet aroma of Cuban cigars. Father sat in the armchair in front of the fireplace, a glass with whisky in one and a cigar in the other hand.

  He smiled, the wrinkles in his face deepening. “Good to see you, Cassio. Take a seat.”

  I sank down in the armchair beside his and shook my head when he offered me a cigar. I’d never liked the taste very much. “What is it you wanted to discuss?”

  “How are things back home with Giulia?”

  I gave him an exasperated look. “Is that what this meeting is about? Marriage counseling?”

  Father leaned forward, putting his cigar down in the tray. “Our men admire you. They fear you too. Some might even hate you. If your second marriage ends as unfortunately as your first, then hate and fear might become too dominant.”

  I pushed out of the chair, but Father put a wrinkled hand on my arm. “Stay. I’m an old man. I’m allowed to tell my son the truth.”

  “It’s the truth as you see it, Father.”

  He waited.

  Sighing, I sank back down and leaned back. “Things are as well as they can be, considering Giulia’s age and the situation as a whole. Nothing about this is ideal. I’m trying to exercise damage control.”

  “Damage control,” Father scoffed. “Marriage
is a matter of emotion. If you expect the worst, the worst is what you’ll get.”

  “If you expect the worst, you’re prepared for the worst. I won’t be caught off-guard ever again.”

  “Maybe you should give Giulia the benefit of the doubt. She’s a lovely girl. She’s nothing like Gaia.”

  “I don’t know what kind of woman Giulia is.”

  “And whose fault is that?” Father inquired.

  I shook my head. “Does this conversation serve another purpose than to criticize the way I handle my marriage?”

  “I’m worried about you, Cassio,” Father said quietly, his eyes filled with sorrow. “You are everything I wanted in a son. You are strong, you are just, you never shy away from the hard decisions. I never doubted your ability to rule Philadelphia.”

  “But now you do?”

  Father’s shoulders sagged. Even though his parlor was pale, he reached for the cigar again. “A temple needs more than one pillar to stand. There’s more to life than work.”

  I stared off into the flames of the fireplace. “Work is the only constant in my life right now.” It was a confession I regretted the moment I said it.

  Father leaned forward and patted my leg. “Then change it.”

  I glanced at my watch. “I need to go now. I’m meeting Christian to discuss his findings about that new chapter of the Tartarus MC. They’re popping up like weeds.”

  I stood and this time, Father didn’t try to stop me.

  Mother followed me to the door, trying to convince me to stay for lunch, but I wasn’t in the mood for their meddling anymore. I kissed her cheek then hurried to my car.

  Christian and I met in a small Italian place that served the best risotto in town. Christian already sat in our usual booth when I walked in. I gave him a curt nod when I slid into the seat across from him. “Any news on the chapter?”

  Christian didn’t say anything for a while. “How’s Giulia?” I didn’t like the undercurrent of warning in his voice one bit.

  “She’s well. She’s my wife now, Christian. She isn’t your concern. She’s mine.”

  “I can accept that as long as you promise that she won’t end up like Gaia.”

  I jerked up and bent over the table, grasping him by the throat and shoving him back against the bench. His face turned red, but he held my gaze. “Careful, Christian. In this city, my word is law. The protection of your father, and even that is limited, ends at the borders of Baltimore.”

  “I don’t need my father’s protection or I wouldn’t be here, working under you,” he pressed out. “Giulia is my little sister. I’m going to try to protect her as well as I can.”

  I tightened my fingers on his throat. “Giulia is safe with me. She doesn’t need your protection.” I released him and sat back, pushing my tie back under my vest and smoothing my jacket.

  Christian massaged his throat. “No wonder that Luca likes you so much. You and him have very similar tics.”

  “The bikers are planning something. Look what they did in New Jersey and New York. We’ll have to keep an eye on them.”

  “I’m doing that. It’s not easy to establish contacts.”

  We talked only about business after that, even if it was clear that Christian wasn’t happy about it. Too many people were trying to meddle in my marriage, and I didn’t appreciate it in the slightest.

  It was almost midnight when I unlocked the front door and entered the entrance hall. Light from the living room caught my attention. Elia wouldn’t be waiting in there. The guards had their own small house on the premises where they could spend the night.

  Something darted toward me. It took me a moment to understand that it was the dog. She yapped, and I braced myself to grab her again before she destroyed another pair of my pants.

  “No, Loulou. Come here!” Giulia ordered. She appeared in the doorway to the living room, only dressed in a silken nightgown. She was barefoot and her hair was tousled as if she’d fallen asleep on the sofa.

  To my surprise, the dog stopped its attack and trotted over to my young wife. She bent down and patted it. That was when I realized that most of its fur was gone.

  “You took it to a hairdresser?”

  Giulia laughed, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she straightened. “No, I don’t know any dog stylists. I cut her fur. She had too many knots. I couldn’t brush it out.”

  I nodded, not really interested in the dog. If it wasn’t for Daniele, I’d have given it away a long time ago. Every time I looked at the thing, images popped up in my head that I didn’t need to remember. Giulia leaned against the doorframe, looking lovely.

  The dog sat obediently beside her leg, regarding me as if I were an intruder in my own home. I looked around for the reason why she was awake. “What are you doing up?”

  Giulia frowned. “I was waiting for you to come home.”

  I shrugged off my coat and hung it up before I turned back to her. “Did something happen?”

  Giulia shook her head and came toward me. I peered down. Barefoot and in her flimsy nightclothes, the contrast between us became even more apparent.

  She put a hand against my chest and shivered. “God, it’s freezing outside.” Goose bumps pimpled her pale skin, and my eyes followed them to the opening of her robe and the dip of her nightgown.

  “It’s winter.” It was an absolutely superfluous thing to say, but it was late and Giulia’s closeness fogged up my brain. “Answer my question, did something happen?”

  She smiled uncertainly. “Nothing happened, Cassio. But I want to be there when you return from work. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

  I stared. Since I’d moved out from my parents’ home, nobody waited up for me, and if Gaia ever had, then only to be the harbinger of bad news. “You don’t need to feel obligated to wait for me. I work long hours.”

  I pressed my palm to her lower back and nudged her toward the staircase. “Let’s get you to bed.”

  “I’m not a child, Cassio.”

  The dog followed us as Giulia stepped onto the stairs. I barred its way. “Why isn’t it locked in its room? It isn’t allowed upstairs.”

  “It won’t stay in that room anymore.”

  My eyebrows rose. Giulia stood on the first step so she was almost eye level with me. “I didn’t realize I made that decision.”

  “You didn’t, but I did.”

  I grabbed her hip. “I’m the master of the house.” God, that sweet strawberry scent was driving me insane.

  “Do you expect me to ask you for permission for every little thing? I can handle Loulou, so let me handle her.”

  “It won’t go upstairs,” I said firmly.

  She nodded and gave the dog an order. To my surprise, Loulou trotted back into the living room. “She’s got her basket in there. It’s supposed to be her safe haven.”

  Shaking my head, I walked up the stairs. I was too exhausted for this nonsense. Giulia followed quietly, but I could practically feel her need to talk. We stepped into the bedroom and I closed the door. “How did things go with my children?”

  “Good. I went shopping with them. We’re getting to know each other. I’m trying to become their friend—”

  “They don’t need a friend. They need a mother figure. They need guidance and someone who leads the way.”

  “If that was all they needed, you wouldn’t need me since you are so good at leading,” she said.

  I paused at her insolence. Most people showed me respect without me having to do anything, but Giulia kept defying me in the most infuriating way possible. “I’m taking a shower. Go to bed and try to sleep.” I didn’t wait for her response and disappeared into the bathroom. I took my time getting ready for bed, hoping Giulia would be asleep by then. She wanted to get to know me. I wasn’t sure if I wanted her to.

  When I emerged, Giulia stood in front of the window. I stifled a sigh. “Why aren’t you in bed?”

  She let out a small, disbelieving laugh. “Because I think we need to talk. We a
re married.”

  “I don’t see what we need to talk about.”

  She stomped toward me, stopping so close that the strawberry scent flooded my nose again. “A lot. I want this marriage to work, but that won’t happen if we don’t spend time together. Do you usually come home this late?”

  “Yes, frequently. I’m Underboss, Giulia.”

  “My father’s Underboss and so are many of my uncles, and trust me, they have more than enough time to waste on golf courses or on top of their mistresses.”

  A laugh wedged itself in my throat, but I suppressed it. “My work ethic is very different from theirs.”

  “As your wife I have a right to make demands so this marriage can work, and I’m asking you to be home for dinner so the kids and I can spend time with you.”

  My anger rose again, even as a small part of me was pleased that she wanted to spend time with me. “This marriage is one of convenience.”

  Giulia’s eyes flashed. “I suppose it’s very convenient for you to have me as your nanny and for your personal pleasure without the burden of having to talk to me.”

  She was infuriating. I pulled her against me, my mouth so close to hers, for a moment I almost forgot myself. “We’ve had sex once, girl, so the pleasure factor in our marriage has been very limited, and as far as your nanny qualities go, I’m not convinced.”

  Her nose tilted up. “Then give me back to my parents, if I’m not satisfactory. Didn’t you stipulate some kind of return in the deal?”

  “Over my dead body,” I growled and jerked her against me. I kissed her harshly, losing myself in that godforsaken sweetness that robbed me of my senses. I couldn’t control myself around her. I didn’t want to.

  Remembering my promise, I ripped away from her and staggered a few steps back. I wouldn’t force her. “This wasn’t meant to happen.”

  Giulia’s face was flushed. “Why not?”

  Her question threw me off. “I told you I won’t sleep with you until you want me to.”

  Giulia swallowed then smiled bashfully. And I knew what she’d say from the look of desire in her eyes before she uttered the words. “What if I want you to?” Her voice was low and hesitant.