Unforgivable Ties

Chapter 28

Vincenzo

“ I f you’re not careful, you’re going to end up six feet under,” Cesare said, scolding me as he stitched up my wound.

I had encountered a member of the Bratva on the street. It was neutral territory, and I had planned on ignoring him, but the man had other plans. The Bratva member started a fight with me he couldn’t finish.

I would have much rather Stephanie be the one who tended to my wound. But she was at school, so Cesare was the only one around.

“I get it, I get it,” I sighed, half brushing him off.

“If you died, it wouldn’t be like losing a random mafioso,” he said, tying off the last stitch. “It would throw a wrench in our operations. And do you know how long it takes to find someone capable of filling a Capo position?”

“Couldn’t say. There’s not an HR department here,” I said, sliding off the exam table.

“Thank god you found Stephanie. It’s unfortunate she still has to finish medical school and residency, but at least I know there will be someone capable when I’m not around,” he said, ripping off his surgical gloves and throwing them in the garbage bin.

My stomach twisted at the thought of Stephanie becoming permanently embroiled in all of this. She was supposed to be temporary; just until we found someone to fill the position. I didn’t want her caught up in this dark lifestyle where she could get in trouble with the law or physically hurt.

“She’s temporary, remember?” I reminded Cesare.

Cesare laughed, and it was unsettling, because the older man never did anything more than a sarcastic chuckle. “Did you really think it would be temporary? Letting her live after what she saw?” his eyes narrowed at me as he continued. “You and I both know she signed her life to the mafia when she agreed to work here.”

I felt a cold prickle of dread crawl up my spine. “She’s different, Cesare. She doesn’t belong here.”

“It’s not like you to be a dreamer,” Cesare chuckled again, shaking his head with a tired smile.

“I won’t let her be destroyed by this life,” I said.

Cesare’s smile faded in an instant. He stared at me, brows furrowed and lines etched deep into his weather-beaten face. “You don’t have a choice,” he responded, his voice taking on a harsh tone. “You brought her into this world. Now she’s part of it.”

I stormed out of the medical room without saying goodbye to Cesare. I hated that he was right. It was all my fault getting Stephanie involved in this lifestyle, and as much as I wanted to deny it, she was locked in for life.

The dimmed lights of the hallway blurred past me as I pushed through the heavy metal door, my mind a whirlwind of guilt and regret. The cold concrete underfoot resonated with my echoes of despair.

I checked my phone when I made my way outside. Stephanie had texted two and a half hours earlier, saying her last class was cancelled and she was headed home early. I had missed it because I was in a fight with that moronic Bratva member.

I needed to see her ASAP. I wanted to have her under me, hold her close and promise her safety. Right now, I needed to reassure myself that she was still here, still safe, untouched by the darkness of our world.

I sprinted across the parking lot, jumping into my car and throwing it into gear. Even though the drive home was only a few miles, the time passed at a snail’s pace until I made my way back into the parking garage and up the elevator.

When I entered the apartment, Stephanie was sitting at the dining room table, her school work spread across it. I made a mental note to turn another one of the spare bedrooms into an office for her, so she wouldn’t have to work on her homework with anything disturbing her.

Her eyes lifted at my sudden entrance and widened in surprise when she saw me. I had told her I was going to be home later.

“Everything okay?” she asked, her voice soft and comforting. It was a stark contrast to the harsh reality of my world.

I didn’t answer her. Instead, I stormed towards the table and immediately tangled my fingers in her hair. I let out a growl as I pulled her closer and pressed my lips against hers with a fervor that startled even myself.

For a moment, we were lost in a world of our own, the room spinning around us as I poured everything I felt into the kiss—the fear, the regret, the desperation.

Stephanie had to pull back for air, her breath taken away by the intensity of the kiss. “Vincenzo?”

I lifted her off the seat and laid her on the dining room table. I couldn’t wait for the bedroom; I needed her now. Her pens and papers scattered off the table as I grabbed her legs and pulled her to the edge of the table, my eyes never leaving hers. The energy crackling between us was palpable, as if an upcoming storm was on the horizon.

“I need you,” I muttered, my voice a low growl that was filled with unchecked desperation.

Her panties tore as I pulled them out from under her dress and her gasp of surprise warmed me, pushing my need further. She wrapped her legs around my waist, inviting me closer. I took full advantage, leaning down to claim her lips again.

I could feel her heart beating fiercely against my chest, her trembling fingers clumsily undoing the buttons of my shirt. In response, my hands roamed over her body, drawing familiar paths along her curves.

I slid one finger into her and she moaned into my mouth, her body arching against mine. The heat in her gaze matched the burning desire coiling within me.

Stephanie was so wet for me. Normally, I loved eating her out, leaving hickies on her inner thigh so she had a visual reminder of how good I had made her feel. But right now, I was desperate for her, and needed to be inside of her.

I swiftly undid my belt, the sound of the leather sliding through the loops was the only noise that broke the passionate silence. Stephanie watched my every move with wide eyes, her chest rising and falling rapidly beneath me. I unzipped my pants and pushed them down, just enough for my bulging length to spring free.

“God, Vincenzo,” she gasped, her voice laced with desire. “I want—”

I silenced her with a kiss before she could finish her sentence. Her lips tasted of the iced tea we had knocked off the table, and it only added to the intoxicating mix of sensations flooding my senses.

With one swift movement, I thrust into her, causing her back to arch off the table. Her gasp was swallowed by my mouth as I began to move, slow and deliberate at first, savoring the way each inch of her clung to me. Then, as her whimpers transformed into needy cries for more, I complied, thrusting faster, deeper, lost in the rhythm of our bodies crashing together.

Her legs tightened around my waist, encouraging me to move faster, harder. My rhythm came in time with the pounding of my heart in my ears, the unrelenting storm of desire that was building within me. Stephanie’s fingers dug into my shoulders, her nails leaving marks that would serve as reminders in the morning light.

I could feel her body tensing beneath me, her moans growing louder, more desperate. I knew she was close, and the thought of pushing her over that edge spurred me on. My thrusts became more insistent, every movement targeted to maximize the pleasure we were both chasing.

“Fuck, you’re perfect.” It slipped from my lips without me even realizing. I was so consumed with her, with the way she felt, with the intoxicating scent of her arousal. I sealed my mouth over hers, swallowing down her scream as she came undone beneath me.

Her body convulsed, her inner muscles clenching around me in waves of pure ecstasy that drove me to the brink. I groaned into her mouth, my rhythm becoming erratic as I chased my own release. Feeling her unravel around me, hearing her sweet cries of satisfaction was driving me insane.

With a final, powerful thrust, I followed her into oblivion, every muscle in my body contracting in tandem with the intense pleasure coursing through me. I let out a guttural groan, the sound muffled into Stephanie’s neck as I held her tightly against me. Every nerve felt electrified, like I was caught in the eye of a hurricane, and she was the storm.

I stayed on top of her, pressing gentle kisses in the junction of her neck. It would be nice if I could just keep her here and not have to worry about the world outside. Not have to think about the ticking clock or the looming responsibilities. But reality was a cruel truth.

Her fingers traced lazy patterns on my back, the touch so light it was almost like a tickle, but it sent shivers down my spine, a reminder of the connection we’d shared.

“What’s wrong?” she murmured, her voice heavy with satisfaction and drowsiness.

“What do you mean?” I responded, keeping my voice low to match her soft tones.

“You just stormed in and fucked me on the dining table,” she whispered, leaning into the curve of my shoulder. “I mean, not that I’m complaining. But you seem a bit frustrated.”

“Maybe I just wanted you for dinner,” I teased, trying to avoid the subject of why I was so upset.

I had dragged her to hell and she would never get out. I liked the warmth, but Stephanie deserved so much more. She deserved the sun, the moon, and everything in between. And all I had to offer her was darkness.

“Is that so?” she asked, an amused smile dancing on her lips. But her eyes told me she was not easily fooled. Stephanie was smart, too smart for her own good sometimes.

“Mhm. I think you’re on the menu for breakfast and lunch, too.”

She giggled and lightly slapped my chest. “You’re something else.”

I leaned down and captured her lips with mine. I wanted to commit these moments to memory, because when she figured out her fate with the mafia, she would never want to see me again.