Another Husband ~~~

Rafael POV

Beads of sweat cascaded off my body, dripping onto the belt of my treadmill. I ran every morning in my gym, but today I couldn’t seem to stop, punishing myself for no reason. While I had forced Dimitri and Valentina to go to dinner last night, I hadn’t expected them to stay out so late. Upon their return, I studied the footage and saw my son take her to his bedroom. They remained there for some time, and then Valentina had emerged, barefoot, her heels in her hands, with her hair mussed. Had Dimitri fucked her?

I sneered. Boys. If my son had fucked her, he’d done a piss poor job of it. If I had her in my bed, I’d keep her there all night, giving her more

orgasms than her body could handle. I’d have her in every position up against a wall, from behind, under me and over me. And I wouldn’t stop, doing every depraved thing my mind could conjure up, until she screamed, unable to handle any more.

Cazzo, why couldn’t I stop fantasising about her? I cranked up the speed, running faster, my muscles screaming from the effort. Sweat rolled down my bare chest and into my shorts. She was becoming an obsession, one I could not afford.

Even fucking Katarzyna hadn’t purged Valentina from my mind, this constant dark need that crawled inside me like a junkie craving a fix.I should send them away after they marry. As much as I liked having my family here, I wasn’t sure I could watch them together, a happily married couple, knowing he was fucking her on the other side of the house.

Watching her grow up with his children. I might as well put a bullet in my brain. Slapping the stop button, I slowed and finally stepped off. My chest heaved from the effort to breathe and I went to take my shower. There were many unpleasant tasks awaiting me today, including finding the discrepancy with Dimitri ’s shipment two nights ago.

Then at some point, Valentina would choose her wedding dress and I’d need to return her things. That meant seeing her again, which I both desired and dreaded at the same time. I allowed myself one more fantasy while in the shower. One more daydream of fucking my son’s fiancée. She was tied up on my bed, her bratty mouth gagged as her eyes remained angry and hot. Her naked body undulated with pleasure and frustration, her sex swollen and wet, begging to be filled.

My erection was so hard, it hurt, and I jerked myself furiously, a man possessed as the images continued. Finally, I moaned while thick ropes of come washed away down the drain. As I dried off and dressed in a dark grey suit, I vowed this would be the last time. I would focus on the issues at hand instead of panting after a girl young enough to be my daughter.

Resolved, I sent word for Dimitri to dress and meet me in my office. I needed answers. Zia was unusually quiet when I arrived in the kitchen,

perhaps sensing my dark mood, so I didn’t linger. Once I had coffee, I settled in my office and began to work. My son arrived an hour later.

“Come in,” I told him and pointed to a chair. “I need to speak with you.”

He held a cup and saucer, which he sat on my desk as he took a seat. “Is something wrong?”

I leaned back. “Is there something you’d like to tell me about the other night?”

He blinked, his body going still. “Which night?”

“The delivery. The one you oversaw.” He seemed to relax as he picked up his espresso. “What about it?”

“It’s light.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Are you saying Gratteri is lying?” Gratteri was one of my most loyal men, which was why I had Dimitri learning under him.

“No, but there must be some mistake. I counted it myself before I left.”

“And you were the last to leave.” He shifted in his chair and suspicion prickled on my skin. “Were you the last to leave, Dimitri ?”

“Papà,” he started, and I recognized the tone from when he was younger and trying to talk himself out of trouble. “I am not speaking to you as your father. I am speaking as the boss. Were you the last to leave, or did you shirk your duties?”

He exhaled slowly. “I was supposed to stay, but I left early. Sergio and Rocco finished up.” I knew the two boys. They were Dimitri ’s age and not very responsible.

Anger at my son’s stupidity tightened the tendons in the back of my neck. “Why?”

“I had plans,” he mumbled. “With who?”

“A friend. It’s not important.”

“It is important.” I slapped the desk with my palm. “You have a job, you do it. You don’t leave two idiots to do it instead so you can go get some pussy.”

His cheeks flushed as defensiveness settled in the lines of his face. “It wasn’t about pussy. It was a friend.”

I smothered an aggravated sigh. He was clearly lying. No one would leave their responsibilities for a football match and beer with a friend. “You I have to set an example, Dimitri . As a Ravazzani, you have to be better than the rest. More loyal, more bloodthirsty, more accountable. One day, this will be yours and the men must both fear and respect you.”

“I know, Papà. You’ve told me this since I was old enough to hear it.”

“And yet I am missing four hundred grams of uncut cocaine.”

“I will get it back.”

“No, you won’t. I will handle this with Gratteri. You will pretend nothing is amiss.”

“What will you do to Sergio and Rocco?”

“I haven’t decided. But stealing from the ’ndrina cannot be tolerated. You know this.” A muscle jumped in his jaw but he didn’t plead for the other two men. It wouldn’t do any good anyway because I made the decisions in this family. If I decided to kill them for stealing from me, there was nothing Dimitri could do or say to stop it.

I couldn’t help but ask about last night. “How was dinner?”

“Fine.”

“Marco said you took her to a club after.”

“Yes.” One word answers? He knew how much I hated that. “Did the two of you get along?”

Did you fuck her after? “Of course. I like her a lot.”

I tapped my pen on the desk and tried to resist stabbing myself in the thigh with it. “Good. She’s choosing a wedding dress today, but I want your crew out making collections. We need to clean up the books before crimine.”

“I heard. Are we done here? I haven’t had breakfast yet and I need to get going.” I nodded once and he left quickly, leaving me feeling unsettled.

Something about his “friend” bothered me. Who was this woman he was seeing, one who caused him to go against orders? I would need to find out and put a stop to it. Dimitri ’s first and only priority needed to be this family.

Marco came in a few minutes later and I filled him in. My cousin appeared as confused as I felt. “That’s not like Dimitri , to leave a job for

some random woman. He’s never one to play with the girls at the clubs or the waitresses. He’s always very respectful. Never even accept a blow job.”

I hadn’t ever worried about who Dimitri was fucking before, but now it had interfered with business. Which meant I had to get involved. “Let’s find out who she is. Have him followed for a few nights. Discreetly.”

“All right.” I rubbed my eyes, exhausted and weighted down by responsibility. Some days this life threatened to drag me under, to steal the little slice of humanity I still possessed. But I knew nothing else. I’d been raised from birth to sit exactly in this chair and direct one of the biggest criminal empires in Europe. And I was fucking good at it. My gut told me something was off with Dimitri and I wouldn’t rest until I found it.

“Did you sleep last night?” Marco asked.“Three hours or so.” It was the usual amount. I hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since I was fourteen years old.

“Rav, you can’t keep going like this. You’ll have a heart attack at your desk.”

“Then I’ll expect you to cry at my funeral.”

“I’ll be sure to wear white.”

“Coglione.” The insult made him grin. “You love me.”

I did. He was the one person I trusted implicitly. Speaking of…. “Celestina arrives today at noon. I need you to handle it. Set her up in the ballroom and make sure Valentina chooses a dress.”

“Sure you don’t want to oversee the dress selection? Maybe watch her try them on?”

I did, and that he read me so well only infuriated me. “Fuck you.”

“He didn’t fuck her last night.” I tried not to let my expression change. “Oh? And how would you know?” They’d been in Dimitri ’s bedroom and she came out without her shoes on.

“No beard burn, no swollen lips. She looked pensive, not satiated.” I hated admitting it, but this news eased something in my chest. Cristo, I

was pathetic. “Fucking her before the wedding would be disrespectful and my son knows his place. Besides, I am not certain why you think I’d care.”

Marco smirked. “Sure, Rav. Anything else?”

“Get out of here so I can get to work.” Later that afternoon, I heard the yelling all the way from my office. I instantly knew who was causing trouble. Cazzo, this girl.

Grinding my teeth together, I rose out of my chair and tugged on my jacket. I’d avoided her all day, knowing I’d have to deal with her after she I chose a dress. But I couldn’t have her annoying Celestina, who was an old friend.

A steady stream of Italian curses echoed all the way down the corridor. Celestina had a foul mouth and a short fuse. Probably why I liked her. I strode into the ballroom. The two women were facing off near a row of dresses and Celestina was cursing Valentina ’s ancestors. I didn’t allow myself to look at my son’s fiancée. “Ciao, Tina,” I called.

“Come stai?” The tiny dark-haired designer spun around. “Dai! This girl, bello. I cannot take it. She has no fashion sense. She is turning her nose up at every dress. My dresses!”

I kissed her cheeks. “But that is why I’ve brought you. Because you are the best and we must teach her what it means to be a Ravazzani, no?”

“What are you two saying?” Valentina snapped, her Italian not strong enough to keep up with us. That was probably for the best, when it came to Celestina and her colourful language.

“We are saying,” Tina spat in English, “that you have no fashion sense and are a pain in the ass.” Valentina gasped, her creamy skin flushing. “All I said was that I didn’t want to wear white.”

Tina made a noise and gestured to me as if to say, see? “There are a few ivory dresses,” I pointed out. “Perhaps you could try those on.”

“No. I want to wear black. Or red.” She set her chin stubbornly. Here was the spoiled mafia princess, the piccola monella. Her father had clearly allowed her too much latitude. That stopped now.

I looked at Tina. “I need a word with Signorina Mancini. Would you mind taking your assistants to the kitchen? Zia will give you caffé and biscotti.”

“Of course, bello.” Tina herded her team out of the ballroom and Marco disappeared as well. Then we were alone. Strolling to the dresses, I slowly examined them. Tina was the most sought-after wedding dress designer in Italy, and each gown was unique.

There were four racks of at least fifteen dresses each. Plenty for Valentina to choose from. “I thought we had a deal,” I said, continuing to shift through the gowns.

“You said I am allowed to choose my own dress.”

“No, I said you had to choose a suitable dress. No member of the Ravazzani family will wear black or red at a wedding.”

“Then perhaps I shouldn’t become a member of the Ravazzani family.” I dropped the gown in my hand and advanced on her, the soles of my leather shoes slapping angrily on the wooden floor. Valentina began backing away from me, but it was too little, too late. While I admired her spirit and yes, it turned me on there were times when she needed to obey orders. This was one of those times.

Fear flashed in her gaze when her back hit the wall. I kept coming, closing the distance until I crowded her into the plaster. She looked up at

me, pulse pounding at the base of her throat, her chest rising and falling quickly. She wore a simple strapless sundress, and I was proud that my eyes remained on her face, not drifting to the bare skin on display.

I braced my hands on either side of her head and leaned in, my body caging hers. “Do you know what happens to those who disobey my orders?”

She lifted her chin. “Dimitri won’t allow you to hurt me.”

I sneered. “You think I should use my son as a shield against me? I am the ruler of this family and Dimitri answers to me. I can do whatever I wish, whenever I wish. You would be wise not to cross me, Valentina .”

“Stop threatening me. If you are going to kill me, I wish you would just do it and put me out of my misery.”

“Kill you? I would not make it so easy. No, I would marry you off to some other member of my ’ndrina instead. There are plenty of old men who would love to break in a new young bride.”

“You wouldn’t dare. My father…..”

“Your father isn’t here now to coddle you. He gave you to me as payment on a debt. It is in my favour that you are marrying my son and bearing future generations of Ravazzanis.”

The desire to touch her overruled my good sense. I dragged a fingertip down her soft cheek, not stopping until I caressed her jaw. “If you spit on that favour, I will find you another husband. And I guarantee you won’t like him half as well as my son.”