~ Chapter 6 ~

Giovanni watched the three people as he sipped on his own wine, although his eyes kept straining back to her, with her long black hair pulled up into a high ponytail and the nude colored dress tight on her body.  Again, he couldn’t quite explain it, but he was grateful that all of that was, and would remain, his.

                “Vinny?”  He let out a soft sigh as his eyes broke away from her and turned to look at his cousin, and his best friend, along with his second.

                “What is it Salvatore?”

                “Jennifer came in, caused quite a scene.  Your dad took her to the library.”         

                “Fuck, he will be pissed.”

                “I thought you told her?”  Giovanni gulped down his wine and handed the empty glass to his cousin.

                “I did, but it’s obvious she failed to understand it.  Let me to go take care of this before my dad blows a fuse.”  Vinny made his way to the library and strolled right in.  His eyes took in the blonde beauty before him.  He rather enjoyed his time with Jennifer, and yes, he did question if he could discreetly swing seeing her but he knew better.  He had many loyal men within the family, men who would keep his secrets.  But he also had many that stood straight behind his dad and would spill the seed on this one.

                He took her in before he cleared his throat, his eyes drinking in her lush curves and long legs.  Sure, he had plenty of women, but oddly enough, he kept coming back to this one woman.  And maybe, he would have dated her, if that was ever his thing.  For sure not marriage, though.  Jennifer was not Italian and marrying her wouldn’t have flown with either of his parents, actually.  So, for him, she was enough for a fuck and nothing more, which she knew and understood.  Which would explain why he was so very confused she was here, she knew better.

                “Jennifer,” he said, causing her to turn and smile at him.              

                “Valentina is very pretty.”  Yes, she was which told him that Jennifer had at least been around his home tonight long enough for her to have seen Valentina.  Since Jennifer wasn’t part of any family, she wasn’t around the group he usually hung out with, so the paths of Jennifer and Valentina would never have crossed.

                “Thank you, but what are you doing here?”

                “I came to offer my congratulations, of course.”  She stepped over to him, her hips swaying and his eyes ran over her.  From the top of her plunging neckline to the way the dressed grabbed her hips, his eyes took it all in.

                “How did you get in my house?”

                “I have my ways.”  He lifted a brow, her answer actually disturbing him.  If she snuck it, then he needed to check the windows and doors.  If she got passed people, he needed to check the staff.

                “Tell me.”

                “I got in with the catering crew.”  Jennifer had no idea how many people she just put in danger.  He had never gone into exactly what he was, why should he?  They weren’t anything.  So, he was pretty damn sure she had no idea how much danger she could have put herself in either.  He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

                “Why would you do that?”

                “To see you, to talk to you.”

                “I told you that we were done, we had to be.”

                “You told me you were getting married and you couldn’t cheat, yet you must have been cheating on her this whole time.”  In this case, he really hadn’t been.  But Jennifer never saw the news, so really had no idea about him.  And given that, he knew he couldn’t explain about the agreement, which led to him keeping his mouth shut right now.  “Come on Vinny, you can still meet up with me.”

                “Jennifer, when I met up with you a week ago, and told you I was done, I meant it.”  God, Giovanni hated when his dad was right, and he had been.  Donatello had warned his son not to get to close to this woman, but he didn’t listen.  Not that he was ever planning anything with Jennifer, but he had gone back to her more than the others, and it seemed she thought something more would happen; that all of their past gave them something special.

                “She’s a prude, a bore.  She won’ be able to give you what you want, what you crave.”  His jaw clenched at that.  No, she might be reserved and with holding, but he knew that he could open her up to his sexual world.

                “She’s not a prude.”

                “You called her that!  You know….”  She rambled on but he ignored her.  Yes, he had called Valentina a prude the last night he was with Jennifer and that’s because he thought she was.  Hell, he knew plenty of men, his own friends included, who wanted to fuck her.  But he now knew why, and that didn’t make her a prude.  By rights, that made her the perfect Mafia princess actually, doing what as asked of her and respecting the men who asked it, father or not. 

And in fact, looking upon it now, he was quite happy to awaken her sexual appetite.  And truth be told, he really couldn’t wait to see how un-prudish she could be; even if he had to wait till their wedding night to see that.  Although, he didn’t want to think about going that long; he was hoping she might give a little prior to that.     

                “Just stop!”  He let out a breath as he looked her over before shaking his head.  “What we had was fun, sure, but it’s done.  It was never going to be more.  And whether you want to believe it or not, I’m not cheating, now or ever.  There are some things that are done in our culture you will never understand.”  Her eyes narrowed at him.

                “You’re a prick!”

                “Never claimed to be anything else, darlin’.”

                “Valentina better be forewarned just how much of a dick you are.”

                “Oh, she already knows.”  He pointed to a door that was behind her.  “Leave through there.  And for your safety Jennifer, I suggest no one sees you, you don’t talk to anyone and you never come back here again.”  She glared at him, slammed her glass down on the table and left how he told her.  He watched her go, something telling him to be weary of her.  Damn, his dad would hate to put anyone on watching her, so he was going to have to be careful, maybe find someone himself to watch her.

                He opened the door to the hallway and paused before he walked out, the scene he saw a punch to the gut.  He saw Valentina in the arms of one man, the man he hated with a big passion.  Oh, he was well aware of the man’s feelings for Valentina, he used to think him a fool for them as well.  But, seeing the look in the man’s eyes as he steadied his fiancé, Giovanni wanted nothing more than to punch the son of one of the other major families.

                “Dante DeLaurentis,” Giovanni growled out, causing both heads to turn and look at him.  He made a point at looking at Valentina’s hands on his arms, which quickly made her drop her hands from him.

                “Giovanni let me offer my congratulations on snagging one of the most gorgeous ladies around.”  Giovanni held his hand out to Valentina, who walked over and placed her hand in his.       

                “Thank you, we are looking forward to our engagement.”

                “I’m sorry again, Valentina.  As always, a pleasure,” he said, walking past her.  “State attenti con il suo Constantini (be careful with her Constantini),” Dante muttered low enough for only him to hear.  What that a God damn threat?