L O R E N Z O

I'd been cautiously lining up my pawns on the board, moving them towards the end at my leisure under the guise of trade. Yet, there was something I hadn't been able to put my finger on which had been incessantly nagging me. I'd gone over my plans; covered every contingency, but apprehension had become a shadow I was seeing even in the brightest corners. It had been quiet the last few weeks. Too quiet. Ever since I'd been made of Grigory Orlov's involvement in what was his attempt at a coup, I'd been forced to expedite my plans to get rid of Angelo. I'd been exercising patience to ensure I didn't bring attention to myself, especially since the FBI had been sniffing around for things they shouldn't have been. However, I was now coming to realize, they weren't a concern right now.

This illusion of a reticent conspiracy had been crafted to blind me to a war that was coming, and I wasn't going to sit back and wait for all three of them to come together and attack at once. We couldn't survive that. And I could no longer wait for Kyzer Knight to get done with his games so he could move on to killing Angelo. It was about time I retook the reigns of this twisted reality, and stopped making moves from the shadows.

There was a soft knock on the door of my office, and I straightened just as Alexandra opened the door, her face set in a grim line.

"You wanted to see me,"

I nodded, "take a seat."

"What's this about, Renzo?" Alex crossed her legs as she leaned back in her seat, "Did you figure out who the rat is?"

"I know who it is, yes."

"Why haven't you taken care of it?"

"Not something you need to worry about." Alexandra opened her mouth with what I'd assume was a protest but I raised my finger, stopping her, "I think it's about time you get back on the field."

"What do you mean? You want me to kill someone?"

"Yes." I leaned forward, "But Alex, don't draw attention to yourself like last time. Even if the tabloids post about this, everything will go to shit."

"You know half of them just like conspiring, and I don't think anyone believes them."

"It's not about the people you do business with at Stelle, it's about the fuckers after the Camorra."

"Oh..." Alex exhaled, closing her eyes for the briefest of seconds, "I'll be discreet. No one will know I even left this building."

"Good."

"Who am I getting rid of?"

"Angelo Esposito."

"What?" Alex's brows furrowed as her face tightened, "I thought Zia forbade you from going after him."

"The situation is different. And I'll talk to Ma. He's colluding with the New York Bratva."

"Motherfucking Orlov." Alex hissed, "Who else knows that I'm going to kill Angelo?"

"You know the answer to that."

Alex nodded, hearing what I hadn't said, "When do I leave?"

"Tonight. You know how to get in touch."

Alexandra nodded, leaving her seat to prepare for departure later tonight, "And Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Creed isn't one of us. He shouldn't be privy to our dealings."

"Of course." Alexandra smiled bitterly, almost in a way that made me wonder if she was alright, but I kept my doubts to myself because even if she wasn't fine, she wouldn't be appreciative of my prying on what was her business.

Though perhaps I might have to pay a visit to Creed sooner than I had anticipated. 

After Alex had left, I stayed in my office for a bit before leaving the room to go find Andrea and the twins. I stopped at the foot of the stairs as my eyes landed on Andrea, laughing while she cooked with the twins. Well, Andrea was cooking, Rick and Tori appeared to be making a mess, their giggles echoing through the living room. Andrea stirred something in the pan before lowering the flame and picking up a knife to cut the vegetables. Alessandro was out for the night, and by the looks of it, I could tell she had given the babysitter the night off.

Andrea had her hair tied in a bun atop her head, and in her white crop top and jeans, she appeared different than I'd ever seen her. If I was being honest, there had been something different about her lately. Though I wasn't so much sure if it was her or me. Maybe my resistance had given way to resignation as she kept burrowing herself deeper under my skin. It was a wordless manipulation I hadn't seen coming, perhaps my undoing had started way earlier than I would like to think so. I sighed, my eyes unwavering from the softness of her features.

A strand of her hair fell free and came in front of her eyes. Andrea tried pushing it away with the top of her arm, resorting to blowing it back up. The strand came back down with a stubbornness and will Andrea had been exhibiting in fracturing my walls. She huffed when neither worked and I couldn't stop my feet from making my way to her. Tori saw me first but before she could screech my arrival with her flailing arms to be picked up, I put my finger to my mouth shushing her.

Of course, that didn't work.

She was her mother's daughter. Driving me up the wall was one of their favorite past-times. Andrea looked towards me, her eyes narrowing at the smirk on my face.

"Laughing at my misery, Lorenzo?"

I shook my head and kept walking until I was a step away from Andrea. "Let me," I whispered as I tucked the stray strand behind her ear, my fingers tracing an imaginary path down the column of her neck afterward. Andrea shivered and her heartbeat raced as she tilted her neck to look into my eyes.

"What are you doing, Lorenzo?" Her breath fanned my face and I ran my tongue over my lips, still holding her gaze, unable to look away as I watched the earthly browns turn to molten chocolate.

"You tell me, mia cara."

You would think I'd be over the temptation that she was, but if anything, it was the opposite. I didn't think I'd ever been afraid of something before her, but whatever thread this was that tied me to her, and the tide that kept pushing me into uncharted waters scared me shitless. But what scared me more was the urge to kiss her that'd hit me out of nowhere.

So, I did.

I leaned down and pressed my lips against her, my fingers tingling with a current that was beyond reason. Andrea gasped and I took my chances to deepen the kiss, one of my hands cupped her cheek, angling her face, while I kept the other one steady on her pulse, getting condescending consolation in the knowledge that this threw her off balance just as much as me. I moved my lips against hers with no concept of time, just the relentless need to have her.

My fingers curled around her wrist, pinning her hand to the countertop as I devoured her mouth with mine. Unable to stop or pry myself away from this chain reaction that'd seemed to have started somewhere inside my heart.

I'd even made her think that the reason she'd been waking up in my arms was because she held on too tight when she slept. But if I wasn't bullshitting, the truth was that I didn't want her to sleep on her side of the bed. Fuck knew why, I just knew that I didn't want her to do that.

A crash forced me to pull myself away from Andrea as I straightened, turning around so I was standing in front of Andrea. I did a quick scan of the room, an easy smile returning to my face when I noticed Tori had thrown her bowl down. Apparently, she'd had enough of being ignored.

I shook my head at Tori as I made my way to pick up the bowl she'd dropped and placed it back on the countertop before I kissed her forehead.

"That's not how we do things, tesoro." She eyed me with curiosity in her big blue eyes, cooing and pointing at the red bowl.

"Yes, the bowl." She cooed again, making grabby hands at me. I dodged her dirty hands and eyed Riccardo, who was busy eating his fruit. "Sorry, tesoro, I like my clothes just fine."

She giggled, her beautiful sound echoing in the room as I tapped her nose before getting her some more fruits from the bowl.

When I turned around after kissing Rick's head, Andrea was already looking at me. I arched my brow questioningly,

"What was that for?"

"What?" I reached behind her to turn off the stove to ensure our food didn't burn.

Andrea wrapped her fingers around my bicep and my gaze immediately went to it. I looked back at her and she only tightened her grip in response.

"Don't act dumb. It's beneath you. Why'd you kiss me?"

"I can't kiss my wife now?" I teased, reaching for the dishes in the cabinet above. 

"Stop answering me with questions!" Andrea huffed, and a pout that freakishly resembled Tori's came on her face.

"Fine. I felt like it. Now if you'd let me serve our food." I held her inquisitive, wide eyes with mine, suppressing the urge to laugh when she loosened her hold on me and bit her lip.

"I—," she stumbled over her words while I busied myself with the food, "I'll—get drinks." Andrea damn near ran away from me to get the drinks and I chuckled to myself as I set the table, eyeing the twins every once in a while.

Andrea came back while I'd just finished cleaning up Rick and Tori's hands and face to the best of my abilities without getting myself dirty.

"We're going to my parents' for dinner tomorrow," I said just as we finished dinner.

Andrea placed her glass on the countertop with a soft clink before facing me, "the monthly dinner isn't until next week...."

"It's not that."

"Then what?"

I sighed, debating how much I should tell her.

"Lorenzo." Andrea covered my fingers with her hand, not even wavering when I glared at her hand.

She had gotten too confident touching me, and I didn't know how I felt about it.

"I have a theory," I took a deep breath, choosing to start from the beginning, "I don't think Cillian was aware that Carlo made you shoot me and then took you with him. Carlo was probably acting alone in the beginning, maybe Angelo egged him on. But then Cillian found out, and he sought allies. They came in the form of Angelo and Orlov."

"Why would the Russians get involved?" I couldn't help my proud smile at her recognition of Orlov'e name.

"I see you've been talking to Alex about the business."

"I can't escape it, might as well learn about it." She shrugged, "Why do you think Carlo acted alone?"

"You being alive and un-tortured. And the lack of attacks when I was in a coma. If he'd done it, he'd attack when we were most vulnerable. It doesn't make sense to injure somebody and then let the wound heal before attacking them."

"I still don't get why or how Orlov comes in here."

"He wants a slice of the pie. He wants open access to the docks."

"And he doesn't have it because...?"

"Because he's a cockroach who left Chicago when the Pakhan didn't make him part of his inner circle. He calls himself Pakhan here but he's just a venal bastard with no balls."

"I still don't get why all this warrants an early dinner. And you just said it was a theory. Do you think maybe you could be wrong?"

I eyed her and her eyes widened, "right, of course, you can't be wrong." Andrea palmed her forehead, "I am so stupid."

"You're not." I exhaled, "You just don't know enough about it."

"You're going to attack him, aren't you?"

"Not exactly." I sighed as I picked up Tori from her high chair while Andrea got Rick.

"Then what is it?"

"Let's put these two to sleep," I said instead, just as Tori's head began drooping.

"You're deflecting."

I turned around to face her, "I have told you more than I ever thought I would. There will always be things I can't–I won't–tell you." I placed my fingers against her lips when she began protesting, shutting her up, "And it's not because I don't trust you. You wouldn't be here if that was the case. I'll tell you if, and when, you need to know."

"Lorenzo...." She pleaded, but she should've known by now, it was a futile endeavor. Regardless of the war inside me, despite the fact that I was losing to her, I had to hold onto some semblance of control. Knowledge was power, and with how this situation was about to turn out, painted with cries and crimson, it was my leverage.

"Ignorance is bliss, mia cara. Enjoy it. I promise to tell you if it is important."

"You don't think knowing about you being in danger is important for me?"

"Do you want to be having this conversation while we hold our children?" I eyed the nearly sleeping figures of Rick and Tori in our arms, and Andrea shook her head. "Let's put them to sleep."

"You're not getting out of this."

If her newfound tenacity was anything to go by, then that was obvious.

*

Andrea had followed me with her questions in the shower stall, fully clothed. She wasn't deterred when I turned the water on and stepped underneath the warm water. She crossed her arms over her chest, her brow raised as she leaned against the glass.

"I deserve to know, Lorenzo."

I pushed my now wet hair back with my hands before speaking, "If everything goes according to plan, nothing will happen to you or the twins."

Andrea rolled her eyes and dropped her hands before taking deliberate steps toward me. She stopped when the tips of her feet touched mine and placed her palms against my chest. The water soaked through her clothes, completely drenching her. Her hair stuck to her face as she blinked the water away from her eyes, the drops falling down her face like little butterflies.

"I am asking you, Lorenzo–," her voice broke as she visibly swallowed, "--if whatever you're planning puts you in danger."

"I'm always in danger, mia cara."

"You asshole!" Andrea shoved me back, and the suddenness of it made me stumble, and my shoulders collided with the tiled walls. Andrea stood on her toes, her eyes glassy with tears but still ablaze with a fire I wasn't sure I could recognize. "Why can't you ever give a straight answer?" Her voice had risen and I arched my brow at her outburst, unaware of the reason behind it.

"If you're asking me to sit back and let my men walk into a trap, then I can't do that."

Andrea gasped, "You're baiting yourself!"

"Not exactly."

"Don't." She closed her eyes, and this time when she opened them again, the redness in them had bled onto her face, though the water masked the tears well.

"Mia cara..." I cupped her cheeks forcing her to look at me, "Look at me. It's not the first time I'm doing something like this, and it won't be the last. Don't think too much about it."

She moved her hands from my chest so her fingers wrapped around my wrists, holding my hands around her face. "It's easy for you to say."

"You're worrying yourself for no reason."

"I love you, Lorenzo! Is that reason enough for me to worry about you?" Andrea's shoulders slumped with defeat, and the weight of the words she'd just uttered stole all the air from my lungs.

"You can't mean that."

"Can't I?" Andrea tightened her hold on my wrists and stepped closer until I could feel the wet fabric of her clothes against my chest. "For someone so intelligent, how can you be so dense, Lorenzo? I've been telling you this for weeks now. I've been putting my heart out for you despite knowing you'll never feel the same, and you can't even give me the courtesy of knowing you'll be safe?"

I would have said something if I hadn't felt so tongue-tied. She'd given name to something we'd been dancing around for a while. The malediction of this emotion and the stillness from her confession sank into my bones like a vice. There was a sudden ringing in my ears that I hadn't anticipated. Her love had snuck up on me like an enchantment for the sole purpose of bewitching me with its intensity, and for all my present-mindedness, I hadn't identified this invisible intruder until it became a tangible ghost weaving us together in ways I'd been fighting against from the very start.

"Finally got you speechless?" Andrea whispered just as her nails dug into my flesh, no doubt leaving her mark. "I'm not asking you to love me back, Lorenzo."

This fucking word was cursed, and I needed her to stop saying it, but for the life of me, I couldn't stop my thoughts from spiraling.

"Andrea–"

"Just promise me you won't put yourself in danger."

Her lips were a ghost above mine, and the faint pain she'd been inflicting might've been the only thing keeping my thoughts from flying in directions I would rather not consider. "I can't promise you that." I closed my eyes and inhaled, forcing the air back into my lungs.

Nothing had ever managed to send my thoughts into a tailspin, and I was having a hard time finding my composure when the reason for this very curse was standing too close to me.

"Then promise me you'll come back to me." She narrowed her eyes, daring me to refuse her this, and perhaps it was my mind surrendering, or maybe it was the fire crackling in my veins despite standing underwater.

"I promise."

I'd barely even managed to say the words when her lips crashed against mine with an urgency that became a part of my veins. My fingers snaked in her hair, tugging hard as I angled her head so I could give her all the mayhem inside my head. My fingertips trembled with the need to touch her that morphed into tension like an incendiary ready to detonate and take everything up in flames. She was the chaos inside my head, the fucking hurricane that had my composure and sense of self-preservation morphing into a cloud of destructive emotions. And I craved for the little semblance of quietude inside my head, which seemed impossible now that she'd managed to make the cold water feel hot on my feverish flesh. One thing was certain, though, if she was going be the reason this fucking feeling echoed inside my head, and overpowered my senses, I was going to bury it with her screams of pleasure as I buried my cock inside her.

* * *

So what do you think?

If I am being honest, this chapter was my favourite to write even though it was the hardest to get right! But do you have any theories?

Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment!

Another one of my absolutely favorite authors is amelierhys All of her books are fucking amazing, the way she writes absolutely blows my mind, there isn't a single book of hers that I don't love! On top of that she'd a truly amazing person, without a doubt one of the most kindest people I've met on here! Before She Ruled is a historical romance, and the research shows, even though it is fiction, the historical accuracy of it is is remarkable. Besides her new contemporary romance, It Burns Within Us, is so awesome, not only it shows abuse relationships for what they are, it also highlights that getting help when you need it is good. I adore her and every single one of her books, trust me you're missing out on all the sweet, intense, romances if you haven't read her stuff!

To see her edits and hear from her, follow her on Instagram: @/cocoandamelie