Page 15

Chapter 15

Vito

This day is dragging on longer than I ever imagined it could. I've lost count of the glasses of bourbon I've had, watching the door. Eden hasn't arrived yet.

She promised she'd come.

Ever since her office that night when I was ready to detonate the bomb on the line that separates us, she's been under my skin more than ever. If Massimo hadn't called that night, I'm sure I would've obliterated the line altogether.

The days between Babbo' s death and the funeral were filled with supporting Mamma , making all the arrangements, and keeping on top of urgent business. Our enemies don't show compassion, and we've had more fires than ever to put out. Marco, Raf, and a team just returned from LA this morning after settling some shit the Czech mafia had tried to stir there. But during all of it, in whatever I'm doing, Eden is always in my head.

But seeing her today for the first time since I left her office that night…

Seeing her in the congregation as we exited the church—she came to honor my father and family—made my chest squeeze in a way it never had in my life.

Then, seeing her unguarded look of hellish, tortured pain… I wanted to take her out of this city and never return.

Raf refills my glass as I finish it but eyes me with concern. "Have you eaten anything today?"

He is as much family to me as my blood brothers; he was there when we said our goodbyes to Babbo . But I don't want him right now. The only one I want is Eden. And it's not even to fuck her, I just want… her.

My scarred hand rubs my face. I'm so fucked .

Raf studies me and claps my back. "I got you, brother. I'll get you what you need." Then he disappears down the hall.

Sipping my bourbon, I don't think further about Raf as my mind is pulled back to Eden and the hellish look on her face. She's still grieving Aiken, probably made worse by his unsolved murder. Add to that, at Aiken's funeral, I had disturbed her grieving for both her brother and her sister, Fenton.

But that hellish, tortured look I witnessed today wasn't all just from grieving Aiken and Fenton. I recall the night her parents came into the bar and Eden's instant, intense reaction. The way her hands shook in her office. Something very traumatic happened to Eden. Not that she'll open up to me about her past, but in my drink-addled brain, I really fucking want her to.

As much as I physically want Eden, I also want to know her. What makes her smile? What makes her laugh? What's the cause of that hellish pain and anguish I glimpsed?

I want her secrets as much as I want her moans and writhing body under mine.

Jesus... I need to lay off the bourbon and eat something.

Before I can go search for some food, the front door opens, and just like every other time the past three hours, my eyes snap to it. This time, though, I freeze.

Eden came.

She looks around uncertainly as she enters. I move to her at the same time as Massimo. He extends his hand. "Thanks for coming, Ed."

A tsunami wave of jealousy washes over me that he got to her first. I need to fight the intense urge to punch my brother in the face.

Obviously, the amount of alcohol I've consumed hasn't been wise.

Setting the glass down on the side table, I mimic Massimo's professional aloofness, even though I want to pull Eden to my chest and bury my face into her hair.

Her smile has a touch of wariness as she looks at me. "Sorry I'm late. Gilly's was packed." She turns to Massimo. "I know this isn't the best time to bring this up, but I'd like to request a meeting with the Chamber soon."

"Is everything okay?" I ask before Massimo can.

He's the Chamber's convenor and can call impromptu meetings; I, on the other hand, have nothing to do with its operation. He eyes me before turning back to Eden.

She gives me an odd look, then directs her answer to Massimo. "Two FBI agents were waiting for me outside Gilly's when I was headed to the funeral. I want to debrief as soon as possible."

Massimo's brows pull together over his dark brown eyes. "Ash, Dom, Amazu, and Lixin are still here. We can do it shortly."

"I don't want to impose, Massimo. This is your family's time."

I'm jealous that her attention is on him.

All I want to do is take her somewhere private and quiet. I don't care if I can't touch her. The only thing I want is her eyes and attention on me .

Holy shit. The alcohol was most definitely a very bad idea.

I clench my fists, then open them, working to keep my face in a neutral, unreadable mask while being so close to Eden.

"Any threat to Gilly's is a threat to the Chamber and my family, and dealing with that is not imposing," Massimo says. "I appreciate your sentiment, though, Ed."

She glances at me. I double-check that I'm not standing too close to her because Massimo is right; Dom, Lixin, Amazu, and Ash are all still here.

If they weren't… My family and our closest people can be trusted…

Fuck , I mentally kick myself. Massimo will flay my balls if he finds out about my obsession with Eden, not to mention my fraying control.

Mamma' s voice sounds behind us, " Figli miei, chi è costui ?" My sons, who is this?

I fight my smile at my mother's antics. As she often does with new people around her sons, she'll test Eden to gauge her reaction by refusing to speak in English. Creed and Sophie are with her. Massimo and I walk Eden farther into the house to meet them.

" Mamma , questo è Eden, " I reply, ignoring Massimo's look when I call her that instead of Ed. Then I say to Eden, "This is my mamma , Gina Santoro." Creed smirks at me; he knows the game Mamma is playing. "This is my baby brother Creed, and Triple S, also known as Sophie."

"Triple S?" Eden asks with a smile.

Sophie rolls her eyes. "Sweet Spanish Sophie."

Eden nods, assessing her. "I can certainly see the sweet."

" Mio figlio non scherza mai ma l'ha chiamata. " Mamma looks at me, then at Eden.

"My son rarely jokes, but he named her," I translate.

Eden eyes me critically. "Vito pulls a few surprises now and then."

Mamma continues to talk to her, and I translate. Eden responds without hesitation or reservation about conversing with her this way, and warmth spreads through me.

Massimo's eyes snap between Eden and me as I translate back and forth. I can sense his trepidation, but I don't care.

Then Eden clasps Mamma 's hand. "I'm so sorry about Tommaso. I didn't know him long; however, he was a man I instantly respected."

She quickly looks down, averting her gaze before she pulls something out from under her shirt.

My breath catches at the same time as Mamma gasps loudly at seeing the bullet on the strap of leather that Babbo always kept in his pocket. We had wondered where it went.

"He gifted this to me shortly after I arrived." Eden looks like she's swallowing back her emotion. "He explained what it was and why he gave it to me."

"I can't believe he gave that to you." Massimo is as shocked as Creed and I are.

Mamma 's eyes well with tears, and she puts her hand over her heart. " Tommaso ha sempre avuto una buona lettura del carattere ."

"Tommaso always had a good read of character," I translate for Eden. At this point, though, I don't think Mamma realized she spoke in Italian.

Rare emotion feathers across Eden's gorgeous face, and she swallows hard. Reaching into the pocket of her peacoat, she pulls out a cube that looks like intricate pieces of wood fitting together and interlocking to make a perfect cube. The finish is smooth and pristine.

I've seen similar handiwork in Eden's office. A wall section has been replaced with interlocking, smooth, wood pieces. Both pieces are handcrafted and exhibit talent and care in their making.

Eden swallows hard again, her hazel eyes glistening. "My brother made this. This is the only other piece I could find besides the section he inlaid into the wall of his office. I want to gift it to you in honor of Tommaso." She holds it out to Mamma .

Mamma 's eyes fill with tears. " La mia bella ragazza, my beautiful girl." Her voice shakes. "I am honored to accept such a gift."

She hugs Eden tightly. Eden's eyes are huge, both at the response and the fact that Mamma didn't need a translation and replied in English.

Eden laughs and hugs her back. "I see your son isn't the only one to have a few surprises."

But the moment ends too soon, and I see the second that Eden's defenses go back up for her to be Ed instead of Eden. Mamma also senses it, and even though she looks dismayed, she knows the role of Gilly's head.

She cups Eden's cheek. "You honor me and my family with your presence here."

Eden steps back to put some space between herself and my family, no doubt acutely aware that the members of the Chamber are also here. The short, intimate moment with her among the people I love most is gone. I feel a pounding headache coming on as if Eden distancing herself has opened the floodgates for it.

"Would you like something to eat or drink, Ed?" Massimo asks.

"No, thank you. I can't stay long as Gus was getting slammed at the bar. I'll wait until you and the Chamber are ready for that debrief, then I should head back."

"We could do it right now, as I believe Lixin and Amazu need to leave shortly."

My anger flares that the Chamber and business are taking Eden from me. It's an irrational response, but powerful nonetheless, and I try to squash it before I lose control. Cursing myself for drinking so much without eating, I rub my forehead.

"Are you okay, Vito?" Eden asks.

The concern in her voice pleases me.

Fuck, I'm drunker than I thought.

"Just need some food to soak up this alcohol and maybe lie down," I say honestly. "I'll be in the library. Come find me before you leave, Eden."

Massimo is really eyeing me now.

"Okay," she replies hesitantly. As Massimo leads her toward his office, she looks over her shoulder at me until they disappear around the corner.

Mamma has a pleased look.

Creed frowns. "Brother—"

"I don't want to hear it," I snap and stalk away.

My head is starting to spin. I go down the hallway to the library, leaving the guests and my family behind, and close the door. I need to clear my head and get back in control before Eden comes to find me. I need to regroup.

After her meeting with the Chamber, when she comes in here, it would be ill-advised to push her up against the wall and finally see if she truly is unaffected by me.

And if she does want me—and from what I had glimpsed in her office that night when her defenses were down told me she wants me as badly as I want her… Well, I'm not sure of my gameplan then.

Dammit, I need to clear my head of this alcohol fog and the pounding headache.

The room spins as I flop onto the sofa. I lay my head back. As I close my eyes, I plot out my plan for once I have Eden alone.

Get the the room to stop spinning.

Talk to her with a more level-head. Thank her for coming today.

Let her leave without pushing her up against the wall.

No, you goddamn idiot. You have her here. In your family's home.

Outside of the domain that rules the line drawn between us.

And I want to keep her here as long as possible. Even if I can't touch her.

"I can't touch her," I remind myself through clenched teeth. "Can't…" The room spins faster, even with my eyes closed, and the intoxicated fog is coming to claim my consciousness. "Can't… Touch… Her."

But I really want to touch her.

She's all I want. She's all I see.

"Eden," I groan quietly, as my head lulls to the side and I try to hold onto consciousness. Her beautiful hazel eyes and luscious full mouth are the last things I recall before I feel pleasure in my cock.

Visions of Eden, her decadent body, her beautiful eyes, her gorgeous face, and that lush mouth fill my mind as I claw back to some semblance of wakefulness.

I can hear the noises I've been dreaming of her making—moans and hums of pleasure.

I feel the telltale sign of my balls pulling up tight, the tingle across my lower back, and that pulls me more awake. I orgasm in the next instant with a deep groan and Eden's name as a barest whisper.

The humming and moaning on my cock pull me even more awake. I open my eyes, then stare in utter shock.

Lexa kneels on the floor between my legs, with my cock in her mouth, still milking it from my unknown, unplanned, and unwanted orgasm.

"What the fuck?" I choke as the library door opens. I stare in horror as Eden stops in the doorway, her mouth opening in shock.

"Fuck." I try to push Lexa off me. Eden's eyes narrow in anger, then she spins on her heel and slams the door. I finally get Lexa off my cock. "What the fuck, Lexa?"

"What?" she asks innocently. "Raf said you needed some love."

"Fucking asshole." I tuck my cock back into my suit pants and race after Eden, fighting the dizziness that assaults me. Nausea and bile rise in my throat. I know it isn't all from the bourbon swishing in my empty stomach.

By the time I leave the library, Eden is nowhere to be seen. I race through the house to the front door, not caring who's here. All I see is Eden's shocked face, and I'm envisioning what she would've seen: me, sitting like a king with my legs spread, with another woman on her knees while she sucked me off.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

I haven't caught up to Eden by the time I hit the front door. Raf stops me, looking concerned, and I almost flatten him.

I snarl like a beast from hell, and he backs up.

When I get outside, I see Eden across the looped driveway, talking to the valet attendant. I hear her demand to know where her car is rather than waiting for it to be brought up.

"Eden," I call, and she goes ramrod stiff. "Wait. Please."

The valet attendant glances at me, then hurries off to grab her vehicle.

Eden doesn't turn around immediately. Her open peacoat catches in the wind, as does her hair.

I slowly approach, wanting to draw my fingers through her slightly wavy hair that looks soft as silk.

When she finally turns to face me, I'm unprepared for her look.

Detached. Indifferent.

I want to fall to my knees when she speaks without any emotion. "I didn't mean to cut your finish off, Vito. You should've just texted me not to stop in before I left."

I grip my head. "It's not what you think."

She tilts her head, her hazel eyes so cold and flat. "So you weren't getting a blowjob in the library where you asked me to stop by after I was done debriefing with the Chamber?"

"No. Yes. Fuck… I was passed out, Eden. I swear. Raf must have gone and brought Lexa—"

"Oh, that's her name. She looks like she sucks good dick; maybe she could give me a tip or two." Her eyes flare, and she moves to her car as the valet attendant pulls up, but I grab her arm.

"Please, just listen to me. I was passed out, and the next thing I knew, I was coming and whispering your name."

Her eyes widen before they narrow, and she yanks her arm out of my grip. When I make to grab it again, she hisses, "You're making a scene."

"I don't care. Just listen, please."

"Well, I fucking care, you goddamn asshole."

For some reason, I'm relieved she didn't call me a fucking cunt right now.

"I'd rather not end up dead like my brother. Now, back the fuck off." She yanks her door open.

Visions of her lying in a pool of blood like Aiken dance in my head.

"Eden." I sound desperate, but I'm beyond caring.

"This is nothing, Vito. There's nothing here," she motions between her and me, "so go back inside to Lexa and finish what you started." She glances over my shoulder, and her lips press tightly shut. Then she gets in her car, slams the door, and guns her engine.

I watch her drive away until I can't see her vehicle anymore. I turn and spot Raf, who looks sick, standing there with Massimo.

Massimo's face is an unreadable mask. "We need to fucking talk."