CARMELO
The moment I touched the Conti estate, Papa called for me. I may be the CEO of the Conti Casa Reale Empire, but the old man was still the Chairman. And I would consult him about major issues or before making decisions that could change the fate of the company.
Even when I was busy with him, dealing with papers and numbers, my mind would drift to the woman I loved from time to time. I knew I was in trouble. It's been a whole day without informing her about anything. I could only imagine her fuming cute little face. Damn, I missed her so much.
I picked my jacket with me once we were done. "Son," I paused by the door. "How are things going on between you and that child?" I turned to face him. He never asked me about my personal staff, ever.
"Great. We're doing great." I replied. He nodded. "Good. I hope you are prepared for the duel tomorrow. I may look old, but I won't go easy on you." He clenched his fist. I couldn't help but smile. "Don't ever go easy on me, Papa. Or Grandpa would rise from the tomb to yell at you about your soft upbringing." He laughed. It's been a while since we last had a heart-to-heart conversation. It's always work.
"Can we have some drinks sometimes?" My heart pounded hard. He still remembered those days. He fidgeted with his reading glasses. "Okay. Anytime, Papa." His wide smile was the last thing I saw before I shut the door of his study and climbed downstairs.
My mother, who sat in the living room with a glass of carrot juice on a table, watching soap opera, smiled at me. This woman, she gave birth to me, raised me, and now she couldn't wait to shove me into a marriage and fatherhood. Such bad Mama. "Mama." I kissed her cheeks, took a slice of cucumber from her face and dropped it on my mouth. She gave me a side eye, but then softened, "How are you doing son? You look worn out." I was worn out and guess whose fault it was. I'd never let Chiara go out with my mother again.
"I'm home," Celia announced. One of our girls came over and took her school bag. Her Chihuahua ran to her and danced around her feet. "You are going to fall with your face buried on your phone like that." Mama said. "I won't fall, Mama."
She sat beside me and rested her head on my chest. "Hey, bro." I messed with her hair, and she groaned, "Hey, princess. How's school coming?" I swear she'd rather not eat and worship her phone instead.
"School is lit. The final exams were pushed forward. Can you believe it?" She minimized TikTok and jumped on Instagram. "And they didn't even give us tea about it. Either way, it's W for us." I pressed the off button, and she glared at me. "Go and change first." She scowled, "Ok boomer." She got up and picked a cucumber from our mother's face as well, repeating what I was just almost scolded for. She was met with our mother's side eye and quickly scurried to the stairs, giggling.
"Oh, by the way bro. Your ex is here. I think she went to your place." She said, I got up instantly. "And you are telling me this now?" Fuck! "When will that woman stay away from you?" Mama said. "I have to go." I ran out. This was so messed up. I promised Chiara she would never return. She promised to kill her. I hoped she was joking.
"Drive." I slammed the door and shoved the jacket in the backseat. "Have you seen her too?" I asked. "Yup. I think she went to pick Celia from school. That explains why she was let in at the gates. She dropped her here and raced straight to your mention. You got her obsessed with you." She started the car and drove.
"Seriously Storm! Why didn't you call me? Or rather go after her?" She chuckled, "Me? No will do. Every man should deal with their own mess. Let's hope your ex is still alive when we get there." My head snapped to her, "Why are you saying that? Don't jinx it." My heart drummed in my ears. "Because your woman is crazy, in case you don't know."
Just then a gunshot rang. "There she goes." She looked at me with a smile. "Fuck! Step on the damn gas, Storm!" I yelled. When reached at the mansion. It was too late. My woman, my dangerous tesoro, was opening fire like it was confetti. She ruined Stacy's car, totally. And she was still shooting while Stacy was crying for her dear life behind the damaged car.
I knew she was trouble but watching her shooting like that did something unimaginably sinful to me. I hinted Storm to go for Stacy while I went to deal with my mess as she said.
Once inside, I slammed the door shut, walked with her to the kitchen and placed on the island. She pushed me off her. I raised both of my hands up. "Calm down, tesoro. I come in peace."
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Her eyes were so deadly they could burn an entire world to ashes. Even in this situation, I couldn't help but smile. She called me her man, and my house, our home. I was feeling an unspeakable kind of joy. I could not form it into words.
"Stop. Smiling."
"I'm trying."
Silence.
"Jealous, huh?" I might as well have lost my mind to tease her in that state.
"Oh, you have no idea." There was nothing beautiful about her smile. It was dangerous, and menace. She slid down from the island, pulled a knife from the rack and slowly stepped toward me. Each step she took forward, I took mine backward. She looked like a living predator. And Oh, I feared, I'd love to be her prey.
My back hit the fridge behind me. She stood before me, eyeing my chest. She then raised the knife and my eyes widened but I didn't make a move. Apart from the pounding inside my chest. "Actually, yes. Yes, I'm jealous. And my jealousy is one to be wary of, baby, because then… I don't just see red, I crave it."
My lips parted when she ripped the shirt off in a swift motion, exposing my heaving chest. "Okay tesoro, you really need to calm the fuck down." What was she doing? She glanced at me with a frown. "Hush you." I gulped. Then without a warning she leaned down and bit on my chest. Her teeth sank so deep that I bit my lower lip, hissing. Fuuuuck! She pulled back, our gazes held as I panted.
"You won't let any other woman come near you, or I'll curve my name all over your body, so no woman dares to." Shit! Those eyes. I nodded. She licked the part she just bit, where a red tooth mark was and then faced me. "I need words, baby." Her knife pointed on the same part. I stopped breathing for a second. If this was a sort of foreplay, then I was jelly already. "Yes. Yes, the love of my life, my heartbeat, the reason I'm breathing, I understand. No woman would ever touch me. It's an oath, tesoro."
She smirked, tiptoed and kissed me hard, nipping my lip as she let go. What was her obsession with biting? She is ferocious. Enticing. I wished she could repeat that. "Good boy." She playfully slapped my cheek, dropped the knife and walked out of the kitchen.
I watched her retreating figure with a shit eating grin. What the hell just fucking happened? "Hot. So fucking hot!" I turned, swung the fridge open and took out a bottle of cold water. I tilted my head back and poured it in my mouth. It still wasn't able to cool the burning heat inside me. I shouldn't get turned on at this. I shouldn't get turned on. I'm so turned on! "Fuck!" I shut my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose and cackling at my misery.