What if that toy—the one she’d just gotten off with — had been in her hand while she thought ofanother man?Some man who’d touched her, pleasured her.
The thought made my blood run cold.
So this morning, before I left for another monotonous meeting, I left her a package and a note.
If you want to come without my mouth or my cock, don’t use a toy you’ve ever touched while thinking of another man.
You want to come? Come with me. Come for me. Or don’t come at all.
Say my name, and it comes to life. Say another man’s name, and it dies.
—L
Now I’m here, pretending to care about ports and rival families, while my phone vibrates in my pocket. The app I installed pings, telling me she was using it — saying my name as she touched her sweet little clit. I could almost hear it: the way her voice would catch, the way her breath would hitch.
“Lorenzo.” Someone called, but instead of the smooth sound of Zara’s voice, it’s gruff.
I closed the app, pocket the phone, and looked up at the expectant faces around the table. No one spoke. They’re all watching me, waiting for the verdict on some question I didn’t hear.
“I asked for your thoughts on the Moretti situation.” My father asked, clearly unimpressed.
Right. The Morettis. Our “partners” in the north have been skimming shipments and pushing for more control. A delicate problem—too much force might start a war, too little might be seen as weakness.
“I say we send a message,” I replied, my voice steady. “Not to the Morettis. To their underboss. He’s ambitious. If we give him a reason to think he could run the family better, he’ll do the work for us.”
Francesco raises an eyebrow. “You want to turn their own men against them?”
“I want to save us the cost of a war. Let them tear themselves apart. Then we step in and offer ‘stability.’”
My father studied me for a long moment. Then he nods at me. “See to it. Work with Costa on the details.”
The meeting dragged on for another hour. By the time it ended, the sun had set, casting long shadows across the room. One by one, the men rose, shaking hands, exchanging murmured words until I was left alone with my father.
He didn’t stand. He just sits there, his fingers steepled, watching me with that calm, unreadable expression that has made him a legend in our world.
“You were distracted tonight.”
I didn’t deny it. “I had things on my mind.”
“I have allowed your little ploy to continue, son, but the minute I am done allowing you to play games, she will be gone.”
“She will not be going anywhere.”
My father walked to the window, to where the city glitters below. “Our world is not forgiving, Lorenzo. One moment of weakness, one distraction, and everything we’ve built can collapse. Your grandfather taught me that. I’ve tried to teach you.”
“You’ve taught me well.”
“Have I?” He turned to face me. “Because I hear rumors. I hear whispers about instability.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.” His voice was soft, but it cut deeper than any shout. “I can see it in your eyes. You’re not fully here. You’re somewhere else. With someone else.”
I held his gaze. “She doesn’t affect my work.”
“She affectsyou. And youareyour work, Lorenzo. You are this family. You are this legacy. You cannot afford to be divided.”
“I know.”
