Aftermath Read online

  When Nico joined his family, he carried beneath his arm a small chest, which he immediately secured in the trunk along with his suitcase.

  He slid in the front seat next to the driver and discreetly examined Ariana in the rearview mirror. She looked pretty, emotionally distant, but pretty. The goddamn woman was stubborn. He turned forward and looked straight ahead.

   

   

   

  ****

   

   

  During the flight to New York Nico gazed out the cabin window into darkness. The black was touched by an invisible tiny painter’s brush with drips of white sparkles. He was tired, emotionally drained to the core. He thought of the woman in the closet. He usually didn’t think of his victim’s, but tonight he did because when he killed the helpless woman he told himself he was wiping clean the evidence. Yet, the fatal blow to the heart was the death blow of a relationship’s end.

  Ariana suddenly unbuckled her seatbelt and took the empty seat beside him. He didn’t turn, merely inhaled her faint perfume and wondered why she didn’t keep her ass over there next to Darren.

  “What happened to your face, it wasn’t bruised the other night?”

  “Bumped it.”

  “And your lip. You bumped that, too?”

  The nostril’s flared. “Is this an interrogation Ari…are you playing lawyer with me?”

  “I’m not playing. I care about you and I’m worried.”

  “Really?” This amused him. “Well, don’t. You never worried when we were married, don’t alter your behavior now counselor.”

  “Nico…I” She put her hand on his shoulder and he slid farther away.

  “Don’t Ari,” he scowled, “try to handle me like one of your distressed clients. I don’t need your legal services or condescending bullshit. You’re not getting a deposition from me.” He scoffed, “No, sweetheart. If it isn’t about our children then leave the other shit out of it and we won’t have a problem, understand?”

  The words hurt and she blinked trying to shutter the tears. Yes, it was over. It was final. Even if she realized her mistake and sought rescission, it was too late. She’d lost Nico’s love and he assigned himself to the title, ‘ex-husband and father of the kids.’ He didn’t see her pain or the attempt to reconcile by reaching out after battling throughout the day the proper course to take. She often planned a strategy in court, this is how she approached love, but trials of the heart are far more complicated. She glanced at her sleeping sons. She tried, she told herself, she tried to rescind her words, but Nico shut the door. He was not interested in revisiting a life with her again.

  “Fine!” She stood abruptly and returned to her seat, closed her eyes and cried inside.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  CHAPTER NINE

   

   

   

   

  Freshly shaven, ass washed and feeling like a human being again Alfonzo sat at the table with his family. Dinner consisted of a variety of dishes. Pici, grilled zucchini with mint, mortadella bites, frico with potatoes and pancetta, lemon herb chickpea salad and the best tiramisu semifreddo Alfonzo tasted in his life.

  He ate with gusto and winked at Sal who did the same. His mother chewed with refined restraint, but he could tell she liked the food or she would not have continued to eat. She prided herself on being a great cook, and she would never admit Sophie was a master chef in the kitchen. Alfonzo smirked thinking, too bad their skill did not transfer to Selange. She was an okay cook, nothing close to the seasoned women. Their culinary skills came from years of experience. He could wait, he joked to himself, until she got there, by then he’d be old and grey.

  Meanwhile, there was Anita and his mom and now Sophie was added to his list of great cooks. If anyone got picky princess Allie to chew and swallow, they were great!

  “E 'stato buono. Grazie Signora Dichenzo,” Alfonzo complimented in Italian after the meal. 

  “Prego,” she answered as she cleared the table.

  Alfonzo’s eyes noticed the lack of cheer in the usually vibrant woman. He also did not miss the anxious glances from Selange in Sophie’s direction as if the woman might shatter into pieces of glass. There was something amiss.

  He sipped the last of the wine and surveyed the lavish dining room filled with his family as guests. They were chatting and smiling, enjoying Sophie’s hospitality and it reminded him of the days they all packed into his mother’s small apartment during holidays. There was always lots of food and activity, especially with the children running around. They were a loving family then and that’s what he saw today.

  His mother slipped from the table whispering. At first he believed she was having one of those inner conversations with her Spiritual Father, but soon realized she was on her cell. Undoubtedly, Aunt Carmen, he thought until he heard the difference in her laugh. He’d heard similar laughs from women and instantly surmised the flirtatious giggles were due to a man. His body stiffened. Perhaps, he imagined this, he reasoned and may have let it go, however he got this movement in the pit of his stomach and slowly rose.

  “Come Allie,” he said to his daughter, “do you want Nana to read you a story?”

  The cute face glowed, “I brought my books daddy.”

  “Yeah?” Alfonzo smiled, keeping his eyes on his mother as she walked slowly in the living room. “Well, Nana loves to read you stories. I think it’s the perfect time to ask, tú también ¿no?”

  “Um-um,” he heard as Anita cleared her throat. He’d forgotten the woman was seated right there.

  “What are you doing, do you not see your mother on the phone?” She meddled.

  Damn Anita needs to mind her business!

  “Really? I didn’t notice.” Alfonzo answered flippantly as he took Allie’s hand and they marched after his mother.

  “Nana…Nana…can you read me a story?” The girl asked as she jumped up and down in front of Maria.

  Alfonzo’s face reflected neutrality. He was anxious to discover who the goddamn man was on the other end. He hadn’t seen his mother blush or smile like that, ever!

  “Uno minuto Allie,” Maria said and then told the caller, “Yes, that’ll be nice. Okay, my granddaughter is summoning me…oh…hahaha…bye!”

  “Hi mama, was that Tia, how is she?”

  She waved a dismissive hand, “No…no…hijo. That was a friend. I spoke to Carmen earlier, she’s fine and –you,” Maria said crouching down to her granddaughter, “must learn to say excuse me before interrupting someone. Come…let’s go find a book.”

  Alfonzo stood there in a state of confusion.

  What the fuck just happened, did my mom blow me off or am I imagining it?

  “Alfonzo, are we still going to visit Matteo and Amelda?” Selange asked.

  He blinked. He’d been so absorbed he hadn’t noticed her enter, “¿Qué?”

  “Are we going to visit Matteo?”

  “Yeah,” he rubbed his chin. He couldn’t shake the shock of his mom flirting with a man or potentially having sex with one. Ah, no he quietly fumed; he couldn’t envision it because she hadn’t dated anybody since his father. That was more than thirty years ago. He frowned. It’s Bruno, yep, that sonovabitch was making moves on his madre behind the scenes.

  “Alfonzo?”

  “Yeah…yeah…yeah…get ready babe,” he said at the distraction, “I just need to make a call and we’ll leave in ten.”

  The minute Selange exited he c
ontacted Lou, “Get somebody on Bruno DeMarco. I want everything on that sonovabitch, do you understand?”

   

   

   

  ****

   

   

  Stomach full, a beautiful woman as company and stimulating conversation with an artist relaxed Giuseppe. Naked and eager to sample human dessert, he entered the Jacuzzi and the pressurized twirling water massaged his legs as he walked toward his guest. He liked women in the arts. He liked all women; however he found the artistic ones interesting. Their interpretation of life was refreshing. The guest partially submerged in the warm water, clad in her birthday suit was a sculptor he’s met in Florence where he’d gone to find a perfect housewarming gift for Amelda and Matteo. Alanda was her name and she was as magnificent as the voluptuous nude figures she molded with those lovely hands.

  He moved through the waist high water, bubbling from the jets and stood within millimeters of the sultry woman. He touched her face and smiled, running fingers through her untamed hair. His mouth lowered to the smiling lips and when they fused he came alive simply by the spark. His hands went down her neck and traced her shoulders. She thrust toward him in eagerness. The water provided an additional stimulation as he bent low and pushed through the liquid into malleable vaginal flesh.

  The soft sculptress’ hands knead his broad shoulders like clay and he brought her with his weighted movement against the Jacuzzi wall. The emission of deep breaths excited him and he went deeper into her body wanting more. The sheer force of his hard body slamming against her softness released an, ‘ah-ah-ah’ sound from her mouth and he shut it out because the tone was one he’d heard before. The woman Shanda, the daughter of a policeman who fucked him so good they landed on the floor.  The large breasts of this one were mushed to his chest and were warm like the inside of her mouth. He throbbed, thinking of the policeman’s daughter and wondering had he been too harsh in sending her away, questioning whether he should contact her or perhaps visit the states.

  Shanda became dismissed when Alanda’s nails raked his shoulders. A soft lioness. He loved the contrasts.

  The curvaceous hips were soft to his rough hands and he held them firm to give her every hard piece of him. Her pants came in steam filled breaths as she collided with the smooth tiles at every liquid-hard plunge.

  She cooed from the feel of his mouth as it circled only a portion of her large breast and the cooing sounds came faster as he rocked her hard against the wall. When he peaked he withdrew from her and without hesitation she lowered in the water sucking him dry. His head bent in pleasure and in his mind he saw the woman Shanda again and frowned. Lately, she appeared in his thoughts at the most inopportune times and he growled as the suctioning sensation caused his torso to bow and another wave of ecstasy traveled up his spine. 

  Giuseppe heard a commotion and voices, one a woman shrieking his name throughout the house. He cursed aloud then withdrew from his sculptress’ mouth pulsing in preparation for another emanate release. The urgency of his need took hold and he shoved himself back into Alanda’s mouth and the supple lips soothed his stiff agony so lovingly, while rubbing his scrotum with deft fingers and he ejaculated and felt such relief he held her head with one hand until the wonderful sensation passed.

  “Giuseppe!”

  He did not answer or turn to the voice directed at his bare ass. Instead he scoffed and took a deep breath. “MiscusiAlanda.” He smiled at his curvaceous sculptress and when he faced Geovonna his temper flared. He cursed her boldness and spat, “Lascia!”

  One of his men stood at her side. He apologized profusely, saying she slipped past the guards and ran. Giuseppe figured none stopped her because she was the daughter of a deceased, yet respected Don or perhaps her frequent visits gave his men the wrong impression about her status.

  Apparently, she followed the trail of clothing from the dining area out to his love den. Serves the woman right for barging in his home and making a scene in front of his guest. Steam rose from his massive body when he stepped out of the warm water in unabashed nudity. The aquiline adorned eyes traveled from his sizable phallus to his face then at the woman waiting in the background with a smile of someone recently pleasured.  

  “This is a nice picture. The big man and his cow,” Geovonna countered with the boldness of a woman unafraid.

  He grabbed her wrist, pulled her close and tossed venom in her face. “You have crossed the line with me Geovonna. Your pussy is as wide as your mouth. Come to my home again without an invitation and I will permanently seal both tight!”

  She pant furiously, holding his gaze, noticing the change in his eyes from blue to brown and wondered why he wished to hide his radiant sea colored ones. She didn’t care, all she wanted was to be with him and yet he looked upon her with disgust. She blamed his mother for the poison fed to her son. “Your mother has never liked me. That is why you are doing this, isn’t it?”

  Giuseppe could not stifle the sudden laugh, “My mother? Your absurdity has unlimited reach.”

  Geovonna saw the discomfort in the other woman’s face as she reached for a robe to cover her nakedness before exiting the Jacuzzi. She did not want any part of Giuseppe’s drama and said good-bye but not before slapping Geovonna across the face, “You are the cow!”

  Geovonna lurched for the woman and tried to kick her but Alanda skipped away laughing and waving, “Buona notte, Giuseppe. I will come again once you’ve cleaned the filth from your beautiful home.”

  The nerve of the bitch, Geovonna fumed and tried to jerk out of Giuseppe’s grasp to get at the smug face but he held her steadfast and said calmly to his departing guest, “Buona notte Alanda. Arriverderci bella,” then he gestured to the burly man to escort his guest safely home.  He glared at Geovonna who he once considered a pleasurable bedmate. But, her demands had become insufferable and he found nothing desirable in the spiteful woman anymore.

  He released her wrist and she rubbed at the soreness, “It is unfortunate you cannot see who truly loves you. I have not come to fight with you, mioamore.”

  “Then what have you come for?”

  “To tell you the truth.”

  “Geovonna, my patience is fleeting.” He grumbled as he took hold of her arm and marched her through the corridor in the direction of the front door.

  She half-ran and walked in her designer stilettoes. The curtain of silky hair swished from shoulder to shoulder like a pendulum over the bright red jacket. “Wait!”

  He continued past the dining room and they were in the living room when she finally blurt out, “Carlo Dichenzo is not your father. Your real father is Luzo Palazzo. Your mother lied and threatened me when I confronted her with the truth today.”

  He stopped in his tracks dumbfounded and cocked his head as if seeing her for the first time, “What did you say?”

  “Luzo is your father. If you do not believe me, ask her. Go ahead, ask her!”

  “You lie!”

  “It is true.”

  Giuseppe stormed over to retrieve his trousers from the floor and quickly put his legs in and rushed from the house without shoes or a shirt into the chill.

  Geovonna smirked as he shouted to his ever present flunkies to bring the car around then sashayed from the house with satisfaction the moment he got inside the chauffeured car and it skidded off. The mighty Sophie Dichenzo would finally fall at the hands of her beloved son!

   

   

   

  CHAPTER TEN

   

   

   

   

  When there’s nothing to grasp but air, the futility is in the belief you had something solid to hold on to. This is what Ariana thought as the plane soared through the sky and everyone slept. How could she sleep?

  She lounged in the unbelievably comfortable aerodynamic seat with a fluffy throw clutched to her neck like a security blanket. Her eyes failed to det
ach from her ex-husbands’ face. His head was tilted at an angle and from the short distance she could hear his intermittent grunts as he tossed on occasion exhibiting a man in a fitful sleep. Those prominent cheekbones and tuft of dark hair belonged to a ruggedly beautiful and exasperating man.

  The sight of him, legs outstretched, torso heaving ever so slightly and that sensual mouth of his caused a sudden excitement to her vagina. They had five more hours to go before they landed in New York and she didn’t think she’d make it home without making a damn fool of herself cooped up with her sexy ex on a luxury plane.

  One of his eyes opened and she looked elsewhere.

  “Why aren’t you sleeping Ari?”

  “Huh,” she asked and pointed at herself. “Are you talking to me?”

  “Is there anyone else here named Ari?”

  She sighed. “Not tired.” She lowered the blanket and began to adjust the strap on her lace brassiere. She knew he watched and tried not to smile.

  “Um.”

  Seduction has to be subtle when dealing with her stubborn ex. He had to believe he controlled everything. It was a front; the entire emotional distance crap was the defense mechanism of a proud man. To reel him in she used her body as bait.

  “My back is getting stiff from this sitting.” Ari voiced aloud as she contorted for him to get a really good look at her full breasts while pretending to rub her lower back.

  Nico showed no reaction and continued to fake sleep.

  Ari stood, letting the wooly blanket drop to her feet and stretched, straining the thin material of a blouse more bosom. She thought she heard him grunt and secretly smiled. If the damn man didn’t do something she’d jump his bones and eat him alive. She was horny as hell and the wetness in the middle of her panties was compliments of the man sitting there like a Sicilian piece of meat. She bent over; giving him more to peek. Creamy breasts encased in lace sought to entice received an eyebrow lift from the secret observer.