Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.
Beta'd by HollettLA
"Riders on the Storm"
Chapter Two: Santino {Sonny}
"Aro . . . have I ever dicked ya around before?" I asked.
"Yo, kid . . . watch that mouth, and don't say my fucking name over the phone!" he shouted.
I winced. "My bad. I took care of it, though. It's done."
"Your old man would have my ass if he knew I gave this job to you."
Rolling my eyes, I sat behind my desk and loosened my tie. "My guy—we can count on him."
"Who's this guy?" he asked. "You say we can trust him—I do 'cause it's your ass." By this point, I was just happy he didn't bring my father into it again.
"He's a good guy—great at what he does. I'll introduce you and Dad to him soon." I chuckled. "He does what he does—that's the only thing he does—how he makes his money."
"You talk too much . . . you know I hate cell phones. And you're too trusting—"
"I trust this guy with my life," I said, as there was a knock on the door. "Go get it," I told Georgie. "Look, lemme go."
"We're at your sister's thing. Your parents are here already. You showing up or what? And where's your brother?" I wondered the same thing, where Damion was.
"We'll be there. See you soon." I ended the call, placing my cell phone down on my desk.
Georgie, my boy, opened the door for Lori. She manages Eclipse for me; meanwhile, I'm very hands-on. She's more like a partner in helping me run things, and I kind of dig her.
"Mr. Cullen?" She grinned, coming into the room.
"Yes?" I cleared my throat, reaching to take a sip of my beer.
"There's a . . . Tony the Jew here to see you?" Her brow furrowed.
I let out a chuckle. "Tony the Jew?" Having no idea who it was, I grabbed my Glock—hiding it under my desk—as I sat back. "Let him in . . . you go." I didn't want her around in case anything popped off. "We're leaving in twenty minutes or so . . . as soon as Dame and Julie get here. Be ready."
"I'm ready." She smiled. "I can't wait to finally meet your mom." She winked at me, leaving my office before a tall man entered. He had dark hair with curls hanging from each side of his face and a full beard. He wore a black hat and a long black trench coat. Apparently, Tony the Jew was a real Jew—a Hasidic Jew in full garb.
"May I help you?" I asked.
"Jes." He nodded, speaking in a heavy accent. "I come to talk-a-the business." He took the liberty of having a seat in front of me.
I quirked a brow, wondering if this guy was for real. "Business?"
"Jes," he said.
Wary, I wondered where this guy was coming from. My father had some beef with a diamond dealer in the district, and Aro needed to take care of it, but he asked me to, and so I had Damion do it instead.
My younger brother is probably the most dangerous thing this city has ever seen, and you'd never know it. He walks around wearing his glasses and barely speaks unless spoken to—looks like some nerdy fucker.
Right now he attends NYU medical school. He's my father's living dream, with his chubby little girlfriend. He's working his ass off, and he never asks Pop for a dime.
That's because every time I need something—hits never interested me—I pay Damion to do it. When someone else needs a hit set up, I set it up and give the name to my brother. He takes care of it. They pay me, I take a little off the top, and Damion gets the rest. It's a great system.
My father and Aro would never believe me if I told them. Dad also doesn't want Dame in the business—thinks he doesn't have the balls, or the heart.
Little does he know.
Anyway, Damion was supposed to have settled it with Tony's people—pop a cap in Isaac's ass for ripping my father off, actually, and be done with it.
"What kind of business do you want with me?" I widened my arms.
"You can get girls." I could barely understand him. "I need a few."
"Girls?" I nodded, wearing a smile. "I'm no pimp. You need a few chicks for a private party, I'll give you a number, but I personally can't help you."
He laughed, bending over, nearly in hysterics. It slightly startled me, as I wondered if I had some nut job sitting in front of me.
"What's your problem?"
"Vat's my ploblem?" He touched his chest, and then reached up to take off his hat. The black hair and curls went with it to reveal a copper head of hair.
"No, shit!" I shouted, as Damion lost the rest of his costume. He took it all off, and underneath he wore a suit.
"I had you for a second there." He waved a finger at me, his other hand removing the rest of his beard.
"Fuck you—I knew it was you," I lied.
"Dude, you totally had me fooled." Georgie slapped his hand to Damion's.
"You do this all the time?" I asked. "When you do shit, I mean." Suddenly, it all clicked—how he's so good at what he does, how he slips in and out everywhere. Some of the jobs I sent him on were pretty tricky. I remember one time him telling me he'd crashed a card game up in Boston dressed as a pizza delivery kid. But I never knew he'd go this far—dress up to play some part.
Damion looked to Georgie as he took off his gloves. "Can you give us a sec?"
He nodded and quickly left the room, only for Lori to come in. "Everything okay?" she asked, her eyes landing on Damion. "Hey, how are you?"
My brother—always shy as shit around women—didn't look at her. "I'm fine." He cleared his throat, pushing his hair back.
"I thought I told you—"
"Easy, Mr. Cullen." She smiled. "Just wanted to make sure everything was all right."
"It's fine . . . and it's only Dame. You can call me Sonny," I said in a low tone.
"Sonny," she giggled and was fast to leave again.
I blew out a breath, sitting back. "Where's Julie?"
Damion swallowed, taking a seat again. "She broke up with me."
"Why?" I shrugged. "What the fuck could you have done?"
"I keep sneaking away . . . she thought I was cheating on her," he whispered.
Despite doing "odd" jobs, my brother has always loved acting and playing a part while he disguised himself. Damion shines through his costumes—he comes alive—but without them, you'd think he had some type of social disorder; meanwhile, he's very funny. He has a great sense of humor.
Waving a hand, I wished he'd forget about her. They've been together since high school, and she's been bossing him around ever since. They've also broken up about six times by now, which is when my brother gets with other chicks. He's either committed or he's not. When he's with Julie, he's faithful. When they break up, he plays by his own rules—flies by his dick or whatever—although I don't know how he scores at all. He's just too shy, and not once have I ever seen him actually hit on a woman.
Damion is a good-looking guy, and he could have plenty of chicks out there. And Julie? She's not all that. She's modestly pretty, in a plain way, and a little too heavy for me and my tastes. I love thick women, but . . . Julie just isn't my type, and Damion could do better.
"Did you get the ring back?" He proposed on Christmas Eve, but they never set a date.
Damion shook his head. "I told her to keep it."
"You know what you need?" I laughed. "Tonight we're having a party here for Joe." I kept nodding. "Lori won't be here, and we'll chill. Peto's even coming home, and Ant . . . even though he's—" I wiggled my hand, "he's coming, too."
My cousin Anthony is gay, but will chill here with us for the drinks. Our fathers don't know about his preference of cock, and I doubt he'll be coming out of the closet any time soon. The only people who know—besides his own friends—are my brother, my mother, Alex—Ant's mom—and Aro Jr. because he gets down like that, too, and me.
Aro Jr. isn't a full gay—he's bi—fucks both men and women, and used to fuck around with my cousin a few years back. That's how we found out. It was Damion's twenty-first birthday, and my father threw a huge party here at Eclipse. Anthony and Aro Jr. snuck away with one of the girls, and I thought I'd see what they were up to—Anthony being my baby cousin and seventeen at the time. Little did I know I'd walk in on the two of them getting down. Now that was shocking, but I always had a hunch that Aro Jr. was . . .
"AJ called me earlier. He likes pussy this week, so he's coming too," I laughed. "Get it? Coming too?" I continued to chuckle.
"You're a fucking comedian." Dame's eyes widened. "But no." He frowned.
"Come on!" I smacked my desk. "We'll get you laid, blown, and drunk—fuck Julie."
He sniffled, hiding his face.
"Are you crying?"
"We've been together since we were sixteen!" he hollered back. "I wish I could tell her . . . tell her something."
"Look—" I groaned. "Bro, she hit on me on Easter."
"You're lying—"
"Okay, I'm lying." Shaking my head, I stood from my chair. "You're too good for her." I shrugged, trying to think up something to keep him away from her. They'll be back together by next week, but not if he thinks she hit on me.
"Did she blow you?" he whispered.
"What?" I was shocked by his accusation. "No."
"You're lying—" He stood up, making the chair fly back. "You fuck everything!"
"Bro, I swear to Christ . . . and I will not fuck anything. I didn't let her blow me." I was telling the truth because I'd never touch his chick. "She didn't even hit on me." I grumbled, telling the absolute truth. "I was lying . . . just forget about her anyway."
"You've always been jealous . . ." He seethed.
"I'd never. Okay? So what? I was jealous . . . you two in love and bullshit. So fucking what? That doesn't mean I'd—with her." I didn't even feel like finishing that sentence. "I never got why you were so hung up on her. Leave the dog at the pound and party tonight—"
"Fuck you, she's gorgeous . . ." He calmed down.
I laughed again.
"Now let's go." He grimaced, kicking his costume away. "I don't have a fucking date . . . you know Mom's going to try and pawn me off. Here's my son. He's in medical school." He did a spot-on impression of Mom. It made me laugh some more.
"I wonder what'd she say if she knew what you were really doing." I snorted.
He shook his head. "She'd lie—still say I'm in medical school—which I am."
"Right," I agreed. "Go tell Georgie to get the car."
Damion nodded, walking toward the door. "Maybe Kylie has some cute friends." That actually didn't sound like a bad idea. My brother is so shy; he'd probably be on the same level as an eighteen year old. My little sister's friends think he's dreamy or some bullshit.
"Maybe," I said. "Don't worry about getting laid. I got you."
"You're not my type." He blew me a kiss before he left my office.
I laughed, putting on my jacket.
/=/=/
Lori and I rode in the back, while Damion sat shotgun and Georgie drove. The traffic was heavy, and Lori smelled fantastic.
"Sonny . . . stop," she giggled.
Lori didn't mean it.
I continued to nibble on her ear as my hand roamed higher on her thigh. Once my fingers hit her panties, I scooped them over and came into contact with her clit. She was practically soaked already and let out a soft moan. While I finger-fucked her in the back, I caught my brother peeping through the rearview. Wanting him to feel a little better, my other hand came up to palm Lori's breast.
"Sonny . . ." She moaned, and I lifted her tit out her blouse—tweaking her nipple with my fingers.
Damion nodded at me in approval, and I smiled—knowing Lori has a great rack.
"I'm gonna—gonna come," she whispered, biting back a groan. I kissed her deep, moving my hand faster as she came around my fingers.
My younger brother laughed, turning the volume on the radio up a little.
"Thank you," Lori sighed, her hand rubbing me over my pants. "It's your turn."
I smacked her hand away. "I'm good," I told her as we came to a stop in front of the restaurant. "You good, though?" I knew she was nervous about meeting my mother.
After all, I am too, since Lori is about thirty-five. She's older, so fucking sexy, and my mother was going to hate her—see her as a cougar or some shit. I'll break it off with her if Mom asks. I don't want any problems. It's not worth it. Lori is just a cool chick—down for whatever—and has an air of maturity. We're not exclusive—well, she is, as I'm the only fuck allowed to tap her ass. I do what I want, when I want, and Lori never asks questions.
My mother was the first person to greet us, and by the look she gave my date, I knew my assessment was true. "She's a little old, no?" Mom kissed my cheek.
"Hello to you, too." I kissed her forehead.
"What's up?" My father hugged me.
I shook my head. "You remember Lori?"
"Hello, Mr. Cullen." Lori smiled.
My father's face remained neutral as he shook her hand. "Welcome." At that moment, I realized he fucking hated her as well, and I couldn't win. I get berated for bringing pigs home, but as soon as I bring a nice girl around, she's too old.
Well, ain't that a bitch.
"Yeah," I sighed, looking around.
And that was it.
My parents went on to say hello to Damion, while Lori and I entered to have a seat.
After leaving Lori at our table, I headed over to say hello to my sister and the asshole she's marrying. He knows to treat her well or die. Imagine having that shit on your shoulders? The only reason he asked for her hand was because I asked if he fucked her. He stuttered and stammered a response, and I told him to go buy a fucking ring—'cause I'd never kill my baby sister's husband, I think. He took her virtue, and so he'll make her honest—marry her.
"They look fucking miserable," Damion whispered in my ear.
Nodding, I stared at Kylie and Joe. "Maybe they had a fight." I shrugged, slapping my hand onto Aro, Jr.'s back. "What's up?"
"Nothing . . . you guys have to try the goose." He kissed his fingers.
"The what?" I asked.
"It's like chicken," Damion said.
"Oh . . . right. Well, if you made it . . . " Needless to say, if AJ made it, I'll eat it. This kid is a mean cook—can cook just about anything—and is the chef here, besides also running the restaurant.
"Anthony looks amazing . . ." He trailed off, going to greet my cousin.
Damion and I shared a look, and then went to say hello to our aunt and uncle—Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett Jr. and his younger sisters, Emma and Layla, were here, too. It was great to see them, as we don't get to quite often. Our cousin, Charlie, had to work, along with our other two cousins.
We stood there for over twenty minutes, and then Lori showed up at my side. I wasn't being a good date, but I did introduce her to everyone. While she struck up a conversation with my aunt, I joined Damion, who was hugging onto Cousin Alice.
"Sonny!" She left him to embrace me tight. "I feel like I haven't seen you in ages . . . look at you." She palmed my cheek.
I smiled. "It's been too long."
She kissed my cheek, making sure to wipe her lip stuff off. "You have to come up and visit. Jake installed a new deck. It totally makes the backyard."
"Definitely." I doubt I ever would.
"What's up?" Jasper shook my hand. Now him? I see a few days a week.
"Nothing much." I sipped my drink.
"You brought Lori," he said.
"I brought Lori," I sighed, staring at her from across the room.
"Who's Lori?" Alice gasped. "Is it serious?"
I shook my head no.
"It never is with this one." Jasper pointed at me.
I sipped my drink again.
Then I grabbed Damion away from Aunt Alex—I didn't like the way he was looking at her, that fucking weirdo. Maybe I thought Alex was hot when I was twelve, but she's family. I won't lie—say she's not attractive now, but lately Damion doesn't even try to hide his staring. And my uncle worries about me… No one in this family can ever let shit go. I asked to see a tit years ago, and that fucking story still haunts me to this day. It's a joke for the dinner table.
"Cool it," I whispered in his ear.
"I said hello—what'd I do?"
I never got the chance to address my concern. We walked right up to the group—Aro, our uncle Carlisle, and Caius.
"You boys remember my Stephanie?" Caius asked, nearly pushing his daughter in front of me. If I recall, she's a few years older than me, too. Maybe I have a thing for older women, I don't know, but Stephanie was a fox.
"Of course. How could I forget?" I kissed her hand. "This is Damion." I put my arm around my brother.
"How's school?" Carlisle asked him.
"Good," Damion whispered, damn near curling in on himself.
Sighing, I stood back while he left us. He went right back over to Alex; however, Anthony had joined them by now. He and our cousin are still best friends.
"What's up with him?" Aro asked me.
"Julie broke up with him," I said.
They all winced. "That's sad. I was hoping those two would be next," Carlisle said. "Or hopefully Anthony. He said he's seeing someone, but does he bring her home . . .?" He shrugged his shoulders.
"How's it going?" Dad came over to join us, giving me an odd look. "Can you excuse us, hun?" he asked Stephanie.
She looked to me. I winked and pointed her in my brother's direction. "See if you can get him to talk."
She laughed, walking away. She had some ass.
Sadly, Caius broke me from my reverie. He hit my shoulder. "Watch it."
I widened my arms. "You shoved her in my face."
"To reintroduce youse." He shook his head. "She doesn't have a date—she's here alone. You think she wants to chill with her old man? If her mother was here—God rest her soul." He did the Sign of the Cross.
Everyone in our group collectively sighed at the mention of Caius's wife, who died so suddenly two years ago. She had cancer and it spread fast or something. I don't know. It was sad. My mother was devastated.
"You or your uncle have anything to tell me?" Dad looked from me to Aro and back.
Shaking my head, I grabbed a glass of champagne off a passing tray.
"Don't lie to him—he knows already," Aro said.
"Who's this guy you trust with your life?" Dad asked.
Sipping on the booze, I hoped for a commotion—something to happen. God must have been listening to me because there was suddenly shouting. When I turned to see what had happened, I saw Hanna and Carli arguing.
"Excuse me." Uncle Carlisle walked away from us.
My cousins, Hanna and Carli, are always fighting. Damion and me fought all the time when we were younger, but just like my father said, he turned out to be my best friend. I guess it doesn't always work with sisters, though.
"Back to that other thing." Dad twirled a finger.
"He's . . . just some guy I know. He's good at what he does . . . Has he let you down yet?" I asked.
"Set up a sit-down. I wanna meet this fuck." Dad sipped his scotch. "You, Aro, me, and this guy—this week."
"Fine." I had no other choice but to agree, and I hoped Damion had a magic costume he could wear. "Oh no . . . then he becomes your guy and not mine . . . if you like him."
My father has so many people working for him; if there was ever a bust, it'd likely be hard to trace anything back to him. He's got a hand in everyone's business, though. He makes bank, just being in charge of us all—keeping us in line. I respect that to no end, and he gets to stay home a lot more and bug Mom and Kylie. I remember being a young kid, my mother always had the same argument with him. Dad was never home. He's making up for it in spades now.
Dad winked. "You're catching on." He left the conversation.
"Don't pout. It's cunty," Aro laughed at me, following my father, or my mother. The both of them follow my mother like dogs—like they're Dobermans and Mom has a pork chop tied to her ass.
"Stephanie's not married."
"And I'm not looking to be," I told Caius.
"Hey, stranger." Katie bumped her hip to mine, and I smiled.
"Katie." I hugged her to me tightly—not too tight, since she's pregnant. "Do we know if it's a boy or girl yet?"
"It's a girl," Raul, her husband, said.
I gasped. "We're having a girl!" Her husband knows I kid around—saying the kid is mine and shit.
We were hot and heavy for years. We lost our virginities to each other when I was fifteen. She was fourteen, but we were stupid, though neither one of us ever regretted it. We broke up when I turned nineteen, but we continued to fuck on occasion for years—until a little over six months ago. . . when she and Raul wanted to try for a baby.
What Raul doesn't know won't hurt him.
However, Katie and I have had lengthy discussions. I have no idea if the baby is mine, yet Katie swears it's Raul's. She got pregnant so fast after we'd stopped fooling around. I always used a rubber, but…
And I still consider Katie to be my best friend. She knows me possibly better than anyone else. She also knows that—whether we do it behind Raul's back or not—when that baby is born, we'll get a paternity test. If it's my kid, I want my fucking kid, and having Katie back . . . that'd be a welcome added bonus.
I'd truly have it all . . .
There'd be no way she could stay married to Raul. He's a decent guy, but he'll never love her as much as I do. He'll never be able to provide for her the way I could, and there's no fucking way he'll raise my child.
I see the fear in Katie's eyes, although she knows it'll work out. It always does, but it'll be this huge bomb to drop on both our families.
I'll never forgive myself for letting her go, so easily, and without a fight.
Okay, I lied. Maybe she doesn't know me as well as I wished she did. Katie walks around like she has no idea how I still feel. Maybe she does. I don't know.
"Very funny." He gave me a one-armed hug.
"Your brother show up yet?" I asked.
Katie nodded, and we all turned to Peto. He was talking to Kylie. Feeling giddy, I wanted to go tell Dad, but he was staring. In fact, they had almost everyone's attention, yet Kylie and Peto looked at each other as though the roomful of people didn't exist.
"This wedding is so not going to happen," Katie whispered. "He cried in the car, saying this was his last chance."
"He fucking cried?" I associate males crying over women with love. I figure the day a broad makes me cry is the day I fall in love . . . and Katie was so guilty of that back in the day, when things were always so serious and I thought I'd die without her.
Those were good times.
"Like a baby . . ." Katie mumbled.
I nodded and sipped my drink. "I know a few things about last chances."
Her jaw dropped, and then her head whipped to her husband, like I'd said something perverse. He wasn't paying us any mind any-fucking-way—that blind bastard never does.
"Katie," I whispered, stuck on stupid.
She was gorgeous. Her honey-blond hair was pulled behind her ears. She wore little makeup as she never needed that shit. The dress she had on was dark green. It bunched under her humongous tits and then flared out, while it also made her hazel eyes sparkle.
Fuck, I wished I could palm her breasts because now she actually has a set. My Katie didn't technically develop boobs until . . . Well, I don't remember. One day she was flat-chested—which never bothered me—and the next, Kablam!
She fucking smelled good, too. "Come talk to me." I placed my hand under her elbow.
Katie gasped. "Are those pigs in a blanket?" She pulled Raul over to the buffet.
"Yo!" I couldn't believe she'd just . . .
They turned back to me. "What's up?" Raul asked and that pissed me off. Who the fuck was he to talk for her?
I grinned. "I wasn't talking to—"
"Not here," Katie mouthed, and there were tears in her eyes.
"I, uh—not you, bro." I patted his back. That was when I noticed Caius was still staring at me. "Forget about it," I told him.
Caius shrugged his shoulders and walked away from me.
These days, everyone is looking to marry his or her children off to someone else's kid within the circle, and I'm seen as an eligible bachelor.
"Sonny?"
I turned to my mother.
"So . . . is it serious with this . . . girl?" Her smile was so fake.
"No," I said, dropping my shoulders.
"Mommy knows." She fixed my tie. "She's not the one."
Since I'd already found the one and let her go, I said, "I'm not exactly looking for the one." I placed my hands on hers.
"Then don't waste your time." She turned to Lori. "But maybe you should be . . . you don't want to be a bachelor forever, do you? I mean, Katie has a nice husband. Emmett Jr. settled down, and I hear Anthony has a boyfriend," she whispered, still staring at Lori. "There's something about her, and . . . you don't tell me anything lately. I didn't even know you were seeing someone."
"We're not—it's nothing."
"It's just sex?" She raised a brow.
I pursed my lips. "Basically—more of an arrangement, if you wanna get technical." Now what I had to look forward to was Dad getting into my business. When Mom doesn't have the answers, she sends Dad in.
"And what's this I hear about you passing work off to others?" The fact that she knew about that surprised me, but I guess it shouldn't. My mother is just as much a part of the thing as I am, it seems. She'll just never admit it to herself or anyone else and gives me shit on occasion for "wasting my potential".
"We're having a sit-down with Dad this week."
"Good." She nodded, slowly turning away from me, but then she was back. "Cheer Damion up tonight." Mom stared at Dame and Alex. "He looks sad."
"I already planned on it," I sighed, shaking my head and wondering what the fuck he was up to. "Since when are they so close?" I jerked my chin.
Mom smiled. "Ever notice how lonely people usually flock to each other…?" She toyed with her necklace. "They're both…sad, I guess." She swayed a bit.
"You're drunk?" The party had just begun.
"We got here on time. You and your brother were over an hour late." She swatted my bicep. "I'm feeling great…after the week I had…" She finished her drink.
"You don't think it's weird that they're . . ." I was at a loss for words, and I really just didn't like him talking to her.
"What? We're family. They need an excuse to talk?" she laughed. "Oh, baby . . . You always had a teeny crush—"
"I don't think so." I knew she was teasing me, only these days I don't blush. "I bet Dad's looking for you." He wasn't, but it would get her away from me. Dad was currently speaking to Luke and Aro, and I wondered if I should go over there.
"I can take a hint…Behave." She waved, walking off.
Perusing the buffet myself, I bumped into someone. "Sorry." I didn't even see anyone—not even the knockout with the huge tits grabbing for the ziti. "Hello." I put my hand out.
She smiled, placing her plate down. "Bianca."
"Bianca." I liked that name. "I'm Santino."
"I know," she giggled. "I mean, I know you're Mr. Cullen's son."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Damion staring at us from the end of the buffet line. "Have you met my brother?"
She didn't even look at him. "Yes. My father introduced us."
"Your father?" I asked.
"Nunzio?" She raised a brow and then turned to wave to him.
I did, too. "I thought you lived out in PA?"
"I just moved in with Dad." She shrugged. "I hated it there. I'm looking for a job here."
"Oh." I piled some ziti onto my plate. "What do you do?"
"Real estate," she said. "I was in college, but I wanted a job, job right away."
"Wow . . . that's fascinating." She could have been a dog walker for all I cared. "My brother, Damion, he's looking to buy a house," I lied. "You should sit with us."
"Okay," she agreed. "Let me grab my drink."
"Wait . . . how old are you?" When I saw her face, truly studied her, Bianca looked very young.
"I, um, I'm nineteen. I'll be twenty in-"
"I was just curious," I defended.
She walked away from the line and my eyes followed her, only to land on Damion.
He slightly shook his head no—meaning he was interested, but he wasn't going to do anything about it.
With a plate full of food, I decided to leave my brother—the people watcher—alone. He chose to eat standing in the corner, while the party happened around him.
"Bianca, this is Lori." I introduced them and took a seat. They got busy talking nails and hair, and I ate my food. On occasion, I'd catch my brother staring at Bianca when he wasn't talking to Aunt Alex or Anthony.
And every time I gestured to the table, he'd look away from me—being his sometimes creepy self.
When I came back from grabbing my second plate—this one had goose on it—Lori excused herself, and Bianca's hand came to rest on my thigh.
"This is great," she said. "It's a nice party."
I nodded, keeping an eye on my brother and her hand. For all I know, he and Bianca have an imaginary love affair going, and he'll try to fight me for hooking up with her later.
When Damion pushed his hair back and went outside, I left the table to follow him.
He paced the sidewalk while he smoked a cigarette.
"What is with you?" I asked from the door.
"Nothing," he muttered.
"Bullshit. And don't say it has anything to do with Julie—"
"Don't say her name around me." He groaned. "I'm trying to—"
"Sonny?" As soon as Lori came out, Damion shut his mouth.
"I'll be right in—"
"You keep leaving me alone." She frowned.
I pointed into the restaurant because I wasn't going to repeat myself.
Lori huffed and disappeared.
"Give me one." I grabbed a cigarette from him.
"Don't let Mommy see you." He smirked, looking so much like Dad it was scary. "She didn't even notice Kylie take off with Peto."
"What?" I couldn't believe my ears. "You serious?" I lit the cigarette.
"Yup." He threw his to the ground. "No one noticed. Not even Joe. Of course, the unlucky groom is too busy kissing Dad's ass and talking on his cell phone."
"Fuck," I laughed. "We're still going out tonight. I did promise to get you laid." I backtracked. "You're getting laid, not falling in love, okay?" My brother sleeps with someone, and then swears he loves them. He falls in love with someone new every time he breaks up with Julie. But it must not be true love since he forgets all about them when Julie wants him back.
He grinned. "Nunzio's daughter is gorgeous. She's age-appropriate, sort of, I think, and that smile . . . Bet Mom and Dad would be thrilled if we hooked up." Damion looked behind me. "Between her and…I'm giving myself whiplash." He shook his head.
"Who?" I grabbed onto his forearm. "Bianca and who else?"
"No one," he laughed. "I just—I need to get out more." Damion got quiet, and I knew someone was behind us.
"Kylie?" Mom came out, looking frantic.
Dad caught up with her fast and whispered something in her ear.
"She what?" Mom screamed, and I guess Dad caught them leaving too.
"Oh, Bebella . . . this is fantastic." Dad rubbed his hands together.
"You planned that?" Damion asked him.
"Did you?" I seconded.
"Mind your business . . . and smoking will kill you." He grabbed Mom and ushered her back inside.
"He smokes too," Damion said.
"It's called, 'do as he says and not as he does,'" I laughed. "Don't you know that by now? What's good for the goose definitely isn't good for the gander in our family."
Damion smiled. "I got a sit-down with Dad this week?"
"You heard about that, huh?" I blew my smoke into the air.
"I hear everything," he whispered.
I nodded. "I know you do . . . you're all silent and deadly, and add invisible onto that list." I wished I had half his talent. He's so much better at what I do than me. In fact, if I don't watch it, I might be taking orders from him one day. There's no reason to lie about it. I received my button because of my name—who I was. I didn't work half as hard as Georgie and Joe had to, and they take orders from me.
"What are you upset about?" Damion asked. "He didn't want me in it. Now that he knows I can hack it . . . Fuck. I don't even want to be in it like that. I just don't want to hide what I do for you and everyone else from Dad anymore." He chuckled. "I'm content to stay where I am with almost no ties." He wiped his hands clean.
I still wore a frown. "It's not that. Forget it . . . I should get back in there." My stomach dropped, and I was pissed at him, when none of this was his fault. He does what he does, which essentially has little to do with me. All I do is set it up, but he'd turn into Dad's shining star. Of all things, he has the ability to be a better criminal than me, and I was jealous of that . . .
Flicking the cigarette out into the street, I reentered the restaurant.
My eyes found her fast.
She sat next to Lori and sipped her champagne, looking just as beautiful as she had earlier.
Without much fanfare, I approached the table. "Bianca? Did you meet my grandmother yet?" Honestly, I hadn't seen Grandma Renee in years, but that wasn't the point.
"No." She smiled.
"I didn't either," Lori said.
"She's looking to sell her house. I figured Bianca could help her—"
"Oh." Lori nodded.
"I'll be right back—just bringing her over." I kissed her cheek.
Lori smiled, yanking on my tie.
"Not here," I reminded her.
She gulped, looking away from me.
"We'll be back," I told Lori, taking Bianca's hand and pulling her away from the table.
"Where's your grandma?" she asked.
"She's not here." I cornered her by the bathroom. "You just looked so pretty."
She stared at my mouth, and this was going to be easier than I thought.
"Can I kiss you?"
She swallowed, slightly nodding her head yes.
Slowly, I brought my hand up to her cheek—drawing her lips up and closer to mine for a soft peck. She deepened it, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
Quickly, I gathered her in my arms, hugging her to me and turning. I brought her into the bathroom and then into a stall.
Her hands roamed down my body, and then she was jacking my cock. Everything went so fast, and I couldn't believe I was getting away with this. I mean, who knew Bianca was this kind of girl?
Tired of her hand, I smacked it away, picking her up and pinning her to the stall wall. "Can I?" I asked, moving her panties over to twirl my finger around her clit. She groaned, biting onto my jacket as she nodded. That was the only confirmation I needed before I entered her. We let out a collective sigh, as I pounded my cock into her fast and hard.
Her arms and legs were wrapped around me, while my pants bunched around my knees. She felt incredible and I didn't want to stop, but I heard someone come into the bathroom.
Feeling it in my gut, having a huge hunch it was my brother, I fucked her faster.
With a newfound trepidation, I fucked her the best I could—the better I rammed into her, the more sounds she made.
Soon, she came around my dick, and I almost followed. "You on something?" I groaned out, trying to keep my voice below a whisper. I never have sex without protection, but I had an objective in mind, and when I wanted to stop—it was too late and she felt so fucking good against me.
"Yes," she sighed, still hanging on for the ride.
Going as deep as I could, I spilled myself inside of her—marking her, claiming her as mine, before my brother could get the nerve to speak to her.
"Shit." She pushed against me as I caught my breath. "We didn't use a condom. I'm on the pill, but—"
"It's smart to ask before you let some dude fuck you in a bathroom, sweetheart." That's the funny thing about Damion. He chooses the oddest moments to speak.
"I'm clean," I told Bianca, landing a soft kiss on her cheek.
She licked her lips, still pushing against me. "I should get back out there." She slid down my body, righting her dress and opening the stall.
I stood back in the small space and picked up my pants. Just as I left the toilet, I spied Bianca run out of this bathroom, only to run into the ladies room across the hall.
"You had to ruin it?" I asked, zipping my pants. "And what are you doing—being some creepy fuck who listens to people fuck in a bathroom?" I spluttered, shouting.
Damion shrugged, smirking that deadly grin of his.
"Don't fuck with me, Dame," I warned.
"Isn't this what you wanted . . . to be caught?" he asked. "You went after the only chick I had my eyes on, and—"
"You don't even know her."
"Neither do you," he laughed. "Anyway," he shook his head, "Mom got a call on her cell."
"Kylie?" I turned the sink on and got busy washing my hands.
"Peto didn't have to try every hard. Dad took Joe out back to talk to him."
"Just like that?" I rolled my eyes.
"This would have never happened if you hadn't—"
"They had sex!" I shouted. "Our baby sister fucked that, that thing. He better have put a ring on her finger."
"And she was fucking Peto when they were sixteen." He scoffed. "Listen to yourself. Sonny, you're not Dad . . . stop trying to be him."
"Fuck you."
"No, for real. You need a reality check. Kylie might be young, but you practically forced her into this. If Mom and Dad only knew—it was all you." He was fast to leave the bathroom.
As soon as the door closed, I splashed some cold water on my face. Maybe I made a mistake when I threatened Joe. Maybe I should have stayed out of it, but I didn't. I also didn't want Joe talking out of turn as far as Kylie was concerned. If she's his fiancée, he won't say shit about her. Otherwise, she was just another notch in his belt, and I guess I wasn't ready for that.
I mean, it's fucking Kylie—my baby sister.
Damion always got along with her, while he also found her annoying. I was her big brother—the one she always ran to, the one who looked out for her when she couldn't go to Mom or Dad.
It was about honor, respect, and loyalty. It had little to do with sex, and I'm not sure if anyone could relate to me, or the reasons why I had him . . . do what he did.
Maybe I had him do it because I could?
Either way, it was over now.
And I wasn't about to hide in a bathroom—lick my wounds, think about Katie, or the possibility that Damion might surpass me in our thing.
Fuck no.
Kylie dissed Joe.
She left. The wedding is off, and he looks like the jackass.
It was time to celebrate.
Thank you for reading.
Please leave me your thoughts.