Honestly, I don’t know if I ever even tried to.
I use the Italian name to soften the teasing and change it to an endearment and I see the way she breathes out, as I let go of her chin and use my arm to tuck her against me.
Her hands circle my waist and I want to take a second as I cup the back of her head to just appreciate her clinging to me, trusting me in this moment. Her trust feels like an aphrodisiac, a promise, and hope all wrapped into one.
This marriage won’t survive without trust and here we are, already making giant strides.
All thoughts of her being a spoiled brat have gone from my mind as I fall into line ready to give her the world if she wants.
The Ilaria effect is strong.
“Who the fuck are you?” The shit stain speaks to me like he has any right to do so.
I don’t want him near Ilaria.
The moment I was sharing with her is tarnished as the shit for brains ex boyfriend speaks, making my eyes go from the dark chocolate of Ilaria’s soft curls to him, standing in his boxers. A stain on the front from the wet stickiness of someone else’s cunt.
How dare he be around her like this.
How dare he be around her at all.
My mouth fixes in a sneer, “I am the judge, the jury, and the executioner. And that is not good news for you.”
His eyebrows furrow together and Ilaria pulls back, knowing what I mean as I reach into the back of my pants pulling out my gun that I hadn’t expected to need to use.
But there isn’t a chance I’m going to let him disrespect her.
Not now, not ever.
His eyes widen as the wet stains grow on the front of his boxers as he pisses himself.
The fear reaches the woman who was inching her way out of the bedroom and is now standing looking at the scene shocked by what is unfolding.
I don’t think she expected this from her simple hookup.
Ilaria is looking at me, her eyes still leaking tears but her mouth not moving to try to change the situation.
I can see she didn’t want me to shoot him but, she wasn’t going to say that in front of him. She had been taught respect and as much as she could talk back to me in private this is exactly how I wanted her to be in public. Just looking at me knowing whatever I did I would do without her intervening.
“You are going to come over here and apologize to my fiancée now.” He nods his head and my eyes flip to the other woman who was still against the wall, “Both of you.” Her eyes widen but she didn’t argue with me, “And If I don’t like the apology I’m not going to give you a second chance.” The threat hung in the air and they both knew what I meant by that.
My thumb brushes against Ilaria’s tears, wanting to tell her that they didn’t deserve them but I would give her the respect she was giving me and tell her when we were back home not to waste her tears on dead men.
Maybe I could get used to being a husband.
“Ilaria I’m-”
“Keep her name out of your mouth.” I snap. I didn’t want him being familiar with her. Hated the way her name sounded in another mans mouth.
I pull the safety back, finger on the trigger as I watch his knees buckle as he almost fell into his own puddle of piss on the floor.
Good.
Let him deal with the consequences of his own actions. People don’t do that enough now days.
How could a girl like Ilaria be interested in a man this pathetic?
She was so strong today telling me to fuck off and now this man had hurt her and made her cry? This nothing of a man had gotten more emotions from her than I did and that pissed me off.
I wasn’t a jealous man but right now the emotion ran wild in my blood.
“I’m sorry. He told me that you two weren’t together. You hadn’t even had sex and…I didn’t mean to disrespect you.” The woman squeaks out and I nod at her, pulling Ilaria away as we step to the side.
Distance between her and the woman was good. I wanted to keep her away from this person.
I wave my gun that she could go, letting her get close to me before my arm shot out and my eyes met hers as she looked up at me, freezing up.
“You’re Lou DiPlatzi’s daughter.” Her eyes squeezed closed as I recognized her. The soft shake of fear coursing through her.
Lou was an older guy who worked cleanup for a lot of things. He was someone that my family trusted and I would have to go to him about his daughter.
“Your father is loyal. Don’t make him have to come clean you up.” She knew what I meant and nodded her head as she vanished out of the apartment.
At least I didn’t have to worry about her snitching.
My eyes looked down at Ilaria, she had sighed in relief when the woman left like she was thankful I wasn’t going to kill her. Or maybe just glad she wasn’t around anymore.
I couldn’t imagine being face with infidelity like she had been.
