Taken - A Gangster Stepbrother Romance (11 page)

              She threw her head back and screamed as her body came crashing down around her. Explosion after explosion of pleasure shook her. She tried to pull at her wrists, unable to handle the intensity. But Antonio’s grip was firm. She was going nowhere. And she would feel everything.

              Above her, Antonio roared as he plunged one final time into her, finding his own explosive pleasure within her.

              He slumped forward, his forehead resting on hers, still intimately connected. Their breaths mingled as they felt their heartbeats slowly return to a human’s pace.

              Antonio then slowly rolled onto the inner edge of the couch. An arm kept her firmly against his chest. Emma could feel his heart beating against her back. And as she closed her eyes, she was sure she could hear their hearts beating as one.

Chapter Nineteen

              Frank Cavalli watched as he blew out a long stream of smoke. He licked his lips as he puffed again on his cigar. “These taste better than the last batch,” he said, his voice the sound of fabric tearing.

              Ignacio Cavalli nodded, puffing on his own cigar. He leaned back in his seat, blowing out his own stream of smoke. “Yeah, I made sure I told our guy to double check the quality before shipping,” he said, twirling the cigar between forefinger and thumb. “I think he got the message.” Ignacio grinned, showing one gold incisor.

              Frank leaned back in his leather chair, well oiled and smooth from years of use. He was in what he liked to call his “smoking room.” It was a small den off the end of the house. It was richly decorated even for its modest space in dark woods and carpets. This was where real business was done with the Cavalli Family. His office out in the front of the house were for guests.

              The smoking room was for business.

              “So when’s David seeing the girl again?” Frank asked, leaning back and enjoying his next puff.

              “We’re arranging something through some DM Holdings charity shtick,” Ignacio said, smoke curling out around his lips, clearly unimpressed with the event. “Shows goodwill or whatnot between the two companies—a Cavalli supporting a DM Holdings charity.”

              Frank snorted. “Those journalist are like fucking pigs, just eat any old shit right up.” He squinted at his Cuban cigar, looking over the burning leaves. “And David? He’s been doing his part, right?”

              “Yeah. He bought that house I told him about in the Valley. He’s been spending more time in LA so it looks like he’s smitten with that Del Marco tail.” Ignacio grinned, his gold tooth making him look like a sinister jack-o lantern.

              Frank nodded approvingly as he took another deep puff. The room was filled with a cloudy haze of cigar smoke. “Good. I’ve contacted the papers and Del Marco. We’re all set with the other dates. Make sure you contact the lawyers and have them draw up the right contracts for Del Marco. We need his signatures before the wedding.”

              “God, them Del Marcos sure have a short fucking memory, don’t they, Pops?” Ignacio said.

              Frank glared at his cigar. “They sure do. As if I don’t remember all those times Gabe Del Marco tried to poach from me. That piece of shit cost me millions of dollars in lost deals and territory wars. And his son thinks I’ll forget all that because I add a ‘corporation’ to the end of my name?” He snorted. “Fucking dimwitted cunt.”

              After a moment of silent smoking, Ignacio grimaced. “Pops,” he said, his shoulders tense with his resentment, “I really think you should reconsider Davey. You know he’s not cut out to do what he needs to do.
I’ve
been running this business with you for years now! It should be me that’s marrying that Del Marco bitch and being your next in line. You
know
that, Pops.”

              Frank coughed. He pounded on his chest before spitting out his phlegm in a nearby wastebasket.

              “Listen, you,” he said, his voice turning hard. His black eyes zeroed in on his eldest son through the haze of cigar smoke. “How many times I gotta tell you this? This ain’t the old days. People look at you, at me, and they see a crook, a gangster, all over our faces. Davey’s different. He looks like any pussy man you’d see today walking down the street. He looks clean. He don’t look like he’d steal your old lady’s pearls or fuck your sister doggy style. Get it?”

              Ignacio grumbled.

              Frank waved a hand dismissively. “David knows his role. He’s there for pictures. He’s there for them god awful suit and tie dinners. He and that Del Marco girl are gonna just be the face.” Frank grinned, his craggy face and scars making him look fierce and sinister. “But you and I know who the
brains
are.”

              Ignacio, although still grumbling, seemed a little appeased. “When do we get rid of Del Marco?” he asked eagerly, puffing on his cigar.

              “Soon,” Frank said. “Antonio is no dummy. That kid’s got his father’s annoying knack for escaping death and danger. We have to act fast with that one or we’ll miss our chance.”

              Ignacio grinned. “DM Holdings is gonna be an awfully large acquisition for little Miss Del Marco to carry on her shoulders after her big brudder passes.”

              Frank barked a laugh. He took in a deep puff, letting the smoke slowly crawl out his lips. “That’s why she’ll have Daddy Cavalli to help.”

Chapter Twenty

              Emma yawned again as she got up from bed. She barely remembered coming upstairs. She had a hazy memory of strong arms holding her effortlessly as she was carried up but she had been so exhausted, emotionally and physically, that she hadn’t been able to stay conscious for long.

              Feeling refreshed in a way that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time, Emma shuffled towards the bathroom. By the bathroom door, there was a silver tray with a rolled newspaper on it. Since accompanying Antonio to the office, she’d started receiving the paper every morning. She assumed it was to help her stay abreast on any DM Holdings news.

              Wondering if that city beautification project had started yet, Emma unrolled the papers. But before she could flip towards the business section, the front page of the paper screamed out at her in bold font, “Wedding of the Year: David Cavalli and Emma Del Marco Engaged!”

             
Instantly becoming the world’s biggest power couple, David Cavalli of Cavalli Corporations and Emma Del Marco of DM Holdings are engaged. Although sources would not confirm if a date has been set, it has been hinted that the stroll down the aisle is not too far off!

              Emma’s vision swam as she stared at the photo of her and David dancing at Hastings Charity Gala. What was this? Surely this was a huge mistake.

              Grabbing the paper, she rushed out of her room, surprising her guard that waited for her. Nearly sprinting down the stairs, she burst into Antonio’s office, the doors banging against the walls.

              Antonio, seated at the desk, looked up in surprise. Steven Wells, who had been standing at the window, turned in equal shock. “Emma,” he said in a quiet surprised voice. “Er, I mean, Miss Del Marco. What’s the matter?”

              Emma threw the paper down in front of Antonio, eyes blazing. She expected him,
wanted him
, to rage at the photo and headline. She wanted to hear him demand to speak with the paper’s editors so they could redact the announcement.

              Instead, Antonio stared at the paper, his face a blank mask of calmness. “Yes?” he said.

              Emma stared at him. “What the hell is this! What does this even mean!” She tried to search his face for the same man she had kissed and held the night before. She wanted to see any hint of that face that had lain bare his passion and pain.

              It wasn’t there.

              “I think it’s quite clear what it says,” Antonio said slowly, leaning back in his chair, fingers steepled. Emma’s spine shivered a bit at seeing him so similarly positioned from when she had first met him. “It’s the wedding announcement for you and David.”

              Emma felt like she was drunk. “What—But what about last night? What about
us
?” She saw Steven’s brow rise in surprise from the corner of her eye.

              “It has always been the plan for you to marry David,” he said evenly. “You knew that from the start. Nothing has changed.”

              Could words leave bruises? Because she felt like she had been punched by what he said. “Nothing has changed,” she echoed breathlessly, her heart slowly cracking.

              Antonio sat up and reached into his jacket pocket. Pulling out a small box, he opened it and placed it carefully in front of her. The biggest diamond she had ever seen sparkled from the box.

              “Your engagement ring,” he said simply.

              An orphan didn’t have much except fantasies. And even in her most modest fantasies, she had never imagined such a cold, empty proposal as this. She stared at the brilliantly cut oval diamond, every facet looking as cold as her heart.

              “You have an event today,” Antonio said as if discussing weather. “You will be meeting David at a charity function sponsored by DM Holdings. It’ll be a good event to show the merging between Cavallis and Del Marcos. Wear the ring and make sure to have it photographed. But don’t answer any questions. Just give them plenty of poses with the ring on.”

              Emma looked up at him. She could still feel his hands holding her wrist, his lips pressing against her throat. She could feel how deep he had plunged into her with his cock. And yet, he sat in front of her, an expression of mild annoyance on his face.

              “You should get dressed,” he said in clear dismissal.

              “So that’s it,” she said softly. “I was just the convenient fuck.”

              Steven cleared his throat. “Now, wait a minute, Emma. I’m sure—”

              “Well right now, you’re making it a little less convenient,” Antonio said, his words hitting exactly the right open nerves.

              Emma pressed her lips, nodding, trying to hold back her traitorous tears. “Fine, alright then,” she said softly. Taking a step back, she ran out of the room, barely able to see clearly where she was going.

              But if she had, if her visions had been just a bit less clouded, she would’ve seen the reproving look on Steven Wells’ face and the harsh look of regret and pain on Antonio’s.

Chapter Twenty One

              “By the way,” David said smiling, “you look just as beautiful today as you did on the dance floor at Hastings.”

              Emma blushed. “Thank you,” she said, never having known how to gracefully accept a compliment. Wanting to diffuse the awkwardness, she took a sip of her white wine.

              They sat in a private room at Milo’s, an exclusive restaurant in Beverly Hills. With their respective guards standing outside, David and Emma had the entire room to themselves.

              David gave a self-deprecatory chuckle. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I made you uncomfortable.”

              Emma shook her head. “No, no, it’s alright.”

              David smiled, his face so open and warm. “No, I did. And I apologize. I must admit, this is kind of an odd line to walk since we’re getting to know each other
after
our engagement.”

              He sounded so understanding, so warm that Emma could feel her eyes burning. Antonio had tossed her aside as if she was just another pawn in his game and it felt so good to hear someone else understand what that felt like.

              David reached across the table, gentling grasping her hand. “Hey now, are you okay?” His brow creased in concern.

              Emma shook her head again, trying for a smile and just barely succeeding. “Now
I’m
sorry,” she said with a watery chuckle. “It’s still all new. Not just the engagement but also just…
this.
” She waved around the intimate but luxuriously decorated private dining room.

              “Ahh,” David said understandingly. “I remember. You were away at school for the last several years.” He smiled wryly. “It does take some getting used to, I won’t lie there.”

              Emma looked at him curiously. “What’s it like?” she asked, genuinely curious. “What’s it like having grown up publicly with such an…
infamous
family?”

              David leaned back in his seat and sighed. “Well, in one word—hard,” he said honestly. “I think it’s especially hard with all boys. There was three of us growing up. And all of us were so different. My older brother was the leader, my younger brother was the rebel. And I….” He trailed off.

              Emma smiled encouragingly. “And you?”

              David’s face took on a glow that seemed quite close to a blush. “Well, I guess you’d call me the artist.” He laughed softly. “But of course, my father wouldn’t hear of that. A Cavalli boy who only wanted to paint or write for a living? Ridiculous!” He shrugged. “So of course, I joined the family business. But I try to keep my interests towards the public sector, like some of our charity work. It makes things more…manageable.”

              Emma was confused. David Cavalli was the known successor to Frank Cavalli. Why would Frank choose a son who clearly was only interested in a small and not profitable sector of the company?

              But she didn’t feel completely comfortable to ask such an intimate question yet. Emma took another sip of her wine.

              David reached out again for her hand, her left hand. His thumb passed over the large diamond. “I’ll be honest,” he said quietly. “I didn’t even get to pick out the ring. I was told last night that a ring had been delivered to you and that was it.” He frowned as if he regretted such a detached delivery of something so significant, like a mistake he made. Slowly, he raised his gaze, earnest and sincere. “But that doesn’t make my commitment to you any less genuine. I know this is an unusual situation and I don’t think either of us were really prepared for it. But I promise, I will be a good and loyal partner to you. And I think with time, we can grow to even love each other.”

              It was impossible to dislike David. He was so warm. He was so sincere. Even his face was open and broad, inviting her to trust him. But all she could think about were stormy gray eyes and rock hard arms that held onto her as if she was the only thing anchoring him to the world.

              David slid the ring off her finger. “So if you’ll allow me,” he said. David rose from his seat and walked around to Emma. Kneeling down on one knee, he held the luminous ring up. “Will you, Emma Del Marco, do me the honor of being my wife?”

              A flash of burning lips. A scent of spicy manly musk. A shudder of a hard embrace.

              Emma mentally shook her head, clearing the images of a man who did not want her, as she shyly smiled at David.

              “Yes,” she said softly, extending her left hand towards him.