Alessandro: You forced us into retirement, remember?
Alessandro was always there for me no matter what he was doing, or “who” he was doing, and I appreciated that. The same was true for Constantine.
Constantine: We made a deal. We all agreed. Don’t blame him.
Constantine: Ask Maria out. Make Mom happy. Have babies. Live the good life, brother.
Alessandro: Sure, sure. Do what Boss Man says. But if not, I’ll help you dispose of her date’s body. Your choice.
I shook my head at their responses, allowing them to continue in the conversation without me.
Constantine: Don’t listen to him.
I swiped my key fob to enter my apartment complex and went inside. It wasn’t too fancy of a place. No lobby with a security guard, and now that Maria was living next door, I was beginning to wonder if I needed to upgrade our location. Tap into some of the money I told myself I wouldn’t touch to get a more secure place and then somehow not let her know the actual cost.
Alessandro: Watch her with another man the way you had to do with Thomas? Genius idea. Your control has its limits, bro. You’ve waited long enough. You’re bound to snap soon.
I finally joined their exchange because he’d struck a nerve on purpose.
Me: What choice did I have? She was married.
Constantine: And she’s not now. WTF is wrong with you?
Me: You know my problem. ALL of our problems. What we’ve done . . .
Constantine: Was exactly what needed to be done. And you know that.
Alessandro: If you’re not going to make a move, then I’m going to get back to the two women who are having too much fun without me right now.
Constantine: THAT’S why you bailed on this important dinner meeting I’m now handling alone? Get your ass here PRONTO.
Alessandro: Easy with the caps, bro. One of the three of us needs to get laid.
I laughed as I stepped into the elevator. They’d never change. I missed them, though. And at least I felt a bit calmer now before I faced Maria.
Me: I’ll leave you two to argue. Later.
I pocketed my phone and stepped onto our floor a moment later. We had the only two apartments on our level, and yeah, luck had nothing to do with the fact my neighbor abruptly moved out last November, freeing the place for Maria.
I knocked and rang the bell. After no answer, I checked the door handle, which was locked.
Good girl. I grabbed my keys from the gym bag and used the key she’d given me to let myself in.
“Maria?” I dropped my bag in the foyer and went into the living room in search of her.
The bedroom door was open, so I poked my head in, surprised to see Chiara on the bed, since it was her father’s night with her.
Chiara’s eyes widened as she let go of her favorite stuffed animal. She opened her arms and stood but lost her balance and fell back. “I thought you were with your dad, silly?”
“Enzo!” Maria exclaimed on my way to get Chiara, and I turned to see her exiting her bathroom in only black jeans and a lacy bra, and her tits were trying to escape the damn thing. Fuck. “Chiara spilled her juice on me while I was getting ready. I didn’t hear you ring, sorry.”
“Getting ready for your date?” I let go of a frustrated breath, tense all over again at the fact she had on such a sexy bra for her date. Did that mean she hoped someone would see it?
Maria’s brows lifted in surprise. “Who told you?”
“Maybe cover up before we talk?” I rasped, my voice a bit harsh, but she was testing my patience.
She didn’t pin her arms to her chest to hide her body as she walked closer to me, and a gorgeous smile slid across her red lips.
“Maria,” I hissed, and I turned and reached for Chiara.
I’d accidentally seen Maria in a bra twice while she’d been married. This was by far the most memorable, since she was single and I didn’t have to feel guilty about eyeing another man’s wife’s breasts. Of course, her husband had been an ass, so I’d never felt that bad about seeing her in a bra back then. I’d only been upset that I couldn’t swipe the pad of my thumb along the underside of her breast before placing her nipple between my teeth.
Chiara cupped my cheeks and smushed my lips, and my heart dropped like it always did when she exclaimed, “Dah-dah.”
I wish, sweetheart. I sighed and faced the storm coming. My Maria. And she’d always been mine, even when she was with Thomas. She owned my mind, heart, and soul. My fucking everything. I just couldn’t be with her for reasons I had no clue how to explain.
“Has she called you that before?” She lifted her perfectly shaped brows in question as she buttoned up a silky gold blouse, thankfully hiding her breasts before Chiara witnessed my control snap.