He takes a bite of his pasta. “Damn, they do good food out here.”
“Told you,” Angelo replies. “You should have come out sooner.”
“Been busy. Lots of work involved in handing over an entire empire.”
“Don’t tell me you’re actually going to retire. I know you keep talking about it, but I never thought it would happen.”
“Thought I might move out here. See my grandkids more often.”
“I guess we could warn them about you.”
He glares and then laughs. “Thanks a lot. After everything I did for you, I get insulted.”
“You told me you were going to kill me.”
“To see if you had the balls to stand up for what was right. Flavio rolled over and acted like an obedient puppy whenever I gave him an order. I wanted someone in charge who could think for themselves.”
“That I can do.”
“I know you can. This is why Flavio, Andrea, and Winnie are all in prison, and you’re free to walk around this tiny little town with the exquisite BLTs. I’ve got a house viewing down by the creek in ten minutes. I better get moving.”
“Call in for dinner if you want,” I say.
He nods. “I’d like that. As long as I get to cook.”
“You cook?”
“I’m an Italian. Of course, I cook. Say seven?”
“Seven,” Angelo replies and gets a fake slap for his troubles. “One thing I don’t get, Father.”
“What’s that?”
“You said you needed the vault’s contents to pay off your debts. Have they not been called in by now?”
“So smart yet not so smart.”
“What?”
“There never were any debts. I wanted to see how you handled the pressure. See if you could still do the right thing. Fight for what matters to you.”
“Never were any debts? Huh, who’d have thought.”
“I’ll see you both tonight.” He gets to his feet, bidding us goodbye.
“You still wearing it?” Angelo asks once we’re alone.
“Of course,” I reply.
“Show me.”
I glance around me. We’re in a booth by the window, but I’m shielded from view, mostly. I undo the top two buttons of my blouse, pulling the two sides apart to reveal the virtually transparent bra I’ve been wearing all morning.
“And the rest,” Angelo says as I undo the remaining buttons.
It’s been like this ever since he moved in with me. Regular commands that come out of the blue. Orders about what to wear, punishments for misbehaving, rewards for obeying. I’ve never been happier or more turned on.
I lean back in my seat, my bra visible to anyone who walks by. My nipples stiffen as he takes my hand and guides it under the table, making me feel how hard he is.