Tempted By The Devil: Chapter 22

Sitting across from Salvatore, we review the schedules of the fleet we currently have at sea.

“Will Renzo’s shipment still dock on time?” I ask.

“Yes, I’m expecting it Tuesday before lunch.”

Salvatore is a lot like me. He’s all business and painfully private. From what I know, the man lives like a hermit.

But he’s fucking loyal and a hard worker, and it’s all that matters to me.

My phone vibrates, and when I check the message, I see it’s from Tiny.

Tiny: We’re wrapping things up. Tori asked if we could swing by her old place to pick up ingredients for the cannolis she wants to make. Is that okay with you?

Giorgio is still in the hospital, but I don’t want Vittoria anywhere near her old home.

Angelo: No. She doesn’t go near her old house. Take her grocery shopping.

Tiny: Yes, boss.

Tucking my phone back into my pocket, my eyes flick to Salvatore, then I announce, “By the way, I got married.”

His eyebrows fly into his hairline. “That’s the last thing I expected to hear from you.” Giving me an incredulous look, he asks, “Are you serious?”

“Do I ever joke around?”

“No.” He lets out a deep breath. “I suppose congratulations are in order. I hope you’ll have a good marriage.”

“Thank you.”

We continue with our work, and once we’re done verifying the status of each vessel, I say, “Keep up the good work.”

“I will.” Salvatore gives me a smile. “When are you leaving for your honeymoon?”

My eyebrow lifts because the thought hasn’t crossed my mind. “There’s no honeymoon.” Remembering the upcoming trip to Sicily, I say, “I’m taking my wife to Sicily so she can meet my family.”

“Let me know when you’ll be out of the country.”

“I will.” Rising to my feet, I walk to the door. “See you next week.”

Big Ricky’s already waiting by the SUV as I emerge from the warehouse that’s situated at the back of the shipping yard.

When he spots me, he opens the door so I can climb into the backseat.

The moment he’s behind the steering wheel, I say, “We have to check whether Vittoria has a passport, and if not, get one for her ASAP.”

His eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. “Is it for the trip to Sicily?”

“Yes. I forgot about it.”

“I’ll get to work on it first thing tomorrow morning.” As he steers the vehicle toward the exit, he mutters, “Shit, tomorrow is Saturday.” His eyes flick to mine again. “I’ll take care of it on Monday.”

There’s a moment’s silence, then Big Ricky asks, “Are you taking off this weekend?”

“I never take weekends off,” I mumble, my attention on all the emails that came in during my meeting with Salvatore.

“But you’re married now.”

Right.

I tuck my phone in my pocket, then say, “Yeah, I should spend more time with Vittoria.”

My eyebrows furrow together as I think of things we can do instead of just sitting at home.

As if Big Ricky can read my mind, he says, “You can take her out for dinner to Piccola Sicilia. Maybe watch a show or movie?”

A chuckle rumbles from me. “Me, watch a movie? That’s some sense of humor you have there.”

“Fine, ask Vittoria what she would like to do. It will go a long way in showing her you’re willing to compromise.”

“Christ, I ask your advice once, and now you won’t shut up,” I mutter.

He lets out a chuckle. “I’m an expert with the ladies, remember. Do shit they love and…”

When he cuts the sentence short, I demand, “And?”

“You know…they’re very giving in bed.”

Not wanting to know about his sex life, I grumble, “Shut up.”

Still, I can’t stop my lips from curving into a smile.

Big Ricky brings the SUV to a stop, and as I climb out, I say, “You can take the night off. I’m staying in with Vittoria.”

“Thanks, boss.”

We go our separate ways, and when I walk into the mansion, I’m assaulted by delicious aromas.

My stomach rumbles, and my mouth waters.

Nearing the kitchen, I hear Tiny say, “This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

“Great. Eat faster. Angelo will be home any moment, and I still have to set the table,” Vittoria rushes him.

“I’ll take the plate to my apartment. Thanks for the food, Tori.”

When Tiny comes out of the kitchen, he shoves a massive bite of meat into his mouth and mumbles around it, “Hey, boss.”

“Did she have a good day?”

He nods while swallowing the food, then says, “She’s doing much better.”

“Good.” I nod at the front door to show he can leave before I head into the kitchen.

I find Vittoria in front of the stove but pause as my eyes take in the blue floral dress she’s wearing. It reaches all the way to her feet, the fabric soft and flowing. She’s braided her hair, but unruly curls have gotten loose.

When she turns around, I lose my ability to breathe.

It’s only the second time I see her with makeup, and the subtle changes make her fucking exquisite.

“You look incredible,” I breathe, in total awe of my wife.

A shy smile curves her lips as she walks toward me. When our eyes meet, I don’t see the usual fear trembling in them.

Placing a hand against my chest, she wraps her other one behind my neck, tugging me down. She presses a tender kiss to my cheek but doesn’t immediately pull away.

With her breath skimming over my skin, she says, “Thank you for everything, Angelo. I appreciate it.”

I grip hold of her hip, and as my eyes find hers, I murmur, “You’re welcome.”

Our faces are dangerously close to each other, and when her gaze lowers to my mouth, the overwhelming urge to claim her sweet lips hits me square in the chest.

Before I can give in, she pulls away and glances at the stove. “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.”

“I’ll take a quick shower while you finish up in here.”

I walk toward the door, but her voice stops me.

“Angelo.” I glance over my shoulder. “Thank you for trying so hard. I know it can’t be easy.” The blush on her cheeks deepen in color. “I felt special today.”

A satisfied smirk curves my lips. “I’m glad to hear that.”

I leave the kitchen so I can change into comfortable clothes and get back to my beautiful wife.

Entering the bedroom, I head straight for the walk-in closet. Taking a moment, I check all the clothes Vittoria bought, making sure nothing is too revealing.

I’m happy with the collection Ian chose for my wife, and with a smile, I grab a pair of jeans and a T-shirt before heading into the bathroom.

I notice new shampoo and conditioner bottles and a floral-scented body wash. There’s also a small bottle of perfume, and picking it up, I inhale the scent.

It smells like Vittoria, and I memorize the perfume’s name so I can get her more.

Dropping my clothes on the counter, I switch on the faucets in the shower, and while the water warms up, I strip out of the suit.

I step beneath the warm spray and let out a sigh as my thoughts turn to the weekend. It will be the first time I don’t work because I’ve never had a reason to stay at home.

But I’ll get to spend time with Vittoria, and I plan on learning as much about her as possible.

I also plan to fuck her senseless.

I feel I’ve given her enough time to recover from losing her virginity.