Reckless & Ruined (7 page)

Well, if Adriano was honest, he’d liked Alessa for a lot longer than that. But being the son of Riley Conti meant Adriano had to follow the goddamn rules. Like the fact Riley had never approved of Adriano’s interest in the boss’s youngest granddaughter.

Adriano’s father wanted to situate his only son in a marriage of Riley’s making to a family outside of the Outfit. One that would either strengthen the Outfit in allegiance with another organized crime affiliate, or put Adriano front row and center as a prospective future boss. Adriano wanted to do his own thing—Riley didn’t agree.

Regardless, Alessa was a no-go.

Adriano didn’t know how to stay away from the girl. He blamed Alessa for that entirely. She didn’t even have to do a fucking thing, either.

Adriano caught Alessa’s plump bottom lip under the pad of his thumb. “Stop that.”

Alessa’s brow furrowed. “Hmm, what?”

“That,” Adriano said, pointing at Alessa’s frown. “I hate that. You know I do. You shouldn’t frown, ever.”

“Prettier when I smile, huh?” she asked sweetly.

Adriano laughed under his breath. “Beautiful when you smile, Lissa.”

“Smooth, Adriano.”

“I try.”

The sounds of voices and laughter drew Adriano’s attention to the front doors of the venue where the Rossi-DeLuca wedding was being held. A few people stumbled outside, clearly drunk and happy. With the issues in the Outfit, he didn’t want to be seen and cause a problem. Adriano slipped around the side of the building and took Alessa with him.

Her breathless laughter filled the air as he pressed her to the brick wall, keeping them both hidden from view. Alessa didn’t seem to mind being pinned under Adriano’s weight.

He sure as fuck didn’t mind.

Alessa had to be the sexiest girl he’d ever had the pleasure of laying his eyes on. Her brown hair, highlighted with reds and blonde, fell just above the small of her back in waves. It was the perfect length to wrap his hands in and pull, which he knew she adored. Adriano would be a goddamn liar if he tried to say he didn’t like the way her tiny frame fit his hands when she was wearing nothing but her skin. She was pixie-like in appearance with wide blue eyes that spoke of innocence.

The girl wasn’t innocent at all.

Adriano knew that first hand.

“Oh, my God,” Alessa said, still laughing. “Why did you do that?”

“I wasn’t finished talking with you,” Adriano replied.

Adriano leaned down and kissed Alessa. She hadn’t been expecting the sudden move if her gasp was any indication. He loved all the sounds she made for him.

Alessa’s lips parted just enough to allow Adriano inside. He took in the heat and taste of her mouth with his tongue, kissing her hard enough for his teeth to scrape along her bottom lip. Alessa’s hands fisted into his shirt and pulled him into her tight little body.

Too soon for Adriano’s liking, Alessa pulled away. Her cheeks were flushed with a pink he knew traveled all the way down her chest when she was turned on. Through the silk of her dress, he could see she wasn’t wearing a bra. He cupped her tits in his hands, rolling his thumbs over her nipples through the fabric.

“Christ, yeah,” Adriano mumbled. “I’ve missed you.”

Alessa sighed, arching into his hands. Adriano’s cock ached under his jeans. The zipper bit into his erection through his boxer-briefs.

“You’re shaking,” Alessa said as he wrapped her hair in his hands.

“No, that’s you, pretty girl. Don’t worry. No one has seen me.”

“You and your pet names.”

Adriano grinned. “You’re the only girl who gets the pleasure of hearing them.”

Alessa watched him under her thick, dark lashes. The sight reminded Adriano of when Alessa was on her knees with his cock in her mouth, looking up at him.

Fucking
hell
.

No, not innocent.

Not at all.

“I better be the only one,” Alessa said.

The warning in her tone was as clear as day.

Adriano chuckled. “Someone’s territorial for not wanting me to put a label on her.”

Alessa shrugged, a sly smile curving her pretty pink lips. “No, of course not. But there was this sexy guy from the Vegas crew that—”

Adriano pushed Alessa against the wall roughly, quieting her instantly. She giggled, flashing her teeth at him as she grinned.

“Alessa,” he warned.

“Hmm?”

“No one else.” Adriano tilted her chin up higher to catch her mouth in another kiss. The force of his lips pressing down to hers was punishingly hard. This girl was his—no matter what. She just was. Dotting kisses over the apple of her cheek, he said, “Ever, Alessa.”

Alessa’s smile faded. “You know—”

“We can’t be that,” Adriano interjected. “I’m getting really fucking sick of hearing those words coming out of your mouth. The only things you should be saying right now are
yes, Adriano
and
steal me away for the night, Adriano
.”

Her laughter was light and airless. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’ve missed you,” he repeated.

Nobody got Adriano like Alessa did. They could be quiet in a room together and that was enough. She looked damn good in his shirts come morning.

She was supposed to be his, for fuck’s sake.

“You know I lo—”

“Don’t,” Alessa muttered.

Adriano scowled. Whenever the feelings came out, Alessa ran.

“We’ve been doing this shit for years, Alessa,” Adriano said, trying to keep his cool.

“And sometime, it’s going to have to end,” Alessa replied. “Can’t we just leave it like it is and then the rest will be easier on us?”

“That’s never going to be easy.”

Letting go couldn’t be easy. Not if that meant letting go of her.

“Well, that’s how I need it to be,” she said.

Adriano wasn’t giving up like that. “Remember the last time I had you pinned against a brick wall?”

Alessa’s cheeks turned pink as her mouth popped open. Yeah, she remembered.

“Short skirt, white cotton underneath, and you had just aced that final exam,” Adriano continued, unfazed. “I was the first person you called to celebrate that accomplishment. You wanted me there, but I already was. Right? I was outside waiting for you, just like I always am.”

“Stop playing games,” Alessa said, glancing away from him.

“You’re not a game to me. Years, Lissa. I’m not just going to go away.”

“It’s not a good time, Adriano.”

Adriano laughed darkly. “It’s never going to be a good time. We’ll figure it out. Something, anyway.”

“But—”

“No buts. We’re good, we always have been. This crap with the Outfit, it’ll end eventually. I’ll still be here.”

Alessa blew out a heavy breath. “You’re going to get me in trouble someday.”

“Maybe.” Adriano cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “I bet it’ll be a hell of a lot of fun.”

Her smile faded fast. “We don’t have a chance, do we?”

“Why the hell not?”

“Too many reasons to name,” Alessa said softly.

This somber, moody crap wasn’t Alessa Trentini’s style. Adriano didn’t have the first clue what was up with her tonight.

“What happened?” Adriano asked.

Alessa wouldn’t meet his stare. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do.”

“Please just leave it alone. There’s enough going on with my grandfather and your father. I can handle myself, Adriano. You know this.”

“Make this easy on us both and spit whatever it is out so that I can fix it.”

Alessa glowered. “It’s not about fixing it. The problem can’t be fixed.”

Adriano didn’t believe that for a second. Anything could be fixed with a few words, a bullet, or an action. If more men in the Outfit realized that, things would go a hell of a lot smoother.

“Tell me,” Adriano demanded.

Quietly, Alessa said, “Dean.”

Oh, hell.

“Again?”

Alessa flinched, likely from the venom in Adriano’s voice.

“Shit, you know I hate that fool,” Adriano said quickly. “It’s not about you.”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“What did he say?”

“Same old,” Alessa said, sighing. “Except now he’s implying that his father is moving in on Ben DeLuca’s old position.”

Really?

Huh.

Adriano filed that info away for later.

“He’s a prick,” Adriano said. “He’s useless, Lissa.”

“And if this crap keeps up between the families in the Outfit, he’s a damn good candidate for my grandfather to look at as a husband for me,” Alessa said.

That wouldn’t happen.

Ever
.

“What did he put inside your head that makes you think—”

“He doesn’t have to put anything in there that I don’t already know, Adriano. There’s only two ways to end a war. A marriage or a lot of death. Terrance never liked to kill just for the sake of killing and marrying Abriella and I off is a much easier way to go about it.”

“Alessa, stop,” he said, holding her trim waist tighter in his grip. “I’d never let that happen. Not if you don't want it. You know that.”

“Your father won’t forgive Terrance,” Alessa said. “Tell me that’s not the truth.”

“I don’t know that, Lissa.”

“He won’t.”

Adriano hated that she might be right. Riley was very angry about Adriano’s mother’s death and the possibility that it had been caused by his best friend’s choices. Add on that Riley was using Mia’s death as a way to move himself higher in the Outfit, and it all screamed bad news.

“And we’re both aware of what that means,” Alessa continued, frowning again. “Terrance is going to have to strengthen what allies in the family he has. Dino aligned his side of the DeLuca family with the Rossi family. Who does that leave?”

“The Artino side of the DeLuca family,” Adriano said, though he didn’t want to admit it.

“Yeah.” Alessa sighed, turning her head to the side. “I should get back in there before someone notices me gone.”

“I’d rather you stay out here with me.”

Alessa’s lips curved with a wicked smile. “There was no Vegas guy, by the way.”

“Better not be.” Adriano punctuated those words by pushing his body into Alessa’s. There was no hiding the hard ridge of his erection as it drove into her toned stomach. She pushed right back into him, driving him insane. “I’d fucking
kill
, Lissa.”

She hummed a soft sound. “Don’t say that.”

“Too bad. This is mine,” Adriano said, running his hands down Alessa’s sides. “All of you is mine, pretty girl. And I will gladly cut the hands off anyone who even thinks they have the right to touch you.”

Adriano was always honest with Alessa. He didn’t fuck around on her, regardless of if she wanted to put titles on them or not. He was a one-woman kind of man. Seeing his mother hurt every time she had to turn her cheek to Riley’s affairs had been enough for Adriano to know he didn’t want to be that man.

But Alessa … she was
his
. Just the thought of someone else being near her drove him fucking crazy.

“There was no Vegas guy,” she repeated, laughing. “You know that.”

“Mmm.”

“What, Adriano?”

“Nothing. You already know,” he said.

“Do I?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Alessa bit her bottom lip. “You would kill.”

“You know it.”

“Alessa!”

Alessa’s eyes widened as her head flew to the side. Adriano stepped away from Alessa at the familiar voice. Damian Rossi stood at the corner of the building with crossed arms and a blank expression. Adriano put another couple of steps between him and Alessa.

“Damian,” Adriano greeted.

“Conti.” Nodding at Alessa, Damian said, “Your brother is probably looking for you, Alessa. I suggest you head back inside before he comes out here searching.”

Alessa nodded quickly and left Adriano behind.

“What are you doing, looking for some kind of trouble?” Damian asked once Alessa was gone.

Adriano shrugged. “No.”

“You’re going to find it if you keep messing with that girl.”

“I’ve done okay so far,” Adriano replied.

“Oh, a smart mouth. Funny. I’m sure that’ll keep your dumb ass from getting shot when someone else catches you dry fucking against a wall with a Trentini girl.”

Adriano refused to grace that with a response.

“Shouldn’t you be inside with your new wife?” Adriano asked.

Damian cocked a brow. “Shouldn’t you be at home with your father?”

“Point taken.” Adriano shifted on his feet, uncomfortable. “Listen, I—”

“I am so fucking sick and tired of hiding everybody else’s secrets in this goddamn family.” Damian pointed at Adriano’s Camaro and said, “You get in that damn thing and go, Adriano. And if you’re a smart man, like I think you are, you’ll stay the hell away from Alessa Trentini until this whole mess with the Outfit blows over. You’re twenty-years-old, kid, but I can bet you won’t see your twenty-first birthday if you keep this nonsense up. You’ve got a lot of learning yet to do where the Outfit is concerned and let this be your first lesson from someone who isn’t your father.”

“What is that?” Adriano asked.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut about what I just saw.”

“Thanks.”

Damian smirked. “But you fucking owe me.”

Shit
.

“Is that all?” Adriano asked.

“For now. Get gone.”