Page 87 of Beauty and the Mafia Boss

I didn't think much about what I was doing last night when I abandoned Rafaella at the party. I returned home a few minutes after seeing Vittorio leave the villa, lying to myself that I couldn't bear to have my dress soaked in grape juice, but what I really wanted was to be close to him.

All the tension built up over the past few weeks seemed to explode through the touch of our hands as the Don helped me out of the tub. I had no idea what would happen if we were left alone, but I needed to find out. I didn't think about how things would turn out or how Vittorio would see my little chase, I just wanted to be in the same room as him again.

I had hopes, of course! I had very clear desires for what I wanted to happen and, not in my wildest dreams, did I expect what actually happened. Images from last night flash through my anxious mind, and I bite my lip, letting the thought that has been plaguing me ever since the doctor told me about birth control run wild. I'm not the only one who wants more. Vittorio wouldn't bother arranging a gynecological and contraceptive appointment if he didn't intend to repeat what happened last night.

I shouldn't give freedom to feelings knocking on the doors of my mind, but how can I ignore the words that are repeating themselves in it in an infinite echo?‘It is this irrational animal that you transform me into. One who wants to mark every inch of you, inside and out, like I’ve never done before.’

“Tell me!” Rafaella asks, leaning over the counter with an anxious look.

“Is it wrong for me to want to do it again?” I whimper, pushing away the uninvited thoughts. “Like now?” Rafaella throws her head back, laughing again.

“Was it that good?”

“I've never had sex before and, honestly, I never thought it had any chance of being bad if the partner was Vittorio, but I don't know how I'm going to do anything else with my life other than think about every second of last night, Rafaella.”

“It looks like someone got a bit drunk...” I frown.

“Drunk?”

“Cock drunk.” It's my turn to throw my head back in a loud laugh.

“I don't know how to act now; he told me to act normally when I said that...”

“Wait!” She interrupts me. “Did you tell him you didn't know how to act?”

“Wasn't I supposed to say?” Rafaella bites her lip, and her expressive eyes look confused.

“It's not that.” She waves her hands. “Never mind. Go on, what did he say?”

“That I could act normally, because that was disturbing enough.”

“That sounds like something I imagine coming out of the Don's mouth,” she comments, and I understand her look from before. My friend doesn't understand the way I act towards Vittorio, but that's because she's never spoken to him beyond the basics.

“What should I do?”

“Eeh... The only one of us who has ever had sex is you, I'm sorry, but all I can do about it is feel jealous” she jokes, and I laugh.

“I'm sure Tizziano would love to help you solve this issue,” I tease, but the color turns Rafaella's face red, and my eyes widen.

“Rafaella!” I exclaim, and she turns her back to me, suddenly finding a lot of things to organize in the closet other than facing me. Oh, no! Like hell.

I jump off the stool and walk around the kitchen counter, completely abandoning the remainder of my lunch that is still on my plate. I stop next to my friend, place my hands on her shoulders and force her to turn towards me.

“Spill!”

“There's nothing to say,” she says, trying to turn around again.

“Yeah, try again, but without going completely red this time.” I use her own words, and she rolls her eyes, but then bites her lip and drops her forehead on my shoulder.

“I shouldn't have drunk so much wine.”

“Rafaella!” I call, starting to get nervous. But she just told me that she's still a virgin. That's no big deal, I realize. Thenumber of ways Vittorio touched me before... I interrupt my flow of thoughts when they start walking in a direction completely inappropriate for the moment. “What happened?”

“You abandoned me!” she accuses. “Actually, that's it! It's all your fault and we can't be friends anymore,” she determines without any conviction, and I almost laugh. Rafaella takes a step away from me, which is enough for me to pay attention to her face.

“Okay, I accept that. But can I know what I'm being found guilty of, please?”

“I kissed him! Damn, Gabriella! I kissed the stupid underboss!” I widen my eyes and open my mouth, taking in a large amount of air in amazement.

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