Chapter 5

Rachel

I found Massimo in the lounge with a glass of white wine in his hand and Andrea Borcelli singing in the background and I swear I could smell him from the guest room. I took a minute to just look at him in his tracksuit pants and t-shirt. The t-shirt fitted his body to perfection, you can see his hard body and I bet underneath was a six pack. He really is very sexy and with his hair wet, I just want to put my fingers through his hair. I hope to do that soon and to see that six pack I’m sure he’s hiding underneath that clothes.

“Bella there you are, I thought I had to send a search party to find you” he said

“Sorry I took so long the shower was just so divine and I didn’t want to get out and that view out of the shower, ooo my gosh Massimo. It's so beautiful" I told him

“No need to be sorry, come over here. You want some wine” he asked

“Yes please I would love some”

“Come sit here with me, I found a plate with some cheese and fruit in the fridge” he said

“Do you cook Massimo?” I asked him teasingly

“I can, my family is in the restaurant business since I was small, but I don’t get the time to do it as often as I would have liked, so I have a cook that comes in a few times a week, if my mom don't send me take aways." He told me

“Well it looks delicious, I forgot to eat today with all the excitement.”

“Then you should dig in, I’m sure that tequila shots you got from the bar didn’t help.” He said

“How did you know I had tequila shots?” I asked him surprised

“I had my eye on you as soon as you got to the club Bella”. “It sounds like you were stalking me Massimo” I said a little irritated

“Not stalking Bella just making sure you were safe”. He said very calmly.

I decided to not get into that statement now and wait for him to explain himself before I make an issue of the stalking. We sat together in comfortable silence drinking our wine and eating some cheese and fruit.

“I like the music” I told him. “You like Andrea?” he asked me

“Yes I do, I don’t understand the words but I love his voice and I have a thing for opera music.” I told him

“If you want I can teach you Bella?” he offered

“I’ll like that very much Massimo” I said in a whisper.

Suddenly Massimo got very serious. “Bella we need to talk about tonight and after our talk you might not want to see me anymore, but I want you to know I’ll make sure you are safe always even if you don’t want to see me again. But with that said I really hope you will still see me I really think there can be something between us and I know you feel it to, there is chemistry between us. Tell me you feel it to?" "I can't lie Massimo I do feel it and it scares me." "This is not something I say to any women, normally I just have one night stands and I definitely don’t bring them here. You are the first women in my house.” Massimo told me.

I must say I was shocked with all the revelations he made and the revelation I made. Do I really think there is chemistry between us?

“Massimo that was a mouth full. Can we start with tonight’s events before we take on the other statements” I asked him

“As you wish Bella” but then he got quiet

“Should I ask questions or are you going to tell me”. I asked him

“I’ll tell you. As you know we have an Italian Restaurant that my parents run and I also have a night club a few streets away from NAVA”. He said.

“Okay so why wouldn’t I want to see you again?” I questioned him

“Bella that’s my legal businesses but I also have illegal businesses and there is where the Ricci family come in.” I just looked at him to give him time to go on but he was struggling with himself.

“I’m listening Massimo”. I said

“The only reason I’m telling you about the illegal side is because you are now in the Ricci’s radar, they didn’t buy the fact that you are just a friend.” He said

“But Massimo we are just friends” I said confused. "Bella we both admitted that there is chemistry between us so how long will we just be friends?"

“And I told you I don’t see you as just a friend and they saw that, the fact that I was in their club made it clear to them. The Ricci family is old family Mafia and I’m moving in on there territory and they are not happy so they are looking for weak points in my life.” He confessed.

“Are you part of the Mafia to”. I asked him

“Bella I don’t know how to answer that question.” He said

“It’s a yes or no answer Massimo”. I said

“No it’s not. My family was never part of any Mafia families but I am now doing things that will be called Mafia business and because I’m Italian and the Ricci’s are Italian they see me as competition and their rival.” He explained.

“So is the answer yes or no Massimo” I insisted

“If you want to put me in a box Rachel then I’ll say first generation Mafia., Yes” He said a bit irritated.

“Okay what is your illegal businesses?”

“I’d rather not say now Bella” he said

“Fine I can respect that Massimo, I just have one question for you regarding your type of illegal business.” I told him

“If I can answer Bella I will, ask away” he said

“Are you involved in human trafficking??????" I asked very scared of the answer.

Massimo

So far so good I thought, My Bella is taking things better than expected, but we’re not at the difficult part yet.

And then she shocked me with the question about human trafficking. They say thief’s/criminals don't have a conscious but I do.

“No Bella definitely not I would never, that’s a line I will not cross ever.” I reinsured her

“Okay good then I don’t need to know” she said. I was shocked with her answer, I thought she would prey into what I did and why but she didn’t and that made me like her even more.

“Now what is the bad news Massimo, everything sounded more intense then what you told me so far”. She inquired.

“Bella the thing is we need to keep you safe now, I would prefer if you move into the guest bedroom for now and to stop working at the Coffee shop” I told her very seriously

I didn’t expect what happened next, Bella just started laughing and loud and out of her stomach. I couldn’t believe she was laughing.

“ Bella why are you laughing this is not funny your safety is not funny, stop laughing” I almost shouted at her.

That made her stop immediately.

“Sorry Massimo, you’re serious?” she asked

“As a heart attack” I told her

“Sorry Massimmo I can’t and WILL MOST DEFNITILY NOT” she said in a raised voice.

“What do you mean you can’t or will not” I screamed at her and she flinched away from me.

“Sorry Bella I didn’t mean to scream, lets talk calmly. You make your case, why you can’t.” I said

“Massimo I just ran from my ex-husband from Cape Town to NEW YORK, I’m here for two weeks and you want me to move in with you.” She said

“What do you mean ran from your ex-husband?” I asked her but I was simmering inside with anger, why would she have to run from an ex?

“That’s beside the point Massimo the point is I’m in a new country for two weeks I have a new job because I need the money and now I need to hide again, we don’t even now if the Ricci family got a look at me and they don’t now who I am so why should I hide? I’m staying with my brothers friends so I’m not alone at their place.” She said

“These people have resources Bella they will find you and I’d rather be safe than sorry and you are alone at the coffee shop and on your way to the coffee shop, and I know you like to go to Central Park in the afternoon so you are alone a lot Bella” I pleaded with her.

“I’m not alone at the coffee shop Carl is there” she said.

“After tonight you can’t tell me Carl has your back. Where was Carl when that guy was forcing you to dance with him?”. I said disapprovingly

“Okay Massimo I’ll make a compromise and that is all I can do. I go on with my life as is and if I see something that is suspicious or feel uncomfortable with a customer or see someone that doesn’t fit or see someone at the apartment building that doesn’t fit there, I will tell you and then I will reconsider your offer.” She offered

“Bella this is New York City there is a lot of people that will look like they don’t fit or are suspicious”. I told her.

“If you still want to see me Massimo that’s my offer, I can’t hide again not if I don’t have to.” She pleaded

“Can I get one of my men to drive you and wait for you at the coffee shop?” I asked hopefully

“Like a bodyguard? No Massimo we can talk about that when we have to, but not now, please let me just enjoy my new found freedom. Hopefully the Ricci family will not come after me.” She said

“We’ll do it your way for now Bella but please please be vigilant”. I begged her

I’ll have to think of something to keep her safe without her knowing, I know the Ricci’s tactics much better than her and I will keep her safe by any means.

“Now what about your other statements Massimo?” she asked

“What other statements Bella?” I asked making her uncomfortable

She stood up took her wine and went to the arched shaped window. We’re she stood and looked at the city lights. I stayed on the couch because I could see she was uncomfortable so I’m leaving her to stand there and put some distance between us. But there was something that was bothering me and I had to know.

“Bella” I said in a soft voice “Why did you have to run from your ex-husband?”

“I’m tired Massimo I really don’t want to speak about him tonight.”

“But will you tell me sometime?” I asked her as I was walking to her

“If we’re going to see each other in more than friends capacity I will Yes.” She said

“I feel that we are already more than friends Bella, your in my home that is enough to tell me you are more than a friend to me.” I told her

She turned around and look into my eyes just staring at me, I took her wine glass from her and put it on the table. And went back to her, I was staring back at her.

I tilted her chin up and covered her face with my left hand while pulling her towards me with my right hand at her lower back, then I crushed my mouth to hers, devouring her lips as though I was starved. And I was, for Bella I was starved. She gasped opening her month to me and I touched my tongue to hers and kissed her like I was dying and she was kissing me back tracing her hand up the front of my t-shirt touching my stomach. All I wanted to do is pick her up and take her to my bed, her touch on my skin was making me crazy I wanted more.