Chapter 23

Courtney

I slid out from under Alec’s arms and quietly stepped to the door and opened it slowly. I didn’t want to wake him because he had a rough one yesterday. He told me how he had a sister and that Sergei was supposedly his brother.
The house was quiet as I wandered down to the kitchen. This house is hardly ever quiet when everyone is awake. There’s never a dull moment in the Lucchese estate, especially with the Caterina and Lucien drama.
I filled the coffee pot with water and poured it in the back of the maker. Taking out a filter, I placed it in the top of the pot and filled it with coffee grounds. I pressed the button and it began to brew.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Giovanni informed me rubbing his eyes. “I have people that I pay to do that.”
I shrugged my shoulders as I grabbed a coffee cup and poured the coffee. I took a spoon and added the sugar and a little bit of French vanilla creamer.
“Couldn’t sleep.” I sipped as I took my phone out to check my messages. Giovanni furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes. “Nightmares again?”
I haven’t had any more nightmares since I’d become more serious with Alec and sleeping in his bed every night. “No. I haven’t had a nightmare for a while. I just got a lot of things on my mind.”
I finished my coffee and stood up to put it in the sink, but Gio pushed me back in the chair. “Leave it. Someone will clean it up.” He’s being weird today. “I wanted to talk to you.”
This piqued my interest in what it was.
“I need you to work tonight. I’m having a meeting in the VIP lounge with Nikolai.” He paused looking at his phone. “You can ride with me.”
Is he having a meeting with just him and Nikolai or will Alec and Lucien be there?
I felt a pair of lips kiss my neck and whisper against my skin. “There you are.”
He’s recently been showing more affection in front of everyone. He barely lets me out of his sight since that night we had dinner with the Russians.
“Alec. I’m meeting with Nikolai tonight and I need Courtney to serve us drinks.”
Alec silently growled in my ear.
“I need you to come with me, Alec. Lucien and the princess have some things to discuss.”
Alec sighed and sat next to me pulling me on his lap. “I thought he was coming here.”
Giovanni shook his head looking up to the ceiling. “No. I have some concerns to voice to him.”
Alec had his arms around my waist and let out a sharp breath. “Ok. What time do I need to bring her to the club?”
“I want you and her to ride with me. It’s easier this way. Besides, if you drive I know you’ll probably be late.” I knew he was right.
Alec would probably want to take a detour and fuck me. “Meet me at the car at seven.”
Alec's concerned look and complete silence make me wonder what’s going on inside that brain of his. If he wants to talk about it, he will. That’s one thing I’ve learned about him. He doesn’t like to be pushed into talking if he doesn’t want anyone to know.
I put my hands on the table to get up, but he holds me in place. “Where do you think you’re going?” His hands cover my mine and I can feel something poking through his pants. “I need to go talk to Caterina.”
“Fine. I’ve got to go talk to Lucien for Giovanni.”
I stand at her door knocking and she cracks the door open and steps to the side. “I need to tell you something.” She locks the door and looks like she’s struggling with herself. “Before I knew you, I did something bad.”
She takes a deep breath and I wait to hear what this bad thing is. “I slept with…Lucien one night when I was drunk.”
“When was this?” I pushed her to tell me more.
“It was on my seventeenth birthday. We were at a party and I snuck out of his room the next morning.” She was breathing hard and her eyes welled up with fresh tears. “This was four years ago.”
“So why did you freak out so bad when you saw his you know what?” If she’s already seen it, then why freak out.
“I don’t know the answer to that. I just did and the bad part is that when I saw him like that I wanted to fuck him again.” She sunk down on her knees with hot tears running down her face. “I ran because I was scared that if I did that with him, I’d ruin it with him.”
I covered my mouth with my right hand. “Oh my god!”
She was full-on crying right now. “I was a virgin.”
This just keeps getting better and better.
“So how come you guys never dated?” I pushed her more.
“Because father would kill him.”
“No, he wouldn’t.”
She shook her head vigorously and looked around the room. “He would.”
I kneeled down level to her and hugged her. “You’re in love with him.” It was meant to be a question but came out as a statement.
“Yes.” She croaked out in a whisper.
All this sexual tension between those two makes sense now. They were both in love with each other but were so afraid to lose one another.
I stood up and squeezed her shoulder. “I’ve got to go get ready for tonight.”
“What’s tonight?” She asked between hiccups.
“Alec and I are going to the club with your father. He’s got a meeting with the Russian boss.”
I wanted to stay with her and comfort my best friend, but I couldn’t because I had to go get ready so I could meet Giovanni and Alec.
I was trying to zip my dress, but couldn’t reach it. A hand covered mine and zipped it torturously slow. “I want you to know I don’t like this one bit.”
I sighed out and slipped on my heels and jacket when I turned around his lips met mine. His rough lips kissed me hard and fast thrusting his tongue in my mouth tasting me.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and threading his hair. He pulled back and pecked my lips one last time. “Let’s go. Giovanni is waiting.”
Alec kept his hand on my thigh the whole way there and Gio looked through the mirror. “We’re here. Let’s go.”
Nikolai Vasiliev sat at the table with Giovanni as Alec escorted me to the VIP lounge. They looked like they were having a deep conversation as we made our way to them. I grabbed the bottle of Vodka as Alec took a seat next to Giovanni.
I went to fill Nikolai’s glass when his hand wrapped around my wrist. His gaze burned into my eyes. “No. Give me whiskey.”
I nodded and bowed my head respectfully and picked up the other bottle. I poured the liquid in the glass leaning over the table pouring Gio and Alec as well. I wasn’t here as Alec’s girl, I was here as a favor to Giovanni. Alec was just here to accompany Caterina’s father.
Nikolai slid the extra glass in front of me and poured a shot of whiskey. “Sit. Take a break.” I lifted my face and glanced at Gio to see what I needed to do. He nodded his head for me to sit. I picked up the glass swallowing the contents.
I looked between the two older men confused. “I thought this was some kind of mafia meeting.”
Giovanni shook his head and chuckled.
"Giovanni?”
“Sweetheart. This isn’t a meeting. This is a celebration for our alliance with Nikolai Vasiliev.” He paused. “Also I knew that my daughter and Lucien have some things to work out.”
I glanced at Alec and his eyes danced with amusement at his revelation. Gio was setting up Lucien and Caterina and they didn't even know it. I just hope the place is in one piece when we get back.
The ride back home was quiet and my mind wandered back to what Caterina told me. She and Lucien have had sex before.
What if we get back and they aren’t fighting?
What if they are doing the complete opposite?
As we pulled up to the estate, all the lights shine brightly through the windows. We step out of the car and walk up to the door and step inside. The sight in front of us makes us wish we had stayed at the club longer.