𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐄𝐃 | 𝟏𝟖+

sixty-nine; nostalgia

A T H E N A

"You don't need to worry about making me crazy, cause I'm way past that, yeah. And so just call me, if you want me. Cause you got me."

. . .

I rake my hand through Vincenzo's dark hair as he rests his head on my stomach, a permanent frown on his face.

"You knew?" he asks. I sigh, looking up at the ceiling. "Yeah," I confess, "she came to me, not knowing what to do."

"Why did she feel like she couldn't talk to me?" he asks, hurt detectable in his voice.

"Because she knew how you were going to react. She was going to tell you, we all didn't want that you'd find out like this," I explain.

"Was it obvious? That they were sleeping together?" he then continues to ask. "Pretty much," I chuckle, "their attraction towards each other was written across their faces. It's funny how you never noticed."

"Don't call me dumb," he grumbles, turning his head and planting a delicate kiss on my stomach.

"I never did," I defend myself.

"Did he break her heart?"

He tightens his hand on my side, holding in his anger. "Yes," I answer.

"What has he done?"

"He was still with Carla when they slept together," I inform him, causing him to look up at me, a frown plastered on his forehead.

He's sitting in his chair, while I'm standing in front of him. He pulled me closer to him as soon as I was within his reach.

We've been sitting here for an hour. Vincenzo was mainly quiet, letting the situation sink in. Every time I tried to soothe him, he'd shake his head.

"They had an affair?"

I hold back a snort at all the questions he's asking.

"Yes, they did," I answer. He's still looking into my eyes. "Did she...?"

"Aurora was persuasive," I add. He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Can't believe we're talking about her sex life," he mutters.

"I can't fucking believe my lawyer slept with her," he grinds out, the anger taking over again.

"It's not like we were saints," I whisper. He shakes his head.

"I never wanted that for my daughter, dolcezza," he explains. "What if he only used her for her body? Made her fall in love with him while he just wanted to play around?"

"Vince..."

"No," he says with a shake of his head. "I only want the best for her. She's my firstborn. Whenever I look at her, I still remember how it felt like when I held her for the first time."

"I understand, but you got to learn that she's growing up, into a woman," I tell him.

"Yes, but she could've gone for a guy in his mid-twenties instead of a man twice her age," he grumbles. I let out a little laugh.

"Oh Vince, we can't choose who we fall in love with," I smile and lean down, kissing his lips.

"Otherwise I wouldn't be standing here," I joke, earning a slap on my ass.

"I'm still so fucking mad," he tells me. I lean away, looking into his dark eyes.

"I'll leave you to calm down, I'll go talk to Aurora," I say and kiss him one more time, before leaving his study and going up the stairs.