Protecting The Principessa (Complete)

~ Chapter 37 ~

Izzy just watched him for a moment, debating on letting it go, or commenting on how much of a bullshitter he was. In the end, she thought it was best just to let it slide. Besides, her fucking face was throbbing and all she wanted to do was go home and nurse it. Not that she could because she was closing tonight and still had four hours left on her shift. She was about to turn when Adriano caught her arm and swung her back, his free hand lifting her face so he could look at the damage.

"What?" she asked him, waving his hand away. She wasn't sure, at this given moment, if she wanted him fawning over her or not. She had a lot of questions given that encounter, but she knew he wouldn't answer so she'd be left to sit and spew in her own thoughts.

"I'm checking to see how bad she got you. I thought for sure you'd throw her ass down." She cocked a brow at him as she stepped out of his hand.

"Well, if it wasn't for the fact that I'd probably be fired because I did that, I would have." He chuckled and she shook her head.

"You got more balls than I thought you did. Come on, let me take you home to ice that."

"No, I got to close tonight and there's still a lot to do. I can't leave the crew alone just because some damn cagna (bitch) thought it was okay to hit me."

"Give me 15 minutes, and you better be ready to leave." With that, Adriano left, and Izzy stared after him. He couldn't just force her to leave, even if she wanted to. She had a job and even though he got it for her, she took it seriously. Besides, it wasn't like she needed her boss on her ass any more than he was. With a grunt to herself, she went back behind the bar, waiting on the next few customers.

After another ten more minutes, she looked up, frowning at the scowl on Adriano's face. She put the rag down and crossed her arms, staring at the man much as he was staring at her. Though she wasn't sure what she was expecting out of him, his laugh was the last thing on that list. With a shake of his head, he held his hand out to her and motioned for her to come around the bar. Her brows wrinkled in confusion at him.

"I told you we were leaving," he told her.

"I can't go just because you deem it so, Adriano, this is my job."

"So it is but giving someone a special bonus for the night is allowing me to cover your job while I take you home. I need to take care of that bump before it gets worse, and your dad has my hide. So far, he's been pretty fair, and I really don't want to tempt fate." With a sigh, Izzy grabbed her purse and followed him out to his car.

"You're going to piss your manager off even more by this, you know?" Adriano glanced around, checking out the scene before helping her in the car. Usually, she was antsier about him hurrying up and getting in so they could leave, but tonight, she was okay with the extra time to check things out. She was crazy to question things before, but after being shot at and a run with her dear sister, she was over shit and was grateful to have someone really watching out for her, even if she hated it.

"My manager, my business, so don't worry about it." She watched him as he started up the car and drove off the lot. She wasn't sure where things were headed with Adriano or if they were headed anywhere. She didn't mind that he kept some shit to himself, everyone did. But it seemed that a lot more was being kept than she liked, and she wasn't sure she could actually tolerate that. It spoke volumes if he could trust her, and not give her the lame line of she just didn't need to know. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," she muttered, turning her head to look out the window. Two could play that game; if he didn't want to share, he didn't have to, but then she wouldn't either and he sure couldn't fucking blame her. Just about every time they've gone home, the ride was smooth, with no issues, but tonight, it felt like the longest damn drive she had ever taken, and they hit every green light, so it wasn't like it took less time. And the moment the car was in parked in his garage, she flung the door open and flew out, heading straight to her room.

-----

Ignazia curled up on her side as her eyes stayed glued to the wall, her thoughts spinning. Adriano didn't let her get far into her room before he followed and escorted her to the bathroom to take care of the bruise. And throughout the whole process, not a word was said. If he got the hint she was upset, he was more astute than she gave him credit for. Not that it would take a genius to figure it out; she barely let him touch her at times.

She knew she shouldn't be mad at him, that his reasons for not telling her had something to do with her dad. But even as she thought that she couldn't help but get a little more pissed off over it. It wasn't his fucking job to interfere with her life, screw what Adriano said. So, maybe it was high time she went down and talked to her dad, letting him know that he could just back the fuck out of her life.

"Are you going to go on sighing and ignoring me?" She turned her head briefly and glanced at the man who stood in the doorway.

"I'm not sighing."

"Like hell you aren't. I've heard it 15 times in the last ten minutes. What are you thinking about?"

"Don't ask because you won't like the answer," she grumbled, turning back around to stare at the wall. She felt the bed shift and glanced over her should at him. "What?"

"Dimmi (tell me)," he whispered, running his hand through her hair.

"Tell you," she said, rolling over and sitting up, "tell you what when you won't tell me anything."

"There's nothing to tell, Ignazia. Look, I know Sara said a lot of shit, and she had no right coming to the bar to even start anything, let alone lay a hand on you, but that's all it was, talking shit and causing drama."

"Funny that you say that because I know there was a contract between you two for whatever reason. I'm not dumb enough to assume my dad wouldn't do it, though he has no right to run my life like a chessboard. So, since you won't talk to me, I'm going to talk to him, tell him to back off, or that I'll leave." She watched as Adriano sat up as well, his jaw clenched tightly.

"You will not, Ignazia."

"Uh, you can't tell me not to talk to my dad about my life." Adriano sighed and then ran his hand over his face.

"Look, the world you grew up in, away from this mafia world, it's not the same. I know you think you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, but that's not the case in this world. Regardless if you like it or not, your dad controls what you do, where you go, hell even who you hang with it. It's his right as a father and his right as a Don. I'm trying very hard for you to understand that, but you keep fighting it." Izzy flew out of the bed and planted her hands on her hips, her eyes blazing with anger.

"I don't know what you fucking think or what backward world you live in, but I am an adult and I make my own God damn rules and there's not a fucking thing you can do..." She broke off as his hands cupped her cheeks, his lips smashing into hers. Any thoughts she had faded on the onslaught of his kiss. Her hands rested on his hips, holding on tightly as his tongue snaked out and found hers, making the kiss deeper. She moaned against his mouth, her body betraying her by pressing against his, but she didn't care. He drug that kiss out of her and she willingly let him.

Sara claimed Izzy stole Adriano, but with kisses like this, she was finding that hard to believe because she was almost certain that Adriano was into her. Sure, he claimed he wanted to try dating, but no one could kiss her like this, make her mind go blank, press into her like this, and not mean it. In fact, his body was hard against hers as it shoved her into the wall, not that she minded, of course. Finally, he broke apart, his breathing just as heavy, his thumbs brushing along her cheeks.

"I rather enjoy kissing you, you stir something inside me." Yup, he stirred something inside her too.

"Guess we're even," she whispered. He smirked and captured her lips once more, this time it wasn't nearly as bruising but still just as powerful. Her hands ran up his back, holding him against her. She was getting lost in his kisses, in his body, and she wasn't certain if that was a good thing or not. As he pulled back, he smiled, and again, she found it odd how much she liked the look on him.

"You won't see your dad tomorrow; I won't let you talk to him." She blinked a couple of times, her brain trying to come up to speed on what she was hearing, but before she could utter one word, he was gone, and the door closed behind him.