In The Name Of Thy Father ~ A Borgia AU

Chapter Thirteen

Over the past few days Paolo and Lucrezia spent the afternoons together after Paolo had gotten his fishing done for the day. The first day Cesare sat up on the deck of the beach house and watched them. He saw the way the so called innocent boy fawned over his sister and the way his sister mildly flirted back. After the first twenty minutes he needed a cold beer. After an hour he wanted something stronger. Much stronger. Finally Cesare could not take it anymore and had Micheletto watch over her. He on the other hand found ways to deal with his anger.

In the gym the music was blaring as Cesare hung from an overhead bar as he did pull ups. He wore a pair of loose sweats that hung from his trim hips as his upper body was bare and shone with a fine sheen of sweat. His hair was sweaty and stuck up in all directions. With each beat of the song, he lifted himself as the muscles rippled in his biceps. Everyday he had come to the day he had come to the gym and while he worked out, he forgot about everything.

Cesare let go of the bar and grabbed a water bottle. He uncapped it as he poured water in his mouth and some water droplets ended up on his chest. He wiped the sweat out of his eyes with the towel he picked up. He threw down the towel and walked over to the free weights. He picked up two twenty pound dumbbells and began some bicep curls. Just then Micheletto walked in. "Hey Mikey, what are you doing in here? I told you to watch Lucrezia and boat boy?"

With a steady walk, Micheletto walked over and leaned against the wall. "I did as you asked. Just like yesterday and the day before. Just like this whole week. Miss Borgia is in her room. She wanted a shower and a nap."

Nodding, Cesare brought the dumbbells up to his chest. "Thank you."

"You know Sir it's alright to admit that you don't like the kid." Micheletto murmured as he picked up a free weight and examined it before putting it down.

"I never said I don't like him." Cesare scoffed as he continued the upper body exercises.

With one eyebrow arched, Micheletto gave him a look that clearly said that Cesare never needed to say the words. His actions spoke volumes when it came to Paolo. Micheletto knew his boss better than anyone, well perhaps anyone not named Borgia.

"What? It's not that I don't like him. It's just that...he gets on my nerves." Cesare protested. "That damn kid shows up without invitation and then gets in good with my sister. Who the hell does he think he is? He could be a Sforza spy!"

"I doubt he's a spy Sir. I investigated him back in the village. He IS an orphan. He rents his boat and fishes every morning. There isn't much to him." Micheletto reported. "I think he is just a poor boy who is infatuated with your sister."

A low growling noise came from Cesare as he dropped the dumbbells in their holder. He grabbed some tape off the shelf and began to tape his hands. "He can get unfatuated real damn quick." He walked over to the punching bag. "This little fairy tale can only last so long."

Watching his boss beat on the punching bag Micheletto could see jealousy rolling off Cesare in waves. But really did he have to be jealous of? Lucrezia would always love her brother. It was true that someday she would marry but he had a feeling that it would kill both Cesare and Lucrezia. They were as close as two people could ever get. Yet for some reason Micheletto did not find anything wrong with that. In the crazy world Cesare lived in at least he had someone he could cling to and tell his secrets to.

"I will continue to watch your sister while she's with Paolo." Micheletto volunteered.

"Thank you Mikey." Cesare kept beating on the bag, landing one punch after another. "This family would be nothing without you."

Micheletto simply nodded as he turned to walk out the door.

Cesare kept punching the bag as he thought of what Micheletto said. He was not going to admit it but he did not like Paolo. Lucrezia deserved the world and Cesare wanted to give it to her. Deep down he was a little jealous of the damn kid. He wanted to be the one who received Lucrezia's smiles or be the one who caused her eyes to sparkle. Damn what where these feelings? Why were they there? His sister was the most beautiful woman in the world and no man deserved her. He had to protect her from everyone...including himself.