The Boss & The Belle

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Nico excuses himself and Massimo leads me to the couch we sat on the other morning and as he sits, I sit next to him. He laces his fingers with mine as I lay my head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of my head and I squeeze his hand a little. He tilts my chin up and sees the worry in my eyes. "Talk to me baby girl." He says softly and I just shake my head. "I'm okay." I say and he shakes his head. He nudges me to sit up and cups my face. "I want us to be able to talk about things. Do not be afraid to tell me things." He says softly before kissing my forehead. "Massimo, you can have any woman you want. I don't want you to be with me when I can't give you what you need." I tell him. "What exactly do you think I need?" He asks softly. "I know who you are. You are always surrounded by beautiful women ready and willing to fill your bed even if it's just for the night. I can't give you that right now. We can still spend time together if you want but I want you to still be free to be with whoever you want." I tell him but won't look at him. He tilts my chin up and makes me look at him. Looking into my eyes, he says "You are the only one I want in my bed. You are the only one I see and you already are everything I want. The rest will come whenever you are ready." He says. Cupping my face with both hands he says "There will be no one but you. Even long after we are married. Do you understand me baby girl?" He asks. I nod my head slightly and he whispers "Can I kiss you?" Looking into his eyes I whisper "Yes." He smiles softly and his lips softly press against mine. I feel his tongue graze my lips asking for entrance and I grant it. He deepens the kiss just a little and when we separate I whisper "I don't want you to regret this." He kisses me one more time and says "Never Antonia."

Massimo and I sit on the couch for a little longer and just enjoy the silence when Nico comes out. "Mas, we have to head out." he says before walking over and kissing the top of my head. "Are you okay?" he asks. I tilt my head back to look at him and say "I will be." and he smiles softly. Massimo stands up and I stand with him. He kisses me softly and says "We will be back soon." I nod and say "Please be careful. Both of you." and they both nod. Massimo kisses me one more time and they head out.

A little later, I am in my room, sitting against the headboard, reading when my phone rings. I pick it up and say "Hello?" as I answer. "Antonia." I hear my father's voice say. "Daddy." I say softly, afraid of what he's going to say. "I just spoke to your mother. You're in Italy?" he asks. "Yes." I say simply. "Where are you staying?" he asks. "With Nico." I tell him. "Isn't he living with his boss?" he asks. "Yes Daddy." I say and I feel so small. "Tell me the truth. Were you really raped or are you really that much of a whore? Are you sleeping with his boss too?" he asks. "Daddy,don't do this. Please." I say softly. "You're living with a man you don't know. Are you going to accuse him of rape too?" he asks. I don't answer. I just hang up the phone and sob.

A couple of hours later, I've stopped crying and I am leaning against the balcony wall, looking out at the ocean just thinking. I'm in my own little world when I feel arms wrap around me and I just snuggle back into him. "Hello baby girl." he says. I turn to face him and snuggle into him more but don't say anything and don't look up at him. He tilts my chin up and sees my eyes are red. "Why were you crying?" he asks. "I shake my head and say "It's not important." before I pull away and move to the bed and sit against the beadboard. Massimo moves to sit next to me and pulls me between his legs and just holds me. "Talk to me sweetheart." he tells me. "It's fine Massimo. I just want to sit here with you. Please?" I ask. All of a sudden, Nico is at my door and says "I think I can answer that for you Mas." I look up at him and he's holding his phone in his hand. "I just spoke to your mother. Your father called you. Do you want to tell Mas what he said? Or should I?" Nico asks and I shake my head no. "Then let me." Nico says as he walks into the room and I can tell he's pissed. "He called Toni asking where she was staying and when she said here, he started asking her if she was sleeping with you too and if she was even really raped. Started asking her if she was going to accuse you of it too. Calling her a whore." Nico says and I move away from Massimo and off the bed. "It doesn't matter what he says." I say. "Yes it does." Massimo says. "No Massimo. It doesn't. I've spent my entire life trying to get his approval and nothing I did was ever good enough. It never will be." I tell them. Mas looks at Nico and he nods his agreement. Mas gets off the bed and walks over to me. "Baby girl, the only person who's approval you need is your own. No one else's opinion matters." he tells me and I look into his eyes and see nothing but honestly. "What about your opinion?" I ask. "I think you are the single most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. And I think someday, we will make some even more beautiful babies." I reach up and place my hand on his cheek and whisper "Thank you." We hear Nico clear his throat and he says "You need to call your mother." I nod. I look at Mas and ask "Would you like to meet my mom?" He kisses me softly and says "I would love that.

I move back against the headboard and Mas sits on one side of me and Nico is on the other. I hit call on my facetime app and after a few seconds, my mom's face fills my screen. "Toni." she says relieved. "Hi mama." I say softly. "Are you okay?" she asks. "Yeah. I think so." I tell her. "I am so sorry about your dad sweetheart." she tells me. "That's not on you mom. I'm done with him. I'll never be good enough for him so why bother." I say. "Is Nico taking care of you?" she asks. "I move the phone a little so she can see him and I say "He is mama." She smiles and says "Hello Nico." He smiles and says "Hello zia." he says. I turn the phone back next to me and I say "I want you to meet someone." She smiles softly and I say "Mama, this is Massimo. Mas, this is my mom Maria. Mom, he's Nico's boss and his best friend." I tell her. "Thank you Massimo for letting my daughter stay there." she says. "It's my pleasure. She's welcome here as long as she wants and you are welcome to come visit any time. Just let Nico or Antonia know so we can send the plane for you." he tells her. "That means a lot dear." she tells him. "We will let you and your mother speak." Mas tells me and I say "Thank you." He smiles softly before kissing me and saying "We will be on the patio baby girl." before him and Nico leave the room.

"Okay, what was that?" my mom asks and she's smiling. "Him and Nico both have been staying close." I tell her. "I can see that." she tells me, smirking. "Massimo asked me to give him a year to convince me that daddy wasn't right. He wants to show me that he wants me." I tell her. "That's good baby." she says. "But there's a catch." I tell her. "What's that?" she asks. "He told me that in a year, if I'm still not convinced that he wants me, that I can pick anywhere in the world and he would pay to set me up." I tell her. "Okay. What if he does?" she asks. "Then you and I have a wedding to plan and we start working on a family." I tell her. "That's great baby. And he's very nice looking." she tells me and I start laughing. "That he is. And he's been so sweet and affectionate. Let's me have my space when I need it but is always in arms reach when I need him." I tell her. "That's great. But why is he giving you a year?" she asks. "He said that he didn't want to take what happened to me lightly and didn't want me to feel pressured. Wants to take things at my pace." I tell her. "Good." she tells me. "Am I horrible for thinking about him that way though?" I ask. "What way?" she asks. I've always been able to tell my mom anything. "About what it would be like to be intimate with him? I mean, we kiss and he holds me but what if I decide to try to be with him like that and I freak out?" I ask. "Honey, if he's doing all the things that you say? He's going to be patient and understanding if that happens. But take things at your pace." she tells me. "I will mama." I tell her. "Well, go be with your man honey and call me when you can." she tells me. "I will mama. Love you." I tell her. "Love you too." she says before we end the call.

I walk out to the patio and see both men standing by the table talking. I clear my throat to let them know I am there and as soon as Massimo looks at me, he smiles softly before walking over to me and pulling me into his arms. He looks down at me and kisses me softly. "Are you okay?" he asks. "I'm getting there." He smiles and I snuggle into his chest and look at my cousin and he's smiling. I pull away from Mas and walk over to Nico and hug him. When I do, I whisper "If he does marry me, you gotta give me away." and I pull away. He looks at me and smiles wide before saying "Absolutely." I walk back over to Mas and he asks "What was that?" I shake my head and say "Secret between cousins." before smiling softly up at him and he kisses me one more time.