Nicco

Ch. 8: Fucking Chad

NICCO

It is nearly impossible to remain unaffected, to keep my breathing steady and even, to relax the muscles in my body, when Aria leans into me, hand on my chest, and coos, "I want a man who can fuck my brains out and bring me to my knees all the while making me feel as though my heart is the most precious goddamn thing he has ever..."

I want nothing more than to be that man: The lucky bastard who gets to fuck her brains out. Or that pretty, little mouth of hers. And, Dio, the image of my assistant on her knees, kneeling, in front of me while I am thrusting into her lush, moaning mouth turns my cock solid and thick in no time at all.

Within the same second, however, my assistant becomes distracted by someone. She pushes away from me and disappears from my side all too abruptly. My face falls. I am left to wallow on my own with the bluest of balls.

Apparently, Manning has been sighted.

Despite the discomfort between my legs, I have no choice but to follow her. She is a bit drunk. This much I know. I worry that Aria might say something in front of Manning that she will regret tomorrow.

As we approach the old bastard, the nasty look Manning reserves for Aria does not escape my notice. His sour expression, however, does a full one-eighty the moment he sees me.

That is the power of being a Vitale.

The old fucker knows who I am. Manning knows my father as well, and he is too ambitious to bite the hand that feeds. With a smile that does not quite reach my eyes, I make short work of Manning while Aria stands beside us.

I let Manning know that I was the one who fucked up our meeting. Not Aria. I make him apologize to her. On the surface, Manning submits to my will, but resentment burns in his eyes. Clearly, his ego has been wounded. I know I have made an enemy of Manning tonight, but I do not care. Fuck him for fucking with Aria.

This slight setback with Manning is worth it because, soon after, Aria turns to me with her soft gray eyes and murmurs, "Thank you, Nicco, for standing up for me."

My breath hitches at the adoring way she is gazing at me. "I—"

A ring begins to trill from my phone. I glance at the screen. It is Monte, my father's right-hand man. Monte and I do not share blood, but the man was my bodyguard when I was a boy. In this way, he is famiglia, too, and I never ignore famiglia. No matter how shitty their timing may be. With a curse, I answer the call.

When I finally end my conversation with Monte, Aria has wandered away from me again. I hurry after my assistant, but Barbara from the legal team ambushes me before I can reach her. Barbara is blonde, brown-eyed, and in her late thirties. She is rather attractive, and she knows it.

"Nicco," she drawls with a flirty smile, "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. What a treat."

The woman is simpering at me as though she cannot decide whether my cock or my bank account would be more desirable to her.

"Hello, Barbara," I sigh.

Barbara tries her best to carry the conversation, but my attention is elsewhere. My eyes keep scanning the crowd for my assistant. Alarm rises in me when I finally locate Aria. She is chatting up a tanned, blonde fucker by the bar. It looks like he is about to buy her a drink.

Not on my watch.

I flash Barbara a tight smile and excuse myself. Irritation pricks me as I head toward Aria.

What is up with these bastards circling around my assistant like hungry sharks tonight?

First, it was Stephan from Mergers and Acquisitions. Then, it was that bearded asshole with pretentious glasses. Now, this goddamn Ken doll is trying to shoot his shot.