Nobody's Damsel (18+)

Chapter 5: Zenone

Cazzo!

Why the fuck did I just say that? I slammed the palm of my hand against the steering wheel trying to take my frustration out on it. I leaned my head back against the leather headrest before pushing my hair back frustratedly. What was going on with me?

I had just given her all the ammo to be able to take me out with one single bullet.

I had just told her I cared about her. I mean, of course I did but she didn't need to know that. Fuck, nobody needed to know about the care I had embedded so deep for the woman I left behind in fostercare all those years ago. The woman that never left my mind even a decade on, the woman I always wondered about, and the woman of my fucking dreams. She was my weakness, always has been, always fucking will be.

But I wasn't her Zen anymore, I was Zenone fucking Valenti. I was one of the most feared members of Giovanucci's mafia even before I became his underboss, I was known for the merciless persona and reputation I wore and not even the strongest men twice the size of me could take me down. Yet this woman, no taller than 5'4 with brownish-blonde curly locks and honey brown coloured eyes could strike me down with just one look.

I couldn't afford to have this beautiful siren weaken my strength and my Cosa Nostra ideals. I had spent years burying these feelings so deep but as soon as I saw that woman on that stage, I felt my heart pound in my chest. Even the idea of it being her had me hard as rock, just the idea of having Maya back in my life and underneath me was enough.

She was already fucking with my head and she didn't even know it. She wanted a one-time thing and usually, I would be completely elated by her confession but this was Maya Dixon. She wasn't just any other woman with a great pair of boobs and 2-pairs of lips to pound into, no. Maya Dixon was a once in a fucking lifetime type of woman and I can't lie and say her reaction to us fucking didn't annoy the hell out of me. Fuck, I was in deep and only after 2 days.

Knowing I was pushing myself into an even deeper hole, I turned to my left to watch her walk inside. She swayed her hips so naturally as she walked up her walkway, every so often I saw her still and shift as if she wanted to turn over her shoulder and give me one last glance. And damn if I didn't want her to. What the fuck was happening to me?

Finally, as she put the key into the door and swung it open I saw her discreetly look back at me with a small smile, but I couldn't look her straight in her eyes. I watched through my periphery as she closed the door behind her. Feeling my emotions take over me I pounded the steering wheel once again before pushing my hands through my hair and finally speeding off into the night. I knew that if I had stayed there any longer I would have gotten out of the car.

But fuck, I shouldn't have been here, I shouldn't have even picked her up and dropped her home. What was I thinking? She could easily have information on Romero's wife and I could be protecting her, if that was the case I was next on Romero's death list straight after Gio's torture list. I could be betraying Cosa Nostra and that should have been my first thought but it fucking wasn't.

It was her.

When I sat in that meeting with the rest of the administration of the five families, I watched the furious crimson colour fill Romero's eyes as he destroyed everything in his path. My first thought should have been to talk to all of my associates and get some intel but no, my first thought went to her.

Gio and the rest of the Dons assured Romero that we would help as much as we could in his search but Romero didn't trust anyone just yet and no-one could blame him for that. Only the most trusted administration members and Don's were informed and promised a code of silence until Romero's say so.