Impossible Odds

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make him my enemy, but unfortunately, my hands were tied. “I’m not sure what I can do to assure you of her safety aside from giving her the phone and letting her tell you herself.” I reached out with the phone, handing it to Giada. “Matteo, this is absurd. I’m absolutely fine.” She tilted her chin up, imperious and commanding. “It’s too late, we’re already in the air. Tell my father and Uncle Enzo to stop worrying … I know exactly what I’m doing … If I need help, I’ll be sure to let you know, but it’s time for all of you to let me live my life as I see fit. Goodbye, Matteo.” She hung up and handed the phone back with her lips pursed haughtily. I couldn’t hear what De Luca had said, but her stubborn determination was evident. She wouldn’t let God himself push her around. She would make my life infinitely more difficult, yet I couldn’t help myself. Docile, malleable women were great for a quick f**k, but there was no interest there. Giada was different. A natural-born queen and she didn’t even know it. I took the phone and dropped it into a cupholder before crossing the aisle to taste the righteous fury on her lips. However, the plane took a sudden dip, sending me lunging forward. I caught myself on the armrests of her chair, our faces just inches apart, her cinnamon-laced breaths making me even more ravenous. Giada giggled, and I shook my head. Then the plane took another jarring lurch, and the pilot came over the speakers informing us of the high probability for a turbulent flight. If I didn’t want to risk injuring one or both of us, I’d have to pull back the reins on my hunger. I grunted my frustration and eased backward into my seat, refastening my seat belt. “They say anticipation of pleasure is pleasure in itself.” Her voice was a seductive caress, teasing my already frayed nerves. “They have never had this kind of temptation sat before them.” My eyes grew hooded, traveling a sensual path down her body. I took in each succulent curve and valley, watching as her pert n*****s pressed fiercely against the confines of her bra, and the pulse point at her neck fluttered with exertion. By the time my eyes finished their erotic journey, Giada’s lips were parted, and her pupils dilated. Mission accomplished. The flight home would be a long one, and it was only fair we suffered together. OceanofPDF.com Chapter 13 Giada Primo’s lust was a tactile force, ghosting feather-lite touches over my skin and sending sensual vibrations directly to the center of my belly. His desire for me was more of a turn-on than porn could ever hope to be. If I was going to keep from going insane, I would need to distract us both. “Tell me more about how you know Matteo.” “As you may know, his family runs the waste management industry in the city. The large number of trucks they run requires a substantial amount of auto parts and tires throughout the year, which he acquires through a contract with my boss’s company. Two years ago, I accompanied the president of our auto parts organization to a meeting to negotiate a new annual contract. The Chinese Triad somehow found out about our meeting and decided they wanted to make a play for the business. They followed my associate and me to the meet location and caught us off guard—one of my greatest failures and a lesson I took very seriously. They killed the man I was with and had me at a disadvantage when De Luca showed up. It was luck that he arrived early, but he was under no obligation to help me. Many others would have walked away and left me to my fate. Despite having no weapon on him, De Luca entered the fray, and together, we were able to fight them off. I wouldn’t have walked away alive that day if it hadn’t been for him.” I was stunned to hear the two had such an involved past. What were the chances that I’d pick out and hit on someone Matteo knew while I was in Vegas? Not just someone he knew, but someone who had owed him a life debt. The odds were astronomical. Impossible. “So, when we needed to find Sal and discovered he was down in Vegas, Matteo went to you for help?” “Yes, and I was happy to repay him.” “He must respect you a good deal. Finding Sal was a high priority to the men in my family. He wouldn’t have trusted just anyone with something so important.”

He shrugged. “Since dealing with the Chinese, we developed a mutual respect for one another.” “But apparently not enough respect to convince my family that you’re not a danger. It’s just absurd.” I shook my head. “They’re only looking out for you. I can’t blame them for that.” I appreciated that Primo didn’t begrudge my family for their prejudice against him, but it still bothered me. I wanted my family to see him as I did. Of course, there was still the small issue of his possible involvement in human trafficking. I desperately wanted to ask him about it, but it was too sensitive a topic for the moment. Maybe once we weren’t stuck in the confines of a tiny airplane and had spent a tad more time together, I would feel capable of raising such a delicate subject. “What about your family?” I asked, redirecting the focus of our conversation. “I’d love to hear more about you.” “There’s not much to tell. I never knew my father, and my mother was killed when I was young.” His eyes dropped to his hand as it swept away invisible lint from his lap. I got the sense he was uncomfortable with the subject, which was somewhat surprising considering how stoic he was and that the loss occurred some time ago. “I’m sorry to hear that. My mother and I don’t get along great, but losing her would be horrible.” “It was a long time ago. My boss, Nazario, took me in off the streets and practically raised me. He made me finish school and taught me discipline. I owe him my life.” “He sounds like quite the man. I look forward to meeting him,” I smiled. Primo’s features hardened. “Don’t misunderstand me. Naz is no saint. He can be ruthless, and I’m not sure how he’ll react to you. He won’t hurt you, but he also may not be thrilled to see I’ve brought you back. Just be prepared.” Well, that was a little unsettling. I nodded. “We can’t help how our families react. I have no room to judge your boss—you saw how my family has behaved. My father’s never even met you, but he was willing to keep me under lock and key to make sure you couldn’t get to me.” He glanced out the window, lips thinning as if something I said agitated him. I had no clue what that could have been, but before I could dwell on it, he turned back and redirected the conversation.