Bare for you (French Mafia Romance)

Part 15

"How do you make yourself not like someone?"
- Louise Rennison
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Cash's POV

"Are you ready, Lexus?" I ask as I knock on her door.

She opens the door revealing herself, she looks beautiful as usual. She straightened her hair today, putting it in a high ponytail. Her red dress hugs her in all the right places without showing too much cleavage.

   "Is the outfit okay?" she asks.

"You look great, ma tigresse. More than great actually, you look perfect." I compliment.

   "Thank you. You look good yourself." she says as she put a jean jacket over herself. "I never got an answer to what ma tigresse means."

"Oh, it means my tiger. If you don't like that, I can go back to calling you my pussy–" I joke.

"No! No, it's fine." she quickly cuts me off.

I chuckle as I extend my hand out to her. She takes it without hesitation as I lead her down the stairs and into the new car. She compliments the new Range Rover while connecting the Bluetooth.

"What's your mom like?" she asks as she starts playing with her hair.

   "Don't be nervous."

"What makes you think I'm nervous?" she questions.

   "You mess with your hair when you're nervous. My mother is a sweet woman who cares deeply for her family. It seems Renee told her you are my girlfriend and she is hurt that I haven't introduced you to the family yet. She's excited to meet you."

"But Cash... what if she doesn't like me? If she asks what I do for a living, it's over. And what if–"

I stop at the red light, turn her head toward me, then kiss her. The kiss is light, nothing like our previous kisses. Nonetheless, she returns my kiss and strokes my cheek. I back away to check on the light. Still red.

   "This isn't like you, Lexus. It doesn't matter what she thinks of you." I reassure.

"Because I'm not really your girlfriend?" she sighs.

   "No, because you are great person in your eyes and in mine. It doesn't matter how they perceive you, as long as you stay true to yourself. Regardless, I'm sure my mother will love you. If anyone should be nervous, it's me. This is the first time I'm bringing a woman to the their home."

"Thanks Cash, I needed that. You're absolutely right."

   "In front of my parents call me my real name, okay?"

"Which is?"

   "My real name is Julien." I tell her.

"Julien, huh?"

  "Yes. It's the first time telling a woman my real name, rather than my nickname, since high school. I guess I'm doing a lot of firsts with you."

"Same. I never fucked a customer from my job before nor slept at another man's house."

   "That's good to hear." I say aloud.

The rest of the ride is filled with her mix of hip hop and pop music. After 20 minutes, we arrive at my parent's home. When we exit, we are immediately greeted by 3 guards. They offer us a nod as we make our way inside.

"Maman, je suis là! Où es-t?" I call.
Mom, I'm here. Where are you?

My mom rushes out the kitchen to greet us at the door. Her long brown hair is up in a bun and her makeup is done lightly. My sister really is her spitting image.

"Julien!" she squeals as she hugs me tight, swaying back and forth. "Let me look at you."

She looks me up and down before hugging me again. It couldn't have been more than a month that I've seen her last. Her reaction to me is very over the top.

"Tu ressembles à ton père!" she says. She looks at Lexus and apologizes. "Sorry, I was telling him he looks just like his father. I'm Louise Michel, Julien's mother."

Lexus takes her extended hand and introduces herself.

"It's nice to meet you, Louise. My name is Lexus Cirillo." she says.

"Ah, Cirillo. Are you Italian?"

"I'm not too sure. I never actually met my father to know his nationality."

"Sorry to hear that. Please, come in and eat. We have lots to talk about."

My mother practically attaches herself to Lexus to guide her to the dining room. Renee is already sitting down at the table on her phone. She offers me a wave and I nod in response.

My father appears from the kitchen and my mom eagerly bring Lexus to him. I feel my heart start to pick up its pace. My father's reaction to bringing someone outside the organization to his home is where I worry.

"Lexus this is my husband, Charles."

I can read Lexus's face easily, she's comparing my father's looks to mine. If Renee is my mother's spitting image than my father and I might as well be the same person but at a different age.

"It's nice to meet you, Charles." she extends her hand and he takes it.

"Likewise. The food is ready, please help yourself."

My father looks at me and gestures for me to meet him in his office. I rub Lexus's back before going to the living room.

"I'll make your plates." my mom says to us as we walk away.

In his office, he lets out a deep sigh before facing me.

"Does she know about the business?" he asks in French.

"Yes." I answer honestly. "She knows of it but not the details."

"You know what you need to do if things fail with her, correct?"

I'm very aware of the situation. He wants me to kill when this is over.

"Yes."

"Okay." he says before dropping it. "Are you okay after last night?"

"Yes, I am fine."

"Good." he responds. "We killed about 5 more this morning but lost 2 of our own."

"Are the Italians joining us?"

"We are discussing terms. If they do, it will cost us a lot."

"I see. I can gather the money whenever you need."

"Good. Let's go eat." he says as he pats my shoulder then exits the office.

I look at Lexus through the open door. I know I won't be able to kill her after this war is over. However, if we are no longer together and he finds out she's still living, he will kill her himself. The thought of him killing her fills me with rage and despair. I refuse to let that happen. After this war is over, I'll give her enough money to buy a home in California with her sister and start a new life there.

But even then... that plan fills me with sadness.

Putain... qu'est-ce qui ne va pas avec moi?
Fuck... what the fuck is wrong with me?

Is it possible that I've caught feelings for this woman? There's no other explanation for these feelings that I have toward her.

I slowly walk out the office with one major thing on my mind, what to do with her once this war is over.