DANTE MANCINI—AUGUST
STEPPING OFF OF THE elevator and into the office, I had one thing on my mind and I was determined to fix it. My situation with Naomi.
After the disaster that Saturday night turned into, Naomi and I had completely ignored each other—for good reason. We both needed time to digest our feelings and think about how we wanted to approach this situation. Or at least I felt that way.
I didn't have any remorse for getting irked about the drinking she had done on Saturday because she had been completely immature in my eyes. While the rest of us could control ourselves and focus on the golfing, she could barely function by the end of the night.
Wrapped in the privacy of my office, I felt the freedom and stillness to finally focus on something other than the situation between the two of us. I was the type of person to ruminate about a situation, conversation, or problem until I solved it, which left me both drained and stuck in my thoughts until I felt it was handled with.
At my desk, I began to do some work as I waited for Naomi to come to my office so that we could finally get over this obstacle. But when an hour had passed and she still hadn't shown up, I called down to the front desk who let me know that she had checked in on perfect time. She was simply ignoring me.
I didn't hesitate to leave my office and head over to her cubicle where she was organizing notes from a meeting we had last week. Feeling my presence, she glanced at me only to scoff and turn back to her work as if I wasn't even standing there. It was almost humorous that she was so serious about communication being an important foundation of a relationship, only to act as if she doesn't want to follow through with that communication.
"Can we speak in my office, Naomi?"
Without even looking my way, she replied blandly with, "I'm busy. Can it wait?"
My fists clenched at my sides, her stubbornness pushing me to anger. As much as I tried not to impose my old thoughts about past relationships on her, stubbornness was absolutely something I couldn't stand. Many of the women I had dated in the past understood this and often were not stubborn, but I understood that Naomi was not them.
"Naomi," I repeated, this time my voice much lower and more serious. "We need to speak."
With a roll of the eyes, she stood from her seat and agreed to follow me to my office. I checked behind myself just to make sure she was there, holding the door open for her. I walked over to lean against my desk while she stood feet away from me, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised as she seemingly waited for me to begin.
"Did you bring me here to breathalyze me or something? Do you want to make sure I haven't been drinking again?" She spoke crassly, her hands moving to her hips instead.
Annoyed by her words—because frankly I found what she said quite stupid—I replied with, "Seriously, Naomi? Can we have an actual conversation and talk through this?"
"Fine. I feel like you don't even want to continue this with me sometimes. You can act like you want to be around me one moment just to act like I don't even exist the next. The whole time we golfed I had to wonder if you even wanted me there and I shouldn't have to feel that way all the time, Dante. That's why I drank that day because I wasn't having fun any other way."
Hearing how she felt instantly gave me clarity to her side of the situation and how she felt in a way I hadn't thought of. I obviously knew that she was the one to show more affection, but I definitely couldn't accept the fact that I acted as if I didn't like her. It just wasn't true.
"So did the date I planned for you not mean anything? Do the nights we spend together not mean anything?"
She scoffed yet again and I could practically see the steam leaving her ears. "A date and sex isn't enough to show me that Dante. Taking me somewhere nice and fucking me is not what I need! I need you to tell me!"
By now, our voices were raised and we were both clearly angered—our eyes wide and deranged looking, our bodies tense and rigid. I was more than thankful for the sound proof office we were in because the conversation was becoming increasingly intense by the second.
"That's your problem! You expect me to be just like you when I'm not. I can't express myself the way you do, it's not that easy for me. You want me to change immediately and be the perfect man you want when I will never be that. We will always have traits that the other person doesn't like, but that's how a relationship is supposed to work! I don't like how impulsive you are, but I understand that I can't change you."
"Impulsive?" She fumed, cocking her head to the side and letting out an angered chuckle. "What do you mean impulsive?"
"Saturday is the perfect example. I don't give you the attention you want and you go and get drunk. You get mad about a proposal and bolt off to a bar to get attention from a whole bunch of random men!"
I had clearly struck a nerve, her eyes now wide and her arms crossed yet again. She could be as mad as she wanted, but I had the right to express myself just as much as she did.
"And the common denominator in all those situations is you. All I need is for you to be honest...not be so cold!"
We fell into a bout of silence, simply staring at each other as her foot tapped against the floor and I roughly ran a hand through my hair.
"Naomi," I began in a small voice, the weight of the argument suffocating me. I hated conflict of this sort because it reminded me so much of my past, but when it was necessary I wasn't afraid to engage in it. I was proud of myself for controlling my anger because that tended to be difficult for me. "I want you to know that I wouldn't be sitting here having this conversation if I didn't like you. I like you a lot and I...I may have trouble expressing that, but I want to work on it and I want you to know how I feel."
By the time my statement came to a close, her eyes were watering and she was attempting to hold the tears back to no avail. I walked up to her, engulfing her in my arms and pulling her into my chest. This was always something difficult for me—comforting people—but I would try for her.
"I just needed to hear that and I hate that I need that kind of reassurance. Dante, I'm sorry for being so hard on you about everything because you're right...we'll always have flaws. But just know that I really like you too."
That brought a small smile to my face and I brought one hand up to wipe away at a few of the fallen tears. "You know...all of this pent up aggression and anger is making me want to take you right in this office. Right now."
She chuckled, cocking her head to the side and seductively saying, "Then do it."
As if that flipped a switch in my mind, I pressed my lips against hers and a sloppy kiss ensued. I spun us around so that she was instead pressed against the edge of the desk, pushing her down lightly until her back was laid against the wooden desk top.
Our tongues tangled uncontrollably as her hands gripped onto my hair while I grabbed her ass into my hold. Pulling away from her lips, I pressed kisses along her neck, reaching a sweet spot that made her giggle. My hand slipped under her dress and she let out a surprised moan when my finger traveled over the fabric of her panties. I did it a few more times, watching her reaction each time until I slid them down her legs.
Kneeling below her, I pushed her legs open and kissed both thighs before I began to pleasure her. My tongue moved in and out as my finger toyed with her clit, small moans leaving her as she arched her back off the desk.
"Right there. Don't stop!" She shouted, her hands gripping my hair and a stressed groan leaving her when I pulled my head away.
"Shut up. Just take it," I demanded, slapping her ass and returning back to pleasuring her.
When I finished—keeping her from her climax—I pulled her to her knees in front of me and watched as she unbuckled my pants as fast as possible. When I was revealed in front of her, she looked up at me seductively before sticking her tongue out and licking the tip.
"All the way, Naomi," I instructed, biting down on my bottom lip as she removed her hand from around my length and began pushing her head all the way down.
Hitting the back of her throat, I listened as she gagged and pulled away, a line of spit connecting us as her eyes began to water. She did it yet again, never once taking her eyes off of me and gagging yet again.
Grabbing her braids, I fisted them in my hand and began to thrust into her mouth, relishing in the sound of me hitting the back of her throat. "You look so good taking my dick," I told her, slapping her face only for her to beg me to do it yet again.
I pulled out of her mouth and laid her back down onto the desk, moving around her to grab a condom out of my desk drawer.
"Why do you have those in your office?"
"I always have to be prepared for situations like this," I laughed, slipping it on and positioning myself at her entrance.
"You feel so good," she moaned as I pushed into her, not all the way in yet. Her hands gripped my shoulder as I slowly moved in farther, filling her to the brim.
I sped up, thrusting into her hard and at an even pace when I realized she was holding back her moans.
"You can be as loud as you want, sweetheart. No one can hear us."
Enclosing my hands around the edges of the desk, I leaned farther over her and pounded even harder, her back arched off the desk and her head thrown back.
"D-Dante...oh my gosh," she screamed, her eyes squeezed closed as I thrusted into her relentlessly.
I loved Naomi's reactions to everything—the way she blushed when I complimented her or the way her eyes lit up when she was excited—but seeing her practically crumble from pleasure at my touch and the way she became so uninhibited enthralled me the most.
"Get up!" I demanded, sliding out of her and smacking her ass.
She bolted to her feet, confused as I took her hand and walked her around to the back of my desk. I flopped back into the chair and beckoned her towards me with my finger. She straddled me on the chair, squatting on her feet as she positioned herself over my length and then lowered herself onto me.
"Fuck, you're so tight," I whispered against her lips while my hand wrapped tightly around her neck—which I knew turned her on.
Her hands were pressed on my chest as she bounded up and down, the sound of our skin slapping and our shared sounds of pleasure filling the room.
"Slap me, Dante. Please," she begged, pouting her lips as she leaned closer to me, waiting for her wants to be fulfilled.
I cocked back my hand and slapped her as she wanted, watching a grin grow on her face before she said, "Harder." I did it again, harder this time which only made me giggle. It was hilarious to me that someone who appeared so innocent was begging me to slap her face and smack her ass.
Gripping her waist, I thrusted up into her, watching as her breasts bounced uncontrollably before my face. Her head was then tucked between my neck and chest and I could feel her tightening around me—she was close.
"You're gonna make me cum," she groaned, crumbling before me as soon as her words were finished, her body shaking in my hold against her will.
She calmed down after her climax and pressed kisses to my exposed neck as I finished shortly after, relishing in the tight feeling of her around my length.
"I cannot believe we just did that at work. Oh my gosh...we just did that at work!" She shouted after a moment of silence, her eyes wide as she pushed my arms off of her and bounded off my lap.
Quietly, I watched as she pulled her dress back down and slipped her underwear back on underneath. She was so frantic as she tried to fix herself that she would have left the office looking like a rabid raccoon if I didn't call out to her.
"You can't go back out there with mascara running down your face, Naomi."
She whipped around, removing her hand from the door and looked into the front camera of her phone only to let out a shriek.
"This is all your fault!"
"I didn't tell you to gag like that," I cackled. I approached her and began to help her wipe away the stubborn ink. Our eyes were locked the entire time and I could feel the tension between us dissipating just from her gaze.
As bittersweet as it may have been, the disagreement may have been exactly what we both needed to feel better about how our relationship was growing. We both got the chance to get our feelings out and understand how the other was feeling. I just hoped we would both take everything the other said into consideration to keep everything thriving between us.
"As good as new," I winked, smacking her ass before opening the door and allowing her to step out. "Thanks for speaking to me, Miss Cole."
***
"GOOD EVENING, MR. MCNAMARA," I spoke to the intimidating man as Kahlil and I hunched over my desk, waiting for his response.
"I'm calling to let you know I'll be in the city this week. I'm curious to hear about how the internship is going, so can you fit me in for a meeting on Thursday?"
The man knew we couldn't turn him down—we would be insane to do so—which made it unsurprising that Khalil replied with, "Of course, sir! What time works best for you?"
"I'll see you at noon."
With that said, he hung up and Khalil and I let out the breaths we had been holding the entire conversation. Turning to look at him, I watched as his face contorted and I was mortified when I followed his line of vision. I jumped up from my seat and grabbed the wrapper, but the damage was already done.
"Why is there a condom wrapper on your desk?!" He shouted, bounding from his seat with wide eyes as he laughed like a maniac.
"It's not that funny, idiot."
"It is because I didn't realize why she was in your office for so long! Until now."
When he finally calmed down and put his interrogation to an end, we got to work on getting all of our information together for the meeting. We pulled together reports of our revenue and spending for the past two months, as well as our popularity. Even though this company has been running for many years, it was wonderful to see how fast it was still growing.
"Do you think Naomi should be in the meeting so that he can hear her perspective on the position?" Khalil questioned just as we finished and were packing up to leave.
"That's a great idea," I muttered, tapping my pen against my forehead while thinking about the logistics of it. It would be wonderful for him to see both sides of how the internship was working. "I'll ask her tonight and let you know."
"Perfect. See you tomorrow, man."
"Have fun with Lauren," I muttered, watching as he sent me a glare. He loved to know about everyone else's business, but hated when you knew his.
***
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING right now?" Naomi inquired, the busy sound of the city streets filling the background.
She had just left her pole dancing class and was on her way back to the subway so it was the perfect time for me to call. I, on the other-hand, was focusing on cooking myself a meal. It seemed as though the prospect of me buying a house had me focusing on expanding my horizons. My entire adult life I've survived off of takeout and restaurants, so I figured now was the best time to try something new.
"I'm cooking, but I have a question for you Naomi," I spoke as I dropped my salmon onto my plate. "When will you admit that you take the subway because you know you're a horrible driver?"
She scoffed at my words which only made a grin grow on my face. "I'll have you know that I just despise traffic, Dante. And all of us haven't been driving for seventy-five years like you."
She cackled at her little joke while I pretended I was fazed by it when in all actuality I was grinning from ear to ear. Just hearing her laugh and the banter between us was enough to lighten up my mood at this point.
"Cut it out, Naomi. You don't want me to dish out this punishment I have planned for you."
"Oh, I do," she replied, sultrily and I could practically see her batting her lashes. "And I have a little surprise for you later this week."
"Hmm...what kind of surprise, sweetheart?"
"You're always the one to tell me that patience is a virtue so you need to follow your own advice," she sang, the sounds of the busy subway filtering in behind her. "Anyways, can you please tell me about this guy we'll be meeting with."
I detailed the meeting to her, explaining what she would need to talk about and letting her know to be prepared for any questions he may have. When I explained that Mr. McNamara was quite intimidating, she didn't seem to mind—but that would change. We hung up shortly after and she promised I would get my surprise soon, but I was already getting antsy.
My mind couldn't stop flowing back to what went down into my office today. We had let our passion get the best of us with both the argument and the sex and it was incredibly risky for us to do either. Of course, I didn't regret it at all, but I would stick to my convictions and keep it out of the office from now on. Or for at least a little while longer.
When I had finished my food and was cleaning up, my phone rang yet again, but noticing that it was an unknown number I simply ignored it. Yet when they called again, I figured it may have been important and picked up.
"Dante," a sickeningly sweet voice spoke on the other end, her voice laced with an Italian accent. At just the sound of it my blood seemed to run cold and my mind went into autopilot. "Per favore non riagganciare (Please don't hang up)," My mother pleaded and although my finger was hovering over that glowing red button, I didn't press it.
"Perché stai chiamando, mamma (Why are you calling, Mother)?"
"It's been ten years, Dante. You don't know how much I miss you...how much your father misses you," she cried, a small sob leaving her. I rolled my eyes at the sound of it.
"It's not my fault that it's been ten years since we've spoken. If you had decided to treat me like your son and not just someone disposable who was there when you remembered me, then maybe you wouldn't be in this predicament."
At this point she was full blown crying and sniffling on the other side, which only angered me even more. She's crying now, but can't imagine how I must have felt as a child wondering when I was going to see my parents next after they had been gone for six month stretches. And then my mom had Anna— we referred to her as Antonio back than—and stayed around for about a year or two which gave me hope. But by the time I was twelve and Anna was two, she was my responsibility and the nannies only interfered to make sure we were fed and got to school on time. Other than that, I did everything for Anna while also trying to manage my own life. It was inexplicably hard to be eighteen and starting college while taking care of my eight year old sibling, but I managed.
"I've just done a lot of reflecting, figlio. I should have known better back then, I should have been there for you and I was so caught up in my life that I didn't pause to focus on yours. Dante, I'm proud of the man you've become and I just...I want my son back."
I scoffed at that, holding back a laugh when I heard her sigh from the other end. "You never even had me in the first place. You know virtually nothing about me now. Sure, you were there for those two years and you would come back every once in a while, but that was never enough. Why didn't you ever call?"
By now, my voice was breaking and I could feel my rage simmering at the fact that she was dishing this all out without any warning. Why did she have to call when I was finally happy and not caught up in the past? She was dragging me right back to everything I was trying to heal from.
"I...I don't know. I just, I didn't have what it took to be a mother at the time and I thought that my presence would somehow ruin you. I didn't think I could be a good parent and I thought the nannies would do better than me," she spoke, regret lacing her voice that even made my cold heart soften for a second.
"Then you shouldn't have had kids."
"Things happen, Dante. And I just want you to know that I'll never regret having you, but I just couldn't be what you needed and I can never explain how sorry I am about that. I should have been smarter, I should have been less selfish and I just...hope you can forgive me one day. Ti voglio bene (I love you)."
I didn't respond, my hands clasping the phone until my knuckles turned white as I simply stared at the ground below me. When the silence became suffocating, I simply hung up and the next thing I knew, my phone was thrown to the ground—the screen cracked—and the lamp in my living room had been knocked to the floor, as well as a vase filled with flowers.
In that moment, I had no control over my physical form or my mind—I was acting out of pure rage. When I had knocked a few pictures to the floor, the glass falling at my feet, I finally came to the realization that I was doing what I always did. Self-destructing instead of handling myself and my emotions.
Without hesitation and disregarding the glass, I crumbled to the floor and what surprised me the most was that I let myself cry. I couldn't remember the last time I cried—or why—but I had done it so much as a child that it almost seemed like all the tears had dried up. My parents had taken so much away from me—the ability to control my anger, my smile, my tears, my happiness—and it felt like all the past memories and feelings were rushing back.
The walls were closing in on me and this time it didn't feel like I could stop them.
a/n: i am BEYOND sorry for the long wait, but i am so upset that i deleted this chapter by accident when i originally posted it
i will definitely be more careful next time
what did you think about naomi and dante's little argument? do you think it was beneficial? do you think they'll try to change? and what do you think about the scene in the office?
were you surprised that dante's mom called? did you like learning more about his background?
thank you so much for reading, i hope you enjoyed!