—when i was your man—
-should have gave you all my hours when i had the chance-
"We should get a dog." I jump over the couch, slumping beside Luca. "While Romans away."
He left me. Everyday he gets higher on my list of people i hate most.
He's been gone three days and i don't even know what for. Asher and Luca won't tell me, i don't think there's much that they know either.
"Ronan's allergic." Asher walks in, "But what about a kitten?"
"What? I'm allergic." Luca speaks up.
"Men are literally the problem." I stand up, "You." I point to Luca, "And Roman."
"Hey." He holds his hands up in defense, "That is not my fault."
"Yes it is." I look at Asher, "What are you allergic to?"
"Nothing." He bows, a smile plastered over his face.
"See." I look at Luca, "A smaller problem."
They both laugh and Luca pulls me down onto the couch, keeping his arm around me. "I have to go to my hotel, wanna come?"
"You have a hotel?"
"I have thirteen hotels, i'm opening a new one."
"Yes i do!" I slap his thigh excitedly. "You have to take me."
"We will, can't leave you here alone." He smiles, "It's not fully done yet so don't be making fun of it."
"Never. I wish i could have a hotel one day. Free stays." I get up, "Is this appropriate clothing?" I'm wearing a blue summer dress, my tits pushed up.
"Very appropriate." Asher pulls me into his chest, "Come on."
I stick my tongue out at Luca, skipping to the foyer i'm met by Katrina and Wallace, Wallace is the housekeeper, a very funny guy. He's an old white guy who Roman seems to trust. And Obviously, my lovely Katrina.
"Hi." I grip the handrail.
"Hello." Wallace smiles, continuing his conversation with Katrina. I jog up the stairs, grab my baby blue platform heels and quickly slide on a pair of white socks before sliding down the banister.
Asher and Luca stare at me, "Heels?"
"A girl has to look prepared." I sit on the bottom step, putting my heels on.
Luca holds his hand out and i grip onto it, we leave and an hour later, after the guys let me jam to Taylor Swift the entire drive, we arrive at a modern building.
"Armani Hotel." I look at Luca, "Your surname is Armani?"
"Yes." He smiles.
The doors slide open, a ruby red carpet bright and soft, "Woah, this carpets soft." I bend down, feeling it through my fingers.
"Up." Luca stands behind me.
I stand up, looking around at the large front desk, waiting area, bar. All gold, the ruby red and gold contrasted so well.
"Are they all this colour theme?" I look at Luca. This is fascinating.
"No, different colours, all correlate with gold though." He lets me do another spin as i look at the giant golden and crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
"What other colours?" I look at the pure white couches with golden legs and a mix between red and gold cushions.
"Mainly colous that compliment the gold accents, like dark colours. Purple, blue and Green. But then i have some with white or grey— even black."
"I like the red." I carry on walking, "Wait where are we going?"
"Ash will take you around, princess. I need to sort some things out." He nods over to Asher the other side of me, "Take her to the penthouse."
"Penthouse!"
"Need a place to stay, don't i?" He squishes my cheek, heading off with a butler.
"To the penthouse." I salute Asher.
He laughs, lacing his fingers with mine as he walks me to the elevator, gold, obviously. There was a mirror on one side, the flooring a red carpet with a metallic Monday by the door.
"What your job?" I fix my dress in the mirror.
"I kill people, that's all."
"And Roman?"
"He owns a couple of casinos but it's only to keep a close eye on enemies."
He presses the button for the top floor and i lean against the hand rails, "Do you really not know where he is?" It's upsetting. I tell myself i'm not going to let Roman hurt my feelings, i never let anyone hurt my feelings. But he makes it difficult. He treats me like a goddess in bed, praises me and worships me. But then he doesn't stay to hold me a full night, he's out with other women after fucking me, he leaves without saying a word.
I guess all i want is stability and he sure as hell doesn't offer it. He's a closed book.
Asher looks down, "He's in Ireland on business."
"And it couldn't wait a full night?" I look in the mirror again as the elevator slowly raises.
"Apparently not, it was important."
I should have known. Papa always chose work over me, so did my brothers, my own mother even chose death over me. I don't know why i expected marrying a capo would be any different. Italian men are the most known for keeping their women to the side. Business comes first, family second.
I start to feel a lump form in my throat, i swallow it, blinking to stop the tears. God im so dramatic.
The elevator comes to a stop and pings, i turn as the doors open, revealing an open plan space, white marble flooring with gold sparkles in it.
I take a few steps in, it was much colder in here than it was around the rest of the hotel, "Wow." I look at the massive floor to ceiling windows.
My heels click off the marble flooring as i make my way over to them, the view of New York filling my heart with happiness. This building was tall, and this view was picturesque.
A phone ringing echoed throughout the empty building and i turned to Asher, "Look around while i answer this." He nods to me, then holds his phone up to his ear.
I do exactly that. It was all empty, not decorated, but there was tape on the floor for plans of where furniture was going to go. There was stairs which i happily walked up, holding onto the glass railing. This was a floor bedroom, and this was decorated.
The bed was low, almost on the floor but slates of wood held up the mattress, the TV hung from the ceiling from two small chords which amazed me, and i look around. I grip the banister and look down, seeing Asher pace while talking quickly on the phone, then raise my head and look out at the view of New York again.
I push open the door and look at the bathroom, the large shower and double sinks. Luca is filthy rich.
"Arabella." Asher calls.
I walk out of the bathroom, seeing him walk up the stairs. "Was just wondering where you were." He smiles.
"Everything okay?" I place myself down on the mattress. It was comfy and even a little bouncy.
"Yeah, did you do online shopping recently? A couple of parcels have arrived for you."
"Uh, yeah i ordered a couple of things yesterday." I smile.
Sex toys.
He nods, "Haven't actually been up here, it's nice huh?" He walks toward me.
"Yeah, Luca did it well."
"He designed the way the rooms look and everything." He tells me, "He has an artistic eye, interior design, this is literally his entire creation. He helped the architects and everything."
"That's admirable." I lay back, looking at the sparkles in the ceiling.
He lays back with me, propping a hand behind his head. "Have you ever went stargazing before?"
"Never." I didn't have much of life.
"Luca has lost a lot of people." He clears his throat, "So when the sky is clear, he likes driving up to somewhere high and watching them, with the belief that it's his loved ones."
My heart fluttered at that, at least Luca has a heart. "Would he be okay with you telling me that?"
"Yeah." He turns onto his side, "It's not a secret."
I turn to look at him, "I like animals so much because it was the only thing papa allowed mamma and i to do together. Go to the zoo, or a farm, feed the ducks. Everytime i feed the ducks i think about mamma, that was our thing."
He shimmies forward, resting his hand on my cheek, "She's proud of you." He says confidently, his eyes darting around mine.
"She would kill me if she found out i got rid of one problem in my life, only to be handed on to another." I say truthfully, feminism isn't a thing with Italian Capo's and their wives, she made sure i knew it though. She didn't raise me to accept shit of no man, no matter how much they hit or threatened me.
And for that i thank her. Because she made me into the person i am today.
"Roman is not a problem." Asher says.
"He is." I breathe through my nose loudly, "He's a pain in my ass too."
Asher rubs his thumb over the ball of my cheek, "He's a pain in everyone's ass."
I smile, "Is he like actually a psycho?"
"Depends on your definition." He shrugs, "Clinically, he was diagnosed at 11. But you know, recently he doesn't show the traits of one."
"I think we know a different Roman." I raise my hand and place it on his face. "Your eyes are beautiful, by the way."
He smiles, "Got them off my mama."
I lean forward, placing my lips on his forehead. "Roman would rather kill himself then do this with me." I kiss the tip of his nose.
Asher breathes out, feeling his warm breath on my neck made me smile and return to my normal position.
"Is that you want?"
"What?"
"Romance." He looks down at my lips, "You want a romantic guy? Someone who will do this with you? Take you out on dates and shit."
"I want a guy who doesn't treat me as if i'm a mistress." I say truthfully, "I don't want to be used, i want to be loved."
He breathes out again before pushing his lips on mine. I move mine back with his, more passionate then any kiss i've shared with Roman. He felt like he wanted to kiss me, it wasn't sexual, or trying to be something rushed, he kissed me like he wanted me. Like he wanted to kiss me.
His tongue runs over my bottom lip and i open my mouth to let his tongue in mine. Our tongues clash and he makes a low sound before pulling away. "Sorry-"
"You fucking better be sorry, i wanted to kiss her first." Luca's voice appears from the stairs, "Jesus."
I roll onto my back, feelings my cheeks flush. Why the fuck did i like that so much?"
"Princess, as much as i love that your panties match the colour of your dress, please sit up, i'm about to go feral if i see you like that one more time." Luca walks over.
I sit up, rubbing my lips together and tasting Asher's peppermint tatse on it. "I like this bed." I say.
"We can fuck in it one day."
I shake my head at Luca's bluntness, turning to look at Asher.
"Thank you."
He raises an eyebrow, "For what?"
"For making me feel like you wanted me."
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hottie asher
word count: 1911