Camillo launched into another pull-up, whimpering as his brother shouted at him from the side lines.
“You can do better than that, come on!”
Carlo knew he was overdoing it, but he had to out-shout the chainsaw that raged from the upper floor.
Vittoria had taken the news that she were to move out well. There were no hard feelings at all – actually, she was happy to have a place all to herself. So happy.
She happened to have started doing ice sculptures with a big, noisy chainsaw, but that was just because doing ice sculptures was the next logical thing to do. It wasn’t that she was angry. She just coincidentally revved the chainsaw whenever he came to check on her in her room, so they couldn’t talk.
“Can you guys talk about whatever issues it is you’re having?” Camillo asked, collapsing after another pull-up. “You’re taking it out on me, and that chainsaw is driving me nuts.”
“You can take a break.”
Camillo rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks, bro.”
As Vittoria’s moving day drew closer, the silence between them grew heavier. She didn’t even try to be around him anymore. Her and Camillo talked, but as soon as Carlo came into the room, she either went back to her chainsaw or angrily cleaned the house. It was spotless, and got even cleaner for every day they spent not talking.
He came back from work one night to find Camillo pleading with her to talk to him.
“You two should really talk about things,” he said.
“About what? We got the sofa for Bell Farm sorted out, so…”
“Not the farm, I meant…”
But Vittoria had already gotten up and started viciously attacking the dirty dishes. When Carlo made his presence known, she didn’t move, though she did scrub more furiously than before. Camillo mouthed at him: “Fucking talk to her.”
He didn’t. The courage escaped him.
He didn’t face her until the day she was set to move. After all was said and done and her things were packed, he grabbed her hand before she could wash another dish. As usual, she had been manically cleaning the whole time. It was time to leave, he told her. Time to go.
“That’s goodbye then,” she said, pulling her hand out of his grasp. “It’s been fun.”
“Yeah.”
Carlo grabbed her hand again and held it, even as she tried to pull away, and he finally looked her in the eyes. He shouldn’t have.
For only a second, her eyes were full of misery, loneliness, hurt. It was only a second, but it was like a kick to the stomach.
“Don’t do that to me,” he whispered. “You’ll be fine.”
“Why do you want me out of here so badly?”
Carlo closed the distance between them and lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers.
“I don’t.”
“Like hell you-”
He quietened her with a finger to her lips. The skin contact was almost enough to make him break down and force her to stay.
“I want you here,” he said.
His arms drew her near automatically and one hand came up to rest on her cheek. She was so close, he could feel the heat from her body through his clothes and her breath against his lips. Her fingertips grazed his waist.
“Then why kick me out?” she whispered with her eyes closed.
“Look at me,” he growled.
She met his eyes.
“You’re right about what you said. I like my job. Cracking safes, disabling security systems, getting my way because people are afraid of what the gang will do if they don’t obey. I’m a bastard, a criminal. By now, I’m used to getting what I want, and right now I want you.”
She held her breath, trembling. When he started being afraid that she would pass out, she released the breath and asked: “You want me?”
“Yeah.” He traced her bottom lip with his thumb. “Badly. I want to use you up and throw you out because that’s what I do. Believe it or not, I respect you too much for that, so I’m keeping my distance. For your sake.”
Every word he said drew him deeper in to self-loathing. No emotion crossed her face, but he could feel the pain in her trembling limbs.
“You could have asked what I wanted,” she said.
“Not a chance,” he said. “I’ve done everything wrong so far. I lost the villa, tarnished my family name, I drew my brother into this shit fest I’m living, and I still live like this because I like it. If my dad could see me now, he’d disown me. The one good thing I can still do is let you go.”
Though for every second he spent this close to her, it became harder.
He wondered if it would be that bad, just kissing her once. But he also knew that if he started, he wouldn’t stop. He’d end up dragging her to his bed, and it would be like Lucia and Vittoria’s bastard father breaking his dad’s heart all over again. Just another crook making off with a lovely girl.
He pushed Vittoria away.
“Go.”
He thought she would just nod and walk away, or maybe even look hurt again. Instead, her palm connected with his cheek with a deafening crack. It still echoed in his skull when she spoke:
“Fuck you, Carlo. If you want me out of here that bad, fine, but it’s not because I’m afraid of you. You’re a shitty criminal compared to what I grew up with.”
She whirled around, but he caught her arm before she could go. It felt wrong to have her walk out like this, but then she spun and glared.
“Let. Go,” she said.
Carlo dropped her hand like it was hot coals. Her eyes were dark with rage.
He was a full head and a half taller than her and probably weighed double, maybe triple, what she did. In his time with Good Guys Inc. he had taken bullets and been stabbed more times than he cared to count. He’d spent long, cold nights in jail and been beaten up by guys that could have picked her up and swung her around their heads. All that, and he was frightened by the look in her eyes. Eyes like a dark void.
“Vittoria, what the hell happened?” he whispered.
“That’s none of your damn business.”
She stomped out of there and slammed the door on the way.
Feeling lost? If you’ve forgotten previous chapters and need a recap you can find my recap page here. Be aware that it contains spoilers for the story.
Hi guyyyys, it’s that time of week again 😀 I hope you enjoy – this was a chapter I enjoyed writing a lot. Arguments and romantic tension. Yum.
I hope you’re all doing well. I feel like uni is flattening me a little bit, and I’ve got so much stuff on my mind. Don’t get much writing done, but I have four more chapters ready to go. I might come back and edit this one a bit. I haven’t given it a little read as I usually do before posting. I’m just too damn tired.
Just had family over for cake, ’cause my birthday is soon, and I wanted to get family visits over with so I can spend my actual birthday (this Monday, the 18th) however I please. Two years ago I would have sworn being alone on your birthday was the saddest thing ever. Now I say it’s bliss. (Besides I’ll only be alone in the morning and until early afternoon).
Anyway, I hope everyone’s having a good time. I’ll see you for the next chapter 🙂 ~Louise
22 Comments
MM Simmerific · September 17, 2017 at 11:38 am
@(*&%#(&#*(%&(*&*%(#& – My mind right now. I so loved reading this. Carlo and Vittoria tension is gold. And I’m just… I love how it unfolded. I love how no dialogue or action or anything felt too sudden or out of place. I wish I could write the way you do. Excellent chapter! Can’t wait to read what’s next!
notjustabook · September 18, 2017 at 6:57 pm
Thank you sooo much. I’m blushing furiously. I love writing this kind of chapter, so it means sooo much that you enjoyed it!
MM Simmerific · September 19, 2017 at 12:31 am
I so did! Next chapter please!
sempreviva · October 10, 2017 at 8:58 am
Oh, damn. That was seriously hot, I loved it!! 😍 I agree with you, this raw romantic tension is the best! More please! 😁
notjustabook · October 10, 2017 at 1:28 pm
Gaaah, thank you so much 😀 it’s one of my favourite things to write so I’m SO GLAD you liked it!
socallucyfan · December 8, 2017 at 8:38 am
The entire chapter I kept yelling “kiss each other already”!!
Both Carlo and Vittoria have some baggage from their past that they need to sort out. But they should sort out their messes together!!
maidenlissasims · December 10, 2017 at 7:45 am
OMG! So I’m reading along.. thinking this is a pretty good story. Then I get to this chapter, and the breathless knots in my stomach are killing me! How the heck do you write like that?
Time to read some more! lol
notjustabook · December 10, 2017 at 12:34 pm
Aaaw, thank you very much 🙂 It means a lot!
I pretty much just write how I feel and hope that it transfers to the reader 🙂 Thank you for reading along! <3
magpie14031983 · December 10, 2017 at 8:54 pm
You should track down Lou’s “old” writings (she’s got ’em all over the place, but the Graveyard on Carl’s Forum is best bet) and you’ll see what got us all hooked! Might be sans pictures though… Lou? Did you use photofuckit at the time? Sorry, couldn’t resist, after how they screwed everyone!
Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!
notjustabook · December 11, 2017 at 6:32 am
Mags nooooo, don’t tell people to track down the old storieeesssss! XD
I did use photobucket, tho, so yeah – if you don’t have the plugin to show PB images, you’re out of luck.
magpie14031983 · December 12, 2017 at 8:03 pm
But, but, but… Think of the rainbow… Man, I miss those Hollanders 🙁
Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!
notjustabook · December 12, 2017 at 8:57 pm
Okay, I guess the Hollanders isn’t the worst one to track down. The others though… *shudder*
magpie14031983 · December 12, 2017 at 10:28 pm
Pffft!
Oh, please! You write brilliantly! I saw a quote once (can’t remember who said it) that said: your worst is someone else and, that definitely applies here?
Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!
loladiamond01 · December 16, 2017 at 1:52 pm
Wow, the tension in this chapter…It was brilliant.
Lila Remonn · February 8, 2018 at 5:02 am
Ohohoho, the tension between these two was just… damn.
Funny, I used the poses in your last two pics for a slightly similar scene in Gen 3! Gave me a bit of a shock lol.
Aww man, I also wondered what happened in Vittoria’s past, considering she grew up with apparently way worse criminals. And Carlo with his self loathing, was he previously one of those player sort of personalities? It looks like there’s a conflict between that hatred and inner romantic.
amyqueen · May 27, 2018 at 7:56 pm
I live for bouts of romantic tension… keep them coming!
Vittoria is super perceptive and good at reading people, but she’s also a vault of secrets and I’m patiently waiting for her to spill something. I’m now also patiently waiting for these two to get together because their chemistry is off the charts.
lazysunjade · August 16, 2018 at 7:39 pm
I love that part about how he’s been beaten and stabbed but nothing stopped him like the look in her eye! What a wow piece of writing! Love that! And I love Carlo even MORE! He’s just right up my alley!
NotJustaBook · August 17, 2018 at 7:18 am
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it 😀
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