The Beauty And The Boss

Other than an Italian Mafia don, Marco Russo looked more like a movie star. He was well over six feet tall, with an athletic body he had nurtured to the right proportions in the gym. Had a chiseled jawline, carrying a delicate chinstrap on a face that would make a male Hollywood star suffer an inferiority complex. He scribbled his name as well as other required information in elegant writing on the designated areas of the guest register. He raised his emerald green eyes at the lady tending to the register, looking at her already pinked face below dark, thick lashes. The soft curve of his full and perfectly shaped lips twisted slightly in an easygoing smile, causing her ogling eyes to retreat in embarrassment.

He returned her pen, slightly caressing her fingers as he did. He had no interest in her, her face and figure gave him no reason to, but taunting her gave his smile a further boost. Without waiting to witness a greater flush come on her cheeks, he threw his hands in his pockets, continuing into the colourful and festive ambiance of the outdoor garden that served as the graduation reception, mindful of the stench of perspiration and the assortment of colognes that lingered in the air. Looking over the sea of people either donning blue graduation gowns, or various designer attires, he spotted, calling him into the midst of a smaller mob of gowned boys and girls, his cousin, Liam Bonetti. Marco swaggered up to him, carrying himself with pride. Liam threw his weight on Marco the moment he came close, squeezing him in a hug. “How have you been, cousin? Given your business and the usual tight schedules, I never thought you would come. It was a surprise to me when you called that you were here”, Liam cried, ecstatic as he pulled away. His eyes went over Marco in silent scrutiny, sparkling with excitement. Marco smiled. “I promised uncle Bonetti on his deathbed to attend your graduation, and I intend to honour that promise” he said. Marco should be in his estate, punishing his butler whom he recently discovered had been systematically stealing from his family, but like most mafias, family was important, with the promise to his uncle being far more important. Liam’s eyes dropped to his shoes after a quick and expert survey of his rich black tuxedo. Gesturing to the pair of John Lobb “William” double monk strap shoes, he said, “If you have another pair of this beauty in your wardrobe. I am coming home with you after my graduation party to rob you of them”. Liam’s eyes glinted with jealousy. Marco’s lips twisted in another smile. “You are welcomed to cousin” he chuckled, just as Liam led the way, introducing him to the rest of the mob of gowned youths, and having him go through the ritual of shaking hands with the boys and girls one after another. The handshakes continued until Liam introduced him to the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his entire three and a half decades of existence. She was sensationally petite, with delicate features. Her long blond hair flowed down her back, sharpened to an angelic golden yellow by the bright sunlight. Her azure blue eyes, which held Marco in a momentary trance, were fringed with thick black lashes. And her wine red lips in perfect alliance with her contrasting hair color had a bewitching lure to them. Marco took her hands gently for a handshake.

This wasn’t the first time he would be smitten by a woman’s beauty, but this was the first time in his life that he showed it. His face had become as bright as a florescent lamp at the mere sight of her. Unlike everyone he had shaken hands with so far, he kissed the back of her hand gently, rubbing his lips on the expanse of smooth golden skin. “You are a beautiful lady, signora” he said, releasing her small fingers, just as his eyes took a lustful sojourn down her revealing dress beneath the graduation gown. Before he could say anything more or look further, another of the graduating guys, equally dressed in a graduation gown stepped forward, planting his lanky self firmly between him and the lady. He offered his hand grudgingly for a handshake. “Yes. Thank You. I am Pete Harrison” he said spitefully. His face hostile. “I am also a friend of Liam’s, we are graduating together.” “Yeah, I can tell that. That’s what the gown is for, right? So get away from my face boy, before I am tempted to pull that gown off you and beat you with it. Your face gives me a lot of bile”, Marco returned. And when the youth wouldn’t budge, Marco moved to push the lanky youth from his face. The only person he wanted to gaze at right now was the lady and the youth was in the way of that. Liam stopped him at the last minute, pulling him away from the crowd, most of whom had begun to stare at Marco with explicit hostility, grumbling their grievances, including the lady. Liam led him to a group of empty tables, one of which hosted a couple of wine glasses. They all looked to contain champagne. Marco picked up one of the glasses, and poured the contents down his throat. While he monetarily relished the refreshing and icy feeling trailing down his throat, he waited for Liam to find his words. “I understand the urge to get that dish, Marco, but she is a no-go area.

She is the kinda girl with the ideology of simplicity. She has been completely hooked up with Pete since our freshman year, and no one has been able to get him off her. I have tried, just as so many other guys in college have, but no one has been able to.” Liam said, turning at intervals to throw a reassuring smile at his friends, sometimes during the speech. “Have got no business with that, cousin. No lanky youth gets between me and a signora that I fancy. Besides, I always get the dames, cousin. Correction. They come flocking themselves, to El Capitan. Just wait, that dish is going to be all over me in a couple of minutes”,

Marco replied, confident in himself and his charms. He had never had a problem with any lady, and he wasn’t going to have one today. “Beat yourself. But don’t say I didn’t warn you”, Liam mumbled in defeat. Marco wasn’t listening, he was returning to the group, ambling specifically to the lady. To get to the lady, he shoved the lanky youth away as well as some of his friends standing in solidarity with him. Her expression could as well plunge a dagger into his heart, as she watched him come, eyes flaring with hostility. “Get lost you local pig” she yelled. “Go and work your charm on a sow, perhaps she might find your barbarian manners interesting. I don’t” With that, she snatched the wrist of the lanky youth, sashaying off with him. Marco watched them go, bitter with rage. It was the first time a woman would ever turn him down, especially as rudely as she had done, and he intended to make her the last.

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