Vittorio was sitting in a VIP area of the nightclub, closely watching Ellis on the dance floor. Her sensual moves were attracting the attention of other men. Around him were two beautiful women by his side and his cousins Alessandro, Carlo, Marco, Giovanni, and Luca. They were engaged in lively conversation about the place, while Vittorio was fixated on every move Ellis made.
"Vittorio, are you okay? We're having an interesting conversation here!" Alessandro said, smiling at the two beauties at the table. "We should take advantage of the opportunity."
"I'm just observing something," Vittorio replied, intensely staring at the dance floor.
"Something? What would that be?" Carlo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"My wife and those depraved worms surrounding her," Vittorio replied jealously.
"Your wife? Ellis?" Marco asked, surprised, turning towards the dance floor. "Wow, look at how she's dancing down there."
"It seems like she's attracting too much attention, Vittorio," Giovanni commented, concerned. "Perhaps you should go get her before things get out of control."
"That's what she wants," Vittorio said seriously. "She's provoking me... capturing my attention."
"Well, it looks like she's not only capturing yours, cousin," Luca remarked.
Ellis danced with captivating energy, mesmerizing the men around her. Vittorio's heart was filled with jealousy when a man approached her, trying to dance closely with her. He felt a burning rage consume his body, and without hesitation, he descended from the VIP area towards the dance floor.
He walked quickly, furious through the dance floor, ignoring the curious glances of everyone around him. When he approached Ellis, he pushed the man who was trying to grab his wife.
"Step away from her, now!" Vittorio ordered firmly.
"Who do you think you are?" the man asked, surprised.
"I am her husband," Vittorio replied, his eyes burning with anger. "Never dare to come near my wife again."
"And what are you going to do about it, my friend?" the man asked, challenging him.
Vittorio looked at Ellis with fiery eyes and, without hesitation, punched the man, who fell in the middle of the dance floor. He tried to get up, but before he could do anything, Vittorio's men took him away.
Ellis looked at Vittorio, surprised by his reaction but also a bit irritated.
"Vittorio, what do you think you're doing? I can take care of myself."
"Come with me, now," Vittorio ordered authoritatively.
"I'm not going anywhere with you acting like this," Ellis refused, crossing her arms.
"It wasn't a request," Vittorio said.
Vittorio, feeling increasingly frustrated, picked Ellis up in his arms and placed her over his shoulder, ignoring her protests.
"Vittorio, put me down right now!" Ellis shouted.
He left the nightclub with determined steps, leaving everyone stunned by the scene they had witnessed.
***
Vittorio and Ellis were already outside when they began to argue heatedly, attracting even more curious looks and some murmurs around them.
"Vittorio, let me go now! Don't treat me like your property!"
"I am your husband, Ellis, and you are my wife," Vittorio said firmly. "You are under my protection, and no one else should touch you."
"I am not an object, Vittorio! I have my own will and freedom. I can't just accept you dragging me like this."
"Ellis, I'm just trying to protect you!" Vittorio argued, exasperated.
"Protect me? I'm not your property, Vittorio. I don't need this!" Ellis retorted, irritated. "Let me go now!"
"I'll put you down, and you will calm down, Ellis. And then we'll talk about this later," Vittorio warned.
He gently put her down on the ground. Ellis raised her hand towards the mafia boss's face, but he protected himself by holding her hand.
"I did this to protect you, Ellis. You are my responsibility now, and I can't allow other men to disrespect you. And you shouldn't disrespect our marriage either," Vittorio said slowly.
"Seriously?" Ellis exclaimed, a mix of surprise and disbelief in her voice.
"Yes, very seriously."
"This is ridiculous," Ellis said, pacing back and forth. She approached him angrily and then said, "Why do you find it disrespectful for me to dance with other men, but you don't see how your constant flirting with other women is equally disrespectful?"
"First, you said you didn't care about other women," Vittorio began defensively. "Second, even if I explained it to Ellis, you wouldn't understand. These encounters with other women are merely business transactions. It's different."
"Business transactions?" Ellis asked, crossing her arms. "Explain to me, Vittorio, what kind of business involves flirting and getting involved with other women. I'm waiting for an explanation."
A sleek black car stopped beside them. Vittorio gestured for Ellis to get in, a touch of determination in his eyes.
"Get in the car, Ellis. We'll talk inside," Vittorio ordered.
Reluctantly, Ellis approached the car, still visibly frustrated.
"Fine, but I expect a straightforward answer from you, Vittorio. No hiding behind vague explanations," Ellis determined.
They settled in the backseat of the car, the tinted windows offering them some privacy.
The car glided through the quiet streets of the city, and the atmosphere inside the vehicle was charged with tension. Ellis looked at Vittorio, waiting for him to finally explain the reason behind his contradictory behavior. Vittorio looked at the road, contemplating how to reveal the truth to her. Finally, he sighed and began to speak.
"Ellis, please try to understand. In my world, appearances matter. It's necessary to maintain certain relationships and connections," Vittorio started. "In the 80s, the mafia was facing intense repression from the authorities. My father, who was the boss at the time, realized that we needed to evolve to ensure our survival. He taught me that sometimes discretion is our greatest weapon."
"Discretion? But how does that relate to these women you flirt with?" Ellis asked.
"These women are more than just pretty faces," Vittorio revealed, serious. "They represent influential and powerful men from different parts of the world. The two women you saw at the club represented partners from Mexico and Somalia."
Ellis was surprised by this revelation, her mind starting to connect the dots.
"So, all of this is a strategy to disguise your negotiations?"
"Exactly. It's a tactic perfected by me to keep our family invisible to the eyes of the authorities. A mafioso sitting with women attracts less attention than a group of men gathered together. This subtle approach has allowed us to continue our business without raising suspicion," Vittorio explained.
Ellis fell silent for a moment, absorbing the revelations. She looked at Vittorio with a mix of admiration and concern.
"But isn't that extremely dangerous? What if something goes wrong?" she asked.
"It is dangerous, yes. But we have learned to mitigate the risks. I learned from my father to be cautious and have contingency plans for every situation. Duplication..." Vittorio said.
"Duplication," Ellis repeated, thoughtful. "But how do you negotiate? I mean, do you just sit there laughing and flirting? Is there any meaning to it, or is it just a way to gauge how things are going?"
"It's difficult to explain in words alone. I would have to show you for you to better understand," Vittorio said, looking deep into her eyes. "Would you allow me?"
Ellis nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on Vittorio, who looked at her with a mischievous smile, his expression filled with confidence. The mafia boss took her hand and brought it gently to his lips, leaving a light kiss on her fingers as he began to explain.
"Ellis, every touch, every gesture has a hidden meaning in the business transactions I conduct. Let me show you how it works. I'll give you an example with a firearms negotiation, a T4 rifle."
Ellis watched attentively, her curiosity heightened, as Vittorio began to unravel the secrets behind each touch. He paused, looking intensely at her before continuing the explanation.
"For example, when a representative approaches and gives me a kiss on the cheek... like this."
Vittorio leaned towards Ellis's face and pressed his lips gently against her cheek.
"It means she wants half of the stock from the previous deal. Now, two kisses... like this."
He repeated the gesture, this time pressing his lips twice on each of Ellis's cheeks, and she found herself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. The intensity of the moment increased with each passing second.
"It means she wants the entire stock. It's a clear sign of trust and interest," Vittorio explained.
As he sat closer to Ellis, Vittorio held her hand, their fingers entwined.
"When they hold my hand like this... it means they are willing to negotiate for another weapon, the T10 rifle," Vittorio said.
Ellis felt the firmness of Vittorio's touch, and a wave of electricity ran through her body. She was completely drawn into the intimate and mysterious atmosphere surrounding them.
Vittorio brought his face close to Ellis's ear, his voice soft and filled with intensity.
"And now, the values... the prices of the transactions. How much do you think the price of these rifles would be?"
Ellis swallowed hard, feeling challenged by the unfolding game. She threw out a number, her mind filled with excitement.
"One million?"
Vittorio smiled knowingly, making the meaning clear.
"One million..."
"One million... For a one-million transaction, a knowing smile..." he replied with a smirk. "Do you want to raise the price?"
"Yes, three million..." Ellis whispered.
"A caress on the arm."
He gently traced his fingers along Ellis's arm, causing delightful shivers to run down her spine.
"Five million..." Ellis whispered.
He leaned in even closer, his lips lightly brushing against Ellis's neck, sending a wave of delightful shivers through her.
"Seven million..."
He slid his hand down Ellis's leg to her thigh, eliciting a sensation of electricity and desire.
"Ten million," Ellis said, making Vittorio gaze at her intently.
"And then we start doing another kind of business," Vittorio replied.
Ellis felt immersed in a sea of sensations and pleasure, unable to resist Vittorio's magnetism.
"Show me, Don Vittorio," Ellis requested.
The game had only just begun.