CHAPTER EIGHT

"Ah Fratello" (brother) Matteo began with a cheeky and annoying snicker which irritated Giovanni "She really got you there!" Although slightly aggravated Giovanni remained unphased on the exterior to the others. He took a long draw of his cigar and shook his head slightly drawing his attention back to his brothers. "I think she's playing hard to get"

"Ma dai! (Come on) Is that what you got from that fratello?" Antonio asked, now almost in full fits of laughter, "Because I'm pretty sure she called you old Gio!" He simply shrugged with a smug look on his face as if to say 'challenge accepted'.

"Seriously though, she's 25 you should let her be. She wouldn't be able to handle our world"

"I think she's Sicilian, her last name Bernardi, she has to be from Sicily". This time Nico spoke up instantly, "you should steer away from Sicilian women, especially if you intend to piss her off. Those puttanas can get dangerous". The men burst out laughing knowing very well it was true about most Sicilian women, they could become uncontrollable once scorned.

Giovanni De Luca did not feel even slightly threatened about these facts though. All he wanted at this point was a conquest. He wanted Rosalia to surrender to him and let him take charge like most Italian men. He had no problem admitting he was a chauvinistic male who wanted everything done his way or the highway. He was a man who knew what he wanted and Rosalia Bernardi was suddenly on his radar. There was not always a reason for why someone would be on his radar and he rarely thought about the consequences, he lived his life in the moment and dealt with the aftermath tomorrow.

"Giovanni" Matteo scolded him, "don't do this. The last woman you toyed with set your clothes on fire with your one thousand dollar Cuban cigar and she was just American". Giovanni chuckled at the recollection of the event which had only happened two months ago. He had told Lila he thought it was best they reverted back to seeing other people and she completely lost her mind. "Lila was a great girl" Giovanni stated, knocking back the rest of his whiskey as another arrived immediately. "Just way too needy".

€€€€€€€€€€€€

Rosalia's eyes lit up like a child in a candy store the moment Rihanna began blaring through the club. Emilia instantly jumped up grabbing her in excitement. He was their favourite artist to dance too. Neither of them acknowledged it until one drunken night on Rosalia's 21st birthday where she let loose and made out with a DJ during a Rihanna song he played. She proceeded to explain to him through their make out session that 'Rihanna got the bitches dancing'. A phrase the friends would constantly refer back too now.

"TIME TO DANCE!" Emilia screamed, dragging the guys to the dance floor and latching onto David. Ricky glanced over at Rosalia who had boldly made the first move and pulled him close to her for a little flirtatious dancing.

'Baby, this is what you came for, lightning strikes every time she moves'

She spun around with her back leaning against his front and began to move to the beat. Soon enough she could tell Ricky began to grow in confidence as he snaked his arms around her small waist and rested his hands on her hips. He began to slide them up and down from her hips and to the sides of her thighs moving with her to the music.

"Well if you weren't raging already Gio I'd say you will be any minute now" Antonio spotted Rosalia and her friends as he leaned against the rail looking down onto the dance floor while nursing his drink. There was no way anyone could miss her in that dress! Giovanni joined him curiously knowing exactly what he was about to witness. Even so seeing the boy's lips so close to the right side of her throat and his hands clearly feeling her up, it still stunned him. All he could think about were the many ways he wanted to bend each and every one of his fingers back one by one forcing him to let go of her. He gripped his glass tightly and exhaled loudly.

"That guy is definitely younger than you fratello" Giovanni raised his eyebrow at Antonio, intimidation did not work with his own brothers, but he attempted it either way. "That he is a moron. That kid wouldn't know what to do with a girl like her" he stated boldly silently hoping any minute now they would pull away from each other.

"You're probably right, but he'll be taking her home tonight so that's still one step ahead of you. Actually probably two steps because he obviously got a dance too"

"Are you trying to infuriate me?" Antonio laughed and nodded, "forse" he winked before taking a place back onto the couch.

€€€€€€€€€€€€

Emilia sat on the living room floor with fries all over the place as she practically shoved her burger into her mouth leaving no room for air. Rosalia conducted herself no better as she devoured some fries and casually bit into her cheeseburger enjoying every single bite. The pair were drunk, very drunk, so they made the taxi driver wait outside a late night burger bar to soak up all the alcohol they had recklessly consumed.

"So Ricky was into you" stated Emilia when her mouth finally was not full of her burger with the works. "But you my friend" she continued cheekily picking up a fry and throwing it into her mouth, "were playing some other game"

"Oh?" Rosalia raised an eyebrow in curiosity encouraging Emilia to continue. "Oh yes, little miss Rosalia. I know you. You may have him fooled but that slutty dance you pulled off was not for him. Tell me am I right so far?"

"Not guilty" Rosalia replied, taking another enormous bite of food like it was attempting to run away from her. "Ok maybe just a little"

"HA!" Emilia jumped up causing some of the fries which were sitting on her lap to fly across the living room floor. "I KNEW IT! Who is he?"

"He's so hot. But it's nothing really, he's old, I think. Plus he's weird and hot"

"Yeah I think you mentioned the hot part already, but please, continue..."

"The guy that bailed me out, he's the one I said hi to tonight. Giovaaaaaaanni" she said the 'a' in her drunken manner then began to laugh for no apparent reason. "You're into the guy that bailed you out?"

"What? No! He's just, I mean I was just. Emilia I'm too drunk for this"

"The hell you are!" Emilia threw her burger wrapper into the brown paper bag and stared directly at Rosalia now placing her hands firmly on her hips. "You actually want him! Your little virgin lady part is getting that tingling feeling isn't it?"

"Whoa! Stop right there" Rosalia almost choked on the last of her fries. "Don't bring my lady parts into this. I'm not exactly a virgin either..."

"Well you didn't exactly say no to that you little slut" Emilia winked before throwing herself at her friend tackling her onto the rug making her friend lose it into a fit of laughter.