The Twelve Vitali Ch. 13

"Excuse Aria, she's a bit of an art snob," Matteo chuckled. "She spent her gap year dragging Zion through the great art galleries of the world."

"I didn't drag him, he wanted to come," Aria sighed as if this was an old argument she had to have every so often.

"I did," he backed her up as he always did and shook his head at his brothers. "We had a great time," he reassured them and her. "You are a bit of an art snob though, because of it," he laughed lightly.

"I just know what I like," Aria said with a small twist to her lips. "Plus, I happen to have impeccable taste." She grinned.

"Dinner is ready to be served," a quiet, middle-aged woman said, interrupting the banter, and led them into the house.

Stefano had dressed and was sitting in his usual position to the right side of Roberto directly opposite Theresa.

"It's lovely to have you here, Catriona," Theresa said as Cat took her place next to Stefano. "I missed the last occasion you had dinner with us."

"Just Cat is fine, everyone calls me Cat," she said automatically. Theresa was beautiful; and delicate looking, and looked less like a mother than a model or an actress to Cat.

"Catriona is such a lovely name, I hope you don't mind if I use it?" Theresa said warmly. "They all shorten their names too, even if it's just by one letter, but like all mothers I like to use full names, even middle names from time to time," she smiled.

"Is that how they know they're in trouble?" Cat asked with a laugh.

"We were all angels who never got into trouble," Matteo responded to the question. "Weren't we, Mama."

"Perhaps some were more angelic than others," she smiled indulgently at Matteo as his siblings teased him about his halo being held on his head by horns so it didn't slip and choke him.

The three-course dinner was beautiful. Cat spoke mostly to Matteo's parents because of where she was sitting at first, but it seemed that between courses a silent game of musical chairs was played as people moved to talk with other members of the family. During the main meal, she found herself sitting between Zion and Ricco.

"Did you visit the house of Lorraine while you were in Brisbane?" Zion asked.

"A few times, but never long enough to explore it properly. It's a fabulous space," she enthused.

"Dante has a good eye, and not a bad family collection, from what I hear. I believe they specialised in historical manuscripts and books," Zion noted. "We have a similar repository here with our family heirlooms, among other things. Perhaps you'd like to take a look sometime?"

"I don't have a great deal of knowledge about antiquities, I'm sorry, but if you didn't mind me looking for pleasure alone I would love to," she said enthusiastically.

"Then I would be more than happy to show you through whenever you have time. Pleasure should be the main reason anyone looks at antiquities," he said genuinely. "I think critics can be too clever and take the joy out of the viewing too easily by looking for flaws in the craftsmanship."

"I wouldn't mind coming along, it's fun to see the things you have seen for a lifetime through someone else's eyes as they view them for the first time," Ricco said casually. Contrary to how hard his lunch with Cat and Matteo had been, he was finding that he was enjoying her being here with his family tonight. He had an odd pang of jealousy now and then when she looked at Matteo, but he also realised that she had never looked at him quite like that and could appreciate that the relationship she and Matteo had was serious.

"I'd like that," she said easily, and smiled, placing a soft hand on Ricco's arm trying to convey that she knew this dinner was difficult for them both.

Matteo had been watching Cat from the moment she left his side. He noted the way she focused her attention on whoever was speaking and made them feel like she was truly listening. Even Zion, who was the most stand-offish of his siblings, seemed to warm to her. He tried to imagine sharing his life and, more importantly, her with any one of them. He saw her place her hand on Ricco's arm gently as if he were injured, and smiled. They still cared about each other; he knew that from both of them. He tried to imagine stepping into the background and allowing them to marry so he could be the oracle his fathers suggested he should be.

He shook his head, he had said no, and he'd meant it. He swapped the roles around and considered if he could let Ricco into their life as the oracle. He shook his head again, he had always assumed he would have a lesser role, and one of the twins would rise to lead, just as his fathers had and his grandfathers before them.

As the main course finished, Matteo sat back and watched as people moved around the table. He wanted her back at his side, needed to feel her warmth and look into those crystal blue eyes. Instead, he moved to sit beside Vanessa, who had seemed out of sorts on the patio before dinner, and he wondered why.

Cat watched Matteo move and tilted her head. Of all his siblings, Vanessa had been the coolest toward her this evening, and she wondered if it had been about the way she had left her position as a corporate artist with her firm. Vanessa had been very good to her, and Cat had worked hard to get as much work done as she could before she had left, giving her almost two months notice to find another artist. She didn't like to think that Vanessa held that against her, and worried it would cause a rift between Matteo and his sister.

"So, we meet again," Rafael said as he came to sit beside her. "Leo and I have been talking about you dating our big brother and decided we should point out how old he is." He said seriously, making Cat giggle.

"Seriously," Leonardo said. "He's almost forty, and we are concerned he will bore you to death because he's forgotten how to have fun. We could help you with that, maybe, if you help us with something we want."

"I see," she said gravely. "What do you suggest I do then to inject some fun into Matteo's life?" she asked. "Assuming that dating me isn't enough fun for both of us."

"She's got you there," Mia laughed happily from across the table where she had watched her littlest brother's descent on Cat.

"We just want him to buy a couple more horses. You like horses don't you?" Leonardo asked.

"Matteo owns horses? You mean, the ones at his house on the hill?" she frowned at him. "I thought those horses belonged to your other brothers."

"No, the horses at the stud, he's pretty much ignored it the last couple of years, but there's this great little filly that I think could be a champion if we got her now and trained her properly," Leonardo said eagerly.

"I see. And you would like me to make him have fun by buying you a horse each?" she asked sceptically. "I'm not sure where the fun would be for me in this proposal," she laughed.

"They will let you rake out the stalls, or something really fun like that," Kalum, Mia's boyfriend chuckled.

"Well, how can I refuse an offer like that!" Cat exclaimed, as the twins looked chagrined at their sisters teasing, making Kalum and Mia laugh all the more.

"Matteo hasn't wanted anything to do with the stud in years. What makes you think he will now?" Lucca asked from nearby.

"Look at that big goofy guy, he hasn't stopped smiling tonight, and he can't keep his eyes off her. If that's not love, then I don't understand it at all. So, I reckon Matt's over the reason he hasn't been back out there for a while," Rafael grumbled. "Besides, Leo's been accepted into Veterinary Medicine, so it'd be a worthwhile investment in the long run."

"It's fun going to the races when you're an owner, trust me, you'll love owning a filly or two," Leo said earnestly.

"Just so I have this right in my head," Cat took a breath. "You started by telling me that Matt was too old for me and didn't know how to have fun anymore, but if I convince him to buy the filly's you want that I would have fun," she looked at the boys, who nodded. "What about Matteo? Shouldn't it be fun for him too?"

"He's too old," Rafael explained patiently. "We told you he's forgotten how to have fun."

"Papa," Zion's voice rose. "The little ones want a pony," he struggled to keep his voice even. "It's on their equipment list for school apparently."

"No, they want Matteo to buy them a thoroughbred so they have an excuse to get him to take more interest in the stud," Roberto corrected his son and turned his gaze to his youngest children. "Couldn't convince Catriona to help you?" he smirked.

"We possibly could have thought our pitch through a bit better," Rafael admitted.

"It was on the fly though, so we went with the most obvious. Who knew Cat wouldn't agree that Matteo was old and boring and needed some fun in his life," Leonardo grinned at Matteo.

"I think what you meant was discerning, and, like my beautiful sisters, I have excellent taste," Matteo leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "However, if you can convince Lucca of your reasons for wanting that particular pony, I will consider it," he looked at Lucca while his youngest brothers groaned loudly.

Cat watched the exchange, trying to work out the dynamics of this complicated family. She wondered why they wouldn't just ask him themselves rather than try this weird subterfuge. There was a changing of seats, and she watched as people moved with purpose as if there was a time limit to the movement, and she found herself sitting between Mia and Ricco.

"The pony is not the end game here," Mia explained. "The game, because there is always a game, is to work out what they really want from Matteo, because it's obviously something they think he wouldn't give them if they just asked."

"I don't think I get it," Cat laughed.

"Think of it as a puzzle, they've given you the clues, you just have to follow them. Lucca is a master at this, which is why Matteo told them they would have to convince him instead of playing the game himself," Mia whispered, pulling Cat along into the game. "Look at the clues they gave you cryptically, if you could work it out before Lucca does, that would be quite a coup."

"Okay, so not a pony, a racehorse, something they deem Matteo too old and boring for and something he hasn't used in a while," Cat said, making the clues succinct. "It would probably be easier if I knew him better, but as he is neither old nor boring, I think that has to do with whatever it is they want," she whispered softly. "A horse is transport, a racehorse faster transport, Ferrari has a horse logo. Does he have a vintage car he hasn't used for years that they want to restore maybe?"

"Hold that thought, we might be able to check that out," Mia waved Kalum over, who had swapped seats with Vanessa and now sat near Matteo, and, as Cat watched, she whispered to her boyfriend and heard him chuckle. Cat then watched as Kalum went back to where Matteo sat and had a murmured conversation.

"Seriously? You want my Ferrari?" he asked his brothers in a stunned voice.

"Shit, who worked it out so quickly?" Lucca asked. He knew what they wanted, it wasn't hard to figure where the teenage boy's minds would go in this family, but he'd planned to string it out a bit longer before outing them.

"Cat," Mia said smugly. "Though she didn't know if you owned a Ferrari."

"These family dinners are almost like hard work," Cat whispered almost to herself.

"You'll get used to it," Ricco said. "There's usually some game or other to keep us all entertained. It was their way of stopping us from fighting when we were younger," Ricco indicated his fathers.

"Thanks for not making this awkward, Ricco," she said impulsively. "I really do appreciate that. It's not easy, at least for me."

"It's not easy, but you look happy, and I've never see Matteo look the way he does with you," he took a deep breath. "It will get easier for both of us."

Cat looked over at Matteo, who was watching her intently. She smiled and mouthed, "I'm not getting in a Ferrari with you." He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows before nodding slightly.

"I think Cat is keen to drive the car herself now that she knows I have it," he grinned, and the younger twins groaned.

*****

Cat stepped into Matteo's penthouse with him directly behind her. She'd enjoyed herself tonight more so because the strangeness between herself and Ricco seemed to slowly ebb away as the family indulged in a range of games and riddles after dinner that kept them all entertained and laughing.

"How are you feeling?" Matteo whispered in her ear as he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Green," she sighed, happily leaning back into him. "I enjoyed tonight, thank you."

"Your talk with Papa?" he asked tentatively.

"Wasn't what I expected," she sighed and turned in his arms to look up at him. "I love you," she said with feeling. "I love you enough to play all of the games and navigate all of the obstacles to prove I can be the woman they want for you."

"You're already the woman I want, for me," he bent his head to kiss her. "I don't want you to change a thing. I fell in love with you, not their idea of who you might be or might become in the future. I just want you as you are right now," he murmured huskily, picking her up and carrying her with him into the bedroom. He placed her on her feet and sat on the bed, "That's a beautiful dress, and you wear it well, but right now it would look better on the floor," he murmured in a husky voice, his eyes rolling over her body.

Cat tilted her head as she realised that he wasn't moving. With dawning understanding, she smiled shyly and reached behind her with both hands, thrusting her breasts out at him to undo the zip in her dress. In her mind she heard a version of heavy bass house music that played in the bar where she had worked before meeting Vanessa. As the dress slowly dropped from her shoulders, she shimmied and swayed to the unheard music, letting the material drop to the floor to reveal her body to his heated gaze until she stood clad only in her thigh high stockings and a G-string.

The open, honest and trusting relationship Matteo had given her had a way of making her inhibitions all but disappear when they were alone together. She smiled softly as she stepped out of her dress and turned, picking it up from the floor by bending at the waist, keeping her legs straight and allowing him a closer view of her practically bare ass. She squealed as she felt his hand lash out and strike her and emit a groan that was a counterpoint to her squeal. She stood up and danced away from him to fold her dress over the back of a nearby chair. Turning back to him, she took small slow steps toward him, swaying her hips provocatively.

Cat enjoyed the way he looked at her with hungry eyes. He had shown her since that first night how much appeal her body held for him in many ways. He was a kind and generous lover, he made her feel safe and wanted, but at times like this she could see the desire in his eyes and the dominant side of his nature that was less willing to compromise in what he wanted, and she felt her answering need to submit to his demands.

"There's my sexy kitten," he growled and grabbed her as she moved closer, his hand reaching out to pull her into his lap. He grinned at her as if daring her to deny his words. He leaned down and kissed her, long, deep and passionately while his hands travelled over her body. His hands touched her neck, slowly travelling down to her breasts, encircling them and pinching the nipples, sending waves of tingling excitement through her and a whimpering purr from her lips. Her nipples became hard and erect at his touch as if answering his unspoken question of how much she wanted him.

His hands drifted down to her thighs and she widened them willingly, letting out a squeal as suddenly he slapped her pussy hard and growled as she attempted to close her thighs. His fingers delved into her, making her breathe deeply and let out soft purring whimpers of pleasure. Manipulating her clit with his thumb as his fingers forced her wider inserting one, then two as he brought her higher and higher, watching the trembling muscles of her thighs shake as she came close to the edge rapidly under his hands.

He stopped just as suddenly as he had begun, leaving her gasping and rocking her hips in need. Matteo caught her hands as they travelled down her body trying to find some release from the tortuous wanting she felt.

"Not yet, Kitten," He spoke huskily as though holding back his own lust and need when he finally murmured the words in a low rumble. His eyes bored into hers, and she nodded, speechlessly, waiting for him to say more. "Now I have far too many clothes on, don't you think?" He asked and stood to place her on the floor in front of him.

Cat almost dived onto Matteo with the invitation to undress him. She began with his shirt, running her hands over his chest, feeling the muscles through the soft fabric. Slowly she unbuttoned the shirt, letting her lips follow her hands. She kissed each small section of revealed flesh until she kissed just above his belt buckle. She kissed each wrist as she unbuttoned the cuffs, she was practically purring with pleasure as her hands ran up the flesh of his torso, lifting the shirt from his shoulders and pushing it down his arms.

Cat kissed down his neck and over his chest, moving slowly lower as her hands worked at his belt and zipper. Noticing how hard his cock was as she did, a small smile crept over her face when she caressed his cock through the material, and he let out a loud groan. Tucking her fingers into the waistband of his pants and underwear, Cat slid them down his legs as she lowered herself to kneel before him. Leaning forward, Cat kissed the tip of his erect cock and was rewarded with a groan from him, making her smile wider as she looked up at him. Matteo planted his feet widely and ran his fingers through her hair, and he stepped out of his pants, kicking them aside. Once free of the restricting clothes, Matteo pulled her lips back to his cock and groaned softly as she greeted his cock with a kiss, slowly widening her lips and letting her tongue snake out to roll around the fleshy head to lap at the tiny drop of precum.

Emboldened by his groans of pleasure, Cat wrapped her hands around his thighs, grasping an ass cheek in each hand and pulled him closer, swallowing more of his cock until, overfull, she began to gag, swallowing hard against the reflex. Matteo pushed forward as he felt her swallow around him, his mind revelling in the pleasure he got from her warm and willing mouth and throat. Holding her head tightly in his hands, he began to saw in and out of her mouth, slowly making her take more and more of him. He watched as she desperately gasped at breaths between swallowing the big hard cock deeper, trying to temper his desire an ensure she was not distressed by the deep thrusts of his hips, "Oh yeah, take it all, swallow me, kitten. Fuck!" He exclaimed loudly as he felt her nose press into his groin.

Her hands kept a tight grip on his ass as he growled out his lust for her. Drooling, saliva coated her chin and dripped onto her chest as she worked to take as much as he gave her. After what seemed an age, he pulled her from his cock and, lifting the rigid flesh up with one hand, he pressed her face to his ball sack. Dutifully Cat lapped and sucked on the pebbled skin, eliciting more growls and exclamations from Matteo.

Not able to hold back the tide rising within him, he stepped back and picked her up. Matteo almost threw Cat onto the bed, following her to press her head down into the mattress while slapping her ass and encouraging her to lift it high for him. He entered her roughly and pounded into her tight wet pussy, blinded by lust, desire and the need to possess her totally.