The Twelve Tables Ch. 21

"You wouldn't dare!" she raged. "I will kill you!"

"This is the point where I step in," Dino stepped forward speaking quietly. "You don't seem to understand Miss Maris that the world has changed profoundly in the last year. Everything you knew about the family is gone. Without Joshua, you have no hope of ever feeling freedom again. In threatening him, you threaten the table itself, and that is where I become involved." He let his dislike for his sister-in-law and the way she had treated her siblings over the last few years colour his voice.

"You're not part of this family," she sneered at him.

"I am now part of the Donati table. As I said life as you knew it has gone. The chair came here of his own volition to give you a chance at life, but you squandered it. You will live out your days as the criminal you are and be buried as a pauper. You have no one to blame but yourself for this outcome. Your parents may continue to support you through the commissary, but I believe your confession about Lio may persuade them to allow you to languish here with nothing to rely on but your sweat and tears."

"You lie," she accused. "I am a Donati. Donati's go to prison!"

"Yet you did Miss Maris," Dino chuckled. "Perhaps it is fortunate you refused to claim the family name. This way Joshua is spared the familial embarrassment of you being here for the rest of your life."

Josh stood and made his way to the door without another word leaving Dino to bring his point home. As he stood and watched one hand on the door, he saw the rage on his sister's face. He knew if she could kill Dino at that moment, she would.

"You never cultivated friends who would help you now. You are of no value to the Suebi now. The one member of your family who may have fought for you has just pronounced you dead. You can rage at me Veronica but it is as ineffective as beating your fists against the bars of your cell," Dino said coldly then banged on the wall to alert the guard they were finished. "No one else will come to save you now Miss Maris. Have a nice life."

"I didn't do anything wrong, and you know it," she accused sounding somehow smaller and scared as the guard opened the door. Josh turned to look at her and saw the small play of her lips as he did and knew it was just a ploy to gain his sympathy and undo some of the damage.

"Goodbye Nik," Josh said sadly and left the room. They could hear her explode as the door closed, and it took a moment for Josh to pull himself together before he walked away from his sister for good.

*****

"Ready to go?" Dante asked. He returned as Antonia left the cottage.

"I am, where are we going?" she asked with a light laugh.

"It occurred to me, that although I have kissed, licked, sucked, fucked, bound and used you, to my heart's delight, that we have never been on a real date without a chaperone," he said with a chuckle.

"I hadn't thought about it, but I guess you're right," Peri laughed lightly with him.

"Look," he said stepping forward toward her and lowering his voice. "I love Josh as much as you do, but we haven't had the chance to be totally alone since, well since we were pushed together," he said. "I'm not going to pretend I didn't want it, and I don't want you to think I am trying to undermine what you and Josh have, but I need more than just being the third wheel. I want us to have a first date story and moments that belong to us separate from Josh. I want us to have our own memories."

"I'd like that," Peri smiled sensing his nervousness and grateful for his honesty. She had taken Antonia's words to heart and wanted to know Dante better and talk to him about what was going on in her life. She reached a hand up to his cheek and kissed him.

Dante smiled into the kiss and guided her out to an SUV he had borrowed from Carlo. He drove out into the countryside and along the river in the opposite direction from the swimming hole she had first been to with Josh. They stopped beside a small rock ledge that overlooked a small fall of water and was shrouded by trees.

He helped her from the car and walked her through the bushes. A picnic had been set up for them with a thick blanket and pillows under the seclusion of low hanging trees. Dante smiled and took her in his arms, kissing her softly.

"When did you have time to do all this," she said in quiet wonder.

"You'd be amazed at what I can do when properly motivated," he grinned and kissed her again more deeply but without the urgency she usually felt from him. He led her to the blanket, and they sat together.

"This is beautiful," she said softly leaning her head back to look at the canopy above them.

"It is," he agreed. "I wanted to share this with you. I want to share a lot of things with you," he said softly. "I had been dark and bitter for a while when I first met you at the family lunch," he began and started to tell her his story of falling in love with Celeste and losing everything to greed and avarice. He finished the story by telling her that the first day they met had been the first time he had genuinely laughed since his heart had been broken. He included her story about having stumpy legs and the magic of boots as being endearing.

"I think I fell in love with you that day. I didn't realise it at the time, but I think Lio did," he smiled sadly. "When you came to work with us, he told me not to get too involved in your work. I watched you, though, and I saw how you paid attention to detail and knew exactly what you were doing but let others take credit for your work or tell you to fix things that never needed fixing. That was when I admitted it to him and myself. I've always loved you."

"I've cared for you for a long time too. It wasn't love," she admitted. "I was so wound up in Josh there wasn't room for anyone else in that way. I always knew you were there though and that you cared about me, I relied on you and loved you even though I wasn't in love if that makes any sense," she admitted.

"I did, and I do. If we hadn't been pushed together with Josh I would still be caring for you as I always did," he said lifting his hand to stroke her cheek. "You and Josh have a history and memories I can't and don't want to intrude on or compete with, but I want to make memories with you too," He admitted. "Josh has made it clear that you married him, he is your husband, and I have struggled with where that leaves me." He shook his head, "Don't misunderstand I love the relationship the three of us have. Josh could be my twin with the closeness of the bond we share now and we both love you and share you with the same passion. I would never betray him or do anything to harm what we have with him." He seemed to be sorting out what he wanted to say in his head as he spoke.

"I understand," she said softly. "I have been trying to sort it out in my mind too." She lay back on the pillow and looked up at the canopy. She told him about the early days with Josh covering the same time frame as his did up until now. She spoke about how Andie had treated her before she had met Charles. How Sabrina had made her feel and how strong, beautiful women still intimidated her.

"That's not how I see you, at all," he frowned at her. "I guess because I never had all the pieces to your puzzle I don't see the causes of your insecurities, just that you have them, though you rarely let them show."

"Dante, I have a trial during this holiday too," she said softly. "And I'm a little scared that I will let you and Josh down," her voice fell to almost a whisper.

"Tell me," he urged. "It won't go past me not even to Josh unless you decide to tell him." He leant up on one arm looking down at her intensely.

Peri looked up at him and saw the care and concern in his face. Antonia had advised her to trust his intuition so she told him about her discussion with his mother about needing to assert herself as the leader of the women in the family.

"Mama is right about everything as usual except," he paused thoughtfully, "I don't think withdrawing Josh's singing with Carmen is the way to go either. I think it would be better to play her at her own game. We will need Josh's help though to pull it off and you will need to believe you are every bit as good as Josh and I have been telling you that you are."

"I don't want Josh to worry, he will try and fix it for me instead of helping me to work it out myself," she looked up at him the anxiety she felt clear in her voice.

"Yeah, I can see that," Dante nodded. "I still don't think limiting her singing with Josh is the best way to go. It would show how strong your influence is but it could rub not only Carmen but Romey the wrong way and he will struggle enough with what is coming as it is. You think Jules will know already?"

"Antonia thinks so. I guess they needed time to pack up their house for the move overseas," Peri said.

"That might work in our favour. If you can do that and win over the other women, then you will have won half the battle and without their support, Carmen may not be as pushy where you are concerned. We've got twenty-four hours to come up with a better plan but you can trust me," he said earnestly.

"I do silly, that's why I told you," she smiled, and he bent his head to kiss her. His hand travelling down over her body.

"We should eat before I get carried away," he said abruptly sitting up to open the large picnic basket.

"We've both spoken to Josh but not each other about this threesome thing," Peri said tentatively as she watched him unpack a huge amount of food and drink.

"I guess that's what I am trying to do today." Dante looked at her.

"I always ask Antonia of questions when I talk to Josh. It's my way of sorting thinks out in my mind and trying to understand them," she explained even though she knew she didn't have to. "I've asked Josh all the big questions I need to know from him, but it brought up a lot more questions about how you feel about the things that I have been worried about," she explained further.

"Ask away," Dante said picking up a piece of chicken and biting into it.

"I'm married to Josh, but you're like a husband, does it bother you? I mean that there is nothing formal between us or you and Josh where the relationship is concerned," she knew she wasn't explaining what she meant properly.

"I always want more but if you love me that's honestly all I need," he said looking at her so she could see the truth of his words.

"The babies? Do you love them too?" she asked.

"You know I do," he frowned at her.

"Josh pointed out that if things continue the way they are that either of you could be the father of my next child, and it wouldn't matter to him because he would still be listed as the father on their birth certificate so that they could grow up to populate the next table. I wonder if that's fair to you," she said quietly.

"It's the way it is and If I am lucky it will be my children that populate the next table alongside Cruze and Blaze," Dante said. "In a perfect world I would have met you first," Dante gave a soft smile. "I didn't though, and now all your questions can be answered simply," he took her hand and looked into her eyes. "If you love me, truly, madly, deeply love me and by that I mean trust and confide in me as you have today, then it doesn't matter whose name is on a piece a paper because I love you that much." He used the words he had heard her use to describe her actions recently.

Peri smiled widely and began to not only accept that this was the way it was but also let herself feel the genuine love she had for this man. "I love you," she said softly. "More than I have admitted even to myself."-

"I know," he said. "I see it every time you submit to me in the playroom. You let your guard down once you have that necklace on as if it gives you permission to love me," he said sadly. "I want more, though. I want the look you give me there to be in your eyes always not just when you think you have Josh's permission. I know what a control freak he is, but I can be just as demanding."

She looked at him considering his words. It was true she realised that it was only when they were alone that she truly let her guard down. They may not know the details, but the family all knew that Dante chose to live with them both in the country and the city. A strange thought occurred to her then, and she frowned.

"Talk to me," Dante reached out a hand to stroke her cheek.

"You're right I have kept you at arm's length in front of everyone else because no one had been told yet that the changing of the seats would start but they would have to be pretty blind not to realise what was happening wouldn't they?" She said still mulling it over. "I mean they know about the renovations to your apartments don't they?"

"Our apartments," he corrected her. "Our home. You have to stop separating me from you and Josh," he said sternly.

"I'm sorry," she looked away guiltily. She could have made the excuses that this was still new and felt secretive because not everyone knew what was happening or why it was happening yet but she didn't instead she sighed and forced herself to look up at him. "I'll try harder to show you how much I love you."

"That's all I want," Dante said softly leaning down and kissing her deeply. He was pleasantly surprised that she hadn't made excuses but had accepted the rebuke for what it was. "You're right my brothers probably do have a good idea of what is happening between the three of us. We have a different view on these types of relationships, though, and I don't think their egos have allowed them to contemplate that the baby brother, let alone the volatile bastard of the family could lead the table."

"You're a volatile bastard?" Peri laughed thinking he was joking.

"After Celeste left and what she did to our child, I hated the world and everyone in it. Especially, the family. Then you showed up at one of those boring lunches like a ray of sunshine and made me laugh more than I had in years," he smiled gently. "I heard Maryanne tell you that she knew I liked you and that I didn't like anyone, not even her," he laughed. "I'm glad you never knew that other side of me, but it's there."

"It must have been different for you growing up here than it was for Josh," Peri said as she picked at the food. "You would have been older when Christo died and would have seen the three of them together. Was it like growing up with two fathers?"

"In some ways I suppose. I mean we always knew who Papa was but Christo held the same authority and showed us the same love if not more so," Dante admitted. "We called him Popo but it's hard to separate him from Papa in my mind; there was always two. One or both found the time every day to teach us something or play with us. We would have epic soccer matches with the five of us against the two of them," he smiled at the memory. "Neither favoured us more than the other; it wasn't like they split us up by who had fathered who, we were a family, and it wasn't until I went to boarding school that I realised that not everyone had two fathers. Lio asked Mama once who our real father was. She asked him why it mattered and that she would hate to see him treat either one of them differently."

"I suspect she's the only one who would know but maybe not," Peri said. "With things the way they are for us, I can't imagine that I will know for sure which of you will father my next baby. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"In the end, it doesn't matter. We are all siblings and have the same Mama, and she is the most important person in our family. She's the one who binds us all together, just as you will be," he smiled and curling his hand around her neck pulled her into a tender kiss. "Mama holds all of the Donati's together," he looked at her then as if a lightbulb went off in his head.

"What?" she frowned not understanding why he suddenly looked at her that way.

"I know how you will bring Carmen around," he smiled. "You have something she doesn't, and it's a crucial element to any Mother of the Donati's," he laughed making her look at him through narrowed eyes. "You know the family better than anyone."

"I doubt that's true," she shook her head.

"You know every member of the current table living or dead," he mused and waited for her to nod. "I would bet you know their wives and children's names too," he added once again watching her nod. "At Maryanne's wedding, I saw you sitting with different groups of women, Finola and Margarite as well as few others. I imagine you even bothered to find out how each of the team you have working for you is related to the family."

"Well yes but that's been my job, to know the family and help compile the history. The immediate cousins are fine but beyond that, I struggle to work out the links," she admitted.

"Just for the fun of it name all my nieces and nephews for me," he grinned and listened as she started with Angelo's brood and worked her way through Ben, Romey and Jules families.

"Mine aren't your nieces and nephews anymore, they're our children," she said quietly.

"That is correct," he kissed her again laying her back down against the pillows and lying beside her. "This is our family, every last one of them and you know them. You've taken the time to know them so when you see them, you can call them by name. Carmen can't do that if you try and engage her in a conversation about Finola, she wouldn't know who you were talking about I bet. She's been so busy trying to dominate Emily and Bianca, who she sees as real rivals she forgot about the rest of the clan."

Peri finally understood what he was saying. She did know quite a few of the cousin's now enough to talk to and have common ground. More so with the women but still it was a start. She smiled and rolled to her side facing him.

"They chose the right man to be the Oracle," she placed her hand on his cheek. "You and Josh are going to do amazing things together including creating a wonderful family of our own," she said intently and leant forward to kiss him. "I wouldn't normally sleep with someone on the first date but in your case, I could make an exception," she giggled and began fumbling with the button on his jeans.

"It's that sassy attitude that Josh has been talking about correcting, but I love it," he grinned and smacked her ass. "For more reasons than being able to spank you for it." He began to unbutton her blouse as he kissed her again. "Another thing Josh and I disagree on," he said peeling back the triangle of her maternity bra to reveal her breast while keeping it framed within the structure of the garment. He lowered his head to her breast and helped her to remove his jeans.

Peri gasped as she felt his hand slide up her thigh and under her skirt, and she wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked it. Once she'd got over her initial discomfort about Dante's breast milk fetish she found herself enjoying the sensations it gave her and the rush of endorphins that seemed to flow through her body. Her breath quickly became ragged as he rolled her to her back pressing up against her side as he gave both nipples equal attention and ensured she wouldn't leak the precious fluid. His fingers worked their way into her, as his thumb settled over her clit and she arched her back climbing to a high that broke over her making her cry out into the empty countryside.

Her hand gripped his cock tightly making him grimace as she came. Rolling her still shaking body to her tummy he pulled her hips up and pushed her legs beneath her giving her no time to reorientate herself he smacked her ass and thrust into her. He fucked her brutally leaning over her body to grab her hanging tits and crush them in his large hands. Her cries of pain and pleasure sung out and he groaned loudly feeling his cum pump into her leaving him feeling exhilarated. He collapsed back onto the blanket and guided the still quivering Peri down his body to use her wonderful mouth on his cock.