Beautiful No More

by MJ Nightingale

  Lisa left to get Johnny ready for a soccer tournament he was in later that morning; Bella was tired and wanted to lie down and Blaze accompanied her. Ronnie went to get ready for work at the habitat, and Nikko was driving her in along with her security detail. He would pick them up later.

  Andreas and Gio stayed to ensure that security was arranged for Angela, her husband, and the two children she still had living at home. They had slept through the ordeal and a police officer was escorting her home. Angela’s family had been informed earlier and were waiting on her return. The police officer would stay with her until the new security detail was in place, and her son, Michael, was on his way.

  When Gio stepped out to take Lisa and Johnny to the soccer tournament in Zephyrhills, Andreas and Lucas finished making the arrangements for Angela’s protection. They were putting four men on it. One to stay at the house, her husband worked from home, another was assigned to be with Angela, and two to keep watch on the kids.

  He glanced at the clock when he knew the men were on their way to Angela’s home, and realized it was already eleven AM. He couldn’t stall any longer. Cat had not come down yet, and he knew she must be waiting upstairs. He needed to shower and change. He wanted to head down to the police station afterwards and follow up over there if he hadn’t heard anything by the time he was ready to leave.

  Recalling the conversation he was going to have with Cat earlier, he knew the talk they needed to have would be very different now. Angela’s kidnapping changed all that. God, if Romeo captured and killed Cat it would break him. He went upstairs stalling no longer and took the steps two at a time.

  When he opened the door to his bedroom he saw her. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, the news station turned on, the volume on low, but she was still in her yoga wear. She hadn’t showered, nor dressed. She looked lost.

  Their eyes met and locked across the expanse of the room. The air was charged. He was at a loss. She broke the silence.

  Standing, she faced him head on. “I am . . . so incredibly sorry that I brought this . . . this monster back into your lives.” Simple apology. It was all she could think to do. Then she began to cry. Silent tears. He was rooted to the spot. This strong woman was breaking down in front of him. He crossed the room quickly and took her into his arms. It was all he could think to do.

  She allowed it briefly, but then pushed him away. “I’m sorry, but please let me go. I can’t breathe, think, when you hold me, and I know you feel the same.”

  “Cat, I . . .,” he started but could not find the words.

  “I think I should go. I can stay at a hotel, and hire some more protection.”

  “No,” he stated, but the emotion he tried to convey with that single word was not conveyed. It might be better he thought. Safer. He knew the word sounded weak even coming from his own lips.

  “You need to protect your family. Hunt this man down, and until he is found I am just a distraction.” She turned and walked to the closet. She pulled out the two overnight bags she had brought from her apartment.

  “Cat, don’t. Wait. Let me think.” He crossed the room behind her and took her bags, setting them onto the floor. She wouldn’t meet his eyes. Kept her face adverted from him.

  “You know I am right,” she clarified.

  “No, I don’t.” He sighed knowing that was a lie. She was a distraction, a distraction he was very much in love with. His heart constricted; what would he do if he lost her now? But, loving her put his entire family in jeopardy once more.

  Loving her had once again put a target on his back. Her back too. Romeo must be livid with rage knowing what he knew about them. That was why he had committed that brazen act against Angela. But he didn’t want Cat to just walk out and not be safe. He knew having her close meant that Sal/Darryl/ Spiro would never leave her alone or him. That statement he made to the press last night brought this down on him. He had that thought earlier, and the guilt ate at him. He felt the weight of it sitting in his gut like a rock.

  “Cat,” he started again, but first let out a very slow and painful breath, past the lump in his throat at what he was about to do. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is for the best. I’ll make the arrangements.” He pressed his forehead down against hers.

  She allowed the contact briefly, before pulling back. She nodded, accepting his offer. “I’ll shower and then pack.” He let her go. Let her slip away, and turned heading for the stairs to make the necessary arrangements.

  * * *

  He made the arrangements quickly, thankful Lucas was professional about it. He gave him no indication he thought the idea was a bad one. Andreas was also grateful none of his brothers came down to question his tactics. They most assuredly wouldn’t approve of him sending Cat away. Part of him knew that, but if it meant keeping them all safe he had to do it. Her too.

  He didn’t know which way was up anymore. He just felt having Cat out of his reach might keep her safer. He wanted this madman’s revenge focused on him alone. If Romeo believed they were on the outs, Cat would be the objectification of his desire, perfect once more in his eyes, and maybe he wouldn’t go after her at all.

  He passed Blaze going back up the stairs. He was coming down to make lunch for himself and Bella. He asked if he and Cat wanted to join them. “No, I’m, um, taking her out, and then heading to the police station,” was his curt response. Blaze’s eyebrows arched subtly, but he didn’t stop his brother either.

  He needed to get her moved. He would explain later, when he returned without Cat. He had enough on his plate right now.

  When he entered his room, he found her once again sitting on the bed. She was dressed and watching the local news still. Her bags were packed and waiting by the door. He nodded, and told her he would be with her shortly. “All the arrangements have been made. I just want to grab a quick shower.” She nodded but could not meet his gaze.

  He hurried, and regretted not bringing a change of clothes with him the moment he stepped out of the shower. As soon as he opened the door, with only a towel wrapped around him, she was waiting for him. Her cool grey eyes appraising him. She walked towards him, and his heart pounded in his chest as she approached. She reached her hands up towards his face and pulled it down for a kiss. Her lips and tongue demanded a response. And try as he might, he could not deny her this. This final time. But he vowed this would be it. One last time. No more distractions. He needed to keep his focus, to keep them all safe. No one else would be killed.

  Cat needed him. She tried to remain stone, but she had already given her heart to this man. She wanted one more time to feel what it was like to be cherished. He may not love her, but he was kind.

  He wasn’t able to return the kiss right away, but she persisted, and soon he was returning it with equal vigor. She felt her body begin to warm, and the pain in her heart begin to fade. A bit.

  He began to walk her backwards towards the bed, and he broke the kiss long enough to pull her shirt off over her head. She helped him and hastily unhooked her bra. When she felt the bed behind her, he was already tugging down her pants, the panties with them. He had already dropped his towel, and he pushed her slightly and together they fell. He on top, bracing himself on his elbows, and his lips were on hers already claiming them.

  “Oh Andreas,” her voice came out rough, breathless after he broke the kiss and sought out her breasts. He worshipped each one frantically wanting to remember them, and this.

  “Th-that . . . Feels . . . Yes,” her hands gripped the sheets twisting them as she gazed down at him suckling her. His body was so amazing in the lamplight.

  She felt the urge to please him in a way she had never done before. “Andy, please let me . . .,” her words lost on a gasp of pleasure. He glanced up at her, his mouth still clamped onto one breast. She heard the pop when he let go. “I want to please you,” she whispered and began to push him off of her.

  Confused, Andreas backed up as she kept pushing. He got off the bed standing before her. But when she
scooted to the edge of the bed and grasped his cock, he understood her plea.

  She touched his cock gently at first, and then she set her mouth upon it, glancing up at the man she loved more than her own life. She had never thought it possible, but she did. She loved him beyond measure, and although she could never say those words to him again, she wanted to show him. She watched as his blue eyes became bluer when she sucked more of his cock into her mouth, his pupils getting smaller.

  She began to move her head back and forth on his shaft, taking him in and then letting his cock slide out. She swirled her tongue and tasted his precum at his opening. One of her hands gripped the bottom of his shaft and she stroked his silken member as she swirled her tongue over and around the very sensitive ridge and head. She felt the blood pumping and heard his first guttural moan telling her that she was pleasing him. His hand reached out to her head as she began to suck once more. Suck and release, Suck and release. He grasped her hair and pulled it away from her face so he could watch her. “Oh, baby, I’m getting close already,” he murmured. The sound of his voice heightened her arousal. She needed, wanted to do this for him.

  Cat grabbed ahold of his cock with both her hands and pressing her chest forward, she took the head of it and rubbed it on her nipples. His groan was fierce, and next she rubbed it up and down the crevice between her breasts and then back to her nipples before returning his cock to her mouth and picking up the tempo.

  Again Andreas reached for her hair and held on tight helping her with the rhythm. But his other hand reached to grasp one breast until he found the nipple. Pinching it between is thumb and forefinger he pulled and tugged on it until she cried out her own surprising delight.

  He switched hands and did the same to her other breast. “Suck me, Cat. Harder.” He was so close. He wanted to come so badly. He felt his balls tightening.

  Cat darted her tongue to touch the tip one more time, and when she heard Andreas’ sharp intake of breath she pulled him in, clamping her lips tightly around his shaft and did what he asked of her. He was gyrating his hips to her movements and with his next thrust she sucked hard, her pussy clenching of its own accord with each moan of his pleasure.

  Andreas was still tugging her nipple, pinching it, and he was so goddammed close as she swirled her tongue around the massive head of his cock. His thrusts became deeper, and faster, and she took more of him into her mouth. She wanted more and took him as far as she could into the back of her throat.

  He felt the veins fill with blood and his balls tighten. Just the sight of his cock sliding in and out of those red lips, her breasts, and her tongue paying him exquisite attention had him wanting to ram his cock into that pretty little mouth over and over again. He dropped his grip on her breast when he felt his orgasm coming. His cock was pulsing. He threw back his head and roared, “Oh fuck, sweet Cat!” as he powered through it, her mouth still working it and sucking him dry.

  Then he attacked. It was her turn. He pushed her back onto the bed and went straight for her sweet pussy. With no warning, he pushed two fingers into her and she was wet. He found her clit with his tongue, the ball of nerves already there and open to him. He sucked it into his mouth and worked his tongue over it again and again. He could feel her legs pressing against his shoulder. Her release was close too. He dipped his head down to use his tongue to swipe at her pussy and taste her sweet nectar. God, she was so fucking sweet. He went back to her clit, and began to stroke her once more with his fingers, and he could already feel the walls of her pussy clenching at him, pulling him in deeper.

  Her release came suddenly surprising him as she cried out his name. His name like a prayer on her lips. “Dear Andy. Oh my God!” she cried, her body sagging below him, spent.

  They lie there a moment, both gasping for breath when Cat’s words ended the silence. “Thank you.”

  He had no words.

  A moment later she rolled away from him and sat on her side of the bed. She began to dress. Andreas knew she had bewitched him. He would never forget about her, but for now, they needed to keep their distance. Even though he felt like the lowest of bastards for doing what he was about to do. He went to his closet, and got dressed. When he came out, she was standing by the door, waiting, her purse already in her hands. Her bags still standing sentinel.

  In his fist, he clutched a roll of money, it was ten thousand dollars from his safe in the closet. He showed her the wad of cash. Her eyes widened slightly, and she looked up into his blue eyes. He made them hard. He dropped it into the top of her purse. “For your needs while at the hotel.” And even though he would hate himself later for it, he added. “And for your time and services.” Her eyes narrowed with pain and dissapointment, and without a word, she set her mouth into a grim line and turned.

  Carrying her bags, he followed her down the stairs and right out the door, calling himself every name in the fucking book. His car was already waiting for them out front. He let her seat herself as he popped open the trunk, and dropped her bags inside.

  The ride to the Marriott was done in silence. He pulled up out front, and two men approached his vehicle. He recognized them from the photos Lucas had shown him. Her security detail. John, and Mitch.

  She was already climbing out of the car as he got out to greet the two security men. “Don’t take your eyes off of her,” he whispered. They both assured him she would be safe. He popped open the trunk as she waited by the lobby doors.

  As soon as he finished handing the bags to her security detail, Andreas began to approach. She was mad, but she was no fool. She knew why he did it. The money. It didn’t make the hurt less though. She never expected him to treat her like a whore, but he had. Even if it was to keep her away. Keep her safe. It hurt. But, she would play his game too. She wanted him and his family safe just as much as he did. She did not want to bring more hurt upon him. She loved him too much for that. And the fact that Spiro’s obsession with her made them another target ate at her conscience. She waited for him to approach, to say what he thought he needed to say. He looked her in the eyes, and she forced herself to meet his gaze levelly, as the two security agents stood by at a respectable distance. “Cat, I’m sorry,” he started. One hand strayed to his dark hair, pushing it off his forehead. Her eyes strayed momentarily but then focused back on him. The man.

  “Don’t apologize. It is not necessary. I know when a man wants to put me in my place.” She gave him his out. She knew he didn’t want to say those words to her. Knew it was a ruse to keep her safe and his family. But she was hurting, and she wanted to let him know it. “I really believed you were different.” She rolled her eyes and blew a wisp of hair out of her face. A sad sigh escaped her before she continued. “I still do. When you choose to explain that ridiculous display, I’ll be more than glad to hear it. But, I warn you. I am nobody’s toy any longer, Andreas.” Her voice cracked.

  His heart cracked.

  “I did not know what love was until I met you, Andreas. Don’t make me wait too long. Don’t make me doubt you.”

  He was broken, but he did not have the words. He saw her intake of breath before she spoke again. She was taking in air, long slow gulps of it, but tried to appear nonchalant. It was killing him to let her go. “Maybe I don’t know what love is though. But, thank you for teaching me what it could be, and keeping me physically safe. I wish you well.” With that she turned and walked away. The doors slid open in front of her and she walked in, Mitch and John following. He stayed until the doors slid closed and she was swallowed up by the glass and stone of the Sheraton-Marriott hotel.

  Chapter 29

  Wherefore art thou?

  Two weeks flew by and a miserable Andreas buried himself in work. Romeo had evaporated into thin air. Any leads they had or got quickly went cold. The incident with Angela escaping must have spooked him, he thought. Salvatore never went back to his apartment or to work, and now there was a nation-wide manhunt for the man formerly known as the Rosedale Romeo. Every time he turned on the news
there was some sound bite about the case. But there hadn’t been any new leads in over a week. The case and investigation was stalled.

  With his cover blown, the press splashing all his pictures and all Salvatore Mazzelli’s aliases on the sound waves, he was bound to show up. Come up on someone’s radar. But it hadn’t happened. Each day that Andreas woke up in his bed alone reminded him further of his failure. And he missed Cat.

  Three days ago the police had come to him with an idea. They wanted him and Cat and others involved to be interviewed. They thought it could help shake things up, and perhaps bring in new leads. Everything was hastily arranged.

  The story, set to appear tonight on Forty Eight Hours, would ask for anyone with information on this man, or any of the aliases he may have used in the past to call the authorities. The police needed to fill in the pieces so they could figure out what his next move might be. The police felt it might lure him, prevent him from going deeper under cover if they were prominently featured, and the psychologists agreed. It would keep him in the area.

  Both he and Cat had been interviewed as well. They had both been briefed on what to say, and had communicated through Lucas. Andreas knew if he talked to her himself it would break him. He needed to stay focused for her and his family. He let Lucas pass along a message of what he planned to say so it would not be a shock to her. Well, most of it anyway, asking her to forgive him for whatever he said as it was only meant to keep her safe, and his family.

  She had not replied.

  The report aired tonight. It had been filmed quickly with sound bites going out on all channels about the upcoming show entitled, “The Hunt for Romeo. Wherefore art thou?” Clever, he thought wryly. Very clever. The police hoped he was watching and hoped he would make another rash mistake.

  All of his brothers had been interviewed. Their women kept out of it as no one wanted them to become targets. No one talked about it though, not to him anyway except to say they hoped this would lure him out. In fact, his family had been pretty much giving him the silent treatment after he told them he sent Cat away. Ronnie even called him an ass after he tried to explain his motives.