“It looked like you did from where I was standing. Velean was watching also.”
Before she could continue, three of Gypsy’s crew burst through the trees. “Razvan you’re a dead man,” they yelled.
“Wait, wait, wait, he can help us. He wanted Velean. Not me.”
The three men eyed Razvan. It was Wrench who spoke up first. “Explain or we take you out.”
Mariquinn wanted to roll her eyes at them. All four men looked at one another.
“Why does your face look bruised?” Asked Angel.
“That asshole laying over there hit me. Raz...Alex knocked him out to help me.”
Angel, one of the three men that rode with Gypsy, grabbed Razvan slamming him into a tree. If anyone was going to be bruised it would be him. “You better not have touched her!” Angel let Razvan go only to punch him in the jaw. “That’s for involving yourself in this whole fucked up situation.”
“I was only trying to help. A mistake I’m coming to quickly regret,” Razvan responded, as he rubbed at his jaw.
“Angel let him be,” Mariquinn said, placing her hand on Angel’s shoulder. “We have more important things to worry about.” Something told her Angel was not a man to take lightly. His piercing blue eyes made her feel like he saw all the way into her soul.
“Mariquinn, you have the answers you need. Remember the story and figure it out,” Razvan told her. Pulling away from Angel, Razvan hurried through the woods to his ride. Mariquinn rushed back to Gypsy with the three men hot on her heels. They got there only minutes before the emergency unit arrived.
Tabor had Gypsy sitting against a tree, a balled-up t-shirt pressed against his wound. Mariquinn ran to him. She couldn’t care less about his face, she just wanted to know he was okay. Coming to kneel at his side, she ran a hand down his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize I saw your face before. Razvan helped me, to throw Velean off. So, now we need to put my plan in action between now and when she shows up to kick me out of your life.”
Gypsy just stared at Mariquinn. With his working arm, he pulled her to him. He wanted one kiss with the sun beating down on them. Just in case they never got another chance, he wanted to have one last memory of them together without limitations. With a wild card like Velean, who knew what would happen next.
Mariquinn kissed Gypsy with everything she had in her. Right then and there she realized how much she loved him. Pulling back, she looked at him and told him just that. “I love you Nicolea Petrovic and don’t you forget it.”
Wrapping his hand in her hair, tangling it, taking control of Mariquinn fully. Bringing her back to him, he devoured her mouth with his. He heard the sirens and Tabor barking orders while he continued kissing his woman. “I love you, Mariquinn, and I swear this is not over.”
Mariquinn nodded in agreement. She let Tabor help her up so that the paramedics could get to Gypsy. Mariquinn rode to the hospital with him. It didn’t matter what he looked like to her. He was already the most handsome man she had ever met. And she loved him, oh God she did, she loved him. Mariquinn slid to the floor next to the gurney and rested her head on his chest.
Velean went back to her home to get dressed for her grand entrance. She couldn’t wait to throw that little nobody out of Nicolea’s hospital room. A knock came at her door. Velean sauntered to answer it, expecting one of Nicolea’s men. She was surprised to find Alexander standing there. For a split-second she second-guessed her choices.
Alexander snatched her to him and kissed her hard and fast. Letting her go, he watched as she stumbled for a moment. “I just thought you should know what you gave up, Velean.”
Before Velean could speak, he turned and stepped on her private elevator and disappeared. Running her tongue over her lips, Velean thought about the man who had just kissed her like the devil and realized she wanted him too.
Choices, a lady needed choices. Turning around, she grabbed her purse. She had somewhere to be.
Mariquinn stood alone in a private waiting room. She knew Velean had arrived because Tabor had sent word through Angel. It seemed he would be her body guard from now on. Looking down at herself, she realized she was bruised. Cuts and scrapes were all over her exposed skin. She looked at her bloody clothes wondering how much of it was Gypsy’s and how much may be hers. As she tugged at the torn shirt, she thought about the story Gypsy had told her about Elena.
The story of Elena, the young couple, and the children. The children, she would have to go take care of them.
“Mariquinn. We have a Dr. that will look at you. Do. Not. Argue. Gypsy won’t like it.” Angel waited for her to make the decision to go with him.
Rubbing her hands over her arms she walked with him.
Chapter Sixteen
Mariquinn stood in the children’s living room watching them play. Their nanny stood next to Mariquinn. Tabor had called her to explain what happened and that Mariquinn was on her way.
So here she stood trying to figure out what to say or do. She dropped to the floor and brought the children in tight. She explained that Nicolea had been in an accident, but he was alright. He just had to stay in the hospital for a few days. After a lot of tears and questions, Mariquinn tucked them in for the night and made her way across the courtyard to Nicolea’s room.
Mariquinn kicked her shoes off and laid across the bed. She needed to figure this out and figure it out fast. She fell asleep sometime later, no closer to an answer than she was earlier.
Late that night, Mariquinn woke to an almost pitch-black room. A small amount of moonlight shone in the room. Mariquinn got up and from somewhere deep inside of her anger bubbled up. She reached out and took two handfuls of the drapes and yanked. It took a couple times to rip the first panel down. As she reached for another panel and begun to pull she screamed. Mariquinn was pissed, pissed at the whole situation. Pissed at Nicolea for thinking his children would be an embarrassment to his father. His father for being so stubborn and set in his ways. She was mad at Velean for being a vindictive bitch. Mad at Elena for being a selfish, spoiled girl.
As she continued destroying the draperies, George ran into the room. Flipping on the lights, he saw Mariquinn and the piles of ruined drapes. Turning to look at him she told him if she ever saw a pair of those drapes again, she would shoot all of them. “Maybe I should get some garbage bags, so we can clean this mess up.”
“No, leave them right where they are. I don’t want to clean them up yet. I want them to lay there in ruins, just like my relationship with Nicolea is at the moment.”
“Mariquinn, we can figure this out. We just need to think it through.”
“What do we have to think about?”
Both Mariquinn and George looked at Rafe as he walked in the room. Mariquinn stood holding a pair of torn drapes in her hands. She felt her hands tremble. Closing her eyes, she waited for him to tell her she had to leave. “I will ask again. What are we thinking about?”
“We need to figure out how to get Nicolea away from Velean.”
“I thought you had a plan?” asked Rafe.
Mariquinn did have a plan and it involved her parents and Nicolea’s. She needed her parents to be a buffer with Nicolea’s. The upside - he was married and could now move into his rightful place as King. The downside was her mother would be devastated she got married in an atrium no matter how lovely it was.
Mariquinn sat in Nicolea’s family room playing with the children. Their nanny sat off to the side, reading a book. Mariquinn knew she was paying attention. She appreciated Lillian staying for the storm that was about to take place. After calling him Gypsy for the past few weeks Mariquinn kept reminding herself to use his formal name tonight.
The first to arrive was her family, which meant her two sisters had come along with her parents. That was fine, she really wanted to tell this story only once. Nicolea’s family, which included a few more people than she expected, piled into the living room. After introductions were made, Mariquinn asked if everyone could quiet down. They all
knew Nicolea was in the hospital and that he had guards on him. They just had no idea what she was about to tell them.
Once Mariquinn got started, the story just rolled out like it was no big deal. There was a lot of blustering by Nicolea’s father, but he settled down quickly once he looked at the children and saw his only grandchildren. He was proud of Nicolea for taking care of things on his own and in his own way.
Wrench stepped up, explaining that the man from the accident was happily married and held no ill will. Nicolea had covered all expenses years back and continued to check on the man. There seemed to be nothing else to do but put Velean in her place.
Three weeks later, Velean stood in the dressing room in a quaint little chapel on the edge of the city. Nicolea was already dressed and in the church waiting for her. Velean had expected some form of uproar from the little tart he was supposed to marry, but none had come. Touching up her lipstick, she put on a wicked smile. Velean knew Nicolea so well, not even he wanted to have his dirty secrets out in the open. What would his people think of him allowing his woman to drive around under the influence, killing a poor girl? The door opened behind her and Mariquinn walked in.
“What are you doing here?”
“Giving you a chance to change your mind.”
“Never, Nicolea is mine.”
“That’s what I told them you would say.”
“Told who.”
Velean’s eyes got wide when the king and queen walked in. “It seems we have an issue Velean Marricik. Under our law, I can strip you of all monetary means for blackmailing one of the royal family. Not to mention what will be happening to you for attempted murder.”
Mariquinn smiled as Velean sat down. Yes, that wiped the smile from of her face. Mariquinn listened as the King explained to her how he loved his grandchildren and found no shame in them nor in his son’s actions. He went on to remind her that it was not Nicolea behind the wheel of the car that night. That Nicolea was at his home with his children when the accident occurred. “Now, if you wish to spread lies about my son, I will be forced to strip your wealth. And furthermore, after this day, if you ever contact any of my family, you will pay dearly.”
The king and his wife left the room. Mariquinn walked to the door, stopping for just a moment. “You know, they just saved you from an embarrassing moment at the altar.”
Velean crossed her arms across her chest staring at Mariquinn. Mariquinn smiled back as she told Velean that she and Nicolea had been married earlier the day of the accident. So, she was never going to be married to him anyway. As the door closed, Mariquinn heard Velean scream and something crash into the door. Smiling, she met up with Nicolea and his parents outside of the church. Rushing to him, he wrapped her up in a hug.
“How upset is your mother?”
“She said as long as we renew our vows in the church she will forgive you.”
“How soon can we get that done?”
“Three days. Which reminds me, give me a kiss. I have to go home until our wedding day.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s one of many traditions, and one my mother is firm on. We can’t spend another minute together until I walk down the aisle.”
Nicolea tried arguing his point as Mariquinn got in her sister’s car. He even tried bribing Kathleen and Lyalya to no avail. Watching the car drive away followed by four of his guys had him laughing. He just spent a week held against his will and now he had to wait another three days to be with his wife.
Mariquinn answered her phone for the hundredth time. “Gypsy, what are you doing calling me again?” she whispered laughing softly.
He laughed into the phone. He had been relentless the past few days. He was trying to get her to sneak out of the house to meet him like some horny teenager. Nicolea wanted her in his bed, in his arms and bound beneath him. His sheets smelled like her and it drove him nuts that she was not there. He let her know that he cleaned up the mess she left in his bedroom. Gypsy also told her she would answer for that. Her reply had been that he should have never gotten in bed with a bitchy blonde. He couldn’t argue with her on that note.
“You know I haven’t liked being away from you for the last three days.”
“I will be in your arms tomorrow.”
“I don’t like it and I don’t know why we are even doing this.”
“To give our parents some traditions, that’s why. Why aren’t you with the men doing whatever it is you guys do before one gets married?”
“I will return to them when I’m finished talking to you.”
Mariquinn heard muffled voices. She knew Gypsy had placed his hand over the phone. She waited patiently for him to come back on the line. It was probably either her father or his friends telling him to get off the phone. When he came back on the phone, he was laughing. “I am being summoned.”
“It’s okay. I’m going to bed. My day will start much earlier than yours.”
“Think about me tonight.”
Mariquinn told him she would and hung up the phone. Tomorrow she would be Mariquinn Petrovic. She got up one more time to check on the children. She had been adamant about them coming to her parents’ home for some much-needed spoiling from their aunts and grandparents.
She stuck her head in and saw they were sound asleep, all snuggled in her parents’ king size bed. Smiling, Mariquinn pulled the door closed and headed back to her room. Laying down, she thought about Nicolea. A slow smile came across her face. She would probably have hell to pay tomorrow night, but she couldn’t help herself. He did tell her to think about him.
Mariquinn shot a text out to him, crossing her fingers no one else had his phone.
Nicolea,
When I think about you late at night, I hear your voice whisper to me. The deep, dark whispers caress my skin.
My body ignites, the need so intense I can barely contain my moans. I feel your hands slide up my sides, running over my breasts. My nipples respond to your touch. They ache for your tongue to caress them as your mouth wraps around them, as you suck them into your mouth roughly.
The feel of your teeth nipping at my flesh pushes me to the edge. My legs open for you. I crave you there between my legs. My sex aches for you. My fingers linger only for a moment before I plunge them deep, imagining you positioned over me pushing my legs apart, giving you more room to take everything I have to offer.
Wet, so wet. My body pulsates with need. I’m soaked as I remember your voice whispering rough commands. I arch into my own hand pushing deeper, harder. Right there, the orgasm hits. My body quakes, the sensation takes my mind to another place. My thighs are soaked for you from my own need. My mind softly lands as my body trembles once more.
I love your whispered words in the dark. They take me places I have never been. I want you to take me there again, Nicolea. Please, take me there again.
Mariquinn
Chapter Seventeen
Mariquinn stood staring at herself in the full-length mirror. She was about to marry Nicolea Petrovic, King of the gypsies. A month ago, her only worry was staying away from Razvan. Now she was really marrying her one true love for the second time.
“Mariquinn, it’s about that time.”
Mariya kissed her youngest daughter before heading out to join the congregation. Glancing back, she blew a kiss and a smile of encouragement to Mariquinn.
Mariquinn smiled back as she watched her mother walk out, letting the door close behind her. Looking back at herself in the mirror, Mariquinn felt queasy. Okay, do not go and get sick on your wedding day.
“Mariquinn, are you ready? It’s time to get married.”
“Yes, I’m ready.” Turning around, Kathleen and Lyalya smiled. Lyalya patted under her eyes, trying not to cry. “No, no, no crying Lyalya. I can’t, and you can’t . . . got it?”
Lyalya sniffed, nodding as she handed Mariquinn her bouquet. Kathleen rolled her eyes. Her sisters were becoming emotional women and she found it so unbecoming. As she opened the door, they
heard the music begin to play. All three laughed and rushed out to where their father waited to walk Mariquinn up the aisle.
The doors closed behind Mariquinn's sisters keeping Gypsy standing at the altar anxious to see his bride. He remembered how she looked when they married in his atrium and didn’t think she could be any lovelier. Then after everything else that had happened, he had been shoved out of her family’s house three days ago and had barely been allowed to speak with her. Gypsy was not accustomed to being told no. Taking a step toward the aisle, he felt Tabor grab his arm. Facing his best man, Tabor shook his head smiling. “You have the rest of your life for the hot sex brother. Just hold your horses. It will be worth it, I promise.”
“I’m already married to her Tabor.”
“Then what’s the rush brother?”
Gypsy took a breath, waiting for the doors to open. He wasn’t prepared for what he saw when they did open. Mariquinn was breathtaking in the antique wedding dress. The lace hugged her in all the right places. Her hair was swept up in one of those fancy hairstyles that he didn’t understand but it only added to the beautiful woman walking toward him. If she would just walk faster, he thought.
Mariquinn kept a tight grip on her father’s arm, praying she wouldn’t trip. She also hoped her father would keep her from running up the aisle. Maybe the priest would make it quick and they would get to the kiss. Mariquinn thought this day would never get here. How many times over the past three days had she thought about running away from her house just to be with him, or telling him to come get her on his bike? Probably a thousand times.
She saw Gypsy try to hide his smile. She loved when he smiled. He smiled very seldom, he mostly scowled. Mariquinn stopped smiling when she saw him quickly wipe under his eyes. She stopped walking, her father tugged her on.
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