Lucian got out of the car and walked back to his own Audi, parked a little way down the street. Tara watched him, the sneer returning to her face. Revolting little punk. She’d only ever fucked him to try and make Giacomo jealous when it seemed like her Italian lover had lost interest in her. Now, though, Lucian had just made things very interesting. If the police ever came looking for her …she would have no problem in framing Lucian for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. As Tara felt the sore places on her throat again, she smiled. Lucian himself had just signed Norah’s death warrant.
“Hello, Bella.” For a second Norah, who had been thinking about Giacomo all day, thought she imagined hearing his voice, but when she looked up, there he was, gorgeous in blue jeans and a dark green sweater, smiling as he swaggered to the counter.
She grinned and their eyes met. His smile at seeing her made her want to cry with joy.
Giacomo slid behind the counter and stood next to her, his hand brushing down her hair.
“Hi.” His eyes were soft.
“Hi yourself.”
They gazed at each other as Zulika came bowling out from the back room and broke the spell.
“Hey, No-No Bear?”
Norah and Giacomo looked at her.
“No? Took me ages to think that up.” She looked disappointed.
“You might want to keep working on that.” Giacomo shook his head, feigning disapproval.
“MacReddy?”
Norah nodded, mock-disappointment on her face. “Nothing with a ‘mac,’ please.”
Zulika rolled her eyes and grinned at Giacomo. “Hello again. Good to see you.”
“You too, shorty.”
Zulika looked outraged. “Just because you two are bona-fide giants …”
Giacomo couldn’t help but grin. “That’s what the ladies tell me.”
Norah snickered. “Modest as always.”
Giacomo laughed. Zulika made a gagging noise.
“Jesus, that’s not an image I’m comfortable with.”
Norah pretended to consider for a moment. “I’m pretty much okay with it.” Giacomo made a clicking noise and made finger-pistols at her. Zulika grinned and hoisted herself up onto the counter. Norah and Giacomo looked at each other for a moment, an unspoken agreement taking place. They both looked at Zulika, who grinned back guilelessly.
“Zul?”
“Yes?”
“Go away now. Go grab a coffee down the street.”
They waited until a grumbling but smiling Zulika left the bookstore. Norah followed her, locked the door, and flipped the sign. Nervous now, she motioned for Giacomo to follow her into the back room. She was about to speak when he put a finger over her lips.
“Whatever you’re about to say …” He leaned in, hesitated, and then pressed his lips against hers. She sighed and gave in to the kiss, Giacomo moved closer to her and slid a hand onto her stomach, the other onto her back. She held his face in her hands as the kiss deepened. Waves of pleasure shuddered down her body. She felt the warmth of his hands through her dress and slid her own hands into his hair. Giacomo’s arms tightened around her, pulling her against his body. Norah couldn’t help the small moan of desire that escaped her lips. Giacomo smiled.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered against her mouth. His fingers were at the zipper of her dress, gently tugging at it.
“Wait, wait, wait.” Norah pulled away, breathless, her voice shaky. Giacomo froze and she felt a pang at the hurt in his eyes.
“I’m sorry …I can’t. Not yet. Giacomo, we need to talk about what happens next.” She drew in a long, ragged breath, then laughed softly. “Believe me, there’s nothing I’d like more than to …” She gestured to the floor and they both laughed. Giacomo relaxed and pulled her down to sit on the couch. He smoothed her hair back from her face and she leaned into his touch. Her face was serious.
“If we do this… Giacomo, it has to be for real. No bullshit like last time.”
He nodded, his eyes grave. “Anything you need, Norah. Just name it.”
She took his face in her hands and kissed him gently. “Time. Just give me time. I need to process this and sort out where my life is going. I need to find my own apartment. You need to deal with Tara …that side of your life. When we’re both free of the past, then yes, Giacomo, I’m yours. I love you. I just have to know you’ve learned how to face what you need to do and that you can be the man I think you can be. Can you do that for me?”
Giacomo gathered her to him. “Norah, I promise. You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you. With all my heart, I promise. I will never let you down again.”
Carmel’s funeral was attended by so many people that the small chapel was overrun. Norah felt like an intruder; she had liked Carmel and had grown close to her in a short time, but still, she felt like sitting with Giacomo near the front of the church was depriving someone else of their rightful place.
The whole service was beautiful but desperately sad. Orlando and Ferma clung to each other as the pastor spoke. Giacomo clutched Norah’s hand, his other hand was on Orlando’s shoulder, supporting him. It made Norah realize how much the two men loved each other. They were family. Norah glanced around. Zulika was at the back of the chapel and she caught Norah’s eye. Her tiny shake of the head said everything that was needed to say what she was feeling—what everyone was feeling.
This shouldn’t be happening.
Giacomo had told her more about what had happened to Carmel—that she had been shot six times at point-blank range. Merciless. Brutal. Norah couldn’t fathom it.
Afterward, everyone gathered at the wake back at Orlando’s home, and Norah, Giacomo, and Zulika helped out by organizing everything and making sure the family was taken care of. Driving home, the three of them sat in Giacomo’s car silently, each locked in their own thoughts.
Zulika thanked Giacomo for the ride home and looked surprised when Norah followed her out of the car. “Stay with him,” she whispered, but Norah shook her head.
“We’re taking some space,” she told Zulika once they were upstairs in Zulika’s apartment, but Zulika sighed.
“Why? Surely today showed that we shouldn’t waste time not being with the ones we love.” She sounded frustrated and Norah hugged her.
“We’re working things out, bubba. Believe me, I want it to work between Giacomo and me. It’s just we need to find out more about each other and take a few steps back. Moving in with each other so quickly was a mistake. We don’t know each other well enough for it to be …resolved, yet.”
Zulika studied her. “Do you trust him?”
Norah gave her a strange smile. “Almost. Now, I’m bushed. I’m going to bed. Night, bubs.”
“Goodnight, No-No.”
Zulika lay in bed, unable to sleep. So much had happened lately that she felt exhausted by it all. Not to mention, Zulika had a secret of her own, one she had yet to process. She’d found a lump in her breast a couple of weeks back and had gone to have it checked out. She was due to have a biopsy at the end of the week, but somehow she couldn’t bring herself to tell Norah, her best friend, her sister, the one person she would confide in normally. After everything Norah had gone through…no. Better to find out first whether it was anything to worry about. The oncologist had told her she was young to have breast cancer, but there was always the dread of being the exception.
She gave up trying to sleep eventually, and switching her lamp on, grabbed her book and began to read.
Lucian had seen the car pull up and the two women get out. His sister and Norah were dressed entirely in black and he guessed they had been at the lawyer’s funeral. That’s why he didn’t get too angry when he saw who was driving. Did Conti take the women to the funeral as friends? As support?
This time, I’ll let it go, he thought to himself. He watched Norah, beautiful in a wrap dress, as she climbed the stairs up to the apartment. How the hell was I stupid enough to let you go?
Tara’s threats came back to him then, and
he couldn’t help but picture Norah lying dead, her lovely body riddled with bullets. No. He would not allow Tara to hurt Norah. Norah was his and his alone to decide who she loved and how she lived …if she lived. He would kill Tara before she could hurt his Norah.
Because the only person who got to decide if Norah died …was Lucian himself. If she went back to Conti …if she refused to forgive Lucian …
Don’t make me hurt you, my darling, he thought now, as he watched Norah disappear into the apartment. Don’t give me a reason …please …
Giacomo sat in an endless accounting meeting, not listening to a word anyone said. His mind whirled with everything that was happening outside of the company. Orlando’s endless grief; his goddaughter’s utter confusion and sorrow. Norah. It had been a week since the funeral and Norah had asked for some time. He’d agreed—of course he had—but he missed her terribly. At least they talked every evening on the phone, sometimes long into the night.
He smiled to himself. Norah had been right. They were learning more about each other now. He discovered she had been labeled a book nerd at school and she wore that badge proudly, that her father’s family was from Kerala, India and her mother was a Creole from Louisiana., and that she spoke Hindi, French, and some Russian. He’d sighed at that. “And yet, no Italian. So disappointing.”
She’d laughed at his woebegone tone. “I’ll try to learn some, I promise.”
He’d taught her some that night as they had phone sex. He’d sighed, genuinely this time, and said quite simply, “Bella, voglio essere dentro di te …I want to be inside you.”
He heard her breath quicken. “Norah, would you slide your hand down to your clitoris for me and pretend it’s my hand?”
She gave a moan and he knew she had obeyed him. He fisted his cock at the root, sliding his hand up and down, closing his eyes, and pretending it was her hand on him. “Can you feel me, Bella? Can you feel me touching you?”
“Giacomo …” her voice was a whisper, a moan that sent blood pulsing through him, the hot rush of it to his cock making him groan.
“Tell me how much you want me, Bella. Tell me as you think about my fingers rubbing you, caressing you, feeling how wet you are for me.”
“I want you so badly, Giacomo …” Norah was panting now.
“My lips are on your nipples, il mio amore, then on your belly, your soft, soft belly, my tongue deep in your navel …I push my finger inside you…’
A sharp intake of breath, then her moan. “Giacomo, my love, your cock is in my mouth and my tongue is tracing up and down the length of you, tasting you, sucking you …”
Giacomo felt his cock harden almost painfully at the thought of her warm mouth enveloping it. “I’m going to fuck you harder and longer than you’ve ever been fucked, Norah …my cock is pushing inside you now, filling you …you are mine now. Do you understand?”
“Yes, yes, god …”
As he felt his orgasm build, he closed his eyes and almost growled down the phone. “I’m going to come inside you, so hard and so long. My seed will fill your belly and mark you as mine …Norah …Norah …”
He heard her cry as she came, her long pants for air, her moaning of his name, and he too peaked, imagining his cum shooting deep inside her or over her beautiful body—her belly, her breasts.
For a few moments, both of them were breathless. Giacomo wanted to be inside her so badly it was killing him, but the mere thought of her responding to just his words was thrilling enough for tonight.
“Anima mio, ti amo. Io e te per sempre, per sempre.”
Norah gave a little chuckle. “That’s beautiful, my love, what does it mean?’
“My soul, I love you. It is you and me forever, forever.” Giacomo knew he shouldn’t say ‘forever,’ but he didn’t care. He meant every word.
He heard her breath catch and when she spoke again, her voice broke. “I love you, Giacomo, like I have never loved anything nor anyone before. You are my world. How do you say that in Italian? You are my world?”
Giacomo smiled to himself. “Tu sei il mio mondo.”
“Tu sei il mio mondo,” she repeated and laughed softly. “Ti amo, Giacomo, Tu sei il mio mondo.”
Zulika wished she had told Norah as she sat in the small waiting room at the hospital. In a few minutes, the nurse would take her to see the oncologist, who would push a thin needle into her left breast to draw out a sample—fluid or tissue—to check if it was benign or malignant. She kept telling herself this process over and over so it became familiar and she wouldn’t freak out with no one there to calm her down. For the first time in a while, she thought about Lucian. Was there ever a time in their relationship when he would have come with her and supported her?
She almost laughed out loud. Lucian? No freaking way. He hated needles for a start, the loser. Jeez, stop tormenting yourself, she told herself sharply. She toyed with calling Norah and asking her to come sit with her but she figured Norah would be shocked and maybe even angry that Zulika had kept this from her. Zulika could do without the argument right now.
She stepped into the hallway, heading for the water fountain. She bent her head to it, grateful for the cool water.
“Zulika?” She felt a hand on her arm and looked up. Orlando Price was looking at her, his worn, tired eyes friendly. She half-smiled at him, surprised.
“Hey, Orlando …” She hesitated before giving him a quick hug. “What are you doing here?”
Orlando showed her an envelope. “Picking up some of Carmel’s personal belongings. Didn’t even think about it before. But …her wedding ring, you know?”
Zulika’s heart ached for him. “Of course.”
“Why are you here? Visiting someone?”
For a second, Zulika was discombobulated. She couldn’t help glance at the oncology suite door and Orlando followed her gaze. “Zulika?”
“I have a biopsy …this afternoon.” She couldn’t help but blurt it out and Orlando looked aghast.
“Oh, god, I’m sorry,” he said, then seemed to realize she was really alone. “Is no one with you? Norah?”
Zulika’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t tell her. I don’t know if it’s …cancer …or not yet so …”
“You shouldn’t be alone.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“No.” He took her arm and led her gently back to the suite. “I’m here. I’m staying.”
Zulika wanted to protest that he had enough to deal with, but suddenly the thought of going through this alone made her feel tearful. She smiled up at him. “That would be a comfort. Thank you.”
She introduced the oncologist to Orlando and then it was time for the test. Orlando stayed outside the small cubicle, but kept talking to reassure Zulika as she went through the procedure. Afterward, he insisted on taking her to lunch. After they had ordered—the same double stacked burger and sweet potato fries—Zulika studied him.
“You’re probably sick of hearing this, but how are you? Really?”
Orlando took a long sip of ice cold soda before he answered. “Not so good. I guess that’s kind of an understatement, but it’s been two weeks and I still expect to see Carmel in our bed, or playing with Ferma, or yelling at some junior assistant at the D.A.’s office.” He smiled for a second, lost in his thoughts.
“Have the police any idea who would do this?”
He shook his head. “None. They think it was a professional hit because of the bullets used …god, she never stood a chance. What I keep coming back to is …she would have told him. She would have told him she was pregnant and he still shot her six times.”
Zulika felt sick. She squeezed his arm. “Orlando, I can’t even begin to say how sorry I am. If there’s anything you need …”
“Thank you, Zul. God, there’s so much in everyday life that I’ve never had to process before. Where does Ferma go after school when I’m working? Carmel’s sister is staying with us, but she has her own family to get back to soon. So I’ve got to find an afterschool place
for her.” He smiled at Zulika ruefully. “Sorry. It helps to rant about stuff.”
“Rant away,” Zulika said as their food arrived and they both fell on the burgers. “God, saturated fat, salt, and red meat.”
“Yep, it definitely helps.” Orlando half-smiled. “How're things …at the bookstore?”
Zulika grinned at him properly for the first time. “You mean, have Norah and Giacomo been hooking up?”
Orlando laughed. “Sorry, that wasn’t subtle, was it?”
Zulika shrugged good-naturedly. “I don’t mind. The official line is …they’re taking things slow and working stuff out. The unofficial line is …they’re as crazy about each other as ever.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“I know.”
“You’re a good friend to her. I’m sorry about all that business with your brother.”
“Step-brother. I keep thinking he’s going to pop up and ruin everything for Norah. I feel caught in the middle in that, to my surprise, I feel kind of sorry for Lucian. He lost the best thing that ever happened to him. Saying that, I’ll never forgive him for what he did to Norah.”
“He should be in jail.”
Zulika nodded. “If it were up to me, he would be, but Norah didn’t want to go through a trial. Can’t blame her for that.”
“No, I suppose not.”
Zulika shuddered. “How anyone, any woman, could go near that creep is beyond me. The idea of him is so repugnant.”
Giacomo nodded. “Not for Tara, though.”
Zulika sighed. “No, I suppose not. Want a refill?”
He nodded. Zulika beckoned at the waitress and she filled his coffee mug. Zulika smiled her thanks at her.
“I don’t know what her problem is. She too had everything in Giacomo. And now she seems hellbent on tormenting Norah. What a bitch.”
“The thing is,” Orlando leaned on his elbows, “I don’t think Tara really cares for Giacomo. She doesn’t love him. She treats him like crap. She just wants to beat Norah, but she can’t see that, even without Norah, Giacomo isn’t going to take her back. She’s in a competition no-one else is playing.”
Zulika nodded. “I’ve met plenty of people like her—the entitlement always boggles my mind. My brother is exactly the same. Norah was just a possession to him.”
His Beautiful Revenge: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 8
