“It’s Friday, and we haven’t seen you since we all went to Crush. Go out with us tonight?” Ashley pled.
“Ash, I’m working late tonight. I just got in early this morning from New York, and it’s been a long week.”
“Fine, then let’s go to brunch tomorrow. We miss you, and I have something I want to tell you.”
“Why don’t you tell me now?” I asked while I ate my lunch at my desk.
“No. I need to see you and Claire does too. Brunch tomorrow at Crescent. Ten-thirty. Chow.”
She hung up on me.
* * *
Dressed and ready for brunch over a half-hour early, I decided to walk over to Crescent and grab our table. When I looked at my watch again, I realized I was almost two hours early, I’d never changed my watch back from New York’s time.
Scheisse, I mumbled.
“Excuse me, ma’am, could you repeat that?” the hostess asked.
“Oh sorry, I just meant I’m really early. I messed up the time. If it’s a problem for a table, I’ll just have a seat on the patio or at the bar.”
“It’s no problem; we’re not busy this morning.” She ushered me to a table by the wall of windows. “Bree will be your server. She’ll be right with you.”
A pretty young lady approached with a huge smile. “Good morning, would you like some coffee or a mimosa perhaps, while you wait for your friends?”
“Oooh, now you’re talking.” I giggled. She had me at the mention of a mimosa. “I’d love both and is there a copy of the Sunday paper available?”
“A girl after my own heart. Coming right up.”
* * *
Deep into the newspaper and enjoying my second cup of coffee, I opened a new section and a photo caught my eye with the caption “Laci Williams Marries Connor Sanders”.
The write-up didn’t announce it was a shotgun wedding, but I would’ve put money on it. I stared at the photo, but I couldn’t see a baby bump, so only time would tell.
I thought maybe I should order another mimosa; after all, I wasn’t driving. I started to fold up the paper when another photo caught my eye. The announcement read “Francesca D’Angelo Marries Millionaire Developer Gavin Fitzgerald”.
What the fuck?
I read through the announcement several times before googling the story on my phone. There were quite a few articles, and I saw Lucas had served as Best Man. What? What? What?
Oh my God, I’d screwed everything up. Fucking unbelievable. I’d jumped to conclusions and hadn’t listened to him. Lucas surely thought I’d behaved like an immature spoiled brat.
I shook my head to try to lift the fog and was zoned in on the photos when Ashley and Claire joined me.
“You struggling? Need glasses or a bigger phone?” Claire asked.
They both laughed, but I simply looked at them in confusion.
“You okay? You look as though someone died? What’s wrong?” Claire asked, unfolding the napkin before her.
“I made a huge mistake, and I don’t know if I can fix it.”
“Need just a bit more info than that, sweet-cheeks, before I can give advice. What or whom are we discussing?” Claire responded.
“Ace. I thought he was engaged to someone else, and I treated him very ugly. I didn’t listen to his explanation.”
“When was this?” Ashley asked.
“The day of the fire.”
Ashley and Claire shared a surprised look without speaking. I watched them as they both looked back at me.
“Mia, we haven’t seen Ace at the Bluestone, and there was an article in the paper, saying Bluestone was being sold.” Ashley spoke softly as she reached for my hand. She must’ve assumed I would be numb with the news that Ace was gone.
“No, no, that can’t happen.” I felt a tear slide down my cheek. My heart shattered, and the pieces were barely gripped together with barbed wire. I had to find him and hoped he’d listen to me as I expressed how sorry I was.
I couldn’t order food and suddenly regretted having the second mimosa. Nausea ripped through me. I took a sip of water and watched as the glass trembled in my hand, more evidence of the emotional toll crossing over me.
“You’ll find him, and this will all settle down and be fine. You’ll see,” Ashley said.
“You’re right… You had something to tell me. Spill.” I hoped changing the conversation would change my mood.
“Sean and I have been together.”
“Okay, yes…um, ohmygod, you mean you two…”
“Yes, we had sex, and it was amazing. He is such a great lover and adores teaching me things. I mean, I know I have nothing to compare it to, but I was ready, and it felt right with him. He was so nervous about it being my first time and all.” Ashley was beaming.
“Happiness looks beautiful on you, doll. I knew you’d find the right guy.”
It was possible to be happy for someone else and hurt for yourself at the same exact moment, but truthfully, the green monster had me in a chokehold. Connor got married, Ashley got her guy, Claire seemed to find her good-for-now guy, at least, and I was being left behind.
I’d hoped Ace would understand hardball and play it back, but he didn’t. He refused to follow me or beg me to listen. He hadn’t worked hard at it because “He didn’t do relationships”.
Bullshit.
I did relationships, but what I realized was that I did them comfortably. I never took my relationship to the next level, just like I hadn’t taken sex to the next level. That was about to change.
By the time we finished brunch, I was completely sober and more than ready to find Ace.
Chapter Sixteen
Ace
I reviewed the contract. It was a fabulous offer and all the signatures were in place, except my own. With the fire, the contract had an extension and wouldn’t be processed until after the damages were repaired, which were going to take a week longer than expected, after which the inspectors would need to sign off on everything. Unfortunately, Francesca and Gavin would be on their honeymoon, delaying the transfer of ownership another month, more than likely.
I placed the contract aside and sent notification emails to all parties involved, regarding status of repairs and provided my new address in Napa. When I closed out all the tabs on my laptop, I noticed the one for research of Mia Kennedy still open.
Mia was at a formal event. The red dress clung to her fabulous curves in all the right ways, but it was the beautiful expression on her face that captured me. The photographer was able to acquire the light in her magical eyes to perfection. My gut clenched. I looked over toward the elevator of my apartment and remembered the look of disgust on her face when she’d thought Francesca was with me.
I should’ve clarified to her the misinformation, but the fire had left me short-circuited and running on empty. I thought I would have time to fix the situation, but I didn’t follow through, and even more, I didn’t want to hurt her. Mia wanted more than I could give her. She deserved the purest heart of a man, and mine was irreparable…in shambles.
My heart…
When I thought about the words “my heart”, I remembered the moment I fell in love with Niccola. We were teenagers and thought we had all the time in the world. She was my first and I was hers. She wanted to see the world, wanted to model while she could, and wasn’t ready to settle down. Her father said she was too young to commit to a man and was happy that his job gave them reason to move. The day her family left Italy gutted me.
I dated other women and mastered the art of one-night stands, but I never allowed myself to feel for any of them. After being the victim of a few stalkers, I learned to be more selective, but my plight to satisfy my selfish needs only worsened.
The silkiness of a woman’s skin was enticing. The soft mounds of her breast felt luxurious in my hands, but it was the sweet cream of a woman that drove me wild. Like a stallion claiming his mare, I could sense the fragrance of a woman’s arousal from anywhere in the room.
I ha
d many, many conquests, but no one would ever be able to break the chains of my affection. No one.
When the knock came on my apartment door many years later, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Now, twenty-seven and all grown up, I listened as Niccola filled me in her life, and as she spoke, the healing powers of her words patched my heart into usefulness once again.
Our love grew from that day forward, and after two years of living together, we were married in an extravagant affair. I finally had the blessing of her father’s hand.
We planned to start our family immediately and made love like rabbits. After several months, Niccola seemed tired and depressed. She thought pregnancy would happen immediately. When the doctors said they needed to run more tests, I simply assumed that meant they could give her medicine to fix the problem.
Then our world fell apart. “I’m sorry to tell you this, Mrs. Giordano, but right now, pregnancy is not an option. We’ve discovered that the cause of your symptoms. You have leukemia, and we need to start your treatments right away,” the doctor had said.
We were devastated. Niccola cried for days. The months of treatments turned into years and took their toll on both of us. When she begged to stop her chemotherapy because it made her so sick, I didn’t know what to do.
Our families were very supportive, but only Niccola could say what was right for her body. We argued over her choices.
After stopping the therapy, she did well and actually started feeling better, but remission wasn’t possible, and she didn’t stay well for long.
One night, she begged to go to the restaurant with me, pouting when I thought it would be too much for her. “I won’t get in your way, I promise. I’ll just curl up in the brown velvet chair in your office and read,” she whined.
“Nic, you’re never in the way, but it’s too much for you. I’ll be home early, I promise.”
I kissed her lips and held her as she clung to me. What Niccola knew that I didn’t was that her time was close to ending, and she was clinging to every moment with me. I didn’t make it home early that fateful night, and I’ll never forgive myself for breaking a promise to my lover…my best friend…
The priest said, “For every life, there is a reason,” but the only reason I saw for my life brought pain and suffering.
I never went back to our apartment. I left everything just like it was from the time I’d found her. She’d passed peacefully in her sleep, and I’d simply wished myself to have died with her.
God was punishing me for all of the times I’d hurt someone. He wanted me to hurt, to feel pain, to sink to an unbearable low.
And I did.
* * *
Francesca was one of those lady friends that guys loved. She was beautiful arm candy for any party, loved all kinds of sports and was happy not wearing makeup if the day called for it, had extreme social grace and… Loved to fuck.
We shared many things in common and both of us hated the idea of a committed relationship. That was until she met Gavin. Her world changed, therefore, changing mine.
She and Gavin moved to Dallas and invited me to come visit and discuss business opportunities. I did just that, and once I arrived, I felt comfortable for the first time in a long time and decided to stay.
When I designed Bluestone, I never thought I would put it up for sale. In fact, it was going to be the place I retired with. I put my heart and soul into every detail, including my grandmother’s oven.
Bluestone brought me Mia.
Meeting Mia changed everything. I’d felt things for her that were stronger than I’d planned. Being with her was dangerous…for both of us. She took me to the edge. No one had been able to do that, except Niccola. Mia’s every breath burned into my soul.
Her eyes glittered with a million fairies dancing, like in dreams. Her soul was pure, and she gave of herself in every way to our pleasure. The moans she made when she climaxed gripped my core. The sweet, sweet essence of her cream…intoxicating. The way her pussy gripped me felt like our first time…every time. The way she swallowed my cock rocked me. I’d enjoyed amazing blow jobs before, but hers left me mindless.
She deserved a whole man; something I’d never be. My moral compass wouldn’t let me hurt her. The decision was made, and I knew I had to leave. Unsure if Napa would be my final resting place, but certain Dallas was no longer my home, I packed my bags, threw my laptop in my car, and headed for California. With a couple of days to drive it, I’d be there before the weekend.
Chapter Seventeen
Mia
After brunch, I made the walk back to my apartment within a few minutes; albeit, they were full of anticipation. I grabbed my keys and quickly headed to Bluestone.
I didn’t mess with the garage. I pulled up in front by the valet stand, and as I walked to the front entrance, the heavy wooden door swung open. I headed downstairs first and found the construction crew working in the lower level bar. I came up to ground level and found the kitchen repairs in progress, but no one had seen Ace.
I noticed the keypad next to the elevator flashing as I approached, and the elevator door opened, but no one was in it. I entered the vault-like car and punched “P”. The lift to Ace’s apartment seemed like hours, instead of seconds. When the door opened, I called out to him, but he didn’t answer. By this point, I didn’t care about his privacy. I desperately needed to clear the air with him. I had to fix things.
When I approached the door to his bedroom, I saw all the empty hangers piled on the bed. One look at the closet in disarray told me the story… He was gone.
No!
Sinking to the floor in a heap of tears, I knew the man who’d captivated my heart had left without warning. He left without even contacting me. A simple fuck and run was all I had been to him.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” The softness of a woman’s voice came to me from a distance. Then I felt someone gently shaking me.
When I woke up enough to realize where I was, I saw through the windows that it was dark outside. I looked at my watch through foggy eyes and realized that it was after eight o’clock in the evening. My emotions had consumed me. I’d fallen asleep in the one place where I felt closer to him than anywhere else. The week had been an exhausting rollercoaster with him.
“Can I ask what you’re doing here?” the petite older woman asked.
“Um, sorry. I came here looking for Ace…um…I mean Lucas, and I saw that he’d left. I guess I fell asleep. Can you tell me where he is?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, no. Do you know where he is?”
“No.” She shook her head.
“Would you tell me if you did?” I asked a bit contrite.
“No. I’m sorry. He prefers his privacy.”
“I’m sure he does.”
* * *
I sat in my apartment and stared at my phone. Finally, I tried for the one-hundredth time to reach him. This time it didn’t go straight to voicemail.
“Giordano,” he answered with a terse tone.
“It’s Mia. Please don’t hang up.”
The phone call instantly grew quiet, and the tension between us hovered heavily.
“I’m so sorry. I was wrong. Wrong on so many levels. I have to see you. Tell me where you are, and I’ll come to you.”
“There’s no need to do that.”
“I’m not asking, Lucas. I’m telling you. I know I didn’t handle things correctly the last time we were together, but I know there’s something between us, and I’m not done with you yet. Now tell me where the fuck you’re hiding before I turn into a stalker.”
“I’m in Napa, but…”
“I’m on my way. I’ll call you when I land in San Francisco,” I barked and quickly hung up my phone before he could say anymore.
I called JetLynx and booked a private charter to San Francisco, threw my clothes and the new sexy lingerie I’d purchased a few weeks ago into my suitcase. On my way out the door, I remembered my vibrator and how delicious Ace made me feel with it. Fo
r sure, the sex toy had to make the trip as well. I whirled out of my apartment with a smile.
When I arrived in San Francisco, I had a car service waiting on me for the trip to Napa. The drive took about an hour, but it passed so slowly, you would’ve thought it was days. I kept looking at my phone, but I didn’t want to call him until I was close.
I shut my eyes and remembered what it was like to be in his arms. Feel his skin on mine. The burn of my lips after he’d ravished them. I remembered the love marks he’d left on my breasts and the fullness of his cock inside me.
My sex instantly creamed my panties at the memories of him. Of us.
When my phone rang, it jutted me out of my dreamy fog.
“Have you landed yet?”
“Yes, I’m in a car. The driver says we’re about ten minutes away from Napa. Where are you?”
He grunted. “I’m at the airport to pick you up.” Then he laughed. “Have your driver take you to the address I text you, and I’ll let service know to expect you.”
It was his turn to hang up on me. I sensed a happy tone in his voice, and I was grateful he wasn’t trying to send me away.
His home was magnificent when I arrived, and the staff was eager to assist in making me comfortable before they disappeared and gave me privacy.
At first, I paced back and forth in the living room, unable to stay seated. I eyed the wine in the slave and thought about the special wine he’d had for me our first night. I knew I had about an hour before he arrived. It was then that I finally decided to sneak into his bathroom and grab a quick bath before putting on my new lingerie.
* * *
My shoulders heated, and I felt the burn of his eyes on my skin before I saw him.
“God, you’re beautiful.” He swore under his breath. When I turned to see his face, he was removing his clothes.
“Room for me?” he asked as he stepped into the water.
Ripped muscles surrounded a heart of steel, and even though I couldn’t resist him, I knew deep inside there had to be more. I drew in a deep breath and tried to focus on my mission.
Ace's Key: Book 1 Page 7
