“Yes, it is,” Grace said as Tommy and Sal made their way up to her table in their designer suits. Looking so elegant, she thought. “You guys are on time this time,” she said. “What a wonderful sight.”
“Hey, Gracie,” Sal said happily as he leaned down and gave her a hug and a kiss on the lips. “How the hell are you?”
“I’m good,” Grace said as Tommy leaned over and gave her a kiss too. “The only reason he’s on time is because you’re in town,” she added, to Sal.
“I told you he’s my shadow,” Sal responded, and Grace laughed.
“Yeah, right,” Tommy said.
Grace saw as Sal glanced at Lisa. She smiled. “That’s Lisa McBride,” she said. “Lisa, this is my husband, Thomas, and his brother Salvatore.”
Lisa was about to stand up.
“No need to stand,” Sal said.
Lisa smiled and extended her hand. “Thank you. And it’s very nice to meet you, Salvatore.”
“Call me Sal. Or Sal Luca. But I don’t care for that Salvatore shit.”
Lisa laughed. This Sal wasn’t as great looking as Tommy, but he was a looker in his own right. And had that sensuality in spades. He could very well become a great second choice. But was he as rich as Tommy? “Then I shall not ever call you that again,” she said.
“Good girl,” Sal said, sitting down beside her. “This is a good girl over here. Is she one of your assistants? Or, no, let me guess: one of your truck drivers, right?”
Lisa laughed and hit Sal on the arm. On his very powerful arm, she noticed. “No, Sal! I am not one of her truck drivers. We met at an event: Sistas Lifting Sistas. Mrs. Gabrini was the keynote speaker, and she was excellent. I was just very impressed with her.”
“You were impressed with her,” Sal asked, “so you guys started hanging out together?”
“Hardly,” Lisa said. “You give me too much credit. I was here having dinner, and saw Mrs. Gabrini come in. She was kind enough to give me a few minutes of her time.”
“Oh,” Sal said.
“Anyway,” Grace said, and Lisa could tell she was about to tell her to get lost. She had to think of something fast. And she did. She pretended she had a text. “Excuse me, please,” she said, as she looked at her cell phone and read her supposed text message.
“What are we drinking?” Sal asked. “I can use a drink.”
“You can always use a drink,” Tommy said with a smile.
Sal laughed. “You got that right!”
“I already ordered,” Grace began, but then she saw the look on Lisa’s face. “Are you alright?”
Sal and Tommy looked too. Lisa had covered her mouth, and her eyes looked as if they were on the verge of tears. “What’s wrong?” Sal asked.
Lisa looked up. “She was sick. She’s been sick for a while. But I never thought. . .”
“You never thought what?” Sal asked.
“She died. My mother just died.”
“What?” Sal asked, floored. Lisa grabbed her clutch and began moving as if she needed to get out of the booth. “I’ve got to get home.”
“She died at your house?” Sal asked, rising and letting her out.
“No, she lives in Utah, but I just need to get home,” Lisa said, sliding across the seat to stand up. “I need to digest this news.”
“Why of course,” Sal said, looking gravely concerned.
“Thing is, I don’t think I can drive,” Lisa said as Sal held out a hand to help her to her feet. She looked at Sal. “I hate to impose, but do you think you could drive me home?”
“No,” Grace said before Sal could respond, as she rose to her feet. “But I can.”
Lisa’s entire countenance changed. What was Grace doing? Why was she stealing her show? “I wouldn’t want to put you out, Mrs. Gabrini,” Lisa said.
“You aren’t putting me out at all,” Grace said. “I’ll drive your car and take you home. Tommy, you take my car and follow us. Sal, you take Tommy’s car and go on to our house. We’ll have dinner there.”
“But,” Lisa said, as if she had a say. But she knew she didn’t. Grace’s husband was rising too, and Sal wasn’t objecting. Their dinner had been ruined, but they seemed accustomed to sudden change in plans. But Grace’s new plans were all wrong! “Really, Mrs. Gabrini, I couldn’t ask all of you to make these sacrifices for me.”
“Your mother just died,” Sal said with a frown, “what are you talking?”
“But you guys had dinner plans,” Lisa explained.
“So what?” Sal asked. “We’ll eat later. Go on, Grace, take her home.”
“We’re sorry for your loss,” Tommy said. “You said she’d been ill?”
“Oh, yes,” Lisa said, remembering her lie. “For a long time, yes. But I just didn’t expect tonight would be the night.”
“And she’s all the way in Utah,” Sal said. “You’ve got travel plans to make, young lady.”
“Yes, I do.” Maybe you can assist me, Lisa wanted to add.
But Tommy and Grace were driving this train. “Okay,” Grace said, “let’s get this show on the road.”
And they all walked out of the restaurant, with Grace leading the way.
CHAPTER TWELVE
When Grace drove Lisa to her apartment complex in north Seattle, and Tommy drove up in his Ferrari behind them, Lisa felt seriously disgusted. She was so close to wrangling herself a Gabrini. So close! But that damn Grace!
Tommy got out of his car and began walking toward the women without hesitation. And he was hypervigilant as he walked toward them, looking around their entire layout, and then standing so close to Grace he appeared glued to her. Which didn’t surprise Grace. These last few days had both of them a little on edge, and they took nothing for granted. And although she didn’t see them, she was certain Tommy’s men blanketed that complex. She was also certain that Lisa had no idea they were surrounded with protection. But that was why Tommy’s protection force was, in Grace’s humble opinion, the best.
“I’m so thankful you guys would go to such lengths to see me home,” Lisa said. “I appreciate it.”
“No problem at all,” Grace said. We’ll walk you up,” she added, and began to move toward the entrance to the apartment building.
“No,” Lisa said quickly. Her plans were already ruined. What would walking her to her door accomplish? “I mean, I’m okay. Truly. I just didn’t think I could drive. Nerves, you know.”
“We understand,” Tommy said with a smile. “And again, we’re sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gabrini. And thank your brother for his kindness.”
“I will. Good night.”
“Good night,” Lisa said, and made her way into her apartment building. She was so disappointed she did not look back. Her only hope now, she felt, was figuring out a way to get in touch with Sal directly. Maybe to help her arrange transportation to Utah? Maybe just to comfort her one night? She didn’t know anything about Sal Gabrini, but her research had uncovered a lot about Tommy Gabrini. And she knew he owned his own plane. Maybe he would lend it to his brother, and maybe his brother would be willing to take her to Utah. And as to her mother? She could pretend her mother had already been cremated by the time they got there. Far-fetched, she knew. But at this point it was the only hope she had.
But when she entered her apartment, that hope was dashed too. As soon as she crossed the threshold, a man already in her apartment grabbed her, slammed the door shut, and covered her mouth with his big hand. “Say one word,” he said, “and your little black ass is dead.”
Sal was in the Nursery of his brother’s estate, playing with both Destiny and little TJ, when Tommy and Grace arrived. The two nannies were further away, in the sitting area, talking amongst themselves and waiting for their orders.
“Mommy! Daddy!” Destiny ran to her parents. Grace hugged her, and then Tommy lifted her up and into his arms. “You’re still up?” he asked.
“My fault,” Sal said, rising to his feet. “I hadn’
t seen my babies in so long!”
“Okay, but it’s bed time now,” Grace said.
“Oh, Mommy!”
“Bedtime,” Tommy said too.
“Oh, Daddy!”
But Destiny knew she was fighting a losing battle. Her parents kissed her and her kid brother goodnight, the nannies took over, and Tommy, Grace, and Sal made their way into the living room bar, where Tommy went behind the counter to pour drinks.
“After I get my drink on,” Grace said with a smile as she and Sal sat at the bar counter, “I’ll throw some food together for you guys to eat.”
“That’ll work,” Tommy said, pouring her drink first.
“So how’s the kid?” Sal asked Grace. “Good thing she ran into you at Silverdale or she would have been alone when she got that heartbreaking news.”
“That heifer didn’t just run into me at Silverdale,” Grace said.
Sal was surprised to hear her say that. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“Her ass was waiting for me,” Grace said. “She was in my office a couple days ago when I mentioned I had a reservation at Silverdale’s. She probably called the restaurant, pretending to be me, and found out when. When I saw her there tonight, I realized immediately what that was about. She planned to run into me.”
“But why would you be so suspicious of her, Grace?” Sal asked. “She seemed like such a sweet girl.”
“She presents that way, I’ll give her that,” Grace said. “But she’s a bald-faced liar who’ll do or say anything to gain an advantage. I already know that.”
Tommy looked at Grace. He had the same feelings about Lisa too. Grace’s instincts impressed him. “And you know that how?” he asked.
“After she left my office that day, bemoaning the fact that she couldn’t get an internship with a major company, I had my assistant run a quick background on her. If she checked out, I was going to actually consider her for a placement. I wasn’t going to fault her for having the courage to come and see me, and for being tenacious.”
“So you checked her out,” Tommy said.
“I checked her out,” Grace said. “She’s a college student, alright, and she’s doing well in school. That much was true. But she also had a criminal history of writing bad checks and insurance fraud. And her mother, by the way, died when she was a kid.”
Sal grinned. “Are you serious?”
“Her father did too,” Grace continued, dead serious. “That so-called good girl was up to no good. She knew we were going to have a man there without his wife, and she was going to see if she could be the stand in.”
“The stand in for my wife?” Sal asked. “For Gemma? She’s a delusional bitch if she thought that was going to happen.”
“But she was going to try it,” Grace said. “She doesn’t know Gemma. Because if she did, I agree with you, she would have been wasting her time. But her seeing me at Silverdale was no accident at all. That heifer knew exactly what she was doing.”
Tommy laughed and shook his head. “When she said her mother lived in Utah, that should have gave her away.”
Grace agreed, laughing.
But Sal was still staring at Grace. “Damn girl,” he said, surprised and impressed, “you don’t be playing, do you? Forget Backdoor Tommy. Forget that shit. We’ve got us a Backdoor Grace right here!”
Tommy and Sal laughed and high-fived. Grace took another sip of her drink, shook her head, and laughed too.
But later that night, after dinner, and after Sal had gone to bed, it was a different mood. Grace sat on the balcony outside the master bedroom, and Tommy stood leaned over the rail, overlooking his vast estate, and they both felt the sting of the last few days. Both were casually dressed: Grace in a flowing, comfortable sundress, and Tommy in khakis and a cardigan. But Tommy’s mood was hardly casual. Because nothing was as it seemed. It was beginning to burden him.
Grace felt his burden. “She’s just a gold digger, honey,” she said reassuringly.
“I know,” he said.
“But?”
“But I don’t like what’s happening. Too many pieces are floating around and none of them are connecting. First this guy that Sal and I knew when we were all cops together gets this card in the mail.”
A card? “What kind of card?” Grace asked.
“A postcard,” Tommy said. He knew he hadn’t discussed it with her, thinking it would blow over, but now he knew that was probably not going to happen. “Back when Sal was a sergeant on the Vice squad, he and his men accidentally shot this couple visiting from Nigeria. I had to cover it up, mainly because Sal was willing to take the fall, but now somebody’s claiming they knew what happened.”
Grace wrapped her arms around the flowing sundress she wore. This news didn’t help her mood one bit. “Have your people or Sal’s people been able to find out anything?” she asked.
Tommy shook his head. “Nothing,” he said. “And Sal had a small army checking it out. And then Shelby’s murdered and her alleged murderer commits suicide. And then you’re targeted, and the guy who ordered the target, your ex-husband’s brother, commits suicide. And then suddenly this college kid shows up and tries to ingratiate herself into your life, lying through her teeth to do so, and I just don’t like it. I don’t want to be blindsided.”
“Or worse,” Grace said, and Tommy knew she spoke the truth. He turned to her. His heart swelled when he saw that look in her big, doleful eyes. She was worried too.
“Until I get a better grip on what’s going on,” he said, “I want you to park your car.”
“And have a driver take me everywhere?” Grace asked.
“Everywhere,” Tommy said with a nod. “I know you hate it. I hate to have to order it. But I have to order it.”
Grace exhaled.
“I’ll get to the bottom of it, babe,” Tommy said, “don’t worry.”
Grace gave him a reassuring smile, although her eyes still showed the strain. “I know you will,” she said. “And don’t mind my mood tonight. I think I’m just a little tired.”
Tommy stared at her. She looked beautiful in the moonlight, like an arresting flower to him. Although most people did not give her credit, he did. Sometimes he would see her enter a room, and his heart would begin to hammer. The way she walked, the way she smiled, the way she moved with such quiet elegance made him know this woman was one of a kind. A precious stone. She was nothing like the women of his past and he was pleased that she was not. He did not want a type, he wanted Grace. And he was pleased he had her. “You’re tired,” he said, “and stressed.”
Grace gave another smile, and she nodded. “And stressed,” she agreed.
Tommy knew what that meant, because he was stressed too. He walked over to the lounger where she sat, knelt down, reached beneath the sundress she wore. When she realized he was pulling down her panties, her vagina immediately responded. And when he removed them, opened her legs, and began to give her head, it was more than her vagina responding. Her entire body responded.
Tommy ate her on that balcony with a sense of purpose and love that was never rushed nor urgent. He licked her slow and lovingly. He sucked her slow and lovingly.
But the response from Grace’s body felt urgent, as his licks and sucks made her move around in that chaise like a woman unable to control her own reactions. The response from Tommy’s body felt urgent too, especially when his mouth moved in closer and he began eating her. He developed an erection so hard that when he finally stopped eating her, stood up and began removing his clothing, his penis released from his underwear as if it was standing at attention. His penis stood straight out and so stiff that it sounded as if a bedspring had just released, with a boing accompanying it.
Tommy stepped out of his clothing, got on his knees on that chaise, pulled Grace by her legs until his penis was able to enter her vagina, and he began their stress relief.
He fucked her hard. He pushed in and almost out of her with that repetitive force that at first felt relaxing to the po
int of sleepiness, and then exciting to the verge of cum, to finally an overwhelming sense of passion that had both of them in its throes.
Grace leaned back, and Tommy leaned forward, and they fucked on that balcony for a wondrously long time. Tommy stared down at Grace. Grace stared up at Tommy. And all both of them could think about was how much love they felt for each other, and how much harder they wanted to fuck.
He fucked her even harder. Going down on his hands as he bore into her over and over again. And when they came, it was monumental. First Grace began an orgasm that wouldn’t ease up, and then Tommy released a load that wouldn’t slow down. They both felt the elation, especially as Tommy pumped even harder. They were saturated with cum and love, and continued to fuck through that feeling of unbearableness. They continued to fuck even as their cum slid out and down Grace’s gorgeous thighs. They continued to fuck until Tommy pushed in and didn’t have the strength to pull back out. He stayed in. And pulsated. Until the feelings were gone.
He laid on top of her, exhausted, and she stroked his hair. Both were filled with sweat. Both were filled with cum. Both were so in love.
And then Tommy, out of the blue and to Grace’s shock, smiled and sang to her. “Didn’t I blow your mind this time,” he sang that old song made famous by the Delfonics. “Didn’t I?”
Grace smiled.
“Well, didn’t I?” Tommy asked.
Grace smiled. “You did,” she gladly admitted.
But the following week, after Sal had returned to Vegas, and after a wonderfully relaxing weekend at home, the couple would experience an entirely different mind-blowing event, and all hell would break loose. But nothing like the kind of hell Tommy had ever experienced, nor could have ever saw coming.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Vice President of Marketing threw open his door and ran out of his office. His secretary, who had never seen him in such a state, rose to her feet. But he didn’t stop to explain himself or even acknowledge her presence. He ran down the corridor, threw open the heavy door of the stairwell as if it were a feather, and ran up three flights of stairs to the office of the CFO.
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