by Blue Saffire
“Someone is about to make a big mistake,” Uri growls.
I go to ask him what he is talking about but I hear movement in the apartment. “Uri, I have to go,” I whisper and hang up on him calling my name. I quickly silence my phone in case he calls back.
I slip from the bed in just my silk sleep shorts and tank top, glad I decided to throw something on for bed tonight. I pull my glock from beneath the mattress with the silencer already in place. I click off the safety. I know this is not Fin. He would have announced himself at the desk like he has done for the past two days.
I do a quick sweep of the room I am in. I smile to myself. I have always loved the décor of the master bedroom. Above the closet and master bath is a unique planter feature. There is a remote switch that lights it up and gives an ambient glow. It will be serving a different purpose tonight.
I place my phone between my teeth. With a soft running start I scale the wall between the closet and bathroom grabbing hold with one hand to hoist myself over the edge, landing softly into the planter. Once again I am grateful to my uncle for my wide range of training. I duck down out of sight. From this vantage point I can see the entrance to the bedroom without being seen.
The room is still dark save for the light spilling in from the blinds. I train my eyes and my glock on the doorway. As I strain I can hear someone move through the hallway outside the room.
Donatella called me earlier this evening to check on me and let me know she arrived in Italy safely. Besides her room is on the other side of the apartment, she rarely comes on this side. I can feel the adrenaline pumping. It has been too long since my last kill and now I feel the bloodlust pumping through my veins.
All of my reservations and doubts about what I do float out the window. There is a reason they call on me. I think of Uri’s words when he found me with my piece that morning.
‘But you better make sure nothing happens to my wife. If you insist on protecting yourself in this manner you better damn well do a perfect job.’ “Oh baby, I got this,” I say under my breath.
Not even a few seconds later a broad man steps into view through the glass bedroom doors. A beat later he is stepping into the room aiming a gun with a silencer at the bed. A smile creeps on my lips. Yeah, Uri is right. This fool done made one big mistake. When he fully steps in the room I pull the trigger. His body hits the floor with a thud.
“Shit,” I hear a second intruder whisper. “Rick?”
Before he finishes hissing his buddy’s name I have my gun trained on him. As soon as he shifts a bit the left I take the shot. He goes down just as swift as his friend. I hear heavy foot falls come up the hallway.
The door swings open further but no one comes into sight. I hear a voice instead. “No boss, I don’t see her but I have two down in your bedroom,” I hear Fin’s agitated voice before he pauses. He sticks a hand in the room to turn on the light.
“I’ll find her. Sir, with all due respect, I’m not trying to get my head blown off,” Fin sounds annoyed as he eases into the room.
I stifle a laugh but sit up in the box to allow him to see me. “Oh shit Boss, I found her,” Fin looks between me and the two bodies with a brow lifted then shakes his head starting to chuckle. “I’ll call the cleaner and get her out of here.”
He is speaking into the phone but giving me a proud smile as he tells Uri where he found me. I shrug my shoulders and climb onto the ledge before dropping soundlessly to the floor. Before I can turn for the bathroom Fin disengages his Bluetooth and is handing me his phone.
“Hello,” I say into the phone.
“I love you,” is all Uri says before the line goes dead. I don’t miss the tension and stress in his voice. I repeat his words despite knowing he is already gone. I hand Fin back his phone and he is right back on it calling a cleaner and giving the location.
I head into the closet to get dress and grab a few things. I know we won’t be coming back here for some time now. I’m okay with that. What I am not okay with is that someone has put a hit out on me, and if it is who I think, I will be happy to rectify this situation on my own.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
By the time we make the trip to Italy back to Uri’s Villa I am dead on my feet as the adrenaline has worn off. I practically stumble into bed after stripping out of my clothes. I smile at the memories we made the last time we were here as I slip under the sheets. Thoughts of my time here with Uri play through my head as I drift off to sleep.
I feel as if I have just closed my eyes when I feel the bed dip behind me. My eyes flutter open slowly but when I feel a hand around my throat they spring open with life and awareness. I relax the moment my nose is engulfed in his scent.
Uri squeezes slightly and I turn to look up at him as his face hovers just above mine. The intense look in his blue eyes gives me pause and I gasp. His eyes are not their usual ocean blue but a darker and stormier blue. Then there is something else.
“Uri,” I croak.
A chill runs through me at the sight. Something dark is lurking in their depths. I go to speak again but he crushes my lips with his mouth. His kiss is passionate, hungry and full of emotions I have never felt nor seen from him before. He pulls away slightly to speak against my lips.
“I need you. Hearing you and seeing you are not enough, I need to feel you,” with his words he pushes my thigh forward with his and thrusts inside me.
We both cry out with the force of his thrust. I am breathless. I close my eyes and breathe in through my nose. Uri squeezes my throat slightly causing me to look back up into his eyes.
“Eyes on me,” he rasps as he grinds into me. He feels so hard and thick, more so than usual.
I flick my tongue out against his full lips, causing him to groan and capture my bottom lip between his teeth. He bites down then licks and sucks it to sooth it. He is pumping into me from behind hard, fast and deep. Just when I don’t think I can take much more he growls and shifts pinning me to the mattress with his thick thighs. My legs are trapped between his, causing my legs to clamp together as he straddles me.
I am now flat on my stomach with his big body wrapped around me. This is the most forceful Uri has ever been. He is pounding me into the mattress. His hand that had been around my throat is now in my hair. He has a thick hold of my locks wrapped around his forearm.
He gives a tug pulling my head back and crushes my lips with his once again. “I will never ever lose you,” he growls. “I need to feel you come for me. I need to come inside you. Give me what I need, Love. Give it to me now.”
He doesn’t have to ask me twice. Gentle Uri is amazing but this… “Ah, oh yes, Uri,” I cry out my release. I am coming so hard of feel it in my chest. It blossoms from the depths of my soul through to my heart and bursts forth through every pore.
When he pushes one leg between mine and his balls start to knock against my trigger I spiral into multiples so fast my head spins. The last thing I remember is him roaring my name and the feel of him spilling into me.
~B~
“Good morning,” I murmur and lift to kiss Valentina’s forehead as she lifts her head from my chest.
I haven’t slept all night. I can’t get out of my head that someone went after my wife. She did well. I had no doubt about that, doesn’t mean that I didn’t lose my shit. I couldn’t get to her fast enough. I will never leave her without me or someone I would trust with my own life.
Fin’s one of my most trusted men. We met when I first moved to London. He has been with me ever since. If he were anyone else I would have destroyed him for not getting to Valentina sooner.
“Good morning,” she yawns and blinks those beautiful eyes at me. She snuggles back into me, slipping a hand under my back. I close my eyes and relax into her touch but I snap them back open when she pinches the bloody hell out of my back.
“What the fuck,” I grumble as she looks at me with a mischievous smile on her face.
“That’s for just up and leaving me in the middle of the night and
not telling me where you were going or calling me the whole time you were gone. You only called me because I had trouble heading my way,” she pouts.
I cup her face and run my fingers down her cheek. “Do you have any idea how much I love you? I would never do anything to hurt you.”
I search her face for understanding. When I see she is with me I continue. “Some friends needed a favor and I didn’t have time to explain. I promise you when we get to New York you will start to understand.”
“We’re going to New York,” she asks excitedly.
“Yes, Luca needs me and as you can see it is time for me to deal with our little problem. The honeymoon is officially over,” I say dryly.
“Luca isn’t going to hurt my sister is he,” she asks narrowing her eyes.
I chuckle and shake my head. “You know I thought Luca was the problem but he’s not this time,” I say and lift a brow.
Valentina’s brows compress. “Shannon?” she asks in shock.
“It seems so,” I shrug. “I only spoke to him briefly but things are not really going as planned and I may need to talk some sense into him.
Valentina stiffens. “What does that mean?”
I sigh. “It means my idiot cousin may start to believe he can have a second chance where there is none. I just need to remind him to keep his head and stay away from trouble.”
Valentina stares at me for a long time as if in thought. “Pamela, he needs to stay away from this Pamela you mean,” Valentina asks as realization registers in her eyes.
I lift a brow and brush a hand over her hair. “Have I ever told you what an amazing woman you are? How did you figure that out?”
“Shannon once told me that Luca talks in his sleep. She has never been able to make any of it out clearly but she thought she heard him calling out a Pam or something,” she shrugs. “I just put the two together.”
I nod as I watch this all sink in. I see the moment the questions fill her eyes. “Is that why you won’t tell me about her?”
“Yes,” I nod. “She and Luca have a history. It is theirs to tell but I would have to tell you some in order for you to understand Pamela’s and my relationship. I thought it best to just avoid it for now. I wouldn’t want you to feel disloyal to your sister.”
Valentina nods as she sits in thought for a moment. She then shrugs. “I guess we go fix our family.”
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
“Uri you have to understand the position we are all in. This once I ask you not to do this your way?” My uncle Nick grunts.
“They tried to kill my fucking wife,” I bellow, “My wife. Do you really expect me to sit back and wait for them to try again? I came to you out of respect because I intend to be here a lot more than I had planned but I will not let this go!”
“You are my family, yes? And that makes her my family. I want the parties responsible to pay for this as much as you do. We just have to do this the right way so we don’t start a war,” Uncle Nicholas tries to convince me.
“They have already started a war. You think she is not plotting her own revenge? I have watched my wife in her head for the last two days. I’m starting to believe that I have Fin with her to keep her from going on a killing rampage rather than to keep her safe,” I huff and scrub my hand over my beard.
“She looks happy, Uri. The happiest I have seen Tina since she was a little girl. Just keep her happy and make her forget about this. We will take care of it in time. For now work on making your wife forget,” Uncle Nick says with a distant look in his eyes.
For the millionth time my instincts are telling me that there is so much more my uncle is not telling me when it comes to Valentina. This union was not just some random match. I am still seething with anger but I nod my consent for now. I won’t be playing nice for much longer.
“Be warned. I even hear a whisper of someone thinking of harming my family I won’t stop until there is no one left to hush,” I growl and leave without another word.
When I get to the house I secured for Valentina and myself I am relieved to find her in the gym. What takes me by surprise is finding her in the gym singing her heart out. I stop in the doorway and watch my wife singing into a dumbbell she is holding.
I laugh because I actually know the song, The Reason, I believe is the name of the song. I search my memory to see if she has ever shown me her preference for music and I can only come up with that one morning she woke me to make love to Beethoven’s, Für Elise. That morning is one I will never forget. My groin grows stiff with the thought of the way she rode me to the entire piece.
She was dripping wet while moving her hips with the melancholy rhythm. I can almost feel the way she bounced as the melody changed to a happy yet delicate tone. She had brought me so close when she started to grind her hips as the piece moved back to the melancholy flow that aided her in bringing me to a climax along with the song. I smile at the memory and focus back on the now as Valentina really gets into the song.
It is adorable. As I listen to the lyrics I wonder if she knows this is how I feel about her. I have changed from the moment I first set eyes on this woman. It is going to take everything in me not to go after who I know is responsible for the attack but I am going to do it for her.
My uncle is right. She is happy. My focus for now will be to make sure she stays that way. I will distract her from thoughts of revenge and keep her busy with our new life. For now we can leave the melancholy moments in the past.
This whole time her eyes have been squeezed shut as she performs for the audience of one she still has no idea she has. When her eyes open and she spins around she almost drops the dumbbell on her foot, if not for her jumping in the air in surprise. Something squeezes in my chest when her face lights up and she bursts into laughter.
I move toward her taking in her sweat soaked body. When I am within arm’s reach she wraps her hand around my tie and lifts up on her toes to peck my lips. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I lick my lips to fully absorb her taste.
“Why’d you stop? I was rather enjoying the show,” I tease.
“I was rather enjoying the show,” she mocks, mimicking my accent.
“That was quite exceptional,” I chuckle.
“I guess you are rubbing off on me,” she lilts. I smooth my hands down her bum pulling her into my erection.
“I have something I’d like to rub off on you,” I whisper into her ear before I capture her lips for a long deep kiss. Right now nothing else matters but her. I swallow her whimpers as my hand slips into her workout shorts.
Valentina reluctantly pulls away breathlessly. I can see the passion and desire in her eyes. She releases a small breathless laugh and smoothes down my tie while I am still palming and kneading her arse.
“Babe, we can’t. Shannon and Luca are still coming over for dinner aren’t they?” Valentina ask shaking her head at me.
“I could give two shits,” I shrug, grabbing her chin and bringing her in for another kiss.
“Uri,” she laughs and mumbles against my lips. “Later, I promise. I haven’t seen my sister in months.”
I growl but release my tight hold on her. “I wanted to give you something first. It was the reason I came in here,” I say as I reach in my jacket pocket for the jewelry box.
Her eyes light up at the sight of the box. I hold it out to her but pull it back before she can reach it. Sometimes I forget who I am married to. With a swiftness of a trained killer Valentina spins around me and snatches the box from my hand. However, my little one must also forget because I catch her around the waist before she can spin away and pull her into my chest kissing her neck as she laughs and wiggles her arse into me.
I kiss the side of her face as she opens the box but I can feel something is off when she looks inside. I turn her in my arms and she tries to school her face before I can read it. I look into the box to make sure it is indeed the diamond earrings I had custom made for her.
When I confirmed it is the right gift I look up to st
udy her face. She has a smile plastered on her face as she reaches to pull them for the box, but I can read the disappointment in her eyes. I have never seen her react to one of my gifts this way. I may spoil Valentina but she has never acted spoiled with me.
“What is it Love?” I ask as I continue to study her.
“What do you mean? They’re beautiful. Thank you,” she responds, still not covering well.
I’m confused. The earrings are six carats per earring in all with a three and a half carat diamond sitting in the center of each. Smaller diamonds surround the center mounts. I thought they were perfect for her.
“If you don’t like them I can get you something else,” I say sincerely.
Her eyes go wide as she shakes her head. “No Uri, really they are amazing. I love them,” she wraps her arms around my neck, “and you.”
“Then what is it? Something is wrong,” I reply becoming annoyed.
I can tell another denial is on her lips but she never gets it out as a high pitch squeal rents the air. A genuine smile lifts her lips as she pulls away from me. When she moves to rush pass me to her sister I catch her wrist and pull her close leaning to whisper in her ear.
“This is not over. You will tell me what just happened,” I say in her ear.
She places her hand on the side of my face and runs her fingers through my beard. “It’s nothing,” she closes her eyes and places her forehead to my cheek. “I love you.”
I lift her chin and kiss her lips before I release her to reunite with her sister. When I face the door I see Luca watching Shannon and Valentina and I roll my eyes. This may just be one of those long nights.
~B~
“Oh my God, your body is smoking,” Shannon squeals as I step into the sitting room where she has been waiting for me, in a white bandage dress and purple peep toe platform heels. She pats the empty space on the sofa next to her. “Sooooo, how is married life, it looks good on you,” Shannon gushes.
“Oh no you don’t, I want to know what is going on with you and Luca. From what I hear your wedding is no longer being held up because of me. What’s going on?”
