The Ambassador and Me: an unlikely love story (The Ambassador Trilogy Book 1)

by Villano, Mia

  “I wanted you to know since we are sort of a dating, or whatever this is, and if someone finds out I don’t want you to think I lied to you. You don't have to put up with this or me. You shouldn’t have to deal with this. And there is more.”

  I could tell I was babbling. Fabrice looked at me.

  “I don’t have to deal with this? I choose to be with you and if dealing with this is what I must do, then so be it. What do you mean there is more?”

  “Fabrice.”

  “I don’t appreciate violence against anyone. I have no patience for an idiot that thinks he can hurt a woman. Add you to the mix and I will kill for you.”

  “Fabrice, please don’t talk like that. You are sounding like my brother, and that is not what I wanted.” I threw off the blanket and stood up.

  His beautiful sapphire eyes looked as if they had turned to ice, his jaw was clenched, and his face was fiery red.

  “Your brother is right. He needs to be taken care of- not tomorrow, not next week but today. You should not live in fear.”

  “Well, he has been taken care of. In fact, he’s in the hospital in a coma right now. The police have been questioning people, and that’s not all.”

  “What else?” he asked. He drank his drink looking at me.

  “They found pictures of your house in his phone. He also took pictures of you coming to my house. I’m so sorry. I know this is going to hurt you. I had no idea he would do this to me. I plan on telling the detectives that you were coming over because of work. I will figure something out.”

  I was regretting telling anyone. I knew I should have buried the secret with me and my therapist. I hadn't considered everyone going over the top. There was silence in the room and the only sound was that of the crackling fire. I could tell Fabrice was enraged.

  He walked up to me and took me in his arms. I was shivering from either cold or fear, I couldn’t tell. His arms calmed me and I melted into him. His scent soothed me as I began to relax. I knew what I had with Fabrice was too good to be true.

  “Don’t worry about that. I could care less if they say we were having a romance. We are, and I’m not afraid of anyone knowing. I just want this to be over for you. I want this Anthony to be gone.”

  “I’m going to worry about it. I don’t want your career hurt by this idiot! You didn’t do anything for this to happen to you. I will take care of it. I’m not a weak woman. I’m strong and was raised to be strong. I don’t know how I let this happen, but it did and it is behind me now. I’m not the same girl he thought he could terrorize and hold down. I won’t let this happen ever again.”

  “You don’t have to convince me. I know what kind of woman you are: You are strong, opinionated, and beautiful. You should have been treated like a queen. I wish whoever beat him up would have killed him. That is the only thing these type of men need. I can't get it out of my mind what he did to you. It makes me enraged.”

  Fabrice was upset and I was afraid I had told him too much too soon. Maybe I should have waited awhile longer to see where this was headed. I hope I didn’t ruin where we were headed.

  Chapter 14

  According to the clock it was getting late. Fabrice was not saying much as he held me in his arms tight.

  “Fabrice, you can take me home or I can call a cab.”

  He looked at me.

  “Why would you go home?”

  “This is not something you should be associated with. Maybe take some time to consider whether or not this is worth it. I understand.”

  He let me go and shoved his hands in his pockets, still looking at me.

  “I don’t need any time to consider any of this. You, my Isabella, are worth everything. Right now, I’m angry beyond belief. Not at you; I’m so angry that someone thinks he could hurt you, take advantage of you, and not worship you like you deserve.”

  “Stop it, Fabrice! I’m not looking to be worshipped. I need to be treated with respect. He needs to leave me alone and get on with his life and possibly get help if he comes out of this.”

  “You can’t feel sorry for him!”

  “I don’t feel sorry for him. He’s messed up somehow. He doesn’t know how to treat a woman and it’s sad. I’m afraid he will treat another woman like he did me. He may be psychotic or a sociopath.”

  “Dead is what he should be, Isabella.”

  “Fabrice, don’t say that. You know you aren’t that mean. Who knows, he may be dead. He had his head bashed in with a baseball bat. They still don’t know if he will pull through.”

  “You have no idea how mean I can be. I have killed for my country, and I have no problem killing for you.”

  I gasped. I wanted to go back a couple of hours and not say a word to him. I had no idea he would take it so harshly.

  “I’m just worried about the public.”

  “Anything that has to do with you will affect me in some way. I have feelings for you, Isabella. Strong feelings that I couldn’t have for another woman. You are important to me and I don’t want you to be afraid or hurt. I also don’t want you to worry about these pictures or whatever this idiot had. I could care less. I have people that will take care of that issue and, right now, I want people to know I’m with you.”

  I wanted to run back in his arms after he said that. My heart skipped a beat after he said he had feelings for me. I admit we'd had a lot of sex and it seemed that our whole relationship was based on that alone. I didn’t think he had any other feelings for me than that; I knew I had them for him.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The next day I made it to work frazzled and out of sorts. I don’t remember getting dressed, putting on makeup, or doing my hair. I took the train in and went about my daily routine.

  I checked my phone when I heard a text message. It was Fabrice wanting to meet me out front before I went in. I was to look for his SUV. The ride into work seemed to take twice as long, and as the train stopped I looked down and ran out before talking to anyone else.

  Fabrice waited inside the SUV parked out front of our office. Ronnie, the driver, was waiting outside the back passenger door to open it for me as I walked by. I slid in and Fabrice was gorgeous as ever sitting there. He had his suit and tie on and a look on his face of concern and need.

  “You have to keep your distance from me now. I know what you said last night, but I can’t worry about your career and deal with this right now. You don’t need associated with this in any way. He had pictures of your house on his phone and of us together. Right now, no one suspects we have something going on. I don’t want you involved in this. You didn’t ask for this.”

  “That’s not happening.” He was matter-of -fact and using his power personality to make a point. A point I didn’t care to hear.

  “I mean it, Fabrice. The press will be all over you if they find out you and I are... whatever we are.”

  “You are going to question what we are after Paris? I’m in love with you, that is what we are.”

  “You have to stay away from me for a while.”

  “I refuse. It’s as simple as that. We also have a lot to talk about, like the Celeste issue that has not been discussed.”

  I turned in my seat to face him and make him understand.

  “Isabella, I will give you some time, but not much. I can help you find out who did this. I have connections.” He grabbed my hand and kissed my fingers. His lips were wet enough to make me wet. I kissed him and he grabbed my face in his hands. I wanted him right then and there.

  “No, Fabrice. Please promise me you will stay out of this?” I begged looking deep in his eyes, so dark blue.

  “I will give it a week and then I’m not waiting anymore. You have no idea what you mean to me and how much I will give up for you.”

  He kissed me and this time it was sensual and slow. Wanting him more than anything, I melted. The tears stung my eyes as I thought about being without him.

  “Fabrice, I have to go. We can’t let anyone see you with me. I…I have to go.”r />
  He was beautiful beyond comprehension. I kept my gaze on him as I walked out of the SUV. He looked hurt and I wanted him to know how much he meant to me; how hard it was for me to do this to him. How my heart broke knowing I had to stay away. How I could stay away from him for a couple of days was going to be impossible. Not to have him touch me, inside me, and kissing me was something I was not quite prepared for.

  Chapter 15

  Trying to avoid my parents was not likely. Around lunch time my mom was waiting in the office for me. I was shocked when I saw her talking to the Attaché, and he was either in a jovial mood or he was flirting with her. Either way, it was uncomfortable and I wanted out of there.

  “Miss Piori, you didn’t tell me you had such a young and beautiful mother!” He gushed as I walked into their conversation.

  Funny, he can be nice and talk now. Typical man.

  “Yes, I try to leave her out of conversations so she doesn’t up-stage me.” I laughed and so did my mom, though I could see her face was anything but happy.

  “I’m going to steal Isabella away for a while,” my mom said warmly. “She and I are going to go to lunch so we can talk about Paris.”

  My mom grabbed my arm and rushed me out of the office before the Attaché said anything else.

  “How could you do this, Isabella?” she said, through gritted teeth.

  “Do what, exactly?”

  “You know damn well what! I’m not discussing this here.” She shot me a look that I knew, from the years of living with her, that I better not argue. This was the lips pursed, arms crossed, nostril flare look, and her Brooklyn accent was easing out.

  She paid the valet and they brought up her car. I didn’t know if I should start talking, where she was taking us, or if she was going to wreck. Her driving was bad on a good day, not to mention how it was when she was pissed off.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about Anthony?” she asked not taking her eyes off the road.

  “I thought I could handle it.”

  “Thought you could handle a man abusing you, scaring you? I have taught both you and Sophia to stand up for yourselves and not to become one of those women that takes shit from a man. Why would you allow this to happen to you?”

  “I don’t know, Mom. I was confused. I was afraid and you and Dad would be upset if I didn’t marry him, especially after last year. Wait a minute. Didn’t you put up with shit from Dad?”

  “Don’t you dare bring up last year or blame this incident on you father and me! This is a different set of circumstances.”

  “I wasn’t blaming it on anything. I know you had a lot to deal with and you didn’t need to worry. I thought he would leave me alone once he did that.”

  “First of all, last year is done and over with. We got past it and I’m good with what is happening. Angry that your father cheated? You're damn right! Did I make it known that I would not tolerate it ever again? Yes. It won’t happen again. I’m in a different circumstance than you, Isabella. I have a family with your father. We have this business together and an image to uphold. I have other things keeping me with him. He may have cheated on me, but he never laid a hand on me.”

  “You’re right, he didn’t hit you, but what you went through because of it was worse. It is like being hit- only your emotions were hit.”

  I couldn’t believe she admitted to me that Dad cheated on her. We were not allowed to bring that up under any circumstances. We knew it could be a possibility and Marco saw him and this woman kissing, but it wasn’t allowed to be discussed. Since I was away at school I didn’t know anything was wrong except for the fact my mom treated my father differently when I saw them.

  My mom pulled into a parking spot at a local shopping mall and turned off the car.

  “This is different, Isabella. This is so different. To be hit and choked is inexcusable. Why would you tell Danny and not your parents?”

  “I don’t know, Mom. I saw Anthony outside our condo, Avery said he tried to break in and I wanted him to help me with it. I was desperate. And Mom, there is something else. There is something that happened that night. No one knows but Avery.” The tears started and I could not stop them. I have thought about what else that night, but I never brought it up, even to my therapist. I couldn’t bring myself to talk about it. I had to get it out and this was the best time.

  “You know how your brother feels about you and your sister! You know his temper and his friends can be over the top. Why the hell didn’t you call the police? Wait, what do you mean there is something else?”

  She looked over at me and I grabbed my face with my hands. It was so painful and degrading. No one knows this something else but Avery. I have kept it inside for four years now.

  “Oh, Mom.”

  She reached over to me and grabbed my hand. I wanted to curl up and hide myself. It was too much to bear.

  “Baby, what is it? Please tell me. It won’t leave this car. I promise you.”

  “I’m sorry I told him. Danny said the police won’t do anything because of who he is. I was sure he wouldn’t do anything other than scare Anthony. He said he didn’t do anything.” I regretted bring it up and I tried to change the subject. My mother wasn’t that easily persuaded.

  “Yes, he says he didn’t do anything, but we don’t know if he had someone do something. This publicity is not good for us. If Anthony, God forbid, dies we are all going to be questioned.”

  “I’m so sorry, mom.” I didn’t know what else to say to her. I was truly sorry I told anyone and I should have went to the police.

  “Now, tell me what else is bothering you. I want to know before I turn this car back on.”

  “Mom, please don’t think less of me. I truly thought I loved Anthony. I thought we were going to be married. You have to know that.”

  “I do know that. I also know that you were going to marry him to make us happy. That’s a bunch of shit! You don’t do anything to make someone else happy. Nothing you could do or say could make me think any less of you. You are my baby and if you went out and killed someone, I would still love you. Now, tell me.”

  “The night I broke up with Anthony, I told him I was three months pregnant. I told him I didn’t want him in the baby’s life. I wanted to raise it alone.”

  The silence in the car was deafening.

  “Were you?” my mom finally asked.

  “Yes, Mom, I was. I don’t make that shit up. I took a test two weeks before I graduated. I didn’t want to tell anyone. I didn’t know if I would keep it or not. Anthony was acting so weird and there was that other girl he was seeing. If I was going to keep the baby, I made up my mind Anthony wouldn’t be a part of it. No one knows this but you and Avery and, of course, Anthony.”

  “What happened that you lost the baby?”

  “He punched me in the stomach twice after he tried to choke me. I started bleeding and when he finally left, Avery took me to the emergency room. I lost the baby while I was there.”

  I looked over at her and she had her eyes closed. Tears ran down the side of her face.

  “Mom, please don’t cry. It’s okay now. I was checked out several times and he didn’t do anything that would cause me to not be able to have children.” I grabbed her hand and she squeezed it.

  “I need to kill him. With my bare hands I could strangle him and watch his life leave him. Coma or no coma, he needs to be dead.” She looked up to the roof and made the sign of the cross. “Being beat to a pulp is too good for him. He needs to die for this.”

  It took a lot for my mom to get worked up like she was. She was shaking and there was a look of evil in her eyes.

  “Mom, stop this. What did you say last week to Marco when he got in that fight? You said and I quote, 'Nothing is solved through violence'. Do you remember that?”

  “I lied. It is solved through violence if someone hurts your child. There is no excuse in what he did.” She looked at me.

  “I know there isn’t. But it’s done and over with. I didn’t
know if I was going to keep the baby, Mom. I didn’t need to be reminded of him every day of my life. Honestly, I was not ready. Please, settle down. I go to you, my family, for advice because all of you say I don’t tell you anything, and when I do, none of you can handle it.”

  She calmed down and rolled down her window and pulled out a pack of cigarettes out from under her seat. I never saw her smoke in my life. She lit it up with no problem and smoked away like she did it every day.

  “What are you doing? When did you start smoking?”

  “Last year when your father had his little affair. I keep them for emergencies. This is an emergency. They calm me down.”

  “And take years off your life! Put that out, Mom. This is insane.”

  “Do you want one?” She put the pack in my face.

  “No, I don’t want one! That’s trashy. Put it out. I don’t feel like smelling like smoke.”

  She took another drag off it and tossed it out the car window. I was shocked that she behaved like that. What else did she hide I wondered.

  “Danny told us that you’re seeing this Ambassador.”

  Thanks, Danny. The one thing I asked you not to tell them about.

  “We went out to dinner a couple of times. It’s harmless.” I lied, but I had to at that moment. My mom was becoming increasingly upset and tears were pouring out of her eyes. If there was one thing I could not stand it was my mom being upset.

  “Don’t make another stupid mistake, Izzy. Please. This man is a lot older than you, isn’t he?”

  He was thirty-six and I was twenty-six. He wasn’t that much older. Besides, my dad was eight years older than my mom.

  “It’s harmless, Mom. Now with this Anthony nightmare going on, he isn’t going to want to be seen with me or have any contact with me.”

  I looked out the window and watched people going on with their lives. Simple lives that didn’t involve half-dead ex boyfriends, crazy killing brothers, and gorgeous insatiable Ambassadors. I longed to have their life at that moment.

  “Did you tell the Ambassador about Anthony?”

  “Yes, some of it. He doesn’t know about the baby.”