He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. “He killed Yvetta, and now he’s going to try to kill you, Elli. If you break it off with him, he will kill you. I hate, hate, the thought of you being with him, but can I ask something repulsive? I need you to stay with him while I gather more evidence against him.”
Elli opened her eyes. “You’re behind those reports in the paper.”
He nodded, and then looked a little shame-faced. “I also wrote the article about you.”
That stung her hard. “Why?”
“I’m sorry, Elli. It was all bullshit. None of it was true, but I wanted to get a reaction from you. I hoped being labeled a gold-digger would make you think twice about dating him. I should have known you wouldn’t back down, you crazy woman. I’m sorry if it hurt you.”
She gave a hollow laugh. “What does it matter now? Look, Indio, I can help. If you want me to stay with him longer, I will. He works from home. There are files in his study we may find useful, but I need to get to them. It’ll be easier if I’m already in the house and …trusted. Although I’m not sure Aldo trusts me much anymore. We’ve been having problems.”
“You have?”
Her mouth hitched up in a lop-sided smile. “Something about me being desperately in love with this gorgeous guy I once knew.”
Indio laughed softly and looked at the door. “Will he miss you?”
“Well, he told me to go fuck some strangers, so I don’t give a crap. I’ll just tell him I got upset and went to the bathroom.” She wound her arms around his neck. “Indio, we can make this work, can’t we?”
“I’m going to do everything to make sure you’re safe and that we’re together. We just have to bring Aldo down first—or you’ll never be safe. I hate, hate, hate that I’ll be sending you home with him tonight.”
The very thought made her cringe in disgust and fear, even though she knew that until she had a plan, it would never be safe to try and just walk away from Aldo’s insane obsession.
“Indio, were you watching me?”
He nodded. “Only for protection.” He chuckled softly. “You might want to get rid of the little bug in the plant on your desk.”
Elli burst out laughing. “I should be mad, but I don’t care. I love that you’ve been close all this time.”
His eyes were soft with love. “It killed me to send you away, but Constanza told me after he killed Yvetta that, and I quote, ‘next time, my knife will be gutting the girl you’ve really been in love with all this time’ if I didn’t leave Italy and stay away from you. He knew about you years ago. I think he’s been manipulating your career too. I think Yvetta must have told him about you—I was not the lover she deserved because I was already in love. There were times when it got too much for her. Aldo wore her down.”
“What was she like?”
“Lovely. You would have liked her. But I was wrong to be with her when I loved you. She deserved so much better. When Aldo started to harass her, I didn’t take it seriously. Thinking back now, if it had been you, I would have gone ballistic. Instead, I treated it as a joke until Aldo got way too physical with her and she came to me. She told me she had tried to make friends and let him down gently, but he had assaulted her, tying her up, blindfolding her, and threatening her with a knife.”
Elli swallowed hard, remembering the times Aldo had blindfolded her. Indio brushed his lips on hers before continuing. “I reacted badly. I beat him, and he fired me, only to hire me back the next day with an apology and a huge hike in pay. He also apologized to Yvetta, and afterward, he did leave her alone. I felt badly that I hadn’t taken her seriously, and I knew I could never come back to you, so I proposed.”
Elli’s eyes filled with tears again. “You could have come to me. I waited and waited. Enzo died. Whatever happened between you two was over and you knew that. I thought you didn’t want me anymore. I carried you in my heart. Every day I missed you and it felt like I was dying. And you were going to marry a woman you didn’t love.”
“I was going to marry her out of a false sense of responsibility, Elli. It was my fault she died. Because of my own damn stupid pride …I forced his hand, and he killed her. He stabbed her to death on our wedding day. A day that should never have been because I knew—and she knew—that my heart belonged, and will always belong, to you.”
Elli was crying now—sobbing—the tears just never ending, and Indio took her in his arms. “I’m sorry, Elli Bella, scuzi, scuzi ...ti amo.”
She pressed her lips to his and pulled his jacket from his shoulders. Indio shrugged out of it and his hands were at the straps of her dress, pulling them down her shoulders. “I always love this color on you,” he murmured, and Elli smiled.
“I know. I’ve been wearing a lot of lilac lately …it makes me feel close to you.”
Indio kissed her as his hands slid under her skirt and pulled her panties gently down her legs. “I am always with you, my beautiful girl. Always.”
In a flash, they were both naked, and this time, they took their time, exploring the other’s body, kissing and sucking, before Indio hitched her legs gently around his waist and slid his huge, engorged cock into her ready cunt. Elli gave a long, shivery sigh as they began to move together, Indio’s eyes on hers, his mouth tasting her lips as he kissed her. It was slow, soft, and languid, and when Elli came, she gasped, her back arching as Indio shuddered through his own orgasm. She felt his seed shooting deep into her belly and smiled at him. “I love you, Indio Navaro. So, so much …”
“My Elli, my Elli,” he said again and again, kissing her tenderly and drinking her in with his eyes. “This was the reunion I dreamed of for eight years,” he whispered.
“With you, I know I can handle anything,” she said, stroking his face before her face fell. “God, Indio, I cannot bear to let him touch me again.”
“I know. I know. I hate the thought of it. But, listen, you have to do what you have to do to stay safe. Nothing is more important than that. Nothing.” Their gazes locked and she nodded, knowing what he was saying.
“When this is all over, I’m marrying you, Elliana Moretti, and we’re going to be the happiest people in the world.”
There were fresh tears then, but she smiled through them. “For a proposal, that was pretty damn good, Mr. Navaro.”
He chuckled, then looked regretful. “God, it kills me to say this, but you had better get back to the party.” He grimaced. “I hate that you’ve been involved in this sort of thing.”
“Don’t be. The first time, it was my choice. Adventure.” She grinned at him. It was the word they always used when they were younger when they set off to get into trouble.
“Adventure,” he said and kissed her again. They dressed slowly, and then Indio pushed up the window of the room. Elli giggled.
“Seriously …you’re going out of the window?”
Indio grinned and kissed her. “Adventure. I love you, Elli. I promise we’ll be together soon.”
He hooked a leg over the window sill, but Elli suddenly grabbed him. “Wait. Just know, Indio, that when he touches me, I’ll be wishing it was you. That you are the reason I breathe in and out every moment. I’ve always loved you, Indio. I always will.”
Indio kissed her again, holding her tightly. “Il amore mia, go now before I take you away from here and blow any chance we have of taking Aldo down. I love you. Never forget.”
And he was gone.
Elli lay quietly for as long as she dared, reveling in the sudden peace and joy she felt after being with Indio. It was only when fear crept back in again that she forced herself up and out of bed, into her now wrinkled dress, and back downstairs. Almost immediately, Aldo appeared, gripping the top of her arm hard. “Where the fuck have you been?”
Elli wrenched her arm away from him and gave him a supercilious smile. “Fucking another man of course. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
His eyes glittered with anger. “Why are you behaving this way?”
Suddenly, Elli wante
d to goad him, such was her anger. This man was a psychopath. She knew that now. “Because, Aldo, you treat me like a whore. You should have warned me this was another orgy. You should have given me the right to decide whether I wanted to take part. Once again, you treated me like just another hole.”
Aldo’s shoulders slumped and he passed a hand over his face. “You’re right. Of course, you’re right, I’m so sorry, Elli.”
Elli was taken off guard by this sudden change. “Aldo …shall we go home? I’m tired.”
They didn’t speak on the drive home, but Aldo took her hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb. Elli fought the urge to pull it away.
To her great relief, Aldo went to sleep almost immediately, his arm locked around her waist, and Elli lay on her back staring up at the ceiling. All she could think of was Indio, making love with him, and the relief of knowing that underneath everything, he was still hers. He loved her.
She fell asleep still smelling his scent on her skin and reveling at the thought of his cum deep in her belly. But in the middle of the night, she woke to find Aldo on top of her, his cock inside her. Elli fought the urge to scream and kick him away, going along with the sex …even though every cell in her body was crying out that this was wrong. He’d never done this before—started to fuck her without her consent—and looking at him now, Elli wasn’t even sure he was awake. Aldo came hard, and to her horror, his hands slipped around her throat and began to squeeze. Elli began to panic as her air was cut off.
“Aldo, Aldo, wake up! You’re hurting me! Aldo …” Her voice was croaking as the oxygen began to run out.
To her great relief, the hands released her throat and she sucked in great gasps of air, sobs tearing out of her sore throat. Aldo, still delirious from orgasm, collapsed on top of her, burying his face in her neck and groaning, “Don’t leave me. Don’t ever leave me. If you do, I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you …god …Yvetta …please ….”
Elli’s body went cold.
Vivienne squinted at Elli as she came into work on Monday morning. “It’s summer. Why are you wearing a scarf?”
Elli gave her a too-sunny smile, knowing that alone would tip her friend off to there being a problem. “Fashion, of course. Hey, listen, I’ve got an idea for a new series. Can I take you to lunch to talk about it?”
“We can talk right now, if you want.”
Elli shifted uncomfortably. “I’d rather do it out of the office if you don’t mind.”
Vivienne’s smile faded and she nodded. “Gotcha. One o’clock okay for you?”
Elli gave her a grateful smile. “Perfect.”
In her office, she hung up her coat, then sat down. She grinned at the small potted plant and pulled it towards her. It didn’t take long to find the little bug that Indio had planted on the bottom of the pot. She lifted it to her lips.
“I love you,” she said in a low, amused voice, “I hope you’re listening because otherwise I just told an African violet that I loved it. Which is true, but I meant you, Indio. I love you so much.”
She had spoken in a low whisper, sure that if Aldo had bugged her office too, he would not have heard it. She had come to the conclusion that Aldo was watching her and that he was behind the stalking and the threats. He wanted to keep her scared and act the protector. It was just another way of controlling her.
God, how had this all happened in the last few weeks? But, somehow, Elli thought, now looking back, it had been inevitable. There had always been something about Aldo that had been undefinable. Now she knew what it was—he was insane.
Somehow, she managed to focus her mind on work until one o’clock rolled around and she met with Vivienne outside, at an out-of-the-way café.
Vivienne listened to what Elli told her with mounting horror. Elli looked at her after she’d finished.
“Do you think I’m crazy?”
Vivienne shook her head, still trying to process what Elli had told her. “Elli, playing Devil’s advocate here …do you think you should immediately trust what Indio is telling you?”
Elli flushed. “I can understand why you asked me that …but yes. Finding proof will confirm it, but yes, I believe Indio.”
“Jesus, Elli, then why are you still living with Aldo?”
“Because if I leave him, he will kill me.”
Vivienne blanched. “Isn’t he planning that already? Just leave and we’ll arrange protection.”
“There’s also Aldo’s investment in the magazine. He could pull the rug from underneath us and bring the magazine to its knees, and he knows it.”
“Screw the magazine! Your life is worth more. God, when I think I encouraged you to …” Vivienne suddenly reached up and plucked the scarf from Elli’s neck. The dark bruises on her throat were stark again her skin. “Oh my god, Elli …”
Elli put the scarf back on. “It was unintentional …. this time, he was asleep. He was appalled when I told him what happened.”
“This time …Jesus.” Vivienne dropped her head in her hands for a moment, then looked at her friend, her expression fierce. “Okay. Look, we get proactive. I’ll start the process of looking for another investor, quietly, and I think you could use some space to go do some snooping. We’ll set up a trip somewhere neutral—Paris, I think—and you fly there, then on to Uganda to investigate Aldo’s business interest over there. I’ll pay for that ticket out of my own pocket, so it doesn’t have to go through the magazine's accounts. I don’t want you there more than a couple of days, though. He’s obviously got spies everywhere.”
The waiter interrupted them then. “Excuse me, ladies, can I refill your drinks?”
They both nodded, and the waiter took their glasses. In a second he was back, but on the tray he left, there was a napkin covered something bulky. Elli and Vivienne looked at each other before Elli picked up the napkin. On the tray sat a burner phone covered with lilac-colored rhinestones. It looked so tacky that they both laughed and Elli grinned as it began to ring. Vivienne looked confused.
“Hey, baby,” Elli said as she answered the call. She mouthed an apology to Vivienne, who waved in assent
Indio chuckled. “Hello, gorgeous. I thought you would appreciate the bling.”
“You lunatic. I love you.”
“Love you too, cara mia. You look beautiful right now. Don’t turn around. I’m sitting behind you, two tables away.”
Elli felt warmth rush through her knowing he was so close. “Did you hear what we were saying?”
“Some. And I think I can help on two of those issues. One—your magazine will be fine. I’ll make sure of that. You have me as an investor for as long as you want me.”
“Oh, god, Indio, that’s wonderful. Thank you.”
“Don’t say my name, just in case, baby. The other thing …I’ll meet you in Paris and go with you to Uganda. There’s no way I’m letting you go there on your own. It’s too dangerous.”
Elli was silent for a moment. “Then I guess we take our first trip together.”
Indio chuckled. “In between all the snooping, I think we can find something to do. A little advice …wear a disguise. That sound corny, but Constanza will have people out looking for you. Book yourself into a hotel in Paris—not a suspicious and one—and I’ll hire someone to pose as you at the hotel, so if Constanza checks, he’ll think you’re there. Really, you’ll be staying at my apartment with me.”
“You have an apartment in Paris?”
“I do now. I have to go, baby, so that if any of Aldo’s men are watching, they won’t get suspicious. Paris, baby. Keep this phone at your office.”
“I will. I love you.”
“I love you, Elli Bella. Always.”
Elli ended the call, desperate to look around to see him. In a moment, a man passed behind her, and she felt warm fingertips brush the back of her neck and shivered with pleasure. She risked a look when he was almost at the corner and saw him turn and flash a smile at her before he disappeared. She looked back at Vivienne, who smiled
at her, her eyes soft. “That’s more like it. That man makes you glow, Elli. I haven’t seen you like that for years.”
And Elli felt the joy radiate from inside her. She was loved by the man she had always adored. Nothing could get in the way of that …could it?
The idea came to her when she was eating dinner with Aldo that night. The tiredness and exhaustion that had dogged her was back, and for the first time, she wondered if Aldo was drugging her. Yes, it could be paranoia, but now that she thought about it, he always insisted on preparing their food himself—claiming he was a foodie and an amateur chef—and whenever they shared a drink in the evening, he would mix them for them both. The worst of her exhaustion always began soon after. So, tonight, she picked at her food and managed to ‘accidentally’ knock over her wine. Aldo leaped up, but she waved him down.
“Don’t worry about it, honey. I’ll get it. I just want some water.”
She darted to the kitchen before he could argue. She grabbed a glass and downed some water straight from the faucet.
She felt his arms slide around her waist. Automatically, her mind went to Indio and her promise that she would always think of him when she was with Aldo. And how could she not? The difference was night and day. To Aldo, she was a possession. To Indio, she was love. “Are you okay, baby? You didn’t eat much.”
“I’m good, just not hungry. I had a big lunch with Viv.” She turned in his arms and forced herself to kiss him. “Why don’t you go mix us some drinks while I clear away?”
Aldo frowned. “Elli, we have staff for that.”
She laughed softly. “Aldo, sometimes I like to feel we’re at least a little normal. I love cleaning up. It relaxes me. And you’ve never objected to me being …relaxed before.”
Dark Masquerade: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 12
