by Joyce Jordan
“I think I saw a reporter,” Stefano said. “I have a feeling that could be another reason why we’re all not being able to enter there.”
Ana pulled the burner from her pocket. “Here,” she said. “Vinny sent me a couple of pictures earlier, but they are not very clear.”
Lester too arrived and sat with them, then the brothers walked in with two detectives. Ana remembered them from her stay in the hospital a few months back. Detectives Smith and White. She gave them her statement and surrendered her burner phone. Then hoped and prayed they could do something this time.
“Where’s he now?” she asked.
“The hospital for a quick check up, then he should be transferred to his cell for the night. Unless the doctor keeps him overnight,” Det. Smith told her.
“This time, I think we have him, Ana,” Det. White told her. “And we’ll both do our best to make sure he gets the maximum sentence he can get. Well, actually, let me rephrase that. We’ll ask the DA for the maximum sentence.”
Ana stood as they rose from their seats. “Thank you.” She tightened her hold on Gabe’s fingers and he pulled her closer to him.
“It’ll be fine this time, baby.”
“I know. I just can’t believe that it’s almost over.”
Gabe hugged her from behind. “Me too. We will follow up tomorrow, but in the meantime, dinner then bed.”
“Sounds good.” She turned. “There’s a diner right around the corner.”
Gabe laughed. “You miss your old neighborhood, don’t you?”
“I do. Can we?”
“I love you, you know that?”
“I know Gabe. I love you more.”
Gabe shook his head. “Not possible,” he said before he silenced her with a kiss.
∞∞∞∞
Evelyn was surprised to see Steve show up at her door, and with his baby girl. “Steve, long time no see.” She opened her door wider. “How’s your daughter?”
He grinned at her. “She’s just as pretty as her mother.” He placed the baby carrier on the floor then picked up his daughter. “Here, hold her.”
Evelyn took the bundle in pink in her arms and smiled. “Won’t she wake up?”
“No, she pretty much has a schedule she follows, and doesn’t get up before she’s hungry, which will be in,” he said checking his watch, “another ten minutes.”
Evelyn laughed. “So did you come here to find someone to feed her? Can you even change a diaper, Steve?”
“I’m a pro, and I’ll show you as soon as she’s awake. In the meantime, I’d like to use your kitchen to make her more formula. Here,” he said pulling out a bottle from the diaper bag. “If she wakes up, you can finish giving her this bottle.”
Evelyn settled back and pulled the baby closer to her chest. She was so cute. She pictured Mitch and herself with a baby. Not gonna happen she said whispering to Clarice. Men are dogs, and you’d better learn that while you’re still young. I hope your daddy keeps you away from all the boys in the world. You’d be better off, trust me Clarice.
Steve was back as Clarice was starting to wake up. “Here, let me change her diaper, then you can feed her.”
“You can use the guest bedroom,” she told him.
Evelyn had been glad when her client had postponed their meeting to the following month. He needed to go to Europe for the next three to four weeks. That made her free for the next week and a half. Maybe she should find somewhere to go and think about her life. But if she did, her brothers would think she’d run away. That wouldn’t do.
The call from Ana helped her focus on something else. She was glad the scumbag had been caught and wished she had been there. “Steve just arrived with his daughter. I can come later if you need me to come?”
“No, Evelyn. There’s nothing you can do here. Besides, Mitch’s here too.”
“Okay, well, that’s not good. But thanks for telling me. But restraining order or not, call me if you need me.”
“Thanks. Will do. Take care, Evelyn.”
She took the baby from Steve as he walked back in. She grabbed onto the nipple as soon as Evelyn waved the bottle around her lips. She giggled. “Wow, she certainly knows her bottle doesn’t she?”
“That she does,” Steve told her as he settled back into his seat. “Where’s Jack and Chuck?”
“Jack went to the store to get me some groceries. And Chuck went to help the neighbors next door. You probably didn’t see him, but he was at the door when you parked.”
“I just got a phone call as I was changing Clarice. Word is Jeremy was caught, and about to be in custody as we speak.”
“I know,” Evelyn agreed and smiled. “Ana just called to give me the good news too. Hopefully our lives can go back to normal now.”
“Normal as in no more body guards, or no more Mitch?”
She frowned at him. “Both, I presume.”
“That’s actually why I came here,” he said. “Gina is…”
“Did Mitch send you here, Steve? To fight his battles?”
He laughed. “Do you seriously think Mitch would send someone to plead his case. Hell, if he knew I was here, I might be out of a job too.”
“Too? What do you mean?”
“Gina, is my sister. I’m ashamed that we even share the same blood. And I’m sorry about what she did to you,” he said.
“I’m sorry you’re related to her. But if she and Mitch want each other, they’re free to pursue their relationship.”
“They are not in a relationship. That’s what I’m trying to say.”
“I saw them kissing, Steve.”
“No, what you saw was Gina kissing Mitch. Trust me, Mitch has never shown an inkling of interest at Gina. Not one woman from the office,” he told her shaking his finger. “He’s always been professional.”
Evelyn rotated the nipple in Clarice’s mouth when she stopped feeding. At that, she began suckling again.
“Anyway, she was fired today.”
“Did something else happen?”
“She tried to seduce him,” he said nodding his head. “Talk to Mitch and he’ll tell you the details. She’s not a threat and never was.”
Evelyn was saved from answering when Chuck walked in. He greeted Steve then came over to look at Clarice. She relinquished her into his hands and laughed when Chuck froze.
“She won’t bite. Now take the bottle and bring it back to her mouth,” she directed.
Jack came back at the wrong time and got the job of burping her. He walked around the room patting her rear and kept looking back to see if she had burped.
Evelyn left the three men talking and went to start dinner. Unfortunately Steve had to leave a few minutes later, so dinner was only for three people. By tomorrow, she might be eating solitary dinners again.
It was strange thinking of her life back to the original way she had been living for the past several years. It didn’t seem so appealing anymore. Getting rid of Mitch had sounded like a good idea, but she still wanted him in her life.
If only one could have everything they wanted. If only life were that simple.
Sixteen
“Thanks for calling off the bodyguards,” Ana said to Gabe. They were getting ready for bed. It had been a crazy week, with Mitch and Evelyn’s break-up and Mitch spending several hours in jail. Then the past three days dealing with Jeremy. Once the DA had claimed that he had enough evidence to proceed with the case and that Jeremy would not be going anywhere, especially the fact that he was not being given the option of bail, Ana had really breathed a sigh of relief.
“I know it was making you crazy. Me too. But that doesn’t mean you get to go traveling on the train. You promised me you would always use the driver I assigned to you.”
“And I will. I promise.” She got into bed and sat waiting for him to join her. “You’ve got to trust me.”
“I do,” he said. “You just scare me sometimes. Acting without thinking, with no regard for your precious life.”
“Are you referring to Vinny?”
“Can we not talk about Vinny?” he asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always be grateful for what he did. He clearly has a soft spot for you.”
“And Kelly.”
“Don’t tell Rafe that.” His lips twitched as he struggled not to laugh.
“I won’t,” she agreed. “He might have nightmares.” She reached over to his side and kissed him lingeringly. “Mmmmm.”
“Any plans for the weekend?” he asked and rolled her underneath, then took over the kiss.
“Not really,” she said when she managed to breathe.
“Good, because we are not leaving this room,” he said and lowered his head to her breasts.
“Ahhhh.”
He suckled, moving from one to the next, tweaking the nipple of the other with his fingers. He moved lower to her belly button and flicked his tongue several times as she squirmed and giggled.
“Wait,” she breathed and held his head. A light bulb had just flashed and Ana couldn’t believe that she had almost ignored it.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything.”
“Can I borrow the jet for the weekend?”
Gabe lifted his head. “You just said you didn’t have anything planned for the weekend? So why do you need the jet?”
“I said not really, and it’s a spur of the moment thing.”
“Ana, you’re being evasive.”
She smiled and rose to meet him, kissed his lips and shrugged. “I know, but I still can’t tell you.”
“I can’t let you take the jet to an unknown destination.”
“I could always take coach. Besides the pilot will know.”
“Are you threatening me?”
She shook her head. “No. Wouldn’t dream of it. I’m just asking my fiance for a teeny tiny favor. I was hoping he meant it when he said he trusted me.”
“Now, you’re twisting my words. And using them against me.”
“You said you trusted me, yet you don’t seem to. Is it just talk or what?”
Gabe swore. “Fine. Take the jet. But wherever your secret destination is, your driver goes with you.”
Ana smiled. “Great,” she said and jumped him, kissed his face then finally his lips. “Make the call,” she said jumping off the bed.
“What? Now?”
Ana was already in her closet and packing a bag. “Yes, now. Wheels lift off in an hour.” She made a quick call to Kelly and conferenced Jes in. When Kelly managed to conference Stefano, they all agreed on the plan.
Gabe looked at his raging hard on. He banged his head against the mattress. “Aaaaannnaaaaaa!”
Ana walked back in. She saw Gabe lying on the bed, his hands covering his eyes. “Poor baby,” she said and grabbed his cock. “Let me help you.” She lowered her head and took him into her mouth. As she pulled out she found herself on her back, on the bed.
“We’ll do this my way,” he told her and pulled off the jeans she had put on.
“Gabe…I…no time…Plea…”
Gabe silenced her with a kiss, and widened her legs, bringing his fingers to her pussy lips. “Yes,” he hissed in her ear as he took her earlobe between his teeth. Gabe slid two fingers inside and was rewarded with a sigh and then a moan.
He moved them quickly in and out of her, then switched and entered her in one long and hard lunge. He took her hard and fast, and they both spiraled into a hard climax that left them shaking and clinging to each other.
Ana laughed as she pushed Gabe off her. “I hope you got that out of your system.”
He growled. “No, it just made me harder for you.”
She shook her head and sent a text then picked up her clothes and dressed. She would shower later, either on the plane or when she landed. If she tried to shower now, Gabe would just follow her and have his way with her.
She went back to her closet and picked up her opened bag, then continued packing and left the closet. Gabe was on the phone, hopefully talking to the driver or pilot.
She left him and walked into the living room then made the calls to Kelly, Jes and Stefano. They were all ready, and she told them she would pick them up as soon as the driver arrived.
“My driver will take you to the airport, and pick up Tim Wallace on your way. And when you’re on your way back, let me know your arrival time and I’ll have someone wait for you at the airport.”
“Sorry, I can’t tell you where I’m going. It’s for your protection,” she said and hugged him.
“Just be safe. That’s all I ask.”
“Thanks,” she said and kissed him before he took her downstairs. Ana waited in the limo as Kelly and Jes both walked outside with Rafe and Nate who didn’t look happy too. She saw them look towards Gabe’s direction, then walked over to him after both women had climbed in.
They went to Jersey first and picked up Stefano, then woke Evelyn who was already asleep. As Ana and Jes dressed her, Kelly packed an overnight bag for her.
In less than ten minutes, they were climbing into the limo and on their way to pick up her designated driver, Tim Wallace.
“Where are we going?” Evelyn finally asked.
“It’s a surprise,” Ana told her. “But we can guarantee that you’ll love it.”
“And best of all, none of the guys know our destination, so they won’t be able to tell Mitch our whereabouts.”
“That’s the best news,” she replied with a yawn.
“It’s going to get even better,” Kelly told her.
They picked up Tim and where on their way to the airport. Ana told the pilot their destination, and warned him against divulging their whereabouts to Gabe or his brothers. Then she made sure Tim also understood and the stewardess too. As soon as they took off, the party started.
After a couple of hours, they were all fast asleep, and only woke up as they were thirty minutes into landing.
Courtesy of Kelly’s parents, they found an SUV limo waiting for them outside their plane. Ana pushed Evelyn to the front, as the jet’s door was opened. “Welcome to Los Angeles,” she told her.
“Where dreams are made,” Kelly told her.
“And dreams come true,” Jes added.
“And so will yours,” Stefano said.
They descended and walked towards the waiting limo. They all piled into the back, and Tim went to the front passenger seat.
“Am I dreaming or what?” Evelyn asked them.
“No, this is what you wanted isn’t it?’ Ana asked.
“Remember that day you said you wanted to come here and attend a party?” Jes asked her.
“Yes, well, your wish is about to come true.” Kelly grined at Evelyn as she stared at them in shock.
“It’s still dark, but in the morning,” Stefano said, “our first order of business will be shopping then a little sight seeing, then we get ready for a series of parties and sleep, then back to New York.”
“How does that sound?” they all asked her.
“Divine. Thanks guys. I’ll never forget this.” She beamed as she looked outside. “I can already see the differences with New York. And to think I’ve never come this way, yet I’ve lived in this country all my life?”
“As long as our schedules allow, we can try and go somewhere different every time,” Kelly suggested. “I know mine is the one that’s always tricky to get weekend days off. But if I do a lot of swapping, I might be able to land more weekends.”
Ana smiled. She wondered how Gabe was doing right about now. “Yes, this is just the beginning. I can tell.”
They drove in silence the rest of the way, until the driver stopped at their hotel and then they stepped out. A bellman came and placed their small overnight bags on his cart and they stood for a minute staring at the architecture.
“Isn’t this the hotel…”
They all smiled at her. “Go on.”
“Pretty Woman?” she asked.
“Yes, and we’re doing everything in style,” Ana told
her. “Let’s go and check in.”
Ana saw Tim shake his head at them but grinned all the same. She checked in then handed Tim his key. She left instructions at the check in desk for the pilot and stewardess. “We’ll be having breakfast around eight, but we’ll call you,” she told him.
“I’ll come up with you first then look for my room later,” he told them.
Ana shrugged and followed the bellman who directed them to their elevator.
“Welcome to the penthouse suite,” the bellman said to them.
Ana handed him a tip and told him to just leave the bags by the door. He smiled and took off.
“This is nice, Ana. Mind if I take a look?”
“Not at all Tim. Just don’t describe what you see until Sunday. I wouldn’t want the information getting into the wrong hands.”
“I know, I know. Gabe and his brothers are not supposed to know where you are. Especially Mitch. I hear you,” he said. He took a walk around and Ana left him to it, then followed the shrieks of her friends.
“Amazing. People really live like this?” Jes asked.
“I’m certainly getting some designing ideas”
“Do you want to catch a couple hours of sleep or just talk until breakfast time?” Ana asked them.
“I’d love to talk, but it’s going to be a long day as it is, I vote sleep,” Kelly said.
“I need my beauty sleep,” Stefano said. “If I’m going to look good later, I vote sleep.”
“I’m not sure how much sleep I can get,” Evelyn told them. “I’m just so excited. But I’ll try. Who knows, I might meet some gorgeous prince who will whisk me away to some far away foreign land.”
“No hooking up. We’re all here just to have fun. Now let’s sleep before we all start getting calls from New York.” Ana looked at Evelyn who frowned at her. She wasn’t over Mitch but was just reacting.
Ana knew because she had been in those same shoes not very long ago. Besides, if Evelyn didn’t return to New York, Gabe would have her behind. “Just pick a room, a bed, or sofa, whatever.”
She walked back and found Tim waiting for them in the living room. He stood as they got closer. “Do I need to rent a car?” he asked them.
