“When I went to the police station in Capri and spoke to the Judiciary, they said he was almost uncontrollable. I found it interesting that a man, an attorney no less, would behave in that manner. So I did some digging of my own.”
“What did you come up with?”Marcello had my attention, now.
“Well, I found out he’s the only son of Vincent and Elise Kane. Your father’s dead business partner and his estranged, also dead wife. I also found out that Dominick was sent away much of the time to private schools and barely saw his parents.”
“Okay and how does all of that figure into Dominick being angry now?”
“It’s the basis for his anger, Rain, but his true anger comes from not getting the inheritance that he feels is due him. You know Kane & Medici, am I getting warm?”He was smug.
“There’s that tone again, Marcello. You know the one that’s going to get you kicked out of my home on your ass.”Now I was officially pissed off.
Just as I was about to show Marcello the door, Tommy walked in. He stood frozen and dropped his equipment slowly to the floor, not saying a word. His anger was clearly visible. Then he directed his question at Marcello.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I’m here for Rain.”Marcello answers then turned and smiled at at me.
“Baby, what is this piece of shit doing here?”
“He needs a place to stay for a couple of days.”I tried to act nonchalant.
“There’s dirty alleyways all over of this city. They welcome rats like you. Choose one and stay there.”Tommy was firm in his advice to Marcello.
“Tommy, I can’t do that to Marcello. He helped me in Capri.”
“When was that, Rain? When he was fucking your sister?”Now he turned his anger onto me. It was a low blow, but he wasn’t wrong.
I pulled my sleeves and look down at my feet. I tried to hide how much that hurt, but I didn’t do a very good job of it.
Tommy’s lips went into a flat line. He shook his head and walked over to embrace me. I curled into him immediately and hid my face and arms in his chest.
“I’m sorry,baby, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that to you. I know what you’re already dealing with and I don’t want you to deal with anymore shit.”
“It’s okay. I know you just want what you feel is best for me.”
Marcello interrupts.
“Listen Tommy, I know you don’t like me, because of what I did to Rain in the past. Believe me nobody dislikes what I did to her more than myself, but I do need a place to stay for a couple of days. Can you see fit to allow me to stay with here with the both of you? It will only be until I can make other arrangements? You have my word that I won’t cause Rain any further distress.” Marcello seemed sincere.
Still holding me, Tommy looks at me and states:“It’s up to you, Rain, but if he causes one fucking problem he’s out. Whether you like it or not. Deal?”
I smiled at him and kissed Tommy’s cheek.“Deal.”
Tommy directed his attention towards Marcello.“You can stay. I don’t like what you did to Rain, but I’ll tolerate you for her sake.”
“Thank you for your generosity, Tommy”Marcello held out his hand to shake with Tommy, but he wasn’t taking it. He reached his limit of being gracious.
“Don’t thank me. If it were up to me you’d be gone. You have Rain to thank for this, but one wrong move and you’re out. I can’t stress this enough. You get me?”Tommy’s statement came with a warning.
“Understood. Thank you, Rain.”Marcello meant it.
“You’re welcome. You can put your bags in the hall closet. There’s a bathroom on this floor, so you can shower and get ready for your meetings in there. We don’t have a guest room, so you’ll have to make due with the couch.”I pointed to the oversized sectional we had in the living room.
“That’s fine. Thank you. I would like to take you both to dinner tonight, if you don’t have any plans. What do you say?”Marcello wanted to smooth things over.
“Sorry, we can’t have dinner tonight. Tommy and I have an appointment in New Jersey, so we won’t be here. Feel free to make yourself at home. There’s plenty of food in the frig.”
“I think I’ll just grab a bite to eat out this evening.”
“Well, if you’re going out, then you’ll need a key. I have a spare one in the kitchen. Let me go get it for you.”
I headed to the kitchen to get the key for Marcello when I heard my phone buzz on the counter. I looked down and my heart started to beat rapidly. It was Dominick. I heard the sound of the thumps in my ears. I couldn’t keep avoiding him. It was time to face my fears. I swallowed through the hard lump in my throat and picked up the phone slowly to answer it.
“Hello.”My voice sounded quiet. I’m almost scared of what his reaction will be.
“Rain.....? Don’t hang up,baby. Please, hear me out.”He sounded taken back at bit. He seemed surprised that I picked up.
I released my breath. He voice made me miss him so much more.
“I won’t hang up, Dominick, but why are you calling me when you know perfectly well that I don’t want to talk to you.”
“You know why, Rain. I need to fix this. I need to make this right between us. I love you, Angel.”He stated in a soft whisper that slid across my skin and warmed my insides.
“Dominick, if you loved me, you wouldn’t have lied to me.”
“Rain, I told you........ YOU...ARE...MINE...and I protect what’s mine, at any cost. I told you that from the beginning. I would always keep you safe and that’s what I’m doing, protecting you.”He was matter of fact in his statement and almost annoyed that I didn’t understand.
“And I told you...... I...AM...NOT...YOUR...POSSESSION!”
“Rain, you’re my entire world. I’m not possessing you, you’re possessing me. You own me, baby.”Dominick’s love was as deep as mine. If I didn’t know it before, I knew it now. His declaration made my heart ache so much, but I had to be strong. I couldn’t cave in now or he would continue to feel that he could do anything he wanted for the sake of his love for me with no consequences.
“Dominick, I can’t do this now. You know how important my family is to me. You know better than most. I pretended to be Raven to protect my family when you took me. How could you possibly believe that I would go against my dad? I love him,Dominick. You’re hurting me, not protecting me.”There was a sad anger in my voice.
“He’s no different than my father. He’s selfish and he controlled you for your entire life. You came alive when I took you.”Dominick believed every word he was saying. Although some of what he said was very true. I was never more alive than when I was with him. Still, I heard how deep his bitterness ran. That may not be so easy to change. And if I can’t change it, can I live with it?
“No, Dominick, that’s where you’re wrong. My dad loves me. He’ll protect me at every turn. Just like you. So why is it that you can’t see eye to eye with him? You both care about me. That must count for something.”I waited for his answer. When it didn't come, I decided it was time to hang up.
“Dominick, I have to go.”
“No, Rain, you love me. We’re meant to be together. Don’t end this, baby!”His voice was pleading. It was killing me. I had to hang up before I gave in.
“It’s too soon. Please, Dominick. Give me time to think. Please give me that.”My tears fell and I became breathless.
“Okay, I’ll give you time, but I need you to tell me something.”
“What is it?”
“Tell me you love me, Rain.”His voice became low and dark.
“Dominick......”I whispered. Tommy was right. This just might break me.
“Then tell me you don’t.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Tell me.....”He quietly demanded.
I let out a small childlike sigh.“I love you, Dominick. You know I do. You’re not being fair.”
“You know I don’t play fair. Especially,
when it comes to you, Angel.”I heard that small devilish grin in his voice.
Just then Tommy walked in and stiffened when he caught me talking on my phone.
“Dominick, I have to go. Please just give me time.”
“Rain, I’m not a patient man, but I’ll do it for you. I can’t promise to stay away for too long, though.” He probably won't give me much time at all by the way he’s acting.
“I know you’re not, but this time you have to be.”I was firm in my resolve and he seemed to understand.
“Okay, baby. I’ll give you as much time as you need. As long as you're back in my life and back in my bed. I’ll do patient.”
I grinned. He'll never change.
“I have to go, I’ll call you soon.”I ended the call knowing full well he would definitely not‘dopatient’. I could tell he was climbing the walls already.
This gave me an idea. I put the phone down and looked up at Tommy. He had an expression of clear disapproval and some curiosity.
I pointed at him.
“Don’t say a word.”He said nothing. Tommy knew I was dead serious.
Tommy pouted, shook his head and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
“You’re not really thinking of seriously getting back with him, are you?”He sounded almost annoyed.
“If I do, then it’s my decision. I only hope that you’ll understand and be happy for me.”
“Rain, you know I’ll always support you in what you believe is best for you, but I don’t have to like it.”
“Fair enough.”I smiled brightly.
“So baby, tell the truth, why are you really letting Marcello stay?”
Change of subject. Which was not a bad thing at the moment. Tommy knew me all too well. Time to come clean and reveal my plan.
“Regardless of what’s going on with Dominick and me, I still need to know more about his past. Vincent Kane dropped this bombshell in my lap and I can’t just walk away from it. Dominick’s my baby’s father. I need to know who his real parents are. Does he have any illnesses, etc. I can’t asked Dominick, since he doesn’t even know he was adopted. Which is going to be another issue. One that I’m not looking forward to addressing with him, but if I have more information, it may make the whole thing less painful.” Itried to sound convincing. Although, I’m not at all sure that I was.
“Okay, but how does Marcello play a role in all of this?”
“Tommy, you know he’s a lawyer in Italy. He has connections. As much as he says I owe him, after all he did to me in the past, I would say he owes me more. Much more, and I intend on collecting.”
“Rain, I think your playing with fire. Marcello may be a prick as lovers go, but he’s a very powerful player as a lawyer.
“Even better, then at least I’ll get the answers that I need.”
“You realize you’ll have to not only tell Marcello the entire story, but your going to have to trust him. He didn’t prove trustworthy in your past associations with him.”
“Tommy, that was different. We were sleeping together. This is business. Besides, I have many unanswered questions. Marcello is probably the only one that can find them out for me.”I felt slightly desperate at the moment.
“Baby, what about you dad? Can’t he look into all of this?”Tommy asked, as he tried to sway me in a different, less complicated direction.
“He’s trying, but you have to remember, Vincent handled Europe, not my dad. He doesn’t have the power or the connections you would think he would. In addition, many people already know that Dominick and I are, were, having a relationship. My dad asking too many questions might blow it for me.”
“Okay Rain, but you have to get Marcello to agree.”Tommy seemed defeated, but I knew he was still on my side.
“I know, but I think once I tell him the story and I tell him I’m pregnant, he’ll understand.”Now I was trying to convince myself more than Tommy.
Tommy look at the clock and said to me it was time to leave, so we can make it to Dr. Roth’s office for my appointment. I grabbed my jacket, got the keys for Marcello and headed out to the living room.
“Here’s the keys, Marcello. The larger one is for the deadbolt.”
“Thank you, Rain. Will I see you later?”He was cautious.
“Of course, I live here.”I smiled at him to break the tension that seemed to be building.
He grimaced,“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”
I giggled.“Sorry, yes, you’ll see us later. Actually, there’s something I wanted to discuss with you. Perhaps I can phone you on my way back and we can have dinner together after all.”I wondered if my change of heart to have dinner with him would send up a red flag.
“Hmmm, I thought you didn’t want to have dinner with me.”Marcello was toying with me.
“Listen, if you don’t want to grab a bite to eat with me, then fine, I’ll just talk to you another time.”I tried to sound insulted.
“Rain, it would be my pleasure to spend the evening with you.”His voice was soft and sexy.
Shit! I don’t want to deal with Marcello and his game of attraction, but I have to do it for Dominick. I still loved him and regardless of our situation, I needed to help my baby’s father. I needed to give Dominick the truth he deserved and I wanted him to be whole and healthy for our child and perhaps for us as well.
“Okay, I’ll call you later.”
“I’ll be waiting, Rain.”A small devious smile played on Marcello’s face.
I was definitely in big trouble.
****
CHAPTER THREE
A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD
Tommy and I headed back down the shore. It wasn’t quite a week ago that we were and I had discovered that Dominick was still out for blood against my dad. I knew that if I told Dominick that it wasn’t my dad who owned his father’s share of Kane & Medici, but in fact, that it was left to me, this whole situation might just work itself out.
I’ve thought about discussing it with Dominick, everyday that we’ve been apart, but I wondered if he would honestly change his mind after he learned the truth or would he use the knowledge to get more control over of the business and ultimately over me? I needed to be sure about everything before making any final decisions where Dominick and the firm was concerned. I knew one thing for certain, Dominick was the father of my baby. He had the right to share in his or her life. He didn’t get to have that kind of relationship with his parents and I wanted him to have that and more with his own child.
My thoughts were startled back into the present as Tommy announced that wewere almost to Dr. Roth’s office. It was a bright and sunny winter’s day. One of my favorite bands, Sixx A.M. was playing in the background, yet I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I prayed this was not a sign of things to come.
Tommy pulled into the parking lot at Dr. Roth’s office. He shut off the engine and turned towards me.
“Rain, are you okay to do this? We can always cancel and find you a doctor in the city or in Capri for that matter.”He gave me an out, but I wasn’t taking it.
“Tommy, no, I need to speak with Dr. Roth. He’ll help me to get the best medical attention possible. He knows Dominick and has come to know me. I value his opinion.”I tried explained and gave Tommy a reassuring smile.
“Okay, baby. Let’s do this.”He winked back. It made me feel just slightly more at ease.
Tommy came around to my side of the car as I climbed out. He held out his hand and I reached for it easily. We walked into Dr. Roth’s office and found that the waiting room was crowded. We looked at each other, because we knew this could take a while.
I went to the front desk and the receptionist asked me to wait there for just a moment. I wondered why. Then a door opened on the opposite end of the waiting area. A nurse appeared and called me by my name. Tommy and I followed her. I felt embarrassed that we just effectively were given permission to see the doctor before the other patients that had been waiting for him.
&nb
sp; The nurse directed us to Dr. Roth’s office, rather than an exam room.
“Dr. Roth felt that you would be more comfortable talking in here.”She stated, as she justified our surroundings.
I smiled at her.“Thank you.”
She nodded and smiled back, as she closed the door behind her.
We were sitting in the office for a short time before Dr. Roth finally entered the room.
He smiled at me and shook Tommy’s hand.“Well, Rain, I was surprised to hear from you. Is everything okay? You sounded distracted on the phone.”
Identity: …………..People aren’t always who you believe them to be (Miss Taken Identity Series Book 2) Page 3
