by Serena Light
Around 1:30, everyone left him to be, Salvatore having wiped away the cream, but still taking a quick shower to wash it all out from his hair.
When he stepped out of the bath in a pair of black sweatpants, his t-shirt discarded as he towel-dried his hair, he watching Nicole clear everything away before she closed the bedroom door behind her, smiling at him.
"Happy birthday," She stated softly, reaching out to hug him as he wrapped his arm around her waist, her own arms encircling his neck. "29-years-old, huh?"
"Feels just like yesterday when we were celebrating my 19th." He murmured into her neck, gently swaying with her in his arms.
His wife chuckled, placing a kiss on his temple as she watched him yawn and rest his head on her shoulder, gently hunching to be at her height.
"Be ready at 7," Nicole murmured into his ear, feeling content to hold him after the long 2 weeks apart.
"Let me guess, mom and dad have planned an outdoor barbeque,"
She couldn't help but chuckle at him knowing, pulling away from his hold and looking up at him with a smile.
"They promised they'd be a bonfire."
"Yes, smoke and cold, as if that's what my fragile lungs need."
She shook her head at him, cupping his face into her hand and placing a kiss on the tip of his nose.
"What do you want for your birthday?" Nicole asked him, rubbing her thumb over his cheekbone as he leaned into her touch, enveloping her hand with his own.
"Nothing,"
"You'd want something,"
"I already have everything I need,"
"Yes, but what do you want,"
"Sleep."
Nicole laughed at her husband, nodding and leading him back to the bed. She watched him snuggle under the covers before she joined him, tucking her head under his chin and cuddled into his side, the lights turning off around them.
Soon, Salvatore found himself dressed in a two-piece dark grey woolen suit over a light grey woolen turtle neck and leather gloves. The outfit covered by a black overcoat and an embroidered scarf around his neck. He had just been fixing the collar of his coat when Nicole appeared behind him in a purple Emmy Crepe dress with a white blazer on top, her hair falling behind her in soft ringlets with her lips a blood-red and cheeks a light pink, her green eyes glittering and an amethyst pendant held up by a diamond chain around her neck as she helped him with the collar.
Turning around, he looked her over, wondering how he got so lucky to be married to such a gorgeous woman.
"You look beautiful," He told her as he placed a kiss on the edge of her lips, not wanting to ruin the blood-red lipstick, nor get it on him either...yet.
Helping her put on her white overcoat, Salvatore placed a kiss on the back of her hand before they both left their bedroom and down the stairs, greeting the guards they passed before settling in Nicole's Aria, his wife had insisted on driving and spoiling him through the day – having let him sleep in, with breakfast in bed and kisses and smiles.
The drive had initially started off in silence as Salvatore attended to the phone calls and messages, finally having gotten done with the well-wishes. Glancing at his wife driving, he couldn't help but smirk as a devious idea came to him. Removing a glove, he placed his warm hand against her thigh, the slit of the coat exposing the skin to him.
"What are you doing?" Nicole spoke up at the contact, having glanced down momentarily to see his hand on her leg, tensing when he began to rub his thumb on the inside of her thigh.
"Nothing," He shrugged innocently, watching her face warm as her grip tightened around the steering wheel, his fingers caressing the skin of her leg.
"Salvatore, I'm driving,"
"I know,"
"Then stop distracting me,"
"Oh, I'm distracting you?" Her husband chuckled. "You don't know distraction until I've done this," He murmured, leaning forward and placing a moist kiss on her neck.
Nicole gasped, instinctually releasing the steering wheel, Salvatore having anticipated such a move, had to grab the wheel just as she released. Her heart beating erratically with fear or arousal she did not know, but her face was bright red as her husband laughed, settling back in his seat when she retook the wheel, momentarily glaring at him and slapping his chest with the back of her hand.
"Oh, don't act like you didn't like my hand on you,"
"Shut up,"
Salvatore left her alone then, the drive resuming with idle chatter before they arrived at their destination, a little picnic spot at the outskirts of town and a little way into the forest.
He helped her across the terrain before they finally arrived where his family was having a BBQ. He hadn't even reached them when Stephan tackled him in a hug, sending them both stumbling back before he steadied himself, the American having his legs wound around his waist and hugging him like a bear.
"Happy Birthday, Salvi baby!" Stephan called loudly, the Italian laughing and hugging back.
A moment later he lowered himself, dragging him towards the center with a chorus of Happy Birthday ringing around them, Salvatore hugging his twin sister and wished her a happy birthday as well. The entire Regnante and Romano family was here, along with Salvatore's friends and a few faces she didn't recognize.
Nicole watched Salvatore laugh and chat with everyone, looking happy and content, allowing his sister to lead him in a dance as he stayed close to the fire for warmth. Everyone ate the delicious barbeque that Arcangelo and Arsenio had made before they all sat around the fire, handing the gifts to the birthday twins.
Instantly she had tensed, Nicole had spent 2 weeks going to various shops and stores in hopes to find a birthday gift befitting her husband, but never found anything that felt like him, and now, here she sat empty-handed and guilty for not being able to get him something.
She watched as Tazio handed him his gift, Salvatore opening it to see a black leather-bound journal with his initials in the corner with a matching business card holder and pen.
"This is so that you stop using me as your planner and know what items you have on your agenda," The second-in-command teased, people chuckling at his words.
Arcangelo and Rosalie had gotten the twins gold Rolexes for their birthday, both of them absolutely mesmerized by the watches. Piero got Salvatore a rich and luxurious perfume while Arsenio handed Salvatore a wooden box, opening it he was taken aback by the marble and steel chess set. Marco got him Hugo Boss gift set equipped with sunglasses, watch, belt, and keychain. The other got him other various things as Nicole sat quietly in the shadow, watching how their gifts held some sort of significance.
Serafina's gifts were nothing short of lavish either, and the twins had gotten each other the same travel accessories, laughing at their similar thought.
"Great minds think alike," Serafina grinned.
"Fools seldom differ," Salvatore finished as his twin made a face at him.
They all sat and talked about various things, retelling old fond memories and laughing. In the midst of it all, Nicole had stood up and walked away for a while, wanting to get some fresh air. Leaning against her car, she wrapped her arms around herself and stared up at the stars, her breath fogging up with her mind racing with thoughts. Eventually, she returned to see everyone waving farewell and hugging Salvatore and Serafina.
Salvatore and Nicole were one of the last people to leave, but the drive was spent in silence, her husband silently chuckling to himself as he tapped away on his phone screen, not asking about her gift nor mentioning the fact that he saw her walk away for a breath of fresh air. When he put away his phone, he spoke about how he enjoyed everyone coming together and really loved the surprise of some of his friends being there, chuckling at the events as she gave her input every once in a while, smiling at some of the things.
Soon they returned home, Salvatore taking hold of her hand and spinning her in the middle of the driveway as she shrieked in surprise before giggling, her back to his chest as he placed a kiss on her cheek. Both of them standing in t
he falling snow for a moment before heading inside and to their room.
"I'm going to get changed," Nicole informed him as he nodded, playing with the wolf-hybrid and Husky.
Inhaling deeply, she disappeared behind the corner and hung up her coat, swallowing the lump and fear in her throat before slipping out of her shoes.
Salvatore had been standing with his back to the closet when she crept up behind him, placing the black tie around his eyes as he jumped back.
"Let's see if you can figure out your birthday gift from me," She murmured into his ear, her husband chuckling at her antics as he allowed her to turn him as his world was bathed in darkness. "Okay, now try and figure it out,"
"Let's see," Salvatore murmured, reaching out to touch the gift, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion as to the sensation under his fingers. "This is the gift?"
"Yes," Nicole nodded, knowing he couldn't see the red across her face, nor the blatant uncertainty in her eyes that he wouldn't like it.
"Okay...so this is my gift..." He trailed his hand up, trying to figure out what it was before he suddenly recoiled as if though she had burnt him.
Nicole winced at his actions as if he had slapped her with tears welling in her eyes.
"Go put on some clothes," He demanded lowly, stepping back and turning around, the blindfold still covering his eyes. "Now."
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Nicole wiped at the tears in her eyes before wrapping her arms around her naked figure and made her way to the walk-in closet. She stood in the closet in a long-sleeved shirt and pink trouser as she tried to regain her composure, her hair a disheveled mess with Salvatore standing in the lounge.
Letting out a shaky exhale, she stepped out, seeing her husband look at her impassively with his arms crossed over his chest, the blazer and coat discarded and his sleeves pushed back.
"What were you doing, Nicole?" He asked her calmly, watching her sit down on the armrest of the sofa as she wouldn't meet his gaze. "Why would you do that?"
"I..." Nicole trailed wiping away the tears from her cheek. "I didn't get you a gift-"
"-And thought presenting yourself naked would do it?"
She winced at the harshness of his tone, biting her lower lip as it wobbled violently.
"Maybe you've forgotten that you have intimacy issues but I sure as hell haven't. Did you actually think I would appreciate what you did back there?" He demanded from her. "And if this was you presenting yourself as a gift, then I don't want it, I don't need it,"
"You don't want me?" Nicole found herself asking in a small voice, feeling her heart squeeze inside her chest.
"Fuck, Nicole," Salvatore chuckled humorlessly and shook his head at her. She watched him crouch before her and cup her chin into his hand, softening to see the tears brimming in her eyes and the uncertainty on her brows. "We've been married 8 months, and every day, I fight longer and harder with myself to not push you, every day. You have no idea how much I fucking want you, how much I need you sometimes, but I can't do anything if you're scared, if you don't trust me,"
"I do trust you!" Nicole exclaimed, looking at him with wide green eyes. "I trust you,"
"Do you trust me enough to let me have you? Trust me enough to be mine in body, mind, and soul? Do you trust me enough to be sure that I won't trigger bad memory?" Salvatore asked her gently, looking at her with eyes that said he didn't. "Do you trust me that much, Nicole?"
She stared at him in silence, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to formulate a coherent sentence. Yes, she trusted him enough to give herself to him. Yes, she trusted him enough to be his in body, mind, and soul. Yes, she trusted him with her life, but she did not know if she would get triggered.
"Yes," Nicole swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding along to confirm her words as he gave her a soft smile.
"Liar," He retorted, placing a kiss on her forehead and standing up. "You don't trust me enough to have you,"
"I do!" She jumped from her place on the sofa when Salvatore stood to walk away. "I trust you, I just...I don't know if I'll get triggered."
"Neither do I..." Her husband trailed with a sigh. "I hate not knowing,"
He walked away into the walk-in-closet, leaving her to stand there alone as she worried her bottom lip, pacing the length of the room when he came back in a trouser and t-shirt.
"I had this thought," He began, walking towards her as she looked up at him, watching how he leaned down before wrapping an arm beneath her knees and the other behind her shoulder as he lifted her into his arms. "You and I should get away,"
"Get away..." Nicole trailed, looking at him in confusion. "Away from...?"
"From everyone," Salvatore lowered her onto the bed, hovering above and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just you and me...on a honeymoon of sorts..."
"A...honeymoon?"
"Yes," He moved away, sitting on the bed as he watched her sit up. "We can slowly work our way to things, build up and trust and everything."
"Where?"
"You decide." He shrugged. "You tell me the where, and I'll handle the when,"
Chapter XXI: Carnival De Venicine (Part 1)
The room was small and vacant of any furniture. The walls bathed in darkness and the floor a light grey in the dim lighting, the only source of light being that of the small lamp over his head. Brown and red stains marred the floor and walls with scratches spread across the boundaries, it smelt of mold and the suffocating stench of death.
In the middle of it all stood Salvatore with sweat beading his forehead, his black hair falling into his eyes as he punched at the bag hanging from the roof. Standing shirtless in the center, he landed rapid punches to the leather, the sound of skin against leather reverberating through the room as three men stood against the wall, silently watching as their boss relentlessly punched away, breathing harshly and sweat rolling down his muscled back and chiseled chest. With a heavy exhale Salvatore plummeted the bag with uppercuts, grunting at the effort and the burning in his muscles.
With heavy breaths, he stepped back from the bag, the men standing to attention as one of them handed him a towel to wipe himself with. As he ran the cotton over his neck, he nodded towards the punching bag, two men walking towards it and lowering it from the hook before upturning it, a battered, bruised, and bloody man tumbling out of the bag and into an unconscious heap on the floor.
One of the guards knelt and checked his pulse, giving a sharp nod to his boss to let him know that he was alive.
"Tell his father that he either pays the debt he owes me, or I will first take his son and then his business," Salvatore exhaled, tossing the towel without looking before pulling his arms through the sleeves of his dress shirt.
Buttoning it halfway, he glanced at his watch, raising an eyebrow before heading out the room and up the stairs.
Reaching the ground floor, men greeted him with bowed heads as he caught sight of his guard Matteo.
"Matteo, have the car brought around in 20 minutes, we have to go to the airport,"
"Yes, sir,"
Taking the stairs two at a time, Salvatore went into his room, taking a glance around at the condition, satisfied to see it clean and set up the way he had asked for it to be. Unbuttoning his shirt, he peeled it off his shoulders, tossing it on the floor as he slipped out of his shoes, his slacks following soon as he made his way into the washroom. Turning on the shower, he scrubbed at his skin to try and get the blood off his hands and body, quickly washing his hair before he was satisfied that the blood had gotten off.
Stepping out with a towel wrapped around his waist, he walked over to his walk-in-closet, pulling on a blue and white pinstriped button-up with white dress pants. Rolling back the sleeves, he quickly dried his hair before spraying on her favorite cologne. Wearing his shoes, he grabbed his belongings with his grey coat in hand and left the room.
Settling in the back of the Range Rover, they drove to the airport as Salvatore tracked the flight, glad to see it had arrived on time
, despite his insistence, she opted to go by an airline than his private jet.
The airport was stuffed with people waiting for the arrival of their loved ones, everyone giving Salvatore a double glance to see the entourage of 5 men behind him as he made his way over to the front of International Arrivals.
Leaning against the steel bar behind his back, he slipped his hands into his slack's pockets, looking at the gate from where people pooled out one by one, his men standing around him and glancing at their surroundings with hawk-like features.
Glancing at his watch, he noticed she hadn't come out yet despite the flight having landed almost 30 minutes ago. Tilting his head, he looked inside the gates, seeing various faces but not the one he was looking for, his breath fogging up in the early February night. Reaching for his phone, he checked to see if her phone had been reactivated, frowning when it hadn't been.
Looking up again, he couldn't help the small smile on his face at seeing her making her way out of the gates wearing a black jumpsuit with a gold belt clinched around her waist, a faun overcoat on top as she had her black handcarry in one hand, pulling a small trolley behind her with the other. He watched her make her way across the doorway, her hair blowing behind her gently as her green eyes looked around at the faces.
Letting out a whistle, Nicole's gaze was redirected to him as a grin overcame her face, making her way forward, and halfway to him she released her hold on her luggage, tackling her husband in a hug as he chuckled at her enthusiasm, but holding her just as tight and placing a kiss on her temple.
Pulling back she cupped his face into her hands and placed a kiss on his lips, Salvatore clutching her wrists as he smiled against her lips.
"Was Amsterdam so bad?" He chuckled once she pulled away. "You're greeting me like we're meeting after 10 years and not 10 days,"