“Someone gives Billy Bones the black spot. It’s a pirate death threat.”
Gabriel wrinkled his nose. “Yes, I remember.”
“Do you think the memento mori is a black spot?”
Gabriel looked over his shoulders, as if he were worried someone was eavesdropping. He walked over to Julia. “No. If the thief meant to kill me, he could have. I’m inclined to believe he dropped the carving accidentally.”
“Accidentally?” Julia lifted her eyebrows behind her sunglasses. “Why would he be carrying a museum piece in his pocket?”
Gabriel spun Clare around quickly and she giggled. “Perhaps it was a token he took from another robbery. Perhaps he thinks of it as a good-luck charm, like a rabbit’s foot.”
“Perhaps he’s a fan of the Grateful Dead. He’s a Deadhead.” Julia tried to keep a straight face, and failed.
Gabriel gave her a withering look. “Very funny. Why would he issue a death threat and leave, when he could have finished the job?”
Julia shivered and took a large drink of her virgin margarita. “I don’t know.”
“If it were an assassination, he would have done the job and left. There’s no reason to leave threats. I think Nicholas is correct; the thief wanted to know what we had in the house, so he could report the contents to potential buyers.”
“Right.” Julia adjusted her large, floppy sunhat. “Should I put more sunscreen on Clare?”
“In a minute.” Gabriel continued moving Clare in and out of the water. She banged her fists on Gabriel’s chest, almost as if she were demanding he move faster.
“What about you, Professor?” Julia admired his fit upper body and lean, muscled arms. And the tattoos on his chest. Dante and Beatrice were emblazoned on his skin for the world to see, as were the dragon and Maia’s name.
“I put some on before. After we see to Clare, perhaps you could help with my back.” Gabriel stared at Julia’s legs as they moved underwater. “How is your ankle?”
“Perfectly fine. But I’m worried about reinjuring it.”
“And your other leg?” Gabriel had lowered his voice.
She lifted her right leg out of the water. “It bothered me on the airplane. But since we’ve been here, it’s felt better. I hadn’t even noticed it until you mentioned it.”
“Hmmm,” said Gabriel. “Do you think it’s improving?”
“It’s better than it was at Thanksgiving.” She lowered her leg below the water. “What about the carving you sent to Vitali? Are we going to give it to the Cambridge police?”
“No. So far it hasn’t shown up on Interpol’s list of missing works of art, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t stolen. I’ve asked Vitali to make inquiries and see if he can find out who owns it.”
“Whoever owns it will want it back.”
“Then let him go and get it.” Gabriel gave her a challenging look.
Julia lifted her hands, still holding her margarita. “Won’t we get in trouble with the police for withholding it?”
“If the thief was the true owner, he’d implicate himself when reporting it stolen. If the true owner was robbed, hopefully Dottor Vitali will find him or her.”
“You’re screwing with the thief.”
“A little,” Gabriel admitted. He stopped moving. “Do you think I should give the sculpture to the police?”
“I think it’s better for humanity as a whole for it to be in a museum. It belongs with the original chaplet. They may not accept it given how we found it.”
Gabriel brought Clare over to her mother. “They have no proof of prior ownership. It disappeared after Alessandro’s assassination. It could have changed hands dozens of times after that.”
Julia tasted the salt on the rim of her margarita glass. “We might have been thinking about this the wrong way.”
“What do you mean?”
“The thief may not know we have it. If it was dropped by accident, he can’t be sure where it landed. It could be in the yard or on the street. He could have lost it in his car. He may come back to look for it, or he may decide it’s too risky to return.”
Gabriel sat next to her, holding Clare securely on his lap. “You and I are both eyewitnesses. We have a sketch of him. That, by itself, may give him pause.”
“True.” Julia finished her drink. “If we keep the sculpture’s discovery a secret, he can’t be sure we have it. Since we’ve upgraded the security system and we are both eyewitnesses, he may decide to target someone else. I think you should ask for the carving back and we should bind Dottor Vitali to secrecy, at least for a while. Let the thief search for the object elsewhere.”
“That’s a good idea.” Gabriel reached over to take her lips. His gaze dropped to her indigo bathing suit. “You look beautiful, by the way.”
Julia patted her abdomen self-consciously. “You don’t think the bikini is too much?”
“I picked it out. I love it.”
A warm glow suffused over her face, for his admiration pleased her.
“Enough talk of unhappy things,” he whispered. “We’re in a beautiful city, enjoying beautiful weather. I have plans for you tonight.”
Julia leaned her head on his shoulder. “What kind of plans?”
“Adult plans.”
He took her lips again and all thought of black spots and memento mori flew out of her head.
* * *
“This is lovely.” Julia gazed in wonder at the elegant dining room on the main floor of the SLS Hotel.
Gabriel had brought her to José Andrés’s new restaurant, The Bazaar, which was located inside the hotel. The décor was airy and fresh, the staff numerous, and the music Latin inspired and sultry.
Clare sat in her baby carrier next to Julia on a love seat, dozing after a day outside. Gabriel sat across from the pair, his attention entirely fixated on his wife.
“I really like Miami. My entire mood has changed.” Julia admired the golden cast to her skin that she’d earned over multiple mornings at the pool.
The sun had kissed her hair, lightening some strands of chestnut to golden brown and honey. She’d been letting her hair grow out and now it hung in sexy waves to her shoulders. On this evening, she wore a tangerine sundress that fell to her knees and bronze-colored sandals that laced up her lower legs.
Gabriel bought her a glass of champagne, which she sipped slowly, savoring the tiny bubbles. Despite all that was unknown and ominous in their lives, at that moment, Julia felt light.
Miami seemed to agree with Gabriel, as well. His tanned skin contrasted with the white shirt he wore unbuttoned at his neck. His hair was wavy from the Florida heat and his smiles were easy.
Julia fairly glowed as she drank her champagne and spoke enthusiastically with the waiter, who told her the history of the chef and his passion for food.
“We need to spend more time here.” Julia gazed at the array of Spanish and Cuban tapas that were spread across the table.
“We can. We don’t have anywhere to be until April.” Gabriel served Julia some octopus cooked à la plancha.
“You can’t be serious.”
He served himself and chewed reflectively. “Why not? I’d need someone to courier some of my books and files, so I could work on my lectures. I’m sure Rachel wouldn’t mind.”
“It’s tempting.” Julia sampled the octopus and rolled her eyes heavenward. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Delicious. “It would be expensive to stay so long at the hotel.”
Gabriel shrugged. “We’re comfortable. I suppose if we decide to stay into February, we should rent a place.”
“So you’re still working on your lectures?” Julia posed her question nonchalantly.
“Yes.” Gabriel’s eyebrows knitted together. “Did you think I wasn’t?”
“Oh no, not that. You know Katherine is worried you’ll declin
e.”
Gabriel rearranged the napkin on his lap. “Yes, she mentioned something of the sort.
“What about you? You’d need your books.”
“I should be working through Wodehouse’s reading list. It’s been slow going.”
“Bring your books to the pool. Or pull up the articles on the iPad.” Gabriel lifted the chef’s homage to a Cuban sandwich and took a bite. He paused, his eyes darting to Julia’s. Without speaking, he passed the plate to her and gestured for her to take a bite. “It’s incredible.”
Julia sampled the sandwich and quickly agreed. “This reminds me, I want you to take me to Little Havana. I want to eat at the Versailles restaurant.”
“Done. We’ll go tomorrow.”
“When would we go back to Massachusetts?”
Gabriel wiped his mouth with his napkin. He sipped his sparkling water and helped himself to some of the endive salad.
“Darling?” She waited.
“Let’s give it a month for now. After that, I think the possibility that the thief will return becomes even more remote. If he’s keeping an eye on the house, he’ll see it’s empty.” Gabriel reached across the table to take her hand. “Besides, our anniversary is January twenty-first. Why don’t we celebrate here?”
“When we go home, we’ll return to our house?”
“If it’s safe.”
“I miss the house,” Julia blurted. “I miss sleeping in my own bed. I miss the nursery and all of Clare’s things.”
Gabriel stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “I miss the house, too.”
“But I’m nervous about going back.”
Gabriel dipped his chin, which was the closest to an admission of anxiety Julianne was likely to get.
“Even if we wait a month, there’s no guarantee the thief won’t come after that.” Julia gestured with her champagne. “If he’s truly hunting artwork and he’s decided he wants our Thomson or the Cézanne, he’ll come back eventually.”
Gabriel’s expression grew thunderous. “That is why I don’t want you, Clare, and Rebecca in the house alone.”
Julianne put down her champagne to give him her full attention. “What are you saying?”
Gabriel’s sapphire eyes gleamed. “You know what I’m saying.”
She leaned across the table. “Didn’t you listen to what Katherine said? You can’t break your promise to the University of Edinburgh.”
“What about my promises to you? And to Clare?”
Julia sat back, shaking her head. “You have other options.”
“Yes, you and Clare could join me in Edinburgh.”
“I’m trying,” Julia whispered through clenched teeth. “I probably shouldn’t have approached Cecilia as soon as your lectures were announced. I caught her at a bad time.”
Gabriel lifted his arms at his sides. “Months have passed. She hasn’t changed her mind.”
“April. Let me ask her when we’re in Oxford. Graham Todd will be there. Maybe he will talk to her, too.”
Gabriel rested his hands palms-down on the tablecloth. “I can give you until April, but only because the lectures are scheduled in the winter term of 2014. But if Cecilia refuses and you still choose to work with her, then I’m going to solve the problem myself. I won’t have you on one side of the ocean, unprotected, while I’m stuck in Scotland. And that’s that.”
Julia’s face fell. She lifted her fork and started picking at the food on her plate, then gave up and put the utensil down.
“Here.” Gabriel stood, placing his napkin on the table. He came around to her side and nudged her over, sitting next to her on the love seat.
Julia was caught between a sleeping baby on one side and an obviously intent Gabriel on the other. She had nowhere to go. “What are you doing?”
“I’m touching you.” He placed his arm along the back of the love seat and drew her into his side.
Julia trembled.
His mouth grazed the shell of her ear. “I’ve dimmed your light. Now all the brightness has gone out of the room.”
When she didn’t answer, he swept her hair behind her shoulders and grazed his fingers down her neck. “What can I do to bring back the smiling, happy Julianne of a few minutes ago?”
She turned toward him. “Promise me you won’t give up the Sage Lectures.”
Now it was Gabriel’s turn to be silent.
Julia’s mouth found his ear. “I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me. Never again.”
Gabriel clenched his jaw. “We make sacrifices for each other. That’s the point.”
“This sacrifice is too big. And it isn’t necessary, because there are other ways around it.”
“I won’t do anything without speaking to you first,” he conceded.
Julia placed her hand on his knee. “I will be fighting just as hard to protect you, as you are fighting to protect me and Clare.”
Gabriel’s face softened, as did his voice. “It’s the mother in the species that’s truly dangerous.”
“Exactly. Don’t get between a mama bear and her family. Now, are you going to stay here or are you going back to your chair?”
“It’s lonely over there.” Gabriel flashed a rakish smile. “And you’re gorgeous.”
“You are infuriatingly charming.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He nudged the strap of her sundress aside in order to press a light kiss to her shoulder. “But I’d do anything to make you happy again. Forgive me. I’m trying my best.”
She gave him a half-smile. “I want another glass of champagne. But I know I’m not supposed to drink while I’m breastfeeding. When we get back to our hotel, I demand satisfaction.” She gave him a knowing look.
Gabriel immediately beckoned to their waiter.
Chapter Fifty-Six
After they returned to their hotel, Julia fed and changed Clare and put her to bed.
Gabriel stood in the living room of their suite, gazing out at the ocean. He’d opened the sliding doors that led to the balcony. A soft, warm breeze brushed across the curtains, causing them to sway.
“Is she down?” he asked, hopefully.
“Yes.”
He extended his hand and Julia went to him.
He’d turned out all the lights, except for the ones that glowed blue inside their private pool. The sun had slipped below the horizon and the stars were sailing above them.
He escorted her to the balcony, where he’d covered the daybed with cushions and soft blankets. And he’d lit candles, as was his custom, placing them artfully around the bed, with a few scattered near the pool. Soft Latin guitar music wafted from the stereo in the living room.
He lifted her hand and spun her in a circle, causing the full skirt of her orange dress to billow about her. Then he caught her in his arms. “We haven’t danced in a while.”
“I know.” She made a contented sound and pressed her cheek against his chest, over his tattoo.
Gabriel was unhurried, moving lazily back and forth, his chin resting atop her head. “I’m sorry I ruined dinner.”
Julia squeezed his waist. “It wasn’t ruined. We just have a lot of things to worry about.”
“I wish you’d let me worry for you.”
She lifted her head. “Marriage doesn’t work like that.”
Gabriel sighed his agreement and pressed her close to his heart. His hands moved from her back to her waist and lower down. He cupped her backside firmly. “Incredible.”
She reached up and pulled his mouth to hers.
A brush of lips, a hint of contact. They’d been lovers for some time and yet, after even a short absence, they took their time becoming reacquainted.
Gabriel kissed the corners of her mouth. He pecked the center. He drew her lower lip into his mouth and groaned.
Julia wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her breasts against him.
He nudged at the seam of her lips with his tongue and she opened. She accepted him eagerly, her tongue twisting with his.
“I will never stop wanting you,” she whispered, kissing him deeply again.
“Bless you for that.” He spoke against her mouth before stroking inside.
A few minutes later, Julia pulled away. “Can anyone see us?”
“No. There’s no one above us and I doubt anyone could see us over the glass of the balcony.” His lips widened. “So long as we’re lying down.”
A gentle breath of wind whispered over them, causing her skin to pebble. “Did you have something else in mind?”
“Not tonight. Tonight, I am reminded of loving you on the balcony in Florence, when we were very new. I want to recapture that evening.”
He lifted her hand and kissed it, his blue eyes finding hers. He brought her hand to his chest and pressed it over his heart. “See how it beats faster, knowing you’re near.”
She drew their connection to her own heart and pressed. “It’s the same for me.”
She released his hand, but he kept it where it was, his thumb caressing the tops of her breasts.
“Your eyes are shining,” he observed. “Glittering like dark pools.”
“I know what’s in store for me.”
“Come, then.” He kissed her again, his fingers winding through the waves of her hair. They slid down her back and gripped her waist.
He eased her onto the daybed and stretched beside her, his kisses slowing to gentle pressure, lips against lips.
“What do you want?” he murmured, easing the straps of her dress down her shoulders.
“I want to see you.”
Gabriel’s eyes sparked. “Undress me.”
Julia unbuttoned his shirt and swiftly pushed it over his shoulders. His hands moved to her bra and unfastened it with one hand. Now they were both naked to the waist.
Gabriel’s skin was warm as he covered her, her nipples brushing against his chest hair.
Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno) Page 23