Finding Beauty in the Darkness

by Ash, Nikki

  “Shut up!” She slaps my chest, but before she can pull her hand back, I grab her arm and pull her into me. “I’m not complaining. These new curves you have going on are sexy.”

  Aria swallows thickly, her eyes meeting mine. Her tongue darts out, wetting her bottom lip, her top teeth tugging on it, and without thinking, my lips crash into hers, needing to taste her. Without invitation, my tongue delves into her sweet mouth, her lips parting as she lets out a soft gasp of surprise as I suck her tongue into my mouth, craving more. In a blink of an eye, I’m grabbing her hips and pulling her up into my lap, her legs straddling me. My hands grab her ass, pulling her even closer, until our bodies are flush, her perky tits brushing up against my chest. Her hands come up to my hair, pulling on the ends, and her ass grinds down on my cock. A loud groan release into my mouth, telling me she feels exactly what she’s doing to me.

  There’s a knock on the door and we both jump like we’re teenagers who almost got caught. Aria almost falls to the floor, but I catch her and set her on her feet.

  “Fuck,” I mumble. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

  She gives me a hurt look. “Wow, why don’t you tell me how you really feel?”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” There’s another knock. “Jesus, I’ll be right there!” I bark out. “It’s just that you’re only twenty years old. You should be in college, hanging out with frat boys or some shit. I’m in the fucking mob. You met my family. I’m not good for you. You just went through a traumatizing event. You’re wife material and I’m not looking for anything more than a good fuck.”

  Aria’s hands go to her hips and if looks could kill, I might be a dead man. “I’m so freaking sick of people telling me what’s good for me. I know what’s good for me, and I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions. You’re just like my mom.”

  “Your mom?”

  “Yeah, my mom. When I was little, I used to ask her about my real father, but she told me it was for the best that he wasn’t in my life. She said he chose a dangerous life over us and he didn’t want me to get hurt. I heard her and Weston arguing once about him being in the mob. It should have been my choice as to whether I saw him.”

  Her dad was in the mob? This is new and important information. “Do you know your dad’s name?”

  “No, she wouldn’t tell me anything. I’m just so sick of everyone around me deciding what’s best for me, and you’re no different.” Her chin tilts up in defiance, and fuck if it isn’t adorable.

  “Ever think maybe they’re making those decisions because they love you and want to protect you? This life is a hard life, Aria. I was born into it and it’s all I know. I’ll never get married. I’ll never bring a woman or kids into this shit.”

  “Whatever you say, Giovanni. Can I borrow your phone so I can call Amber?” It doesn’t escape my attention that she didn’t call me Gio like she usually does.

  She holds her hand out, ending the conversation. What I want to do is grab her hand, pull her into me, and continue where we left off, but instead I let out a sigh, knowing it’s for the best we were interrupted.

  “Yeah.” I hand her my phone, unlocking it so she can use it. “I’ll get you an untraceable phone this week.” She nods then turns her back on me to call her friend. I step outside to find Cecilia and Rome arguing. “What’s going on?”

  “She wanted to go inside and I told her you would come out.”

  “What were you in there doing with that girl?” Cecilia glowers at me.

  “What I was doing isn’t your concern. What do you need?”

  “Mariah is moving to California so we’re going to need to hire a new girl.”

  “Is everything okay?” Women coming and going in this business is normal. Some have been around for a while, but most work here to save up money, and once they meet their goal, move on. Many end up meeting a man and quit to start a life.

  “Yes, just the usual. She wants to pursue an acting career.” She rolls her eyes.

  “Okay, well, go ahead and start looking for someone to replace her. Like always, I have final say.” Cecilia gives me a mock salute before walking back down the stairs.

  “Everything okay?” Rome tips his head toward the door.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  He simply shrugs then smirks. “You look a little”—his eyes peruse my body—“messy.” I look down and see what he means. My shirt is tucked half in-half out. Several buttons are undone that I didn’t realize Aria unbuttoned. I look like a man who was about to fuck.

  “Fuck, Rome. I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.” I scrub my hands over my face in frustration.

  “You’ve smiled and laughed more around that woman than I’ve seen since I started working for you almost ten years ago.”

  “What are you saying? That I’m going soft?” I half joke.

  “No, I’m saying happy looks good on you, Boss.”

  * * *

  After grabbing a pint of Rocky Road ice cream from the freezer, popping a bag of popcorn and pouring half a bag of chocolate candies into it, and grabbing two sodas, I make my way back upstairs to the room. When I walk through the door, Aria glances over at me. Her face morphs from the scowl she was planning to give me into a tiny smile she’s trying to hide.

  “Truce?” I ask, showing her all the goods I’ve brought.

  “You just want to see what happens next on The Vampire Diaries.” She pulls the blanket down, welcoming me into the bed. She takes the ice cream, popcorn, and one of the sodas from my hands, and turns the television on.

  “You’re lucky I love Rocky Road.” She takes a bite of the ice cream, her tongue darting out to lick a tiny bit that dripped down her lip.

  I snatch the remote from her and click on the episode we left off on, willing both of my heads to ignore the gorgeous temptation sitting next to me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  ARIA

  “Girl, this pool is the shit. This mansion is like something out of an episode of cribs. Now spill.” Amber and I are lounging out by the pool. She just finished with midterms, so today is the first day we have been able to hang out. It’s been two weeks since Gio and I kissed and since then he’s been more distant than usual. That night he came back up with junk food as his way of a truce, I thought maybe things would go back to the way they were, but I was wrong. He’s grumpy to everyone including me and I’m over his shit. He’s slept in the bed a few times but he doesn’t usually come in until after I’m asleep and he’s out of bed before I wake up. Some nights he’ll sleep on the chaise lounge, and once I found him asleep at his desk.

  “Gio is keeping me here because Weston has disappeared.”

  “And this mansion?” Her hands circle around.

  “He owns an…escort service.” I whisper the last two words. It’s not like it’s a secret since here in Vegas bordellos are legal, but I still feel weird admitting I live at a sex club.

  “What?!” She sits up, her Bloody Mary sloshing onto her breasts. “Like a whorehouse?”

  I don’t know why but that word agitates me now even though I used the same term when I first found out. Maybe it’s because the last several weeks I’ve been here, I’ve gotten to know the women and they might have sex with strangers, but they aren’t whores…I mean, they are by the literal definition, but it just sounds so cold. There’s more to these women, and they deserve more than to be labeled.

  “No,” I say, feeling the need to defend them, “escorts.”

  “Hey, I’m not judging.” Her hands come up in a placating gesture. “To each their own.”

  “I’m going to take a dip in the pool.” I pull my cover over my head and drop it onto the chair then walk toward the steps. Amber does the same.

  There’s a loud whistle and when we find the source, it’s Nico, Gio’s brother. “Well, well. It’s not every day I come across not one but two sexy women.”

  I roll my eyes, but Amber giggles. “That entire house is filled with sexy women. Nice
try.”

  “True, but they’re off limits.” He winks and Amber giggles louder. Seriously? Do I sound like that around Gio?

  “Nico, Amber; Amber, Nico, Gio’s brother,” I say before I dive into the water and swim toward the deep end. When I come up for air, Nico and Amber are chatting. She’s laughing at whatever he’s saying—her hands hitting him against the chest—and he’s eating that shit up.

  Natalie and Sienna come walking out, suits on, and I wave to them. “Hey!” I had invited them when I made plans with Amber. They’re both super sweet.

  “Hey, Aria!” They both wave, throw their towels down, and join me in the pool. “This water feels so good! We don’t use the accommodations offered here enough,” Sienna admits.

  “Seriously!” Natalie agrees.

  We spend the next few hours in the pool hanging out. Nico gets his suit and joins us. He’s a huge flirt with all of us, but he seems to focus most of his attention on Amber.

  When my stomach starts to rumble, I swim to the stairs and get out. “I’m starving. Want to go grab something to eat?”

  “How the hell do you eat so much and look like that?” Natalie appraises my body as she wraps her towel around her.

  “I’ve been saying the same thing since we first met our freshman year in college,” Amber adds.

  “Oh, whatever. I lost a lot of weight this past year. I’m not usually this skinny.” I laugh, but it comes out rough as I remember why I’m the skinniest I’ve ever been. We all make our way into the kitchen and I start going through the pantry to see what I can find to eat.

  “I’m going to leave you ladies to it. I came here to find my brother and some women in sexy bikinis got me distracted.” He winks at Amber and walks out of the kitchen with his towel strung over his neck. As he leaves, Maggie comes in and offers to make us sandwiches.

  “So, if it’s none of our business you can say as much, but what the heck happened this last year? Why are you living here?” Sienna questions.

  I retell the same story I told Amber, leaving out most of the gory and horrific details, but telling them enough so they understand.” I know Gio said I need to lay low and I am, but it feels good to talk to people other than him. It’s not like these women are going to go running to the news channels.

  “Are you planning to go back to school?” Natalie asks as she takes a bite of her sandwich and moans in approval. Everything Maggie makes is delicious. She’s offered to give me some cooking lessons and I’ve taken her up on them. I can now successfully make lasagna, chicken parmigiana, and chicken fettucine alfredo.

  “Yes… are you?” Cecilia walks into the kitchen, her nose stuck in the air as usual, butting into our conversation.

  “I’m planning on it.”

  “And with whose money? Giovanni’s?” Her question is meant to be rude, but I don’t let it get to me. I’m here at Giovanni’s insistence. He sought me out, not the other way around. I’m extremely appreciative of him getting me out of that basement, but I would never take advantage of him, and I sure as hell don’t want to owe anybody anything.

  “I haven’t figured it out yet, but no, he has given me enough. I don’t want to take advantage of him. I obviously need to make my own money but I’m stuck under this roof, which is making it difficult.” I know if I asked Gio for the money to go to school, he’d give it to me in a heartbeat, but I don’t want him to. I want to be independent. Show the world that what happened to me didn’t break me. He’s made it clear, he doesn’t want anything to happen between us, so keeping our relationship on a friendship level means not taking anything more from him than necessary.

  “If you don’t want to rely on him, why don’t you work here? You can do that right from under this roof.”

  “Cici!” Sienna yells.

  “What? Mariah left and I’m hiring. If you’re serious about needing a job, you can work here.” She flips her hair behind her back as her head tilts slightly. Ugh! She’s such a damn bitch.

  “As an escort?” I clarify.

  “I mean, unless it’s beneath you.” Her eyebrows raise in a challenge.

  “No, it’s not that. It’s just…” I look around then sigh. “I haven’t had sex since I was raped.” I bite the side of my cheek hard, the metallic taste of the blood hitting my tongue.

  “You wouldn’t have to have sex,” Natalie says.

  “What do you mean?”

  “We all have a profile. It lets the members know what we allow. Whether we allow sex and if we do, what our hard limits are. You could just put you don’t allow sex.”

  Cecilia scoffs. “I’m not sure how many clients you’ll get, but I guess if that’s what you want.” The thought of having sex with a stranger terrifies me, but the fact that I wouldn’t have to until I’m ready settles my nerves, and who knows, maybe this’ll be good for me while making money to pay for school.

  “I’ll think about it.” This is a lot to consider. I can make money while living under this roof, but I’m not sure how I’ll feel having to be close to men I don’t know.

  “Think about what?” Gio asks as walks into the kitchen and grabs a peach from the fruit bowl, with his brother following behind. All the women stop talking and stare at him. He’s in his usual power suit—well most of it—his jacket and tie are missing—and his hair is messy like he’s been running his fingers through it. The guy sheds clothes throughout the day like a dog sheds its hair. It’s rather comical. He takes a bite out of the peach, a bit of juice coming out the sides, and suddenly I’m fantasizing about licking peach juice off Gio’s lips.

  “Aria was just saying she’ll think about working here,” Cecilia says.

  Gio chokes on his peach, his hand coming up to his mouth as he coughs to get a piece that seems to be lodged in his throat. Once he’s recovered, he shouts, “Like fucking hell!”

  “Excuse me?” My hands go to my hips, preparing for a fight because who the hell does he think he is?

  “I’m not hiring.”

  “Yes, we are,” Cecilia jumps in, earning a glare from Gio.

  “Cecilia, stay the fuck out of this,” Gio barks, his eyes never leaving mine, his tone brokering no room for argument. She huffs and walks out, her heels clacking against the marble floor as she goes. “We can discuss this later. I have a business dinner I need to go to. I wanted to see if you’d like to join me. My brother has decided to take a date for once and is inviting your friend.”

  “Are you asking me to join you so you aren’t the only one without a date?” I ask, just to give him a hard time because it’s fun messing with Gio.

  “What?” He runs his hands over his face in frustration. “No, that’s not what I meant.”

  “Whatever, I guess I’ll go.” I shrug, but inside I’m giddy. A night out with Gio makes me feel all tingly inside.

  “Great. Since it’s last minute, can Aria borrow something from one of you?” he asks Sienna and Natalie.

  “Absolutely! They both can.” The girls grab Amber and me by our arms and rush us up to their room they share on the second floor. There’s enough rooms in the club for each girl to have their own room but they choose to share.

  After hours of pampering and primping—courtesy of Natalie and Sienna—Amber, Nico, Gio, and I are on our way to the function in a limo. Gio and Nico are both dressed to the nines in tuxes that fit them like they were designed just for them. Gio’s hair is gelled similar to Nico’s, making them look even more like the siblings they are. While I prefer his hair messy, his hair gelled like this makes him look like a sexy, powerful businessman.

  “What?” He eyes me curiously.

  “I like your hair gelled almost as much as I like it messy.”

  Gio grins devilishly at my compliment.

  “So, what kind of dinner is this?” I ask.

  “It’s a charity function. The owners of the major resorts in the area get invited every year. I usually give a check and don’t attend, but there’s someone that’s going to be there I want to see.”<
br />
  “A friend?”

  “More like an acquaintance.” Gio and Nico share a look that tells me whoever he’s going to meet isn’t one he would consider a friend in any way.

  “What if someone recognizes me here?”

  “Doesn’t matter. Weston knows you’re with me. You’re staying with me so I can ensure your safety until we figure out what he’s up to. Being seen in public only means he looks like an idiot when he says he’s away looking for you.” He shrugs. “Just don’t leave my side. Rome and Caesar are already there and will be watching you.”

  We arrive to the event and I’m shocked as to how many people are here. It’s being held in a hotel ballroom and is decorated for spring. It gives off a garden feel with colorful butterflies and flowers everywhere. The linens are cream with pastel lining. It’s absolutely breathtaking and magical.

  Nico and Amber take off in one direction while Gio pulls me in another. We’re stopped several times by people who all seem to know Gio. They discuss hotel politics, ask how his mom is doing, some ask how his brother is doing in Italy, and a few men ask about La Stella’s, the gentleman’s club. I wonder how many of these men belong to the club and then I wonder if anyone will assume I’m one of the women who works for him.

  Quite a few women stop Gio to talk as well. Several pretend like I’m not on his arm and flirt with him. He doesn’t flirt back, though. He’s polite and cordial, and his smile never falters, but from spending so much time with him, I know it’s an act.

  “Would you like a drink?” he asks when we get a moment to ourselves.

  “Yes, please.”