His Beautiful Revenge: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance

by Michelle Love

  Orlando won her precisely because he made an effort to see past the dark Creole good looks inherited from her mother. To him, she revealed a humorous, intelligent side and confidence tempered with humility. And in turn, she brought him out of his shell. He was still shy, but hid it well, the result being that people would often find him the life of the party. If only they knew the real man. When he’d come to California from Oregon at fifteen, he’d felt like a shadow—half a person. His beloved Aunt Kathleen, who’d raised him from a boy, had been an amateur photographer and her enthusiasm and vision had inspired him. He’d applied to the art college. Orlando strongly believed in fate and when, on the first day of college, he saw the lovely, dark girl full of life and laughter bounding through the corridors, something had changed over in him and he measured the start of his life from that moment.

  “Baby,” she said now and smiled at him, bringing him back into the present. “I say we change the subject. I’ve been thinking. Now that Ferma is getting so big …maybe she’d like a sibling.”

  Orlando looked surprised. “What happened to, ‘Impregnate me again, and I’ll feed your danglers to a rabid dog?’”

  Carmel laughed. “You can’t hold me to comments I made in the middle of a fifteen-hour labor.”

  “The image was so striking, it haunts me. But he grinned and took her hand. “You want another anarchist?”

  She nodded. “I do. I’m really ready.”

  Orlando leaned across the table and kissed her. “Then I am too. Let’s do it.”

  Norah kept her word and as soon as the campaign finished, Giacomo flew them down to his private island in the Caribbean. Walking through the airy, spacious villa, Norah marveled at the beauty of it all. Giacomo showed her around the property—beach-front, palm-trees with their silky, spiky fronds hanging down, and the crystal clear blue ocean.

  Norah couldn’t quite take it all in. “It’s unreal …” The villa itself had huge glass sliding doors on almost every wall, even in the bedroom. Giacomo smiled at her raised eyebrows. “The perks of being the only ones here,” he said. “At least at night.”

  He slid his arms around her. “I can fuck you all night long with the windows wide open and no-one would hear your cries as I make you come again …and again …and again …”

  She moaned as he trailed his lips across her cheek and fixed them onto her mouth. It was a matter of seconds before he had tumbled her to the cool tile floor and spread her legs. “What do you taste like today, beautiful?” He grinned before his mouth found her sex, his teeth grazing her clit before he lashed his tongue around it. Norah shivered and closed her eyes, losing herself in the sensations as his tongue dipped inside her. Then she felt him slip two fingers inside of her and begin to rub as he sucked at her clit, nipping it gently between his teeth. Norah moaned and writhed as she became unbearably aroused and her back arched up as she came, hard and long. Giacomo moved swiftly, plunging his cock into her as she was still coming, and she almost screamed at the sensation of his huge, thick cock filling her.

  “I’m going to nail you to the floor, Principessa,” he growled and began to fuck her hard, thrusting with intense, long movements and watching her expression as Norah, half-crazed, orgasmed again and again.

  When his own moment came, he pulled out and ejaculated onto the soft skin of her belly. Norah smiled, her fingernails digging into his thighs as he pumped the thick, hot semen onto her. “God, you make me crazy,” he groaned, “Norah …ti amo …ti amo …”

  Tears began to drop down Norah’s face from the sheer passion in his voice. “I love you too,” she whispered. “Giacomo, so, so much …”

  She couldn’t imagine ever being anywhere but here, now, in this moment, and as they made love long into the night, neither could imagine life with the other.

  But of course, fairytales always, always end …

  Two weeks later, Norah opened the Anthology early, still energized from her vacation. She and Giacomo had professed their love for each other again and again in their holiday idyll, and now she had some major news to share with Zulika.

  Zulika, her blue eyes crinkling with smiles, greeted her a half hour later. “Hey, you,. You look amazing. That man is better than any makeup.”

  Norah laughed. “No arguments here.” She bent down to hug Ziggy. “How’s my big boy?”

  Zulika stuck her tongue in her cheek. “So many jokes, so little time,” she quipped, then went to the door as a delivery van pulled up. “Uh-oh, I think this one’s for you.”

  A man bearing an enormous bouquet of exotic flowers came staggering into the bookstore. “Miss Reddy? For you.”

  Between them, Norah and Zulika wrestled the bouquet onto a table and thanked the delivery driver. “Don’t need to ask who they’re from.” Zulika buried her nose in them. “God, heavenly. I take it these are all native to your island?”

  Norah, smiling, nodded. “I saw them all there. God, how lovely.”

  Zulika fished the card out and handed it to her. Norah opened it.

  I love you. That is all.

  Yours always,

  G. x

  (p.s. the hibiscus reminds me of something…)

  Norah giggled and the card to Zulika, who rolled her eyes. “You two are like a full-on porn movie.”

  Norah shrugged. “Pretty much.” She snagged her phone from her purse. “How very Georgia O’Keefe of you,” she read aloud as she wrote a text message to Giacomo, “Thank you for the beautiful flowers …come play with my hibiscus anytime. I love you.”

  Zulika cackled with laughter. “Seriously, No-No, that man has unleashed your inner slore.”

  Norah pretended to be affronted. “Excuse me, I happen to be a strumpet.”

  “A harlot.”

  “A lady of disrepute.”

  “A trollop.”

  That made them both giggle so much that they couldn’t speak for a while. Zulika wiped her eyes and Norah cleared her throat.

  “Actually, I do have some other news.”

  Zulika’s eyes immediately dropped to Norah’s flat stomach and Norah grinned. “Slow your roll there, cowboy. I’m just moving in with Giacomo is all.”

  Zulika squealed and hugged her. “Seriously, Norah …I’m so happy for you.”

  Norah hugged her. “Thank you, baby. Now, let’s get some work done.”

  Giacomo, of course, couldn’t stay away long. He arrived at lunchtime and bore Norah off to a little trattoria in the city. They shared a plate of pasta and half a bottle of a superb white wine, chatting easily and enjoying the warm day.

  It wasn’t until Giacomo was paying the check that Norah saw her. Tara. Norah had learned enough about the blonde woman now that she recognized her immediately as she walked towards Norah. Norah didn’t like the smile on her face.

  “You must be Norah.”

  Norah gazed back at Tara coolly. “You must be Tara.”

  Tara smirked and sat down without being asked. Norah glanced at Giacomo, who was talking to the maître d” and hadn’t seen them. “What do you want?” She asked Tara, who lit a cigarette and observed her for a few moments.

  “Just wanted to see my replacement. He’s a good fuck, isn’t he?” She flicked the ash of her cigarette and didn’t wait for a reply. “Lovely, thick cock and he knows how to use it. And that face …”

  Norah’s expression hardened. “I’ll ask again, in case you’re stupid enough not to understand my question. What do you want?”

  Tara cackled. “Oh, you have some fire in your belly. Good. That’s good. You’ll need that when he screws around on you. And he will screw around on you, Norah, mark my word.”

  “Please leave.”

  Tara didn’t move. “You know why he’s with you, of course. I’ll tell you, unless you’re under the illusion that you have some sort of magical cunt that he can’t resist. Payback.”

  Norah sighed. “I really don’t care what you think.”

  Tara’s mouthed formed into a perfect O. “You really don’t k
now, do you?”

  Giacomo was there then, his face full of anger. “Tara, what the fuck are you doing here?”

  She smirked, completely unfazed by his annoyance. “Just filling in your lovely whore on the real reason you’re fucking her.”

  She turned back to Norah. “He knew, you know.”

  “Tara, shut your damn mouth.” Norah had never seen Giacomo look so angry. She stood and took his arm, her eyes cold as she looked at the blonde woman.

  “I really don’t care what you have to say.”

  She began to walk away when Tara called after her. “Lucian. Giacomo knew I was screwing him before he offered you a job. Before he fucked you. That’s what I mean by payback. It was revenge, you stupid bitch.”

  Norah felt her heart stop. She looked up at Giacomo, who shook his head. “That had nothing to do with …”

  “You knew. You knew your girlfriend was screwing my boyfriend …and then, what? Giacomo?”

  “It had nothing to do with the way I feel about you, mio caro. Nothing. I love you.”

  Norah pulled her arm away from him. “But you knew …and you never told me?”

  Giacomo closed his eyes. “Norah …”

  “You bastard.” She whispered the words, her voice breaking. She heard Tara behind her.

  “He’s just like all of the rest of them. Just like Lucian.”

  A fury rose up in Norah and she turned and slapped Tara’s face, hard. Tara, laughing, staggered, but righted herself as Norah, with burning anger and hurt in her eyes, looked at Giacomo.

  “You’re a liar and a user. Go find someone else to play your twisted games with.”

  Giacomo reached out for her, but she ducked out of his reach. “Don’t follow me.”

  Tears pouring down her face, she fled down the street, hailing the nearest cab. Giacomo had arranged this all. She was a mere pawn in his and Tara’s twisted game.

  Her chest felt like it was being ripped open and she bent double, trying to drag air into her lungs. The cab driver cast worried looks in the mirror. “Hey, now, are youokay? Do you need to hurl?”

  “No, I’m okay. Just, please, get there fast.”

  At Zulika’s apartment, she barely made it into the room before collapsing to the floor and sobbing her heart out. Zulika, terrified, couldn’t get a coherent answer out of her. Instead she managed to wrestle her into her bedroom and put her to bed, encouraging Ziggy to lay next to his weeping mistress.

  Giacomo turned up at the apartment an hour later, but Zulika wouldn’t let him in. “Giacomo, no. She doesn’t want to see you.”

  He looked devastated. “Please, Zul. I need to explain what really happened to her.”

  Zulika felt like she had been refereeing her best friend’s love life for months now. “Just give her some time.”

  He had agreed, but Zulika could see the pain in his eyes and knew he was genuine. “I love her. Please just tell her that.”

  “I will,” she whispered before closing the door.

  Norah was in her room, knees hugged to her chest. “Was that him?” Zulika couldn’t stand to hear the break in her voice.

  “Yes, honey.” She sat down and stroked her friend’s hair. “He’s a mess.”

  “He lied to me. He used me.”

  Zulika didn’t know what to say. She understood why Norah was reacting this way; at the same time, she thought this was more about Norah’s fragile trust being broken than what Giacomo had done. Zulika didn’t believe for a moment that Giacomo had seduced Norah out of a need for revenge. But since the rape, she didn’t think Norah had processed her feelings, instead blanketing it out with her affair with Giacomo. Maybe she did need some space to reflect and heal.

  It had been a week since the row, and Giacomo, desperate as he was, had managed to stay away. Now, though, he couldn’t wait any longer.

  As Giacomo walked into the bookstore, Norah looked up. Zulika greeted him warily.

  “Hey, Zul.” He half-smiled at her and looked over to Norah. She looked away and went out into the back room, closing the door behind her. Giacomo sighed.

  “Give her time,” Zulika said in a low voice. He nodded, his eyes heavy and sad.

  “Do you want some coffee?”

  He hesitated, looking back at the closed door. He shook his head. “No, I …” His voice broke and he turned and walked out. Head down, he strode across the road, clearing his throat and trying to relieve some of the tension and misery. He got into his car and headed for Orlando’s home. He needed someone to talk to now; Sebastien, usually his sounding board, was annoyed with him. Rightly so, Giacomo thought now, how could I have been so stupid?

  He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d lost her forever and the thought made him want to scream and scream and never stop.

  Zulika let herself into the back room, knocking lightly on the door. She saw Norah, dry-eyed now, cleaning the tile floor with harsh, angry movements. She didn’t look at Zulika.

  “You okay?”

  Norah didn’t answer her. Zulika saw the tearstains dried on her face and the red of her eyes.

  “Honey …you should give him a break.”

  Norah looked at her with a hard expression. “Should I?”

  Zulika nodded, trying to smile at her. “He’s devastated. Truly. He’s hurting. Badly, Norah. Really badly.”

  “Really?”

  Zulika nodded. “You know he is.”

  Norah’s jaw clenched. “And yet somehow it’s me who gets screwed once again because a man can’t keep it in his pants. How ironic.”

  Zulika looked down. Norah slammed down the mop on the floor, scrubbing the mess away.

  “He didn’t sleep with you to get revenge. I think you know that. Giacomo Conti is a man in love. With you, Norah.”

  Norah stopped. “Don’t. Don’t defend him. It’s too late for that.”

  Zulika looked her straight in the eye. “It shouldn’t be. This isn’t about Giacomo and I think you know that.”

  Norah gave a humorless laugh. “So what’s it about?”

  “You were raped, Norah. That’s what this is about.”

  “Don’t.”

  “You know it is, darling. You’re just using this as an excuse. You know in your heart that Giacomo Conti is in love with you—and you’re pushing him away because, deep down, you think you’re damaged goods.”

  Something in Zulika’s voice broke through Norah’s anger. She stopped mopping, her expression pained and haunted, and she stared at Zulika for a long moment.

  “You think I haven’t processed the rape.”

  Zulika shook her head. “No.”

  Norah looked away, all her anger disappearing. She sat down on the couch and dropped her head into her hands. “You don’t think Giacomo used me?”

  “No.”

  Norah closed her eyes. “But then why the hell didn’t he tell me?”

  Zulika went over to her friend and tried to smile at her. “He did try. You should give him a second chance, honey—and you should definitely get some therapy.”

  Norah half-smiled. “I’m so tired, Zulika. Maybe I need some time alone.”

  Zulika hugged her. “Do you really want to be away from him?”

  Norah sighed and leaned into her friend. “I don’t, but maybe I should just take pause.”

  “You do what you think is right.”

  “I will. I promise. I need some time for me, I think.”

  Zulika smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “You’ve been doing those incantations again, haven’t you?” She grabbed her friend and stared hard at her, her eyes crinkling. “Repeat after me: I am a strong independent woman. I am a strong independent woman. Who really, really, wants to give her best friend a colossal and completely undeserved pay bump.”

  Norah laughed then and hugged her. “It wouldn’t be undeserved.”

  Zulika’s eyes lit up. “Then I get a pay bump?”

  Norah smiled. “I didn’t say that. Come on, let’s get to work. I could use the distrac
tion.”

  Giacomo was in such a mess that Orlando persuaded him to stay with them for the weekend. They got a sitter for Ferma on a Saturday night and took him to their favorite bar, Fonseca’s.

  He was hollow-cheeked and his eyes were haunted as he told them how Tara had “reached out” to him. “She destroys my life, then tries to worm her way back in. Unbelievable.” He shook his head and Orlando and Carmel exchanged a glance.

  “Tara is nothing but a waste of space,” Carmel said. “Don’t waste any time thinking about her. You said Zulika was on your team?”

  Giacomo half-smiled. “It’s the only thing giving me hope.”

  Orlando felt for his friend. He and Carmel had sat up nights talking about the situation, hurting for their best friend. They had been distracted from their own lives and had been amazed when Carmel fell pregnant almost immediately after they’d made the decision to try. They hadn’t told anyone yet, not even Ferma, and they kept their joy between them, especially in the face of Giacomo’s sadness.

  Now Carmel reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. “I know in my heart that she’ll come back to you, Jacky. I’ve never seen two people more in love—apart from Lando and me, of course,” she added hurriedly, grinning at her husband, and they were both gratified to see Giacomo half-smile.

  “If Norah and I were ever as happy as you two, it would be a dream come true.”

  “Don’t give up on that dream, buddy.”

  Tara was chain-smoking one cigarette after another. She had thought Giacomo would be angry with her, but the fury in him after she’d spoken to Norah that day was like nothing she had ever experienced. She’d chosen the wrong play. She knew that now, but still …Giacomo’s anger had scared her. He was clearly deeply in love with Lucian’s ex-girlfriend, and seeing Norah up close, Tara saw the beauty of the young woman. Her friendliness, and warmth ate away at her. She had everything that Tara wanted; everything that Tara once had and was desperate to regain. Joy. Beauty. Giacomo.