Marked

by Skylar West

  We finished all of that and hung the twenty-five lanterns I'd purchased with pink candles in the center. Some, we hung on poles around the pool, and others, we set around the food area, with a few over by the loungers.

  When the show finished filming, around the same time we were done, Tessa took the girls home for dinner and a sleepover, so Jimmy and I could finish the surprise portion of Maggie's birthday. Jimmy and Al were making a stage and setting it up in the backyard for the band I'd hired.

  Maggie and Emma hugged me before they left. "Thanks, Theresa, that was the coolest," they said and headed out the door.

  With the girls out of the way, Jimmy and Al went to town on the stage. It was eight by the time we finished everything and Al left.

  "Theresa, I'm going to take you out for dinner, farfallina. You have had a busy day, my love. I'm thinking Gino's for steak; what do you think?"

  "Mmm, some meat, just what I need, a little extra iron to keep me energized," I said, reaching my arms around him. He kissed me deeply and I felt it right down to my toes. "Maybe we don't need dinner," I moaned.

  Jimmy pulled away, laughing.

  "You're too skinny already; into the shower with you."

  I decided to play the brat and said, "No I don't think so; you can't make me."

  His eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas. "No?"

  "Uh-uh," I said, shaking my head, "and you can't make me." I laughed then took off like a shot. My sweaty Hercules caught up to me at the stairwell and threw me over his shoulder, spanking my ass up the staircase and down the hall.

  When we got to our suite, he threw me on the bed then reached down and ripped my track pants off. I squealed in surprise. He grabbed my ankles and flipped me over, peppering my backside with hard slaps.

  "I can't, farfallina? Make you obey? Are you sure?" He increased the intensity, and now I was questioning the wisdom of my actions. He continued to rain down the blows, paying special attention to my sit spots.

  I tried to get away, but he kept me pressed into the bed. He suddenly spanked my mons, and I screeched. "No fair," I whined.

  "I'll do it again, unless you ask me nicely not to."

  Before I could ask, he did it again, and again I screeched, but this time, wetness splayed over my inner thighs with the slap. Despite my protestations, his pussy slaps were turning me on.

  "I see my little slut likes the rough housing," he said as he slapped my ass and my mons repeatedly until I orgasmed with much intensity. He hadn't even put a single finger inside of me; this was all from spanking.

  He pulled off his sweat pants in record time and plunged into me with his hard cock while continuing to spank me.

  I cried out, "Yes, Jimmy, yes, don't stop. Ah, oh God! Jimmy!" I came like there was no tomorrow.

  He shuddered and trembled on his release, his breath coming out in a long, hissing moan. He collapsed on the bed beside me.

  "Now, I really need that steak," I said, trembling as I tried to stand.

  Jimmy laughed, and it was into the shower for us both. He picked me up and carried me. When the hot water hit my ass, I yelped and quickly turned around. But Jimmy turned me back, and as the spray hit me, he plunged his fingers in and out, bringing me to orgasm two more times.

  I slunk against him in the shower. I felt thoroughly fucked. Jimmy washed my hair while I leaned into him, pressing my face into his chest and feeling the strength of his body as he helped to support and clean me up.

  When we were done, he threw on jeans and a dress shirt. I chose a tight, black number with my wedges and put my hair up in a messy bun. We were out the door in ten minutes, both of us starving. Gino was happy to see us. I'd gone to school with his sister, and he'd played Sunday football with Jimmy when he wasn't too busy with the restaurant.

  We had Chianti and Caprese salads to start.

  "So, what do you think of the backyard so far? Do you think Maggie will like it?" I asked.

  "Maggie will love it, trust me. She's never had anything like this before, T. You know my ma, love went into everything she did, but she was not showy. She kept everything simple, like she did with our birthdays growing up."

  "It's funny you mention that, Jimmy. I often wonder why you moved into such a large palatial house. It is the exact opposite of her taste."

  Our steaks had arrived. Jimmy was taking his first bite when he stopped and said, "I have wondered the same thing. I don't think ma liked the house. Pa liked it; he always likes things to look a certain way."

  James senior was a different duck, totally old school. I wondered if the move had anything to do with me. Maybe he didn't think I was Falcone material. "Jimmy, when you last spoke with your father, did you mention that I had moved in?"

  Jimmy was chewing his steak, his look thoughtful. "Yes, I did, what are you thinking, Theresa?"

  "Well, this is just a thought, but after you told him, how long did it take for him to tell you that he wanted you to bring Joe into the business and get him set up?"

  Jimmy pushed his plate away and picked up his wine glass, taking a long sip. "Right after I told him you'd moved in."

  "I'm not sure what's going on, Jimmy, but has your father ever sent anyone over from the old country with this type of request before? Maybe your father has someone in mind for you, and I'm not it. Maybe, like yourself, he saw where the relationship was going, or could go, and headed it off by moving his family out of the old neighborhood?"

  I downed my wine while I waited for him to process and respond to me. Maybe I was paranoid, but my thoughts strayed to another scenario. What if the accident that had caused the death of Maggie's mother and her date was no accident. I wanted to slap myself for having such a horrid thought and the corresponding expression that I couldn't hide in time from Jimmy.

  "What are you thinking, Theresa? Just say it."

  "I don't want to, Jimmy. I'll sound paranoid; the thought I had seems ridiculous."

  "Theresa, whatever it is, you can say it, let me decide how crazy it sounds."

  I sighed and took a big sip of wine.

  "Jimmy, what if everything that has happened has been to make you exactly what you are, what if your father moved you before you could consider that early marriage, before you could get me pregnant? He had other plans for you. What if Christina's accident was not an accident, what if that was another way for your father to gain control of you and the factors surrounding you? Having custody of Maggie, letting your mother raise her. You'd have nothing else to focus on but the company."

  He was silent, and I was afraid I'd overstepped. I started to apologize, but he held up his hand to stop me.

  "T, what you say, it doesn't sound crazy. I'd like to think my old man has enough respect for me that no matter what I did in my private life, he knew I would never screw up the family business, but you could be right. With my ma gone, so is the more humane part of his personality. If he wants you gone, maybe Joe is a plant. I certainly didn't like the way he was looking at you on that first night, and the circumstances surrounding Christina's death don't fit. It seemed odd, although, at the time, I didn't question it. But I do know it wasn't raining, and it was early evening.

  He thought a minute then went on, "The police report said it was raining and late, close to midnight, and that they'd been drinking. I don't know about Kevin, her boyfriend, but I know Christina wasn't a drinker. The tox screen confirmed what the cop said, that there were high levels of alcohol. Hmm, maybe we can talk to Josh and see if he can use his connections to dig up that file, maybe talk to the cop who wrote the report. If it leads nowhere, then maybe we are both being paranoid. But if there has been tampering, I want to know."

  I shuddered, feeling suddenly vulnerable. Could it be; could he really be that man who did those types of things?

  "Come, bella, let's go home; we have a long day tomorrow."

  I nodded. We said goodnight to Gino and left.

  Jimmy

  I held Theresa in my arms. She was shaking when we got into bed.
Sleep eluded me as I turned events over and over again in my mind. Could my pops really be that guy? He had come over from the old country, and he had been involved in shady dealings in my younger years, I knew that. The mansion I was sleeping in was a result of a spike in our company's growth, but despite my digging, I'd never found what caused the spike.

  The more I thought on it, the more what T had said made sense. My dad, the kingpin, staging all sorts of events to suit his needs? His wants? What was his plan with Joe? Why send him now? I had many questions for which there were no immediate answers. When sleep finally claimed me, I was determined to get answers, and it would begin with Josh.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jimmy

  Al and Bobby had come over early to help T and me set up the birthday girl's dream party. Theresa drank two expressos before heading out the door with Bobby. Al and I went outside shortly after and hung the twinkle lights for the stage.

  It was good, just the two of us, as Al's father had worked for our company since its beginning and Al, who was a few years older than I was, had been with the company since high school, like myself, working weekends and full time in the summer.

  I wanted to feel him out about my thoughts without sharing them. Who knows, maybe Al, my best friend, was a Dad plant as well. As we stood untangling the lights, I glanced over at Theresa. She and Bobby had just finished blowing up thirteen inflatable pink flamingos and thirteen black penguin floaties for the pool. They were laughing about something, causing me to smile.

  "What's up, boss?"

  "Just watching T; Bobby has her laughing about something, and I love watching her laugh."

  Al smiled. "She's a good person, Jimmy. I remember her as a kid; she was a cutie, even back then. You sure were smitten with her, still are, I guess, eh?"

  "Back then, she was just a cute little girl, without a mother, and with a father who was never around. She needed someone; I just happened to be that someone."

  He nodded. "Yep and your ma loved her, eh, always doting on her, probably because she had no girls of her own."

  Here was my chance to dig a bit. "Yep, Ma sure seemed attached, but not Pops. He always seemed to look at her as a nuisance."

  I didn't think that; it was a test to see what, if anything, Al, knew. "Yeah, he was always griping to my pops about you marking your territory way too young to know what the hell you were doing. I guess you proved them wrong, eh, boss?"

  It was such an innocent statement; one I would have thought nothing of two days ago. But things had changed, and I was determined to find out what was really going on. "Yeah," I said lightly. "That's probably why he moved us, to get me away from making what he thought were mistakes."

  I waited for Al's response. It was long in coming, but he finally said, "Yeah, Jimmy, I think so, too." That was enough for now, enough to look further and see what I could discover.

  Theresa

  I felt like the to do list was growing, not getting smaller. Every time I did something, I remembered three other things that needed to be done. At this rate, I would be a pile of mush in no time. I saw Jimmy from across the lawn. He and Al had done the stage, and it looked amazing. I gave them the thumbs up.

  Jimmy had an outdoor bar already in place. We covered it with bamboo to give it a tiki bar feel and added a cover that said Maggie's Tiki Bar. With that done last night, Bobby and I needed to stock the bar with mix and ice as we were offering virgin blended drinks, like Pina Coladas, Margaritas, and Bellinis, or just pop, juice, or water. We brought out packages of drink umbrellas, fresh fruit for decoration, and moved the bar stools. Standing back to admire our handy work, I was thrilled with how authentic it looked.

  As we were finishing, Tessa, Maggie, and Ems showed up. "Theresa, I'm so nervous, what if people don't show up? What if the party isn't cool, what if my friends don't have fun?" she wailed.

  I tried not to laugh; it wasn't her I found amusing but the teenage angst. I remember Jimmy being like her, when the family would host an event in his honour. "Listen up, chicklet, fifty invites went out and forty-eight confirmations came back; this is going to be the party of the year. The tiki bar is going to be a hit, there is non-stop action planned, games, fun, and a ton of food. And most importantly, the secret band. Stop worrying, leave that to me."

  Her large doe eyes softened. "Thank you for doing this. You're right; it's going to be the party of the year."

  "That's the spirit. Now you and Ems go change into your beach outfits. I left a present on your bed." She squealed in excitement and took off into the house, with Emma right on her heels.

  Jimmy was suddenly at my side. "T, you are incredible, this is incredible. My back yard never looked like so much fun. You may have to organize my party, Tesoro."

  "Well, I put on a brave face for her, but seriously, Jimmy, what if she's right and it bombs? It will be all my fault. I wish I had time for a spanking."

  His eyes lit up. "You do? Tell me why, bella."

  "The stress relief I get is better than any drug, Jimmy, but I'm sure you knew that already."

  He squeezed my ass. "I do, but I like hearing you say it."

  Suddenly, fifteen kids came pouring into the backyard.

  "Oh, God, Jimmy, its begun; please don't leave me." I was seriously freaking out.

  "I won't leave you, Tesoro. I will be manning the tiki bar. Come and have a drink anytime you like; I have a few things set aside for the adults." As the kids headed over to the tiki bar for drinks, I made some last-minute fussing. To keep everyone organized, I had purchased a large wicker basket for each kid with their name on it, and included was their party favour, which consisted of a towel in either pink or black, goggles, and a mini suntan lotion.

  Once the kids had their drinks, I took them over to the line of baskets, so they could keep their personal belongings safe. Then I headed inside to grab the snacks. Tessa helped me, and when we came outside and made the rounds with our loaded trays, the number of kids had doubled. I was getting many 'thank you Mrs. Falcone,' and 'great spread, Mrs. F.'

  I guess they assumed I was Maggie's mother. I was inside grabbing more snacks, when Maggie came downstairs wearing her present. A hot pink, one-piece bathing suit, with black heels and a matching black wrap. Her hair was done up with pink chopsticks and she was wearing black sunglasses and hot pink lipstick. She looked like a child super model. "Oh my God, Mags, you're a knock out; those poor boys."

  She giggled and blushed. "You really think so, T?"

  "Like yeah, your dad's going to kill me." She looked seventeen and a total knock out. She deserved an entrance. I beckoned her to the doorway and told her to wait. I ran up to the stage and grabbed the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the birthday girl, Maggie Falcone." She strutted out the door with Em right behind her.

  When Maggie Falcone stepped outside, every person stopped what they were doing, and jaws dropped.

  "See that, Mags," I said, whispering in her ear after getting off the stage. "You are the goddess today; work it, and you'll slay them."

  She had a Jimmy glint in her eye as she set off to greet her guests, By the time she reached the pool, she had every boy at the party surrounding her. I was so excited to watch her. Today, she let the full Maggie shine, no hesitation, no holding back; she worked the party like a pro, reminding me so much of her dad.

  As Tessa and I carried food out, I kept hearing 'your parents are so cool, Maggie, this is awesome,' the girls telling her how hot she looked. Every kid had something positive they were sharing and that was all I needed to hear. Tessa and I walked around with appetizers and then set the platters down on the tables allocated for food.

  I waltzed up to the tiki bar and said, "Bartender, give me a drink, would ya?"

  Jimmy looked upset. I lost my smile, "Um, did I do something wrong?"

  "You mean, other than making my baby girl look like she is seventeen, no, nothing."

  "I'm sorry, Jimmy, but Maggie, she's not like me, she's like you, a natural
show stopper, and look at her work the crowd. She is amazing."

  "I know, that's what I'm afraid of." He ran his hand down his face.

  "Well, it's a good thing she has a big, tough daddy, now, isn't it?"

  He gazed at me. "Yeah, I'll invest in a few more baseball bats. That's ten for you later, missy."

  "What, why?" I asked, giving him my own big doe eyed look.

  He laughed. "For making her older, dammit. You're right; she is incredible. She's got it all, and you gave her the one thing she's been lacking."

  I looked at him questioningly.

  "Confidence, T, you gave her confidence and showed her what she could be, something I could never have done for her in a million years. Thank you."

  I batted my eyes. "So, does that mean I get out of my ten?"

  "Hell no, you get twenty now. I'm going to stripe that fine ass of yours, and then I'm going to fuck it."

  Yikes, I quickly looked around to make sure no one had overheard. Then I strutted away, shaking my ass a bit for him, and headed to the pool to get the games going. At 4:00, Tessa, Al, and I carried out the burger bar top that we'd created inside the garage. Jimmy moved from the bar to the barbeque, and Al took over the tiki bar.

  The party was a hit, Maggie a star, and I couldn't wait to unleash my last surprise. At 5:30, Tessa, Al, and Jimmy got the kids changed back from swimwear and into their beach wear, then into the house for present opening and cake. I stayed long enough to sing Happy Birthday and then snuck out to get the band set up.

  Maggie had been begging since yesterday for me to tell her who would be playing. She probably figured it was some local group. But I had gotten her favourite band, J.C. They would play from 6:30 until 8:00. I ran around the pool and straightened out chairs, placing items in baskets and bringing in the empty containers from the burger bar, collecting empty cups, and moving the patio furniture further back from the stage to create a dance floor. Basically, making everything perfect for round two.