Merciful Vows: A Bittersweet Second Chance Romantic Suspense (The Giannotti World Book 1)

by Vanessa Luisa

  “You’re fired!” I grit just as he slams his car door and drives out of sight into the dark night.

  Arrivederci.

  Roaring thunder aids his farewell as the sky opens up. Heavy rain droplets pelt down with a distant earthy smell permeating the frigid air. My anger deflates, yet the disillusion remains. It won’t ever fade. Not with him.

  “Yeah…I’m going to need a drink.”

  Valencia

  The way Giulio palms his forehead upon reentering, I already know the situation must have escalated between him and my brother-in-law.

  Hard ‘pit-pat’ rain rushes down against the ceiling as I offer him a sympathetic smile. The strife is nothing compared to the gust of wind that slams the door shut for me. It suggests a storm is brewing. Not that one wasn’t already…

  I don’t know what’s happening with Marcus. Helena needed a moment to herself when they left and so I made sure the kids brushed their teeth and then tucked them into bed with the promise of watching a movie later on in the week instead.

  Marcus has always been a good man in my eyes, a dedicated individual who strives to follow in Giulio’s footsteps, but somewhere along the way, something happened—and now…heroin?

  “I’m going to make a coffee for Helena, do you want one?”

  “Yes, please.” Giulio pecks my lips, the sensation still so new and warming. “But with a touch of whiskey in mine, please. I need it. Do you mind if I kiss the kids goodnight?”

  “Not at all. I’ll make the coffee.” I sort through the mugs, mentally preparing myself for the unraveling of Marcus Giannotti when an electric heat spreads against my shoulder blades ending in a tender squeeze. “Thank you, baby.”

  “For?”

  “Everything that you do. The kids are lucky to have a mother like you.”

  “They’re lucky to have you too! Seeing you as a father makes me even prouder to have you by my side.”

  I feel Giulio’s hot gaze penetrate through my entire body and all I want to do is make love to him all over again. That and reverse our legal separation. I know it’s still early but it feels so right. These past few days have been incredible with him. I’m loving every moment of our new vow. Giulio believing in Addilyn only reaffirms my beliefs—making me the happiest woman alive if our baby were to be found and placed in my arms.

  “Our family is the best thing that has ever happened to me. To us. I will never walk away from what we made. Lencia, I promise you that.” Then he kisses me again. It’s much slower, so beautifully sensual. We’re not tearing each other’s clothes off; we simply need each other to pull through.

  We part at the sound of a thunder clap.

  “I will never walk away either,” I murmur, stealing another small peck.

  The desire is there to continue but tonight everything has become much more complicated. Whatever happened between Helena and Marcus is serious and we need to sort through it with her.

  “I’m worried about Marcus. I don’t want to lose him. I don’t want it to escalate to that.”

  “Do you know what happened?”

  “I don’t know what happened with Helena but for a few months now Marcus has been dealing drugs. I have been trying to get him off but it’s all too much for him. He borrowed money from me that I was crazy enough to believe would be spent on something good. It wasn’t and he never repaid me. I don’t care about the latter, but he could’ve used it to save himself. He stopped for a while, but last week I went to his house and found his coat closet filled with pills and powders. He said he’s only dealing. I don’t believe him nor am I happy about it.”

  “It’s not safe…why would he do it? If that’s the case, I don’t want him near the kids.”

  Giulio nods. “He hasn’t been staying with the kids, well not alone anyway. I know he wouldn’t hurt them, but I want to be sure. I don’t know why he’s doing this. He doesn’t talk to me about it. I guess I won’t be getting much out of him anyway seeing as I fired him out there.”

  Oh.

  This is far worse than I originally thought.

  “Is this what you wanted to tell me the morning after the bar incident with Bryce? Remember how Marcus cut you off when you said he should tell me about something…?”

  Giulio swallows thickly. “Yes. I’ve been meaning to tell you, but up until this point, it was his battle to fight. I’ve told him numerous times that I’m here to help him but he doesn’t want my help or any professional help. What more can we do? And what hurts me the most is what he said to Helena and how this was supposed to be a perfect night with our family.”

  “None of this is our fault. It’s just how the night was supposed to go. Helena’s a strong woman and we’ll be right here to help her through this…Why don’t you go to the kids now? I’ll make those coffees and your special whiskey order, Mister.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it, darling.” Giulio winks before disappearing down the hallway.

  Helena blinks away a few tears, glancing down at the freshly brewed coffee in her hands. She reminds me of myself in this moment. I see my broken soul within her. I see the fight. The resistance. The pain.

  I hate all of it.

  This isn’t her.

  Helena Holmes is the life of the party, a sassy soul, and the person everybody wants as a best friend. I never suspected her to be involved with Marcus. They hid it so well! It hurts to know Marcus drove her to this point. She doesn’t deserve it after everything she’s been through, but I know it will only be a matter of time before she bounces back.

  “Trust me to find a lunatic to break my dry spell! No offense Giulio.”

  “None taken. Trust me.”

  “And Marcus is even seven years younger…I don’t know what I was thinking!”

  I reach out to hold her hand. “Hey, this isn’t on you. You never expected that he would storm in here with drugs and almost reach the point of violence when you threw them out. You did the right thing, but you should have called us, honey.”

  “I know. I didn’t want to disturb your night out together. I mean it still is ruined and for that, God, I feel terrible! But I’m so happy that you’ve both decided to work everything out. You both earned tonight and I’m sorry it was cut short.”

  “Lencia and I have all the time in the world. Please don’t drag yourself down for his idiotic games. You’re not to blame.” Giulio’s pledge is all heart. “And he’s not worth the thought either. You deserve so much better.”

  “Have I told you how much I love you guys?” She glances between us with smile. “Soooo, have you two finally put the G in Giannotti? How’s the revival treating you both?”

  We all laugh at how quickly she changes the subject. One minute Giulio’s grin is in sight and the next the room dramatically dims. The lights are cut and the fireplace becomes the only source of golden saturation within the room.

  “What the hell! Do you think it’s because of the weather?” Helena asks.

  “Could be. I’ll go out and check if the other houses have their lights on.” Giulio stands and exits into the horrid Seattle night with furiously blowing wind and rain pelting down to investigate.

  His absence has me inch closer to Helena who I can just make out the silhouette of.

  “Giulio and I are in a good place. It’s you I’m worried about. Are you sure Marcus didn’t hurt you?”

  “He didn’t hurt me, honey. Just scared me a little when he got that knife but it was only a scare tactic. God, I can’t believe that I even….my head hurts thinking about it. I’m sorry about earlier, Lencia. I didn’t mean to push you away. I didn’t tell you about Marcus because I thought it would make things awkward; also because I’m partly ashamed it had to be him. I mean come on, he’s so different than me! I’ve been struggling through my emotions which is why I was so fired up when Bryce and Marcus appeared that night with Kayla. My mind has been an absolute mess…”

  I feel for her.

  Marcus’ words only had one intent—to hurt. That doesn’
t sit well with me. Helena’s husband dying young was a tragedy. For years she’s battled it on her own and finally, when she was ready to take the next step, somebody dragged her down. It’s so uncalled for and so unlike the Marcus I’ve known.

  “It wouldn’t have been awkward.” I pull her into a tight embrace and comfort her like she always does me. “I want to be the person you come to first. You are always there for me.”

  “You’re right, I should have. You know me, I don’t get involved with men because my kids are my priority. Maybe later down the road…but right now I don’t need any man. I guess Marcus was familiar to me and a few weeks ago one thing led to another. It was only casual. Very casual. God, I hate him. I swear I would have called 911 if he woke up my kids. What an ass! It’s safe to say we’ve both been fucked over by the Giannotti’s, literally and figuratively.”

  Laughter lightens the mood. “I think we’re on the verge of becoming supermoms with all this strength.”

  “Speaking of which, you don’t know how excited I am about you and Giulio! I’m happy at least one Giannotti is a man of gold!”

  I’m about to respond when the lights come alive. Seconds later, Giulio bolts through the door. I await a smile; instead, his face is pressed. His wet hair is violently tousled and his drenched slacks and now transparent white button down cling to his body. It’s only when he steps forward that my heart sinks at the knife gripped in his right hand.

  Something’s happened.

  Something bad.

  “We need to call the police.”

  My eyes widen in panic as I bolt up. “What happened?’

  “It wasn’t the storm…It was a man…waiting by the circuit box. I fought him off until he ran. He…” Giulio’s jaw clenches in defeat and the bombshell drops. “He wanted one of us…dead.”

  Every time I step inside the police precinct, the same sensation accumulates—misery. It’s the fear of the unknown that eats people alive and I am no exception to the feeling.

  With Giulio’s attacker on the run, the stakes are higher than ever. When Giulio went to the circuit breaker box, he discovered an unmasked man who pulled a knife on him. He had been the one to turn off the electricity, not the weather. It was calculated. The attacker was ruthless in fighting Giulio, but luckily, he managed to steal the knife. Yet the man remains at large.

  Seattle Police have managed to obtain a considerably clear visual sketch of the alleged attacker. A Caucasian man in his mid to late twenties with jet black hair, brazen eyes, a solid build, and he has a deep scar between his eyebrows. Unfortunately, the man wore gloves, so the only prints on the knife were Giulio’s.

  The digital sketch of the man bombards the media. Every time I see it, it’s like a kick to the stomach. For the rest of the week, the media remains constantly in our faces, hoping for exclusive statements or pictures. I despise seeing them as much as I appreciate that they are only doing their job, knowing that our story is being flashed around Washington only welcomes stares and hushed whispers behind our backs in public.

  My saving grace is my family.

  Giulio and I have been showing the children our stars every night since the surprise and they adore it. My family is one of the only escapes I have. Just one glance at them and I know everything will be okay. Giulio and I have become a whole lot closer too. Almost two weeks have passed since we told each other those three words and we haven’t been able to stop saying it since. Being bold is one of the best things we have decided for ourselves.

  It’s led us this far.

  For the past week and a half, we’ve spent the days in the office as giddy professionals but at night we dance passionately in the sheets. I still have my belongings at Helena’s, but the twins and I have been staying at our old home much more frequently. For the entire end of September and now the beginning of October, I sleep through the entire night and wake up in Giulio’s secure arms.

  Ever since he eased the tension of stepping inside Addilyn’s room, some of the unease has faded. If it wasn’t for his encouragement and my moment of confidence, I don’t think I would have ever stepped foot inside the nursery again. That night Giulio helped me demonstrate my capabilities.

  Giulio has been surprising me with outings for lunch during the week whenever he has an opening in his schedule. Yesterday, we went to art museums. It feels just like old times and a way to take the edge off chasing his attacker.

  SPD believes it was a targeted attack most likely related to Addilyn’s case. And so, as much as I love every single moment I spend with my family, there has also been mass devastation circulating my mind. Will these crimes bring us to another breaking point or will we survive it? Every time the thought comes, Giulio kisses away my fear and reminds me to focus on the present, and I have been.

  Kayla brightens every morning for me with a ginger tea by my desk and I preoccupy myself with tasks set on Giulio’s action plan at the Tate’s. I only have a week and a half left at Notti Designs and although it saddens me to leave, I’ve also had the best time of my life here. This is where Giulio and I met for the first time and also where our second chance has resurrected.

  On this sunny Wednesday morning, a new shipment has been ordered into the large industrial warehouse and I offer to pick it up seeing as I’m ahead of schedule. Some interior designers are by the entrance, huddled in a small staging meeting. Other workers in visibility vests walk around and organize each of their appointed sections. The warehouse is filled with stock; countless wrapped pieces of furniture and unopened boxes.

  I’m here for a marble side table, and while I attempt to figure out its exact location on my own, I’m struggling. It must take me at least twenty minutes as I glance over my sheet of paper at the barcodes on each shelf. I’m beyond lost!

  I pass Marcus on one aisle and my body involuntary tenses.

  The following day after the drug incident, he came into work even though Giulio had fired him. Marcus ignored me, even after the brothers had a private boardroom discussion. Giulio exited not looking the least bit pleased, but explained he decided to give Marcus one last chance. I didn’t dig any deeper to uncover his reasoning, I just trusted his judgment.

  I tell myself to continue looking for the piece of furniture but just as I note that none of the descriptions match, I feel Marcus’ eyes on me.

  “Valencia?”

  “You know I would have always been here to listen,” I blurt out, aggravated that he’s still made no contact with my sister. “I would have helped you, but pulling a knife on Helena is something I can never comprehend.”

  His mouth parts but quickly shuts. There’s a look of pain in his eyes that dissolves with a blink of an eye. Marcus takes one step my way and I walk straight by him. I cannot get caught up in his mess.

  Not today.

  I need to find this darn marble side table!

  I make it to the next few aisles and do a happy dance when I’m faced with a medium sized cardboard that matches exactly. Not so fast. As I grip the box, I instantly stop and groan at the strain on my back. The box recommends two people pick it up, it is heavy Italian Marble after all, but I give it another shot because I’m adamant to prove it wrong.

  I’ve given birth to twins, I can certainly push past this!

  Or so I thought.

  Letting it go, I step back to kick the edge of the box. Piece of work!

  “Yeah. I think ya gonna need help with that.”

  Bryce.

  I swallow and swing the purse of my crossbody bag to my back. I’m not giving up.

  “Thank you, but I can do it. I used to do CrossFit and if I’ve learned anything, perseverance is a mindset.”

  I grip onto it tightly and uphold momentum.

  “Why did ya stop?”

  “I’m just readjusting myself.”

  “No, I meant the CrossFit. Why did you stop?”

  “Kids. Work. My drive left me after what happened. It was doing me more harm than good. Yoga helps better.” I manage to get th
e box off the wire rim and crouch down to push it against the polished concrete floors. Bryce is beside me, mocking me with a slight chuckle when a set of stairs face me. “Yeah, there’s no way in hell I can get this down.”

  “Now what, babe?”

  “Now…” I groan, propping my hands on my knees for a quick breather. “Now we wait for a miracle to happen.”

  “Then you’re in luck because miracle is my middle name.” Bryce takes a hold of the box without any protests from me. The idiot is grinning as he holds it casually against his chest, as if the box is a stack of papers.

  I guide him to my car where he wordlessly sets it inside the trunk. When it’s all done, he stands with his hands stuffed inside the tight pockets of his jeans, simply waiting.

  “Thank you for that.”

  “It’s nothing.” He gestures back to the warehouse. “Do ya have anything else to collect?”

  “Yeah, my stamina.”

  Bryce laughs with a hand to his chest. “Don’t worry, the way you and Giulio can’t take your eyes off each other suggests ya stamina and his are perfect. Ain’t nobody that happy at 9 A.M. Ya know what I mean, right?”

  I bite my lip, failing to suppress my smile. My eyes should have rolled at McCarson’s comment, but instead, my heart warms with the reminder of my husband this morning. “I guess you’re right.”

  “Yeah, I definitely know I’m right after what I heard early this morning. I wanted to talk to Giulio but aborted the mission so damn fast seconds before knocking on his office door.”

  Mortified, my jaw drops. “Huh? Don’t tell me you heard us when…”

  Bryce snickers. “Oh yes, I did.”

  “Oh my god! Really? We were trying not be loud on purpose!”

  “Well, you two reckless lovers fucking failed. Now, that’s what I call a sensational fuck.”

  “Bryce!” I snort, playfully shoving his chest.