“Did he hurt you?”
“No …he tried to …”
Before she could finish, Giacomo growled and leaped out of the bed.
Alarmed, Norah sat up. “What are you doing?”
“I’m gonna find him and then I’m going to fucking kill, the figlio di puttana.” He was halfway out of the door, wild with rage. Norah grabbed him and dragged him back into the room.
“Norah, no. Let me go.”
“Stop. Stop.”
She got his face in her hands and made him look at her. His eyes were mad.
“Stop. Let me finish. He tried to kiss me, is all. I stopped him.”
Giacomo closed his eyes and sucked in a huge breath. After a few breaths, he looked at her, hurt written across his face. “He could have killed you.”
“But he didn’t.”
“But you decided not to tell me?”
“Yes.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “Don’t do that again. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you going off at him and getting into trouble. I’m not losing you because of him. Because of anything. I imagined you ending up in San Quentin for the rest of your life.” She kissed him. “Anyway, I had better things to do than worry about that skid-mark.”
Giacomo half-smiled at that. “Still, it was really stupid of you not to tell me.”
“I know. It was dumb.”
“Really dumb.” He sighed and sat on the bed studying her. She stroked his hair near his temple, feeling his body relaxing as she caressed him. His green eyes were still troubled as he gazed at her.
“How did you get rid of him?
Norah grinned at him. “I smashed my knee into his junk.”
Giacomo started to laugh. “You did?”
“Hard, too. He folded like a wet watermelon. Really fucking satisfying it was, too.”
Giacomo, still chuckling, kissed her. “Bad-ass mother.”
“Yes, I am.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do you know what I felt that day?”
“Tell me.”
“I wasn’t scared anymore. Not of him, nor of anything. I felt free. Because you love me. Because I knew you had my back.”
He smiled and sat on the floor, pulling her down on top of him. “Always.” He grinned. “And now I have your back, your front, and your sides.”
“Funny boy.” She kissed him, sliding her hand down to cup his thickening cock. She grinned wickedly. “Now, be a good boy and put that inside me.”
Giacomo laughed and pushed her onto her back, hitching her legs around his hips. “You’re getting very bossy, Ms. Reddy …maybe we should invest in some fun equipment to play with.”
“Ooo, I like that idea,” she said, arching her back as he kissed her belly, rimming her navel with his tongue. “Then I could really be your boss in the bedroom.”
“I may permit it,” he said and laughed at her mock-outrage, “Oh, you want to argue with that, mio caro? Then you’d better take this …” He thrust his cock deep into her, and she gasped and laughed as he proceeded to fuck her hard, grinning the whole time.
Zulika felt the nausea come again and headed to the bathroom to throw up for the third time that morning. Orlando was waiting outside the door with some water and a cold press for her head.
He had offered her the spare room in his house while she was going through chemo, and although she had resisted at first, when the side effects had kicked in properly, she was glad of the support. Often she had thought how strange it was that the three of them existed in this weird life together, but more and more, it seemed natural. She and Ferma got along so well that she knew Ferma thought of her as a big sister, and Zulika had enjoyed caring for the girl when Orlando couldn’t get home in time for her. Ferma’s school was only two blocks from the bookstore, so Zulika would go and fetch her and bring her back to sit with Ziggy, a glass of cold milk, cookies, and any book Ferma wanted to read. Thanks to Ferma, they had increased their children’s section and now more kids would come in to read after school. Zulika loved being around them all; they gave her hope.
Because the cancer was worse than they had thought. It had progressed to Stage IIIb, which meant more surgery,and more chemo. Zulika couldn’t quite believe that she was sick—most days she felt fine, which is how she managed to keep it from Norah. Thankfully, in Zulika’s mind, Norah was so happy and so caught up with Giacomo that Zulika only had to hide it from her when they were together, which was getting rarer and rarer with the amount of work they both had. Orlando had tried to persuade her to tell Norah, citing the evenings they spent with their friends where Lando and Zulika had to maintain the secret. Ferma, who adored both Giacomo and Norah, was also ignorant of the cancer. Orlando had to field some inquiries from curious relatives about why he had moved another woman into his home. They had settled on telling them that Zulika was both a tutor and caregiver for Ferma. But everything seemed like an enormous obstacle to be overcome and Zulika felt worn down by it all.
The one bright spot was Orlando. He’d distracted her by asking her to tell him stories about herself, Norah, and their happy times together. He hung out at the bookstore with her and Ferma, making them laugh and charming the customers. He didn’t mention Lucian once or what had happened, never once looked at her with anything other than friendship. She was glad. Both of them were still so damaged—Orlando still so lost in grief for his dead wife—that anything else would have been both wildly inappropriate and awkward. He was, however, quickly becoming her confidante. They would talk about everything, however painful, for hours in the evenings after Ferma was in bed. He had even cried in front of her, something he told her he never did in front of other people, not even Giacomo.
Today Orlando would accompany her to the oncologist’s office for the results of the latest tests. After the scans, the x-rays, and the chemo, she desperately needed to hear good news and, not only that, it was a big day. If the news was good, she was going to tell Norah tonight at dinner. If not, normal service would resume.
Orlando looked over at her as he drove them to the appointment. He smiled. “I just have a feeling we’re going to hear good news.”
She squeezed his hand gratefully. “I hope so.”
Norah looked up as the door to the shop opened. Giacomo came in, grinning, and she laughed. “Dude, seriously, your business is going to go kaput unless you spend more time there.”
Giacomo smiled, shrugging good-naturedly. “This time I have an excuse. We have been summoned. I am to drive us both to Orlando’s house for supper. Queen Ferma requests our presence.”
Norah’s eyes bugged out of her head when she saw Zulika emerging from Orlando’s house to greet them, Orlando at her side, looking for all the world like a happy couple.
“Holy moly.” Norah grinned and Giacomo rolled his eyes.
“Bet it isn’t what you think.”
She made a sour face at him. “Well, aren’t you just Mr. Glass Half Empty?” Giacomo laughed and pulled up alongside the curb. Norah was antsy now to get the gossip. Getting out of the car, Giacomo wrapped his arms around her, sniggering to himself as he maintained the hug too long and she started to giggle.
“Gerroff me, you big Italian lug,” she complained as he laughed out aloud. She hugged Zulika, noticing for the first time how thin she had gotten. “How are you, gorgeous?”
Orlando’s grin was earsplitting. “Well, that’s what we have to tell you. Come inside.”
Norah was almost dying of curiosity now. Were Orlando and Zulika together? Her oldest friend looked remarkably comfortable in Orlando’s home. But Norah couldn’t believe that Orlando would want to be in a relationship so soon and Zulika, she knew, would balk at starting up with someone in his position.
“What’s going on?” She looked between Zulika and Orlando.
Zulika took her friend’s hands. “Okay …well, look. I have something to tell you, No-No, and I don’t want you to be angry at me. Please just hear me out.”
Norah’s heart began to thump unpleasantly against her ribs. “God, Zul …what?”
Zulika took a deep breath in. “Pull off the Band-Aid. Okay, Norah, Giacomo, I have cancer.”
Both them of them stared at her dumbly. “What? No, no, no.” Norah couldn’t breathe. “No, it can’t be. You’re too young. It’s not right.”
Zulika tried to smile. “Stage III breast cancer. Now, I’ve had surgery to remove the tumor, and chemo, and …”
“Wait, how long have you known?”
Zulika bit her lip. “About five months.”
“Five months!” Norah felt her heart plummet. “God, and you’ve been through this on your own? You didn’t tell me?”
“You were going through some stuff of your own, remember?”
Norah’s eyes widened. “Zul! What the hell? Do you think I wouldn’t have dropped everything for you?”
Zulika half-smiled. “That’s why I didn’t tell you. You have every right to be angry.”
“This isn’t about me! You needed …”
“Why do you think I’m telling you with Lando here? He’s been my rock.”
Orlando spoke then, his voice wracked with sorrow. “And Zul’s been mine. How Ferma and I would have gotten through these last months …yes, the circumstances were the worst, but I think—I hope—both Zulika and I have gained strength from helping each other.”
Zulika smiled at him gratefully. “I certainly have. Norah, I’m sorry. Yes, in times past, we would have been there for each other. This time, we both needed other people. I think it’s healthy. Forgive me, darling, but I stand by my decision.”
Norah was silent for a long time. Giacomo put his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing it reassuringly. Finally, she nodded. “So, now that we all know, what can we do?”
“Well, first thing is …we don’t make it the sole topic of conversation whenever we meet.” Zulika grinned at her friends. “We all have stuff we need to work through. So it’s fine to mention it, but not to dwell. Agreed?”
The other murmured their assent. “Good. Now, to let you know the good news. I went to the oncologist today. The treatment is working. The cancer went to some lymph nodes, but it hasn’t spread and the main tumor hasn’t reappeared.”
Norah let out a long breath. “Thank god.”
“So you see? We can overcome anything.” She looked at Orlando then. “Your turn.”
Giacomo sat up straight as Orlando began to speak. “The police are closing the investigation.”
“No! No way,” Norah exclaimed as Giacomo, looking angry, shook his head.
“I don’t believe it.”
“They say they’ve exhausted every lead and every suspect. They can’t spend any more money on it.”
“Fuck them!” Giacomo was up now, pacing. “Lando, I promise you, I will never stop trying to find Carmel’s killer.”
Orlando looked at him gratefully. “I would tell you I can’t let you spend your money, but I know it won’t make a difference.”
“It won’t.”
“Thank you, my friend.”
Zulika sighed. “Look, shall we eat? Ferma will be home from school soon and she’ll be starving.”
Orlando stood. “We’re barbecuing,” he said, moving to the French windows. “I’ve already set it up.”
“I’ll give you a hand.” Giacomo followed his friend outside, leaving the two women alone. Norah got up and went to her friend and they hugged for a long time.
“Love you, Zully.”
“Love you too, Batfink.”
Norah giggled. “Batfink?”
“Orlando has them all on—guess what—video tape. And he still has a video machine!”
Both of them broke into giggles, and when Orlando came to tell them the barbecue grill was ready for the chicken, both Zulika and Norah had to bite their lips. “Chicken?” Norah pretended to be serious. “Have you thought of branching out on the meat you grill? Say …bat?”
Orlando rolled his eyes. “I knew that wouldn’t stay secret for long. Yeah, so I liked Batfink. What can I tell you?”
Giacomo stuck his head in the door. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Norah stood and went to her lover. “A kid’s show us poor Americans had to suffer through.”
Orlando scoffed as he herded them all outside. “Philistines.”
The evening passed pleasantly, even happily. Ferma came home, delighted to see her godfather and Norah. By the end of the evening, when Giacomo and Norah were saying goodbye, it felt like a family had been together again.
As Zulika hugged her friend, she suddenly remembered something. “Hey, before I forget, we need to talk about the bookstore. I think we’re at the point where we need to take someone else on.”
Norah nodded. “I think you’re right. I’m sorry I’ve been leaving it all to you, Zul. Look, I’ll come in tomorrow and we’ll put together an ad.”
Zulika grinned. “Don’t apologize. I’m psyched that your business has taken off. Soon you’ll be too fancy to visit the likes of us.”
Norah cocked her little finger and pretended to sip some tea. “What do you mean ‘soon?’”
“Doofus.”
Norah chuckled. “Listen …anything you need, Zul, ask. I’m always here.”
“I know that. Love you, girl.”
“Love you too, girl.”
Zulika helped Orlando tidy up the backyard. “Lando …I think I need to try and get back to some sort of independent living, you know? Now that things are looking up? Not that I’m not grateful for everything, and believe me, I’ll still be here every day for you and Ferma.”
Orlando nodded. “Well, we knew this was temporary, yes? But, still, we’ll miss you.”
“And I you. I’m not saying I’ll want to move out entirely at the start …maybe a couple of days a week for a while to get on my feet? The weekends, maybe, when you’re at home for Ferma?”
Orlando sighed, but smiled. “That sounds like a good idea.”
Zulika hesitated. “Lando …nothing will change between me and you and Ferma. You are my family now. I just need to try and regain some of my old life.”
Orlando put down the plates he was holding and came to her. He pulled her into a hug. “You don’t need to justify yourself to me, Zul. I think you should; it’ll bring you some confidence.”
They cleared away the mess together in a companionable silence. Before she said goodnight, she paused at the bottom of the stairs. “It doesn’t have to be just yet, Lando.”
Orlando’s smile was warm. “It can be whenever you feel ready. As far as I’m concerned …this is your home too.”
Much, much later, Zulika would realize that was the moment when she fell in love with him.
The girl, not older than eighteen, had rainbow-colored hair, tattoos, and a broad grin. “Like I said, I ain’t had too much experience since leaving school, but I love books more than anything. Give me Harper Lee or Jack Kerouac over the telly anytime.”
Her broad Cockney accent sounded strange in this most American of surroundings, but Norah and Zulika shared a glance and a smile. The girl—“Fred. That’s what I prefer. Call me Freda and I won’t answer. Stupid bloody name.”—had walked in off the street. They’d actually witnessed her doing a body swerve when she saw the ‘hiring’ notice in the window. She was a regular customer, had chatted with both Norah and Zulika on occasion, and now the two women knew they had found their new colleague.
“When can you start, Fred?” Zulika said warmly and watched as the girl’s eyes widened.
“Really?”
Norah grinned. “Really. You had us at ‘wotcha,' whatever that means.”
Fred laughed. “It’s London for ‘Hiya.' God, thank you so much. I’m so fucking excited. Whoops, sorry.”
Zulika rolled her eyes. “It’s fine. Just not in front of the customers. So, seriously, when can you start?”
“Right now, if you like.”
They laughed. “How about in t
he morning?” Norah said and Zulika nodded. Fred hesitated then hugged them both.
“Seriously, dudes, thank you. I have all the visa stuff I need. Shall I bring it in?”
Zulika nodded. “Do, and we’ll do all the paperwork we need to. So, welcome to Anthology.”
After Fred, who was obviously excited as hell, had left, Norah looked at her friend. “How are you feeling?”
Zulika hid a smile. It was the third time that morning that Norah had asked. “I’m good. Really good, I promise. I’ve been spending some time back at my apartment, getting used to being independent again. I miss Lando and Ferma, but I think it’s something I need to do.”
Norah smiled. “I bet they miss your cooking.”
Zulika laughed. “Lando’s actually a much better cook than me. All I do, really, is remember all the Indian food you taught me how to make and try to recreate it. Sometimes it works better than others. Ask Lando about the fish curry …yeah, that was an adventure.”
Norah laughed. “I shudder to think. How’s he doing?”
“Frustrated that the police have given up on finding Carmel’s killer.”
“Giacomo’s got his men on it.”
“They find anything?”
Norah grimaced, shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. Not yet.”
There was a long silence. “Have you heard from Lucian again? Lando told me that he’d been bothering you.”
Norah sighed. “Not since I mangled his junk with my knee, thank god. Maybe he’s finally taken the hint.”
“Let’s hope.”
Norah left Zulika alone and went up to her office to sort through some emails. Her schedule was filled through to the end of the year, and for a moment, she felt overwhelmed. This is what you have worked for, Reddy, she told herself and drew in a long breath. She pulled up the details of the three contracts she was working on: one for a designer clothing store in the city, another for a cosmetics company, and the last and biggest, the one which would make her name, a campaign for one of San Francisco’s most exclusive boutique hotels. On that one, she would be working with an advertisement agency who had connections worldwide. If she could nail it, her network would grow exponentially.
Dr. Orgasm (A Holiday Romance Collection Book 2) Page 74