“You did nothing of the sort. I would be dead right now if it weren’t for you.”
They were both silent for a moment, recalling the horror of that day. “Seeing you on that table like some sacrificial lamb…mio Dio, Hero. I thought that was it. I didn’t know if I had the strength to fight him off, but there was no way I was going to let him…”
“…gut me like a pig. What he did to Flavia. He was in love with you, Arturo. He swore up and down he wasn’t gay, that his love transcended gender, that you had always belonged to him.”
Arturo winced. “What the fuck?”
“He was crazier than a soup sandwich.”
Arturo, despite the topic, had to laugh. “A what?”
“Just a saying.”
“A Chicago saying?”
Hero grinned. “No, I heard it on a television show one time. But it’s true.”
Holding her in his arms again felt so right, so blissful, that he forgot his pain. “Hero, when we both get out of here, we’re going to begin our life together all over again.”
Hero smiled at him. “You bet we are, gorgeous…”
And she kissed him so passionately that he forgot anything else in the world existed apart from the two of them.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Six months later…
Hero giggled as Arturo stole the towel that was wrapped around her body. “Turo, we’re going to be late.”
“I don’t care…you look so adorable all wet and sexy.” He pulled her onto the bed where he waited for her, and she sighed happily as his lips met hers. She could feel his long, thick cock pressing against her bare belly. She wrapped her legs around him.
“You’re intoxicating, Signore Bachi.” She gave a long moan as he slid inside her and began to move. Arturo smiled down at her as they made love, his arms locked either side of her head.
She stroked his face as he plunged his cock in and out of her. “God, I love you.”
Arturo chuckled. “Ti amo, il mia amore...per sempre...” Forever...
She smiled up at him. “Fuck me hard, Bachi, until I can’t walk straight.”
“My pleasure.” He pinned her hands to the bed and began to thrust hard, Hero tilting her hips up to take him inside her as deep as she could.
“We are definitely going to be late…oh…oh yes…God…Turo…yes!”
Still glowing from their lovemaking, Hero took the hand Arturo offered her and got out of the car. The piazza in front of the newly renovated Villa Patrizzi was full of press and partygoers for the grand opening. The hotel’s signage was covered with a tarpaulin, no doubt so Arturo—or rather the invited dignitary—could unveil it as part of the ceremony.
Arturo and Hero mingled with the crowds, seeing their friends waiting to greet them. Gaudio had been given the night off, and he greeted them as old friends with Fliss wrapped in his arms. Hero grinned at her. “Still going strong?”
“You bet it is. I’m moving in with him next week.”
Hero hugged her. “I’m so happy for both of you. Let’s get together soon, yes?”
“Definitely. Oh, looks like your man is about to give his speech.”
Arturo was indeed on the stage with the invited guest, an international movie star who had a villa on the Lake. Arturo introduced his guest, and the actor made a brief speech, but then quickly turned back to Arturo.
“Now, you might think I’m here to pull the cord and unveil the hotel’s sign…but in this case, friend, considering the circumstances, I think that honor should fall to you. So, without further ado, please give it up for my good friend and the genius behind this place, Arturo Bachi.”
Hero applauded wildly with the crowd, knowing Arturo would be a little taken aback by this.
Arturo stepped back up to the microphone, thanking his guest. Then he paused for a moment, seeming to take a breath in. “Friends…it’s not a secret what I had long planned for this place, and the…how should I say…checkered history I have had with it. Last year, I almost had all the pieces in place…then a beautiful stranger came in and changed everything. My whole life. And, mio Dio, I’m so very thankful that she did. Hero Donati…you are my love, my life, my wife, and this place would mean nothing if it weren’t for you.
“This hotel has been years in the making, but to me, it only became a reality when Hero entered my life. So, when it came to renaming this place, there was no competition. Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the Villa Hero.”
Hero gasped in shock, and a million flashbulbs went off as Arturo pulled the cord, the tarp slipped to the ground, and the huge, wrought iron sign lit up. Villa Hero.
There were tears in her eyes, and she fought her way through to him. “I can’t believe it, thank you…God, what an honor, Turo.” She felt giddy and discombobulated as the crowd jostled them, but when Arturo took her in his arms, everything melted away.
“The honor is all mine, Hero Donati Bachi, it always was…” And he kissed her until her senses swirled, and the noise of the crowd became nothing more than a song on the morning breeze.
The End.
Under Her Skin Extended Epilogue
After the death of Arturo’s beloved uncle, Philipo, Arturo takes on the mantle of the family business for good. Before getting to work, however, he and his beloved wife, Hero, return to her hometown of Chicago to spend time with her family before they themselves begin their own family, back in Lake Como.
Hero is eager to introduce Arturo to Chicago, and he is keen to explore the more sensual side of the city with his love. Together, they take an erotic adventure into the steamier side of Chicago’s nightlife.
As their vacation comes to an end, Hero is reunited with someone she had thought lost to her, and Arturo and Hero discover something that will change their lives forever.
Hero pressed her lips to Arturo’s back as she slipped her arms around him. Her husband, so tall and broad-shouldered, turned slightly to wrap his arm around her. Hero gazed up at him. “Are you okay?”
Arturo nodded, his green eyes sad. “I am, cara mia. We knew this day was coming; that’s why Philipo was prepared.”
His uncle, Philipo, had died a few days ago, of cancer that had taken years to defeat the ornery, spirited old man, and both Hero and Arturo felt his loss keenly.
After they had both been seriously injured by Arturo’s duplicitous and psychotic friend, Peter, Philipo had been like a father to both of them as they recovered and rebuilt their lives together. Arturo, in particular, had found a new understanding with his uncle, something he had never thought he would.
Now, Philipo was gone, and Arturo was about to assume the mantle as head of the family property development business. Before that, however, after the funeral today, Arturo and Hero would be flying to Chicago to spend some time with her family, her adoptive parents Deirdre and William Donati, up in Kenosha, and see the city Hero shared with her late husband and child.
“And,” Hero told him with a smile, “we get to try out some of Chicago’s kinkier clubs. I have one in mind that I think you’ll enjoy.”
Arturo grinned. “Who knew my wife liked a little playtime?”
Hero laughed. “With you, I’d try virtually anything.”
After the funeral, which was a surprisingly upbeat affair thanks to Philipo’s insistence on celebration rather than mourning, Arturo drove Hero and himself to the airport. She smiled at him. “That was a beautiful service.”
“It really was. Philipo would have approved.”
Hero stroked her hand down his thigh. “Today feels like a beginning, instead of an ending.”
“You know what? I was thinking the exact same thing.”
“Mind meld.”
Arturo laughed. “You got it. You know … the jet has a big bedroom inside. How about we meld something other than our minds on the flight?”
“Dirty boy.”
“Is that a yes?”
Hero leaned over to kiss him. “It’s a hell, yes.”
> Which was why, less than an hour later, the jet was heading over Europe towards the Atlantic Ocean, and Arturo’s face was buried in her sex, his tongue lashing around her clit until she could barely stand it. “Turo … Turo … I want you inside me.”
He didn’t need to be asked twice. His cock was huge and thick, standing rock-hard against his belly; he made her come, then thrust into her, hitching her legs around his waist. Hero shivered with pleasure as he fucked her, pinning her hands down on the bed.
Arturo smiled down at Hero. “So, what’s your pleasure when it comes to kink?”
Hero pressed her breasts against his chest as they moved together. “I want to be dominated by you in every way, Signore Bachi. Every way.”
“Hmm.” He buried his face in her neck and kissed her throat. “I like the sound of that … maybe a little bondage, make sure you know you belong to me … if the clubs you’re talking about have their worth, there’ll be somewhere I can strap you to, tease you, torture you until you beg for this.” He thrust his hips hard, and his cock plowed deep into her cunt.
Hero moaned. “God, yes …”
“Maybe you’d enjoy me using a crop, striking your breasts, your soft belly, your thighs.”
“Hit me hard, Signore … make me beg for more.” The thought of him bringing a crop down on her tender skin was making her wetter and she saw the flame of desire ignite in his eyes. He reached down and pinched her clit hard and she shrieked with ecstasy.
“I’m going to tie your hands in the air and fuck you until you weep, principessa …” His deep, sexy voice was more of a growl now, the Italian accent making him sound more dangerous and sensual. “Are you mine?”
“Always … always …” Hero was bucking underneath him now as she came, her back arching up, her belly against his.
Arturo smiled and pulled out, coming onto the soft skin of her belly. “Mio Dio, you are beautiful…”
He slipped her onto her stomach, parting her buttocks gently and easing into her ass. Hero gasped at the feel of him moving inside her. “Pull my hair, Signore.”
Arturo fisted her long dark hair in his hand and pulled her head back. He put his lips to her ear. “You like pain?”
Hero nodded, groaning as he tugged her head back further and took her lips. Arturo kissed her so fiercely they both tasted blood. Arturo began to thrust harder and harder until they both cried out at the same time, shivering and trembling with the release.
Arturo gently withdrew and went to the bathroom to deal with the condom and clean himself up. Returning to the bedroom, he smiled as he saw Hero, legs spread wide, waiting for him. “You want more, pretty girl?”
“I always want more from you, beautiful man. Let me taste you.”
Arturo straddled her and dipped his fingers into her sodden cunt. “You’re so wet, baby. Is it the thought of being dominated?”
Hero nodded, her eyes sleepy with arousal. She took his cock into her mouth and began to pleasure him, running the tip of her tongue along the silky shaft, then teasing the uber-sensitive tip. Her hands were on his buttocks, his fingers digging deep into his flesh as she hollowed out her cheeks and drew on him. Arturo closed his eyes, losing himself at the moment, the feel of her sweet, warm mouth around his cock. He could feel the tension building and building until with a long groan, he came, shooting thick, creamy cum onto her tongue. Hero swallowed his seed hungrily.
“God, Hero … that was incredible … lay back for me, cara mia. I just want to stroke you.”
They laid down together, and Arturo rolled onto his side, propping himself up with an elbow so he could gaze at her. Her caramel skin was flushed with pink, a sheen of dewy sweat covering her. Her dark eyes sparkled. So beautiful …
Arturo could never get over how perfect she was. He stroked the palm of his hand down her body, cupping each breast, so full and ripe, to the indent down the center of her stomach to the soft curve of her belly. He trailed the tip of his forefinger around her navel, knowing it drove her crazy with pleasure. She gave a soft moan and wriggled closer to him. He splayed his fingers over her skin and thought again how much he would love it when it was swollen and rounded with his child.
Hero read his mind and smiled. “I know,” she whispered, “me too.”
After she’d recovered from being stabbed, the doctors had told her that there should be no problem conceiving a child—but it had been a year and they’d almost given up hope. They’d gone back to using condoms and decided to wait a little longer, as Arturo focused on the business and Hero decided what she wanted to do with her life. She and her friend Fliss had opened another art store in Como, but Arturo knew, Hero needed more.
They talked about it constantly. “What about going back to school? Getting your doctorate? The colleges in Milan are good.”
Hero nodded. “That is an option, and it would work around a child … if I get pregnant, that is.”
“It will happen. We just have to be patient.”
So, Hero had applied to and been accepted to a college in Milan to study art restoration. Arturo had been delighted. “It’s not like Italy has a lack of resources or a lack of ancient frescos that need saving.”
Indeed, in their own home, Villa Claudia, an old hotel they were refurbishing, they had found an old fresco on one of the walls. “It’s serendipity,” Arturo had said, and Hero had grinned, excited about the challenge.
So, now, as they lay together, Arturo gazed down at her. They’d been through so much together but now, now was the time they had to enjoy their love, get excited about building a future together. But, as Arturo knew, they had decided to come to Chicago for another reason. To say goodbye properly to Tom and Beth, Hero’s deceased husband and child, for her to finally have closure.
“Are you thinking about Tom and Beth?”
Hero nodded. “And Tom’s parents. I’ve neglected them for too long. They were his parents and Beth’s grandparents. It just hurt too much to see them.” She touched his face. “I want them to meet you, not to hurt them, but to see that I have finally moved on and they need to, too. If I’m going to be in Italy most of the time, I think I have to say goodbye to them too.”
Arturo nodded but frowned a little. “It would be sad to cut them out of your life.”
“Honestly, I don’t know how they are going to react knowing I’m remarried.” Hero looked fretful, and Arturo gathered her to him.
“Whatever happens,” he told her, “we have each other.” He felt her nod and smiled. “In the meantime, let’s just enjoy ourselves.”
Deirdre Donati burst into tears and threw her arms around her adopted daughter. William Donati, a gruff but distinguished-looking man, rolled his eyes and grinned, shaking Arturo’s hand. “You’d think she hadn’t seen her for a decade.”
Deirdre glared at her husband. “The last time I saw her, she was in the hospital with stab wounds, so you can hush your mouth.”
Hero chuckled and hugged her dad. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, Munchkin. Listen, let’s all get inside; it’s freezing out here.”
Hero shot a glance at Arturo, who grinned. The weather was atrocious, snowdrifts feet deep, and bone-rattlingly cold winds. Inside the Donati’s Kenosha home, however, it was welcoming and toasty warm. “I know you’re staying in the city,” Deirdre said, “But you will stay one night, yes?”
Hero checked with Arturo, who smiled at his mother-in-law. “Love to.”
Deirdre giggled and flushed … she adored Arturo and his devastating good looks. Hero teased her that she had a crush on him, and Deirdre didn’t deny it.
The Donatis’ two golden retrievers came bounding in them, greeting Hero and Arturo like old friends. One jumped up on Hero’s tiny frame, and Arturo stepped forward to save her, but she just laughed and hugged the dog around his middle. “It’s just Flea. He always did this, even from a puppy. He doesn’t get that he’s a giant now.” She kissed the dog’s head and was rewarded with a slobbery lick on the cheek. “Yuck, Flea.”
“Flea and Bag. True story.”
Arturo laughed too as the other dog, Bag, stuck her nose in his crotch.
“Bag, leave him alone, he’s mine.” Hero swatted the dog away from her husband with a laugh.
Deirdre had cooked a delicious, warming stew for their supper, with fresh-baked bread and a vat of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. “You’re probably used to much more elegant food, Turo,” she said, a little shyly, but Arturo shook his head.
“This is delicious, Deirdre, just perfect.” He had second helpings, much to her delight.
Hero patted his belly. “Working on his pooch,” she teased, tickling his non-existent muffin top.
They chatted easily with her family over dinner, and afterward, Arturo and William braved the snow to take the dogs for a walk.
“Is this the time you give me the ‘Dad’ talk?” Arturo asked with a smile, and Willian laughed.
“Kiddo, after what the pair of you have been through—and survived—I have all the proof I need that you’re a good man for my daughter. You saved my Hero.”
“She saved me,” Arturo insisted, and William chuckled.
“Both of you are remarkable young people. I can’t wait to see what you do with your lives now.”
They walked on in silence for a while, Arturo appreciating the silence of the neighborhood, the family vibe of the place. The houses were warmly lit, and in some of the windows, he could see families gathering to watch television or have dinner. It looked like a picture postcard place from a movie.
“Hero wants me to meet Tom’s parents. What do you think of that? I don’t want them to be hurt by my presence, or think that it diminishes Tom’s memory or history with Hero.”
William nodded. “Gillian and Roger have always been good people. Like it or not, you’re Hero’s husband now. Once they meet you, they’ll understand. Now, Turo, I have something I want to discuss with you … it concerns Hero, and I think she’s going to like it, but I want to get your opinion first.”
Under Her Skin Page 15