Aurei’s hands takes Caesar’s head and he holds him still while he steps in front of him so he can continue the stare down. I notice that he doesn’t try to deny I’m a whore. We established that last night.
Quintus doesn’t blink. The lack of denial keeps him in the dangerous game. I’m stunned by his total arrogance and his total lack of intimidation. Family or not, he needs to stop before Aurei loses it.
I have to put an end to this craziness! I jump down off Caesar and force Aurei to handle him. I walk up to Quintus and poke him in the chest. I rattle off my usual speech. "I’m an erotic entertainer only. I don’t hit the stick of every Tom, Dick or Harry. I am all about sex, but what I actually do isn’t sex. What I actually do is dance. What I do is fantasy. What I do is only suggestive seduction. I’m an erotic dancer. There’s a big difference. Erotic is about sexual desire, and sexual excitement. I’m not a whore. If you saw me in Vegas, then you know I’m untouchable. What kind of game are you playing here?"
Quintus grins a wicked grin at me, and for a second I think he is going to grab my hand, but before he reacts Aurei grabs a handful of my hair and pulls me back to him.
I back away glaring at Quintus. If eye arrows could kill!
He asks Aurei as I retreat. "You’ve obviously collared her. Are you staking claim to her?" He looks him in the eye now. The air becomes electric with tension.
"Is that what this is all about?" I hear Aurei ask.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I need to know what level of commitment you have to her."
"Why?" They glare at each other. Now Quintus' jaw sets. Aurei lets my hair go and puts his arm in front of me. He pushes me back out of the way. I look at him and see his shrewd eyes studying Quintus. "You want to know how much I care for her." It’s a statement, not a question.
"That is what I really want to know."
Their eyes lock. "For your new job or for yourself?"
I see the charming poker face slide off Quintus' face and I almost panic. We all know shit just got real.
"Both."
The word hangs in the air. I’m flabbergasted Quintus would take it this far.
Aurei’s voice is low and deadly. "I’m committed, and I’ll prove it to you. Then we won’t ever go here again. Understood?"
Quintus nods once.
"There’s an inscription inside the collar. Siri tell him what it says."
I look at Quintus. Daggers shooting from my eyes. "I can’t. It’s in Italian."
"Do you want to know what it says?"
We both answer, "Yes."
"Come here, Baby Thang. Hold Caesar."
"No, I want to know first."
"Siri, come here." His tone is the most commanding it has ever been to me. I look at him and cross my arms, pooch my lips and outright pout, but I obey him.
As I take Caesar’s bridle and hold him, I tell them both. "I’m not happy with either one of you assholes!"
Aurei takes my face in his hands and makes me look into his eyes. The love I see looking back at me makes my eyes tear up.
"Don’t!" I whisper, then his lips cover mine and he blows lightly in my mouth. My arm goes around his waist and I cling to him. His lips release me and I lay my forehead on his chest, fully submitting to his wishes. I feel his hands moving into my hair as he unfastens it. The necklace comes free and as it slides down my throat, I feel strangely naked without it.
He holds it out for Quintus with one hand while his other encircles the emptiness. I feel his gentle pressure against my jugular, then his fingers are back in my hair and he is sliding it back on. He whispers to me, "You are mine." He cups my face again and I stare into his eyes.
I respond. "I am yours."
Aurei’s arm goes around my shoulders and he holds me against his body. We turn and face Quintus. Aurei asks him, "Satisfied?"
Quintus doesn’t make any remark or give any acknowledgement at all as to what the inscription says. His poker face is perfect, but I can read his eyes and they tell me that Heaven means something solid. Something concrete. Aurei’s level of commitment to me is no longer an issue. He states. "I came down to tell you Zita and Bob left Venezia early. They will be at the house in time for lunch. Marco said to tell you he will be serving Chocolate Soufflé today too." He holds out his hand to shake Aurei’s again. "I need to get back up to the house. I have to change before my first press conference."
Aurei’s eyebrows raise as he takes his hand and pumps it. "Press conference?"
"Yes, I’m going to introduce myself and let them know who’s in charge of your image." He smiles and the charm is thick. "And it sure as hell isn’t them." He bows slightly to me and says. "Miss Wright." Then heads back to his bike. He mounts it, slides on his helmet, cranks it, then spins off.
Cocky and Dope! That is one slick, sexy bastard! Damn. He’s going to be perfect at the job.
Chapter Twenty-One
Listening to the last sounds of Quintus' motorcycle, we stand silently next to each other. Neither of us wanting to discuss what just happened, but I’m truly thankful it was nothing bad. That could have been disastrous! I hate my necklace was undone to prove a point, but it appears the point was totally put to rest with it and that’s a plus! I sure don’t need to have to worry about Quintus lusting and pushing our buttons.
Caesar bobs his head and tries to pull away. I tell Aurei. "If you aren’t finished, I’ll take a seat and watch."
He looks at me with that concerned caring look. Knowing I was truly upset with the necklace coming off, but not knowing how hurt my feelings are over it. I lean over for a kiss. "I’m not upset. Ok? I would have liked it if my necklace would not have been undone, but I understand cooperation and compromise. I’m a big girl." I lean in for a kiss. "And apparently whatever it says, put his damn fire out, and that’s a good thing."
His eyes relax, then they smile at me. "Give me thirty more minutes. I need to put him through the drills a few more times. Then we’ll head back up to the house."
"You got it!" I throw my hand up. "Not a problem. My cute little ass with sit right over there and watch your handsome ass."
He throws his leg over Caesar and sits his handsome ass down, then pulls his horse’s around as I take a seat in the stadium. Watching them together, I wondered how many hours it took to master that level of precision. I know how many hours it took to train Flash, but we raised him.
When Aurei is satisfied, we leave, but we don’t take the direct route back. He gives me a tour of the property. It’s expansive and impressive. When we finally return to the stables, the ranch hands stop working and watch as we ride back in. Paolini comes out of the barn and greets us. He asks how it worked out. Aurei tells him beautifully and they agree to do it again tomorrow. "I will put two men on it at day break and have Caesar ready before he is needed." We tie the horses up, and follow him back to the barn. As we walk back through the stables, I can feel eyes watching me.
"I think you’ve impressed the whole lot."
"Fully clothed too!" I take his hand and cinch our fingers. "I have multiple talents." Then I swing them between us as we walk back to the house. I feel his phone vibrate in my pocket and I dig it out. "You’ve got a call coming in Sir." I tell him in my secretary voice. "Shall I answer it for you, or will you take it yourself?"
"I’ll take it." He smirks, then looks down and frowns. When he answers he speaks Italian, drops his head and veers off the path. He leans against the fence and puts one leg on it.
I can tell, this is going to be a long conversation so I decide to work too. I dig my own phone out and walk away from him. I can feel his eyes on me. I set my phone down on top the fence post and turn on "Happy." I review the video, then put it on loop. I need to make sure I impress James when I do it for him the first time. I step back into the path and start. My mind fills with the images, my ears hear the melody and my heart takes up the beat. My body expresses them all. The hand gestures flow, pouring through me and I lose myself in the mu
sic. My gift and my talent pour out with passion. For the four minutes of the song, I become one with it. Pharrell Williams and everyone else melds into me. When I reach the most difficult point, the transition from the girl on the sidewalk in the black and white vertical stripe pants doing her wild thing to the man who does a break dancing move from a headstand, pushing his folded body up with one hand, and I manage to move between the two with lightning fast reflexes, then pull it off flawlessly, I know I’m going to own my return! I bounce right up and give the rest of the wiggling body dance exaggerated love! When I spin around and around at the end, I can literally hear the crowd clapping. I finish with a pretend hat pinch and come out of my dance trance.
There is clapping!
I focus my eyes on a table under the giant tent and see two beautiful people clapping. One is a man that looks exactly like my Golden God, only older. The other is a petite black haired woman. They must be Bob and Zita. I grin at them and take a bow. They rise from their chairs and I glance at Aurei. He sees what’s happening and pushes off the fence. He hangs up the phone and waves to them. I stand exactly where I am, froze to the spot from nerves and fear, waiting for the Moore’s to join me.
The moment of truth is here and I’m not ready to meet the parents. I’m scared to death. My heart races and my palms get sweaty. The label whore echoes around and around in my head.
What kind of impression did my dancing just make? Was I too erotic? I don’t know. I wasn’t paying attention! Are they going to like me or not?
Sweet Zeus! Hurry Aurei! I don’t want to do this alone!
I remember Ann and Bob’s text that Zita was pissed about me, but I also remember reading what she wrote to Aurei and it didn’t sound too pissed. Then I remember Mia screaming into the phone.
Zita doesn’t look like a screamer. She looks quiet and beautiful. Her eyes are the same soft brown as Antonio’s. Carmel color. Her olive skin is flawless. She carries herself with excellent posture and I see where Aurei gets his fluid motion from. She is elegant and graceful.
My attention turns to Bob. He strolls alongside Zita as if he doesn’t have a care in the world, but I notice his eyes have the same hawkish alertness that Aurei’s have.
Maybe it’s the military influence, or maybe it’s just who they are, but either way, nothing gets by him. He observes everything and he is in silent command of everyone around him while appearing to be uninvolved.
Aurei reaches me before they do and says as he puts his arm protectively around me. "Relax, Baby Thang, I got you. I got this"
I look up to see him smiling sweetly down on me and my heart hurts from loving him so much.
"You look like you are about to run away. Smile. Remember they love me and want me to be happy. And you make me happy."
I take a deep breath and smile up into his face.
"That’s better," he grins.
"I love you." I whisper up to him.
He grins at his parents, but whispers back, "I love you too." Then says out loud, "Zita, Bob, I want you to meet Siri Wright. Siri, this is my Dad, Bob."
Bob extends his hand. "Welcome, Siri. We are pleased you are here with Aurei and honored to meet you."
I shake his hand. "The honor is mine, Sir."
He takes a step back and looks at his son. He gives him a little wink.
Aurei introduces me to his mother. "Siri, this is my Mom, Zita."
I look at her and find her eyes are narrowed. She is studying me with a perplexed look on her face. Then she looks at Aurei and says, "Siri Wright? Why didn’t you tell me? How long have you two been seeing each other behind our backs?"
"Ma’am?" He asks completely taken aback.
She looks at me and asks, "Does Carrie know or did you keep it a secret from your Mother too?" She cuts her eyes at Aurei.
My mouth falls open and I look at Aurei too, who looks as stunned as I am. We share a 'What The Hell' moment and then we both look back at Zita while Bob chuckles.
Zita opens her arms to me. "I play tennis with your mother. If she knew and didn’t tell me…." She shakes her head. I step into her arms and she gives me a sweet hug. "How is she? I haven’t seen her since the accident."
"She’s good as new. She and Daddy are on a sailing trip around the Virgin Islands this summer."
She releases me then hugs her son. Play slapping him, first. "Now it all makes sense. Why you kept going out to Vegas instead of visiting us. You were flying out to see Siri."
"Busted." His eyes crinkle and he cuts them at me. I smirk at the real truth and my eyes twinkle into his.
"I can’t wait to hear how you two met. Isn’t it funny how small the world is?"
Bob steps up and takes Zita by the hand. "Marco should have lunch ready by now, Zita. Let’s go in and we can get acquainted while we eat."
She grins at me. "He takes good care of me."
"I can see that." I smile as they walk away.
"You see, I told you so. Nothing to worry about." Aurei scoops me off my feet. Zita looks back at us and smiles as big and beautiful as her son.
He spins me around and I can’t help the giggles that come out, but when he sets me down, I fuss at him. "For the love of Zeus! My mother tells everyone I’m a big shot headliner in a special Vegas dance troupe. How are we going to tell them I’m a stripper? They think I’m a good girl from Alabama who made a name for herself from our little redneck town. Not Seary, the Sex Pot Stripper."
His eyes laugh at my overreaction. "Don’t worry about it."
"Don’t worry about it? Are you kidding me? And blindside them? No way! As soon as everyone starts arriving they will hear the truth. We have to tell them now before they hear it from someone else. I won’t have them shocked that way. That’s not fair to them. No! We tell them. Now."
"I agree. They want to know how we met and we will tell them the truth."
"Oh great! The truth! That you saw me giving a lap dance to some other dude in a strip club in Vegas and booked me, but I vanished before we could hookup, only to have Karma bring us together in Alabama months later, and we fell in love at first sight? Sweet Zeus! Our story sounds crazy even to me!" He laughs out loud at me and I swat his chest. "It isn’t funny!"
"Yes, it is.
"No, it’s not. This is going to shock the shit out of them! I just hope that if they don’t die from it, they won’t hate me." I lay my forehead on his chest with a thud and his arms slide around me.
"Listen, Siri. You have to trust me. I got this, ok?" He hugs me tight. "It’s going to be ok. A month from now none of this will matter, and a year from now we will all be laughing about it."
"You are being naive, Aurei."
He laughs. "I’m being real."
My arms slip around his small waist and I pull him tight against me. "Why can’t pole dancing be seen as an artistic form instead of an expression of lust? Why does it have to be perceived as dirty?" I take a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. "Why is my life so complicated?"
His hands slide from my ass, up my arms and to each side of my neck. His thumbs slide over my necklace and he kisses the top of my head. "Look at me," he whispers. I tip my face to his and he places sweet little butterfly kisses on it as his fingers slide to hold my face captive. "There is nothing too complicated for two hearts that choose to be together. It’s the choice that makes it work. Your words. Not mine. We have chosen each other. I know you. You know me. Everyone else, including my parents, and the entire Liotine family, if they don’t like it, screw 'em!"
I can’t help but smile at him. "You state that so eloquently."
"You are mio Bella Signorina, don’t forget it!" His lips touch mine and his kiss shuts out the world. When he lets me go, he smiles his beautiful smile at me. "Better?"
"Yes, Sir. Better."
Chapter Twenty-Two
Inside Marco has lunch prepared and the table is set for the four of us in the sunroom just off the kitchen. Zita and Bob are already seated when we enter holding hands. Their smiles
are so warm and happy towards me, I hate the thought that I will be a disappointment to them now.
As Aurei pulls the chair out for me, I look down to sit and realize I’m wearing a bright pink shirt that says, "Just do it" on it. I pull my hair over my left shoulder and let it drape the words "do it" hiding them.
He smirks at my gesture and rolls his eyes, then takes the seat on my right. I’m across from Bob and he is across from Zita. She is unable to monopolize my conversation, having to speak across the table to me. The strategic move isn’t lost on me and probably not them either.
Aurei always has things under control. Breathe.
The entire time we eat, Bob and Aurei keep the conversation light and we talk pleasantries, the weather here and in Alabama, the Farm and the Villa, horses and dogs. Finally, the conversation swings around to us.
Zita asks, "Ok. I’ve been patient, young man. Spill the beans." She smiles sweetly, and we both look at Aurei.
He grins sheepishly and nods his head to me. "You go first."
I glare at him for a split second before my poker face slides on and I kick him under the table. He chuckles. I turn to face her and say, "Karma brought us together. I didn’t actually meet Aurei until I was back in Alabama after my mom’s accident. I met him in the lobby of my apartment building. I dropped my phone and he picked it up." I smile lovingly at him. "When he handed it to me and our hands touched, it was electric. When I looked into his eyes, I knew he was the one."
He takes my hand, kisses it, then picks up the story. "But you were right, Zita. I caught her show before Thanksgiving and was blown away by her. I kept returning, trying to learn more information about her, but everyone was tight lipped. No one would talk to me and all my attempts to meet her were thwarted by her security detail."
"Security detail?" Bob chimes in impressed with that tidbit of information.
"Yes, sir. You see, Siri is a big Star in Vegas. She’s the headlining entertainer at the top spot on the strip. She’s not only under constant guard, but isolated from the audience too." He answers his father directly, then shifts his attention back to his mother. "I kept going back again and again, trying to discover more about her and trying to meet her, but all I learned was how special everyone thinks she is and how competent her security is."
Being In Love (Siri's Saga Book 5) Page 13