by Marie Harte
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS:
SATURNALIA
Lord of Misrule
Marie Harte
®
www.loose-id.com
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This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id® e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
Saturnalia: Lord of Misrule
Marie Harte
This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Published by
Loose Id LLC
1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-2924
Carson City NV 89701-1215
www.loose-id.com
Copyright © December 2007 by Marie Harte
All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.
ISBN 978-1-59632-596-8
Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader
Printed in the United States of America
Editor: Ann M. Curtis
Cover Artist: April Martinez
Chapter One
Allegra Valente stared around her for the hundredth time, looking for the cows, goats, and charming villagers dressed in country casual that she’d been promised. Instead, she watched suited businessmen and women walking boldly over the cobblestone walkways ‑‑ the only thing true to her grandparents’ version of this town ‑‑ toward the trattorias and outside cafés promising lunch.
Il Regalo, Italy, was nothing like she’d expected. A small town in southern Italy, situated between Terracina and Gaeta, Il Regalo literally meant “the gift” in Italian. Allegra thought the name most appropriate, considering what she herself was doing here. After suffering constant badgering and “the guilts,” Allegra had finally caved and accompanied her grandparents to their birthplace, her Christmas gift to two people she dearly loved. But the pleasant hum of small-town life she’d anticipated didn’t exist in this bustling depiction of exorbitant wealth.
Gourmet eateries, expensive-looking boutiques, and several upscale businesses melded incongruously with the old-world buildings and ancient statues paying tribute to the past. Allegra stared at the fountain in the center of town, aware the large representation was the fifth she’d seen of the god Saturn. Large and muscular, he stood magnificently naked as he stared over the town. He spread his arms wide, his stomach rippling with muscle, his thighs and feet large, utterly powerful, appropriate for the powerful god who’d fathered Jupiter ‑‑ the king of the gods. The statue had weathered the test of time, the white marble smooth and polished, as if it had been sculpted just yesterday and not thousands of years before.
Allegra studied the fountain over which the god stood, watching the many patrons gathered around the large display to sit, eat, and talk. She frowned, wondering at the trash she noticed at the base of the statue. Why would the people allow such a beautiful centerpiece to be disgraced like that, when the rest of the town was spotlessly clean? Then she realized the bounty at Saturn’s feet was actually a bevy of grapes, vegetables, and raw meats. She blinked. That food looked real.
Something slammed into her side, breaking her concentration and taking her breath away.
“So sorry,” a man muttered in heavily accented English. “Did not see you there.”
Surprised to find a person speaking English in what she’d assumed to be a small, provincial Italian village, Allegra watched him try to balance the large boxes in his arms as he made his way toward the doorway of a wine shop. Sighing when she realized the stubborn man had no intention of putting the boxes down before opening the door, she hurried around him and opened the door for him.
“Grazie.”
She mumbled “You’re welcome” and watched him struggle toward a counter. The man behind it began cursing him in Italian, and Allegra realized men the world over were pretty much the same. Stubborn, lacking sense, and…breathtakingly, heart-shatteringly gorgeous.
Walking toward her with a smile on his arresting face was a man who could have been Saturn himself. He had ungodly beauty. Short, thick, jet black hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a golden tan graced a frame that bespoke an outdoor lifestyle. The body under the designer suit was both tall and broad, and Allegra’s mouth watered at the thought of what he might look like without his clothes.
Her libido roared to life, and it was that very oddity that pushed Allegra out of her powerful, trancelike lust.
She moved back from the door, realizing she blocked it, and bumped into someone else. Turning to apologize, she managed “I’m so sorry, I ‑‑” before she froze in shock. If the guy in the store was Saturn reborn, this guy was a rough version of Adonis. Chocolate brown eyes stared out from a face made to beguile women. His features were coarser than the other man’s, but no less enthralling. A square jaw, straight nose, and full, sensual lips curved in response to her study.
“Beautiful,” he murmured and took her limp hand in his. “Please. Bump into me anytime.”
He spoke English without a trace of an accent, yet he looked as if he fit right in with the rest of the people milling about the town. He too wore a suit, his shoes shiny, his tie just right, and his cologne was subtle, rich, and dangerously tempting. She’d never smelled the like before, and knew she’d never forget it.
“I… You’re not from here?”
He laughed, a rich boom that echoed in the deep voice behind her. “Renato, this beauty doesn’t think I’m a native. What gave me away?”
She turned to see Renato smiling. Good lord, but how could anyone have teeth that white and perfect and not look like an ad for toothpaste? Somehow, Renato managed, because all she could think about when she looked at him was how he’d feel on top of her.
“Your American voice, Matt. Much too bland for a rich Italiano.” Renato reached them and with the other male’s help, guided a stupefied Allegra out of the store’s entryway back onto the sidewalk.
She flushed, realizing she’d been staring at them and blocking foot traffic. “Sorry. I was holding the door for that guy and, ah…” How did a woman explain she’d been ogling fine-looking men without coming across as pathetic? Then she recalled the real reason she’d been wandering the street and turned red. “Actually, I’m trying to find directions to the Valente family’s spread. We’re here visiting for Christmas.” Staring around her, she noted the lack of holiday decorations and puzzled over one more part of Il Regalo that didn’t fit.
Renato stared at her in surprise before grinning like the cat that ate the canary. “Ah, so you’re Tony and Donna’s nipote?”
Though she didn’t speak Italian, she’d heard the word often enough to know he said “granddaughter” and nodded in surprise. He knew her grandparents?
The words seemed to have a magical effect on Matt, for the large man froze and narrowed his gaze on her with a searing intensity. “Allegra Valente?”
Her womb pulsed, begging her to end the hunger growing within her sexually charged body. Clearing her throat, Allegra looked away, but turned immediately back at the sexy groan she couldn’t possibly have heard. Much as she might have wished it, men who looked like these two didn’t groan
over her. She felt attractive, kept in decent shape, but knew her limitations. And these two men were way beyond her boundaries.
“I’m Allegra. I’m here with my grandparents, Tony and Donna, who were right behind me.” Turning, she saw the two standing arm in arm, gazing up at the statue in the fountain. Allegra couldn’t help smiling. She really did love the pair. Despite the busy season and the work still needing doing in her small bakery, she’d decided to make her grandparents happy…and leave that milquetoast ex-boyfriend of hers far, far behind.
Glancing back up at the men who could never be called bland, Allegra was stunned to see blazing hunger in their mirrored gazes. “Ah, I guess I’d better get back then.” Her voice sounded like a blatant invitation, the husky cadence foreign, yet hers.
“No, no, bella. Let us accompany you to the proprietà.”
“To the estate.” Matt smiled at Allegra’s puzzled expression. “Don’t speak much Italian, do you?”
“No.” She flushed, feeling extremely ignorant. But before she could embarrass herself any further, her grandfather called her name and waved. She pasted a smile on her face and glanced back at Matt and Renato. “I’m sure you two have better things to do than show some tourists around.” Allegra pointedly stared at their suits. “I hope I haven’t made you late for anything, and I’m so sorry for bumping into you…Matt.”
“Matt Silvano,” he said in a thick voice as he lifted her hand to his mouth. “And this is my friend, Renato Fortuna. No harm done, Allegra. Believe me.” The touch of his lips made her tremble, and it was a moment before she realized she stood in Renato’s arms before her grandparents by the fountain.
Renato muttered a stream of words at Matt, who finally let go of her hand with an apologetic shrug.
What the hell? How had she moved from the wine shop to the fountain without remembering it? And how did one kiss ‑‑ on the hand, no less ‑‑ turn her world so upside down?
“Allegra, we’ve been looking for you. Oh, I see you’ve made a few friends.” Donna Valente’s eyes twinkled as she waited expectantly for the introductions.
Both men flanking Allegra were unfailingly polite to her grandparents, and she couldn’t help smiling when Renato flirted with her grandmother. But to her consternation, he still hadn’t let go of her, a fact that had her grandmother grinning like crazy.
“You meet a handsome Italian man and marry, have babies, and be happy. No more idiots like that Josh Greenfeld,” her grandmother had told her. Her grandmother had never liked her ex, and had no problem telling her so. But Donna Valente seemed to have no problems with these two strangers. Allegra shook her head.
“Well, I think we’ve monopolized these gentlemen long enough. It was nice meeting you ‑‑”
“No, no.” Her grandfather shook his head adamantly. “Sono spiacente. Signori, per favore ‑‑”
“Grandpa.” Allegra frowned, irritated that he kept talking, and she couldn’t understand a thing. As if it were her fault she’d been raised by a father who wouldn’t allow a word of Italian spoken in the house.
Her grandfather shrugged. “Sorry, Allegra. But it’s an honor to have escort from such esteemed gentlemen. We would be happy to have you join us at my brother’s home.”
“If you’re sure it’s no trouble,” Renato said, not sounding at all hesitant.
Her grandfather waved his words aside. “No trouble at all.”
Though Allegra didn’t see how polite it was to invite strangers to a house that wasn’t even yours, she didn’t argue, and neither did her grandmother. Instead, they brought Matt and Renato with them to the car they’d rented for their vacation. A car big enough for their luggage in the trunk, her grandparents in the front seat, and Allegra in the back, but not for the two giant men joining them.
“I don’t think there’s enough room.” Her grandmother frowned when she looked from the men to the car’s backseat, but Matt chuckled at her concern.
“But Mrs. Valente, this gives us an excuse to get closer to your beautiful granddaughter. Surely, you wouldn’t begrudge us that?”
Allegra waited for her grandmother’s frown. To her surprise, it never came.
Donna Valente smiled and batted her eyelashes like a schoolgirl. “Good point. Allegra, into the car with you and your suitors.”
“Grandma?” Suitors? As in plural? And since when did Donna Valente think any man ‑‑ or men ‑‑ seemed good enough for her granddaughter?
Matt didn’t give her time to argue. He pushed her into the car, wedging her between his huge frame and Renato’s, who entered from the other side. Their body heat leached through her clothing, and for a wild minute Allegra fantasized about being naked between them. Her gaze caught Matt’s, and she had the distinct feeling he knew what she was thinking. Blushing, she turned to see Renato staring at her, his smile wide and knowing. He winked, murmured something to Matt who laughed, and moved closer, if that were possible, to Allegra.
Her blood afire, Allegra did her best to calm her breathing, glad for the thin coat and jeans that hid her body’s reaction to the handsome, sexually aware men.
Renato suddenly shifted, putting his arm over the back of the seat, his hand resting on her shoulder. She shivered, and Matt put his hand on her knee and squeezed. What he no doubt meant to be reassuring turned distinctly carnal in Allegra’s twisted thoughts.
Good lord, but she’d never fantasized about sex so much in her life. Hell, she didn’t even like sex, a fact that kept her frustratingly single. So in an attempt to distract herself, she tried to assuage her curiosity about the town.
“Tell me something, Matt, Renato. Why aren’t there any Christmas decorations in town? I mean, it’s December sixteenth already. Most shops at home get out the decorations right after Thanksgiving.”
Matt answered, his fingers stroking her jean-clad knee and lighting a fire between her thighs. “Il Regalo’s not like most other villas around here. I’m originally from the States, but I’ve been living here on and off all my life, so I understand the differences better than most. I’m sure you were expecting a quaint little town, something like what your grandparents used to find when they lived here.”
Her grandparents nodded from the front.
“Il Regalo has seen much prosperity in the last few years,” Renato added, capturing her attention. His eyes were so blue she wondered if he wore contacts, but for all that she could see, the color was startlingly real. He winked before continuing. “We are home to one of the most successful wineries in southern Italy, as well as the proud exporters of the coveted Manili family olive oils.”
Allegra stared in surprise. She hadn’t realized Manili’s was out of Il Regalo. She saw the darned bottles in nearly every grocery store back home.
Matt took over the conversation again. “Which is why you see such a booming little town instead of the pleasant village you must have been expecting. We’ve grown quite cosmopolitan over the years.” He chuckled, and Renato joined his laughter, some inside joke she didn’t understand, apparently. “But the town isn’t too forward that we forget the old traditions.”
Allegra realized that for all Matt was an American, he had close ties to Il Regalo. He spoke of the town as if it were his, as did Renato. And then something in her clicked, and she stared at Renato in surprised realization. “Your last name. Fortuna. Of Fortuna Wines?”
He nodded, his smile wide. “Matt and I co-own the winery, which has been passed down through our families for generations. The grapes come from our vineyards here, as does the production. But the distribution is primarily in the United States.”
“Where I handle most of the work, or at least I have until this past year.”
Allegra’s grandmother turned around, frowning. “Why did you stop? Are you leaving the company?”
A bold question from someone Matt had just met, but he answered easily enough.
“Not at all. I’m moving permanently to Il Regalo after the first of the year. But I’m not ‘officially’ here
until after the New Year. I want to relax for now, to celebrate Saturnalia.”
Allegra stared. “Saturnalia? What, is that some Italian term for Christmas I don’t know about?”
Renato chuckled. “No, bella. Christmas is its own celebration, and one recognized throughout our country, for sure. But Il Regalo is a very old village. And we pay our yearly tribute to tradition in the form of Saturnalia.”
“For the Roman god Saturn, today often associated with the Greeks’ Kronos?” Matt waited for her acknowledgement.
“Sorry, not striking a bell.”
“Saturn is an ancient god of Rome who began as an agricultural deity and who reigned over the Golden Age, when Romans lived in peace and prosperity. He had six children with his wife Ops. A prophecy foretold that one of his children would overthrow him one day, so he ate each one as they were born.”
“Ate them?” Allegra frowned. Nice.
“It’s just a story.” Renato smiled and inched his fingers under the collar of her jacket, his fingertips barely brushing her neck. Yet the contact was enough to make her jolt in sheer lust. “Continue, Matt.”
“Yes, please do,” Allegra’s grandfather said over his shoulder. “I love hearing the old stories retold.”
“Right.” Matt squeezed her leg and continued. “Ops didn’t much care for her husband eating her kids, so she hid the sixth child on the island of Crete and handed Saturn a rock wrapped in swaddling, which he swallowed, thinking it was Jupiter, his last son.
“Jupiter, however, struck back and overthrew Saturn, and thus the Golden Age ended, and Jupiter took over as the new supreme ruler of the cosmos.”
Allegra stared at him, amazed. “Wow. That’s some tale.”
“What can I say? I majored in history in college and had a thing for mythology.” Matt glanced at Renato. “You should hear the stories he tells. I just know the basics, but Renato’s full of it.”