Adored: Book 1 (The Beloved Series)

by MJ Masucci

  Fourteen minutes later, he was showered and dressed. He sat on the futon shaking his leg, waiting, hoping that she was on his way. Two minutes after that he heard a car in the driveway and saw her getting out. A thrill went through him and he threw open the door as Nina came bounding up the steps to the porch, leaving Madison to drive away.

  “Baby, I’m so happy to see you,” Julian pulled her into his arms.

  “You smell so good.”

  Julian started to laugh.

  “Why are you laughing?”

  “Because twenty minutes ago, I stunk.”

  “Well, you don’t now.”

  “It’s chilly out here, come inside.”

  She handed him the blue duffel bag she had brought.

  “What’s this?”

  “I’m staying. I told my mother I want to be with you if you’ll have me.”

  “You want to live with me?”

  “I do. Say you want that too.”

  Julian tightened his grip on Nina, leaning down to kiss her. She sucked on his tongue and immediately their passions ignited. Her core clenched and he was rock hard in seconds. It had been two weeks since they last made love. Julian pulled her by the hand to his bedroom, stripping off the clothing he had put on less than a half hour ago while she did the same.

  He laid her down in bed and got on top of her, kissing her body as she curled her fingers in his hair.

  “No foreplay, just fuck me.”

  His head popped up to look in her eyes.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Oh yes. I’ve been ready for two weeks.”

  Julian swept his fingers through her folds and found her soaking wet; it was all that he needed. He was aching to enter her and he positioned his cock at Nina’s entrance and with one hard thrust, he was in her.

  “Wrap your legs around me.”

  She did as he pounded into her. Her moans became feral and it turned him on even more. He bit her nipples gently and she let out a loud cry, not of hurt but of ecstasy.

  “Yes, Julian. Yes!”

  He continued to thrust into her with a steady tempo. Nina dug her nails into his ass, pushing him deeper. His eyes were closed, lips moving as if he was counting the strokes as he plunged in and out. She ran her nails over his lips and his eyes fluttered open, biting at her fingers and licking the tips with his tongue.

  Julian tugged at her legs so she would uncurl them from his back, then grabbed her ankles, holding them apart and resting them on his shoulders. This was a new position they had not tried. While remaining inside her, he knelt between her legs and continued his furious pace.

  He used his thumb to circle her clit slowly and she whimpered, biting her lip. She shuddered and he knew she was close.

  “Come on, baby, give it to me. Come for me.”

  Nina arched her back as she shattered into a million pieces, her face contorted with ecstasy. The gripping of her orgasm on his cock caused him to release and he thrust hard into her with several punishing strokes until he was spent, all the while grunting. When he was finished, her legs fell away and he lay on top of her as he kissed her sweat slicked face.

  “Why can’t we be like this all the time, Julian?”

  “What, you mean? Have sex all the time?”

  “No, in harmony.”

  “Baby, we can. We just need to learn to be on the same page.”

  Julian pressed his lips to her forehead then rolled off her.

  “Did you mean what you said when you wanted to make this permanent?”

  He turned on his side to look at her, “Yes, I did. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my entire life. I love you, Nina Caro, more than I’ve ever loved anyone. Can you understand that?”

  “I do, but it scares me.”

  He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, “What scares you? Me?”

  “Not you, this,” she said as she gestured between them.

  “Our relationship?”

  “Is it Julian? Is it a relationship or a good time?”

  “It’s a relationship to me. What do you call it?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never had a relationship. I don’t know what it feels like.”

  “It feels like this. I’ll admit that this is not the norm for a relationship. I’ve never had my girlfriend taken away and hidden from me.”

  “Why didn’t you come find me?”

  “I told you, I know how important family is and I didn’t want to get in the way of yours. If it were meant to be then you would come to me. That isn’t to say that I wasn’t miserable without you.”

  She pressed her body against his, burying her head in his neck.

  “You don’t look good. You look tired and thinner.”

  “I didn’t sleep or eat very well while you were gone. I sleep better with you in my bed. Did you mean what you wrote in that note? Do I really make you miserable?”

  “Sometimes. You confuse me.”

  “I don’t want to do that. I love you and there should be no confusion.”

  “That’s not what confuses me. Your emotions confuse me. You run hot and cold.”

  “Sweet pea, give me a chance. I’m working on it. This is as new to me as it is to you. I’m trying to make myself emotionally available, but it doesn’t happen overnight.”

  “What about my family? They’ll come for me.”

  “I was thinking about that. We should talk to your mother and Frankie. They seem to at least like me.”

  “Julian, my father likes you. He just doesn’t trust you.”

  “Then what is your suggestion?”

  “We go see him in Brooklyn, together. Make him understand who you are.”

  “Did you tell anyone besides Frankie what I said about Vito?”

  “No, only he knows and he promised not to say anything, even to my mother.”

  “Call your father. It’s still early and the drive to Brooklyn will take under a couple of hours.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. I don’t know about you, but I can’t deal with being away from you. It hurts me and I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

  “I need your phone since mine is with my father.”

  Julian climbed off the bed and fished the phone from the back pocket of his jeans, handing it to Nina. He watched as she dialed and he absentmindedly scratched at the stubble on his chin while she talked. The conversation was mostly on her father’s side, which Julian couldn’t hear very well. When she hung up, she gave him the news.

  “He wants to have lunch with us at his house.”

  Julian frowned and began to scratch an imaginary itch on his arm.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Am I going to be taken into the basement?”

  “Don’t be silly. I’m telling him that my relationship with you is not up for discussion or debate. I’m dating you, maybe even marrying you.”

  “I think you better ease up on the marrying part.”

  “You don’t want to marry me?”

  “No, I do, very much. I just don’t want them to know that. The point being maybe they will say, hey, let her date him and it will probably wear itself out. They may think we’ll break up and you’ll move on to the next guy, a guy that they know and like. It’s more about control than anything. He can’t control me because I don’t fear his reputation. A neighborhood guy would.”

  “You really think that?”

  “Frankie said as much this morning. Keep that under your hat. I’m not sure that Vito would be too keen on Frankie telling me things.”

  “I would never say anything anyway. Frankie is like a second father to me.”

  “He told me you never cry.”

  “I don’t. I’ve cried more over you than ever in my entire life.”

  “Please don’t cry over me anymore. We’ll work this out.”

  “We need to get ready. My father wants us for lunch by noon.”

  They scrambled around picking up clothing. Nina showere
d quickly while Julian washed up in the sink. He watched her through the clear shower curtain wishing the shower stall was more accommodating for two people. She opened her eyes after washing her hair, smiled at him and mouthed the word no. Julian quickly left the room before his arousal made them late.

  Chapter 13

  They arrived at Vito Caro’s home shortly before noon. Julian parked the truck in the driveway and went around to Nina’s side to open the door for her. They held hands as they approached the double front doors of the large brick home. Before they could knock, the door flung open to a tank top clad Joey shoving a piece of Italian bread in his mouth. He was a taller, wider version of Tony, only his jet black hair was longer.

  “Hi, Joey.”

  “You shouldn’t have sneaked away like that.”

  “Fuck you. I shouldn’t have been locked up like an animal.”

  Julian squeezed Nina’s hand a few times trying to calm her.

  “You got a smart mouth.”

  “Yeah, I do. I’m not one of your girlfriends you can boss around so back off.”

  Joey held the door open and Julian felt the sting of fingers flicking his ear as he walked by. He said nothing. Joey slammed the door and they followed him into the dining room where Vito was wearing a pair of square black reading glasses sitting low on his nose. He was looking at the newspaper.

  The house smelled of Italian food and brought back memories of Sunday dinner at the Gennaro house. Back then, friends of Julian’s would often spend the day and have dinner, which was usually served at three.

  “There’s my stubborn daughter.”

  Nina let Julian’s hand go and went to hug her father.

  “Hello, Daddy.”

  “I’m not very happy with you. You shouldn’t have left like that. We were worried.”

  “And you shouldn’t have locked me up.”

  “Hello, Mr. Caro.”

  Vito scowled at Julian, “Sit down, both of you.”

  Julian heard Nina sigh then begin. “Daddy, I’m going to get right to the point. I like Julian very much and I want to date him. Not all men outside of Brooklyn are bad.”

  “I never said they were bad. I said I didn’t know him and what I do know of him is not impressive.”

  “Sir, how can I alleviate your fears?”

  Behind him, he heard a snort coming from Joey who was leaning against the wall, “Get him with his big words.”

  “Enough, Joey,” Vito said as he held his hand up.

  Joey left the room, but not before he bumped the chair where Julian sat.

  “Tell me about your family. Where they’re from, what they do.”

  Julian scratched at the stubble on his chin searching for the right words.

  “I have no family. My family was killed in a car crash some years back. I have no other relatives as far as I know. My grandparents on my father’s side were from Naples and my grandparents from my mother’s side, Florence.”

  Vito smiled widely, “So you’re all Italian?”

  “Based on what my parents had told me, I am.”

  “That’s a good start. How do you support yourself? You’re a painter?”

  “Well, no. I have a large inheritance plus I work as a graphic designer.”

  “So you don’t work as a teacher?”

  “Only as a hobby. I like to broaden young minds to the beauty of art.”

  “That’s noble, but I’ve heard some disturbing things about you. First, you got into a fight at a barbecue where you were a guest, then you get into a gang fight in a parking lot at the school you were teaching at.”

  Julian inhaled deeply. The tension in the room was palpable. To try to disarm it, he began to explain what happened regarding all the points that Vito brought up.

  “As I told Mrs. Caro, I wouldn’t hurt Nina. I like her very much.”

  “You better not, Mr. Gennaro. I expect you’ll treat her with respect and ask me if you have plans to further your relationship.”

  He didn’t ask what Vito meant by that; he could figure it out. Marriage. The man expected Julian to ask him if he would give him his blessing to marry Nina. It was an old school arrangement but out of respect, when the time came, he would do it.

  The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying the food that the Caro’s staff had prepared. Julian hadn’t had a homemade Italian meal in years and when he was offered leftovers, he jumped at the chance. Even Joey and Tony seemed to be warming to Julian though he would keep them at arm’s length. He didn’t trust them, not yet anyway. On the way home, Nina held hands with Julian.

  “Julian, something has been bothering me.”

  “Oh? What is it?”

  “You said you liked me very much to my father.”

  “I told him a white lie. I love you, but I didn’t think he would take it too kindly if I said I was madly in love with you in such a short time.”

  Nina squeezed his hand tightly and said excitedly, “You’re madly in love with me?”

  “I think I am. Does that bother you?”

  “No, it gives me butterflies in my stomach. I know I’m madly in love with you. Is this really happening?”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because a few weeks ago my life was boring, blah and now…”

  “I know how you feel.”

  Nina put her head back and as Julian drove northward, he heard her breathing become even with sleep. Her hand remained wrapped around his. When he arrived home, he gently slipped his hand from hers and leaned over to kiss her. She woke at the feel of his lips upon her cheek.

  “Where are we?”

  “Home, baby. Do you want to go inside or take a walk?”

  “I’m very tired but the fresh air would do me good.”

  They exited the truck and he took her hand, leading her into the woods behind the cabin. He walked with her along the creek until they came to a narrowing of twelve feet across. Large rocks stood above the water as a makeshift path to the other side.

  “Do you want to go across or should we continue walking along the creek?”

  “What’s over there?”

  “There are a few things I want to show you.”

  Julian stepped carefully on the rocks and when he got to the middle of the creek, he turned, waiting for Nina to navigate them. Once they got across he led her up a small embankment to an area with a large grove of trees, then he pointed up. High above was a treehouse utilizing five closely growing oak trees.

  “A treehouse? When did you build that?”

  “A few years before my father died. I used to hang out up there with Thaddeus and Maureen.”

  Nina looked around for a ladder, but there was none.

  “How do you get up?”

  She watched as Julian reached around and pulled a rope ladder that had been nestled between the crotch of two trees.

  “I can’t climb that. I’ll fall.”

  “You won’t and I’ll be right behind you. It’s only thirty feet.”

  “I don’t want to do it. I hate heights.”

  Julian looked disappointed, but he didn’t press her. Instead, he secured the rope ladder back where he had released it from and took her hand again. They continued to walk until they came up to several outcroppings of rocks. One such outcropping had several vines in front of it, and he dropped her hand to push them away. Behind it was an opening to what looked like a cave.

  She looked up at him with fear on her face, “What is this?”

  “Sweet pea, do you trust me?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then come, follow me.”

  Julian gently tugged at her hand as they ducked into the cave. The opening was low, but when they cleared it, the cave ceiling rose as they went in further.

  “We found this by accident.” Julian said.

  Near the opening of the cave was a round fireplace put together by makeshift stones. A large trunk stood in the corner. He dropped Nina’s hand to flip it open. Inside were several large bags
with all kinds of supplies. A blanket, sleeping bag, a pocket knife, matches in a small round silver case, a foil blanket, rope, an axe and a pair of leather utility gloves.

  Nina chuckled, “Doomsday prepper.”

  “Not really. Most of this stuff has been here for awhile. I don’t even know if the matches are viable anymore. We used to hang out here on the weekends, drink beers and camp. The vines hide the entrance pretty well. I stumbled across this one summer when I was fourteen.”

  “Is this the only cave up here?”

  “No, actually there are two more, but they’re smaller. It looked like they might have been used by animals.”

  Nina sat down on a log near the fire pit and hugged herself.

  “Are you cold? We can go back and I can make a fire if you are.”

  “I want that.”

  “Let’s go then.”

  He led her back the way they came and took her into the house. Nina sat in the rocking chair by the fireplace as he prepared the kindling to get the fire started. Within minutes, large orange flames were warming the room.

  “Do you want tea?”

  “If you have Earl Grey, that’s my favorite.”

  Julian felt a pang in his gut. Earl Grey was his mother’s favorite tea also. He knew that he had a tin of it somewhere. Even though his mother had been gone for several years, he always kept it on hand as if she would walk through the front door and request a cup.

  He prepared Nina’s tea without saying a word and handed it to her when it was ready. She noticed his look of melancholy.

  “Julian?”

  He was lost in thought.

  “Julian, are you okay?”

  “Huh?”

  “Did I say something wrong?”

  “No, you didn’t know.”

  “Know what?”

  “Earl Grey was my mother’s favorite also. She used to drink it sitting right where you are.”

  “I didn’t mean…I’m sorry.”

  “No need to apologize. You didn’t know and there will always be something that will remind me of my family.”

  Nina went back to sipping her tea and curled her legs under her like a cat as she stared at the flames while still keeping an eye on him. Julian stared at his hands, rubbing his palms together. She was disturbed by his actions.