Nothing Else But You

by Elle Wright

  She harrumphed.

  “Aw, don’t be stressing, baby. You wanted me to find you.”

  All those nights, and a good part of her days had increasingly been occupied with fantasies of what life would be like if he was in Fiddler’s Rest. Seems her subconscious made sure that happened.

  “Well…my return flight is tomorrow.”

  “My original flight was a week ago yesterday.”

  “Huh?”

  “The day after my last final, I was going to walk into Gusk’s and surprise you. When shit happened, I called the airline and changed the ticket to open-ended.”

  She was sooooo glad he didn’t show up unannounced in Gusk’s. She would have never, ever, not in a thousand years, lived down fainting onto the old wooden floor at the sight of Gio Di Caro, in all his glory, standing before her in downtown Fiddler’s Rest. Shit. Even looking at him right now made her all kinds of stupid.

  “Not to be rude, but aren’t you broke?”

  ***

  Gio pushed at her hip for her to scoot over, and climbed into bed, got under the covers, and sat right up against her. “So here’s the deal. My father pays for school and puts a lump sum in a checking account at the beginning of each semester. As you can imagine, it’s a generous amount, and I’m careful with his money. Not a fan of going to the old man with my hand out.”

  “Obvi.”

  “Yeah.” He grabbed her chin, leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. God, she got him like no one else. The comfort in knowing there was a person in world who understood him, who looked like her, was smarter than him, was into him, and made him come so hard his balls ached, was a goddamn miracle.

  “I know I’m fucked up about my parents.” She waited, in that way he was learning, for him to go at his own pace. “My mother knows what he does and has to have known all along. She’s not stupid by any stretch of the imagination. She went to Bryn Mawr, and after she graduated she worked in the marketing department of a large produce company that my father bought about a year after she’d been there. That’s how they met.”

  “And?” He loved her prompts. Direct, but pithy.

  “She’s second generation, but she’d worked in her grandparents’ market since she was a kid. She knows all about how they did things in the old country. Her whole family is from Sicily. There’s no way she didn’t know who and what my father is the minute she learned he’d bought the company. She said yes when he asked her out. She could’ve turned him down and never gotten involved in that life.”

  “But she did.”

  “Yeah. My guess, she was exactly what he was looking for. Same heritage, pretty, smart, more American than him, and had good DNA for his kids. She knew what questions to ask, and when to never ask. She’d be a good hostess, completely comfortable with a large noisy family, and she’d give him children and a home. He must’ve gone after her full throttle. Never gave her a chance to say no.”

  “Do you think he loves her?”

  “I know he does. Whether that was the case when they married, I can’t say, but for as long as I can remember, yeah, he dotes on her. She makes his home life easy, and she adores him.”

  “To summarize: you grew up in a home filled with love and comfort, but the foundation was built with blood money.”

  “See, that’s why you’re the writer. An elevator pitch of my life in one sentence.”

  She grinned then squeezed his hand. “You’ve made your choice. You’re not following in his footsteps. What you have to decide is whether you can separate what he his, and what she allows, from how you feel about them as your family. There’s not a doubt in my mind they’d do anything for you. Including, and especially, allowing you to walk away from the family business.”

  “Not to be cliché, but easier said than done.”

  “Nothing about these kinds of choices is easy. It’s more a matter of the heart than the head.”

  “If anyone would know, Ace, it would be you.” He’d thought about asking this next question and wondered if it would touch too many raw nerves. But, selfishly, he wanted to know.

  “How are you not bitter? I mean, hate men. Pissed off at your mother.”

  “I always knew all men weren’t like that piece of shit. There were so many old guys who were nice to me at the church. And I’ve had some really great male teachers. I’ve learned some men are horrible monsters. A lot of them are entitled assholes. Most are decent guys trying to get through like the rest of us.” She dipped her chin. “As for my mother, she was determined when it came to me, but she never protected herself. I have no idea what her parents were like and how she grew up. I’m going with they treated her like shit and that’s how she saw herself. And she loved me as best she could.” She looked up and stared at him intently. “I’ve always known, as long as I have me, I’d be okay.”

  He was going to spend the rest of his life trying to be as strong and good as her.

  “Well, you have me now too. I’m hope that makes you more okay.”

  She grinned. “You know…I’m not feeling so okay,” she took his hand, moved it under the covers, and put it right over her burning hot pussy, “right here.”

  “You know,” he mumbled as he pulled down the covers, yanked on her calves, and threw them over his shoulders, “I think I might have a solution for that.”

  Breakfast was brunch at 12:45. Different waiter, same great service. Another fifty palmed as the dude was leaving.

  “So,” she tilted her head toward the door through which the happy-as-fuck waiter had departed, “the money.”

  Gio stuffed an overloaded forkful of pancake in his mouth, catching the dripping syrup with his tongue. His girl actually moaned when he did, and his dick, which had had an energetic workout that ended not fifteen minutes ago, stood up and wanted her to know it appreciated her comment.

  He chased the awkward pancake swallow with a gulp of coffee, clearing his throat so he didn’t sound like a twelve-year-old boy when he spoke. “I didn’t want my father to wonder why so much money disappeared from the checking account when all that shit went down with Sofia a few months ago. His name is on the account so he can manage the money, and keep tabs on me, of which I’m certain he does. So I dipped into my own money.”

  She stared, those beautiful hazel eyes watching him, waiting for him to tell her more. Was it wrong that he wanted to bend her over the arm of the couch and fuck her until they both couldn’t breathe?

  “My nonna – ”

  “The general.” She saluted.

  He shook his head. “Yeah. She’s my mother’s mother. My dad’s mom died before Aurora was born, which is why she’s named Aurora, after my grandmother.”

  “Ah.”

  “So, my nonna and nonno took over my great-grandparents’ Italian market in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They expanded the store and did well. It was a fixture in the community. When they started talking about retiring, none of their children wanted to take over the place. They’d all worked there as kids and saw how it had worn down their grandparents and parents. They knew keeping it going meant working long hours and that they’d wouldn’t have weekends for themselves, and later, their families.

  “My grandparents sold the business and set up a trust for all their grandchildren. And there are a lot of us. That was about twelve, no, fourteen years ago. Nonno died twelve years ago. My nonna didn’t get to keep him into the golden years.”

  “How sad. I’m so sorry.”

  “Me too. She still loves him. She moved in with us right after he died. She didn’t want to be alone.”

  She nodded. “I get that. I bet you were her taste tester in the kitchen.”

  He grinned. “Yep.” She brought him back to center like magic. “Anyway, per the terms of the trust, we couldn’t take our share of the money until we turned eighteen. Since there are so many of us, it’s not a whack, but if it’s invested well, it can be in about twenty years.”

  “You took only a little of it in cash, didn’t you?”
>
  She knew him. Completely. All that gooey shit about soul mates, and how some lucky bastards meet the person that was made for them? Totally true. She was sitting across the table from him, and he was never letting her go.

  “A little more than ten K. It was supposed to be my spending money for all four years. Money I could blow and not have to explain to my old man.”

  “And a good portion of it you spent on Sofia.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Don’t misunderstand me, I’m in awe of the suite, the amazing food, and all the amenities, but you could’ve put us in the Holiday Inn Express and I would’ve been thrilled.”

  “Nuh-uh. My girl deserves the best. Especially since she got on a plane and came across the country to make me feel better.”

  She got up, came around the table, sat down, and threw her legs over his lap. Exactly where he wanted her to be. She put her hands on his cheeks and smiled. “I’m going to break another girls’ club rule.”

  “I won’t tell a soul.”

  “Thanks.” She leaned in and licked his bottom lip then pulled back only enough so she could talk without having her lips on his. Which was a shame. “Your kindness is what got me. It came through in every letter you wrote.” She moved one of her hands and laid it against his heart. “You are a wonderful person.”

  Gio was undone. He had no idea how to respond to that. No one had ever made him feel humble before, but this girl, his girl, cracked him wide open.

  “Baby,” he whispered, then wrapped her in his arms and held her as close as he could.

  And even that was not enough.

  Shower

  Their suite

  Fairmont Hotel

  Natalia

  “You know, it’s a good thing we’re in a big hotel or else there’d be no more hot water.”

  He looked up from between her legs and gave her a lopsided grin.

  She shook her head. She couldn’t decide which he enjoyed more: going down on her, or fucking her. Not that she was complaining. He did both so well all the bones in her body had turned to noodles. If those big strong hands of his weren’t holding her up against the tiled wall, she’d be another puddle going down the drain.

  When they’d gotten in the shower, she’d gone down on her knees and spent a considerable amount of time torturing him. She adored his dick: long, thick, smooth, and hard as steel. The plump head was particularly sensitive, and when she’d stuck the tip of her tongue in his slit, she thought he was having a heart attack, he was groaning so loud. What really had him begging was when she grabbed his balls and tugged at the same time she was sucking him. He’d come so hard she felt the rush hit the back of her throat at maximum velocity.

  And his recovery time was nonexistent. After that head sesh, she was sure they’d wash up, towel off, talk some more, and get in more bump and grind a little later. Negativo. He’d helped her up off the shower floor, spun her around, and fucked the breath right out of her lungs. Twice.

  Cagey. He’d brought condoms into the shower.

  Then they’d washed up, but he wasn’t done yet. He’d wanted to spend a little more time between her thighs, and dropped to his knees to make that a reality.

  “Is your phone waterproof?”

  He cocked his head as he stood up, keeping his body against hers as if he knew she’d collapse otherwise.

  “I figured since we’re taking up residence in here, you’d want to call the airline before your fingers turn prunish.”

  “Smart-ass.”

  He cut off the water, got her a towel, and wrapped it around her, pulling her back against his front. He swayed as if he was dancing to a song playing in his head. She closed her eyes and wished she could keep the world shut out for a few more days. A week. The summer. Forever.

  “Gimme your ticket.” He was wearing a towel around his waist – such a good look on him – standing next to the table in the bedroom. He held out his hand, waiting as she rummaged through her backpack. She gave him the crumpled paper with her itinerary. “Boise?”

  She plopped in the wing chair and crossed one leg under her butt. “Misdirection. Plus I was in a rush and Boise is a couple of hours closer than Portland.”

  “Huh. Didn’t know that.” He picked up his phone. “Your car in Boise?”

  She nodded.

  “Abel tighten it up?”

  “He did. It runs great.”

  “Good.” He dialed, talked to the airline, and got a seat on her flight. “I’ll ask people to rearrange themselves so we can sit together.”

  She had no doubt he would make that happen. Gio was the kind of guy people wanted to do things for.

  “Okay, baby, before we go get my clothes, give me the rest of it.”

  “Get your clothes? At your parents’ house?”

  “Yeah. I’ll pack a bag, you’ll meet my nonna, she’ll make us dinner, then we’ll come back here.”

  Fear, irrational and vast, flooded through her. She knew most of his family was in Sicily. She wouldn’t have to face his father. Frankly, the don didn’t scare her. Gio’s nonna, the general he thought could turn water into wine, made Natalia quake in her skin.

  “Ace?” He squatted in front of her and took her hands in his. “You’re cold as ice. What the fuck?”

  She dipped her chin. “What if your grandmother doesn’t like me?”

  He fell forward and buried his face in the folds of her robe. When she saw his shoulders shaking, she slapped his arm. “This isn’t funny.”

  He lifted his head. There were tears in his eyes from laughing so hard. “You’re right. It’s hysterical.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll bite. Why is it hysterical?”

  “’Cause I’ve never brought a girl home before. Ever. Nonna will know exactly who you are to me the moment she sees you. And she’ll love you.”

  “I’m thinking she’s more discerning than love at first sight.”

  “I’m thinking she’ll take one look at your hips and start mentally counting how many kids we’re going to have.”

  He did it again. He stopped her heart. In a light tone and an offhand manner, he’d given her the world. And told her they were carved in stone.

  She couldn’t hide her expression, and he saw how raw she felt. “Aw, Ace.” He lifted her and switched places. Sort of. He sat on the chair, and she sat on his lap, her legs dangling over the side of his fabulous thighs.

  “You know we’re there, right?”

  She nodded.

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “She’ll see that. I promise.”

  She nodded again.

  “Now, out with it.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “I figured I had to get as far away from Ivan Demko, or as he likes to be known on the streets, Ivan the terrible –”

  Gio growled, “Fuckin’ asshole.”

  “ – as I could. At first I thought hiding in plain sight in a big city like LA would be the way to go, but the larger the city, the more ethnicities and nationalities, and I worried someone in the Ukrainian community would be looking for me on his say-so. I went to Portland where there isn’t really a Ukrainian community. I needed to have enough places that provided free computers, and never the same place twice, while I researched where to land. Big enough city with a low threat threshold.”

  “How long were you there?”

  “Nineteen days. Longer than I wanted, but it worked out since that’s where I was able to get good fake ID. I dyed my hair.”

  Gio fisted a hank of her hair. “You’re not a redhead?”

  “Nope. Pale blonde. And it barely brushed my shoulders when I left.”

  He pulled her hair apart in a bunch of places. “No roots.”

  “I touch it up once a week. And,” she pointed to her sex, “that’s why I’m bare. I don’t mind dyeing my hair and eyebrows, but down there, no thanks.”

  He frowned. Deeply. “Who the fuck was going to see that except me?”

  She bit the inside of her mout
h. “I didn’t know you back then.”

  He made a guttural noise. “Still.”

  She laid her head on his chest and, smirking, she waited until his breathing returned to normal.

  “Go on.”

  “I became Mirabelle Landon.”

  “M.”

  “Right. And I chose Fiddler’s Rest because it’s remote enough, but not too far from a decent-size city. It has a community college, and it’s pretty homogenous.”

  “No Ukrainians.”

  “Nope. Most of the families have been there for generations.”

  “You like it there.”

  “I didn’t intend to, but I fell in love with the place. It’s not the prettiest spot in Oregon, kind of scrubby high desert foliage, but they have hot springs, and lots of wide-open spaces. Mostly, though, I love the people.” She shrugged. “I feel bad lying to them, but it’s the only way to stay below the radar.”

  “I’m guessing the car you drove across country in is not the car you have now.”

  “Third car since I left Providence. I sold my car in Ohio. Sold that car in Nebraska, and bought the car I own now in Portland after I got my new ID.”

  “What was the long-range plan?”

  “Outlive him.”

  “Christ, Ace. You were planning to stay off the grid for that many years?”

  “What choice did I have?”

  “Did. Exactly. Now you have me.”

  “If you got hurt because of me…I can’t let you put yourself in that position.”

  “Baby. I don’t remember asking for your permission. No, don’t pull a face. From now on whatever it is, we’re in it together.”

  “What would your nonna say about forfeiting your future?”

  He cocked a brow and gave her a get ready look. “She’d tell me to let my father handle it.”

  “You would do that?”

  “She would want me to, but, no. I wouldn’t. You’re wicked smart, and I’m not dumb. We can figure out a way for you to get out from under all this without getting arrested or, god forbid, hurt.”

  Over the course of her short life, Natalia had rarely put herself first. She’d sacrificed for her mother and would do it again in a heartbeat. As much as it would kill her, she’d give up anything and everything to keep Gio safe. Even him. But she had a feeling she’d never shake him. He’d keep coming after her no matter where she went. And if his father became involved, there wouldn’t be a rabbit hole she could hide in and not get found.