It was past midnight when they were finally shown their bedroom, and Sailor grinned when she saw it. It looked like somewhere from a different century, rustic to the extreme. It had been remodeled from an old outbuilding, one large room with a small kitchen and bathroom fitted, large open windows that were shuttered. A huge bed draped in white mosquito netting was at one end. A night stand, which consisted of an old metal table with flaking paint, was stuffed with books, and on top, an old-style lamp with filaments on top. Sailor sighed happily. “This is beautiful,” she said and went to study one of Claudio’s abstracts that hung in the living area. A riot of colors and shapes and Sailor found it magnetic. Claudio came to stand beside her as Bodhi lugged their suitcases into the bedroom. Claudio studied Sailor.
“You like?”
She nodded. “Very much. I don’t know why, but it makes me happy to see all those colors, especially the ones that should clash, next to each other.”
Claudio nodded, pleased. “That’s what I intended. I sincerely believe that color can help with mental health or even just improve your mood.”
Sailor smiled at him. “You’ve certainly achieved that, Claudio, and not just in this painting. This whole place is…a reminder. Of simplicity, of beauty. I can’t imagine anyone being unhappy here.”
Claudio touched her arm. “Thank you, that means a lot. Now,” he looked up as Bodhi joined them, “I’ll leave you two alone. You need anything, just call or help yourself. See you in the morning.”
When they were alone, Bodhi kissed Sailor tenderly. “You tired, baby?”
She nodded but looked up into his eyes with her own soft look and full of desire. “I am…but I might need a nightcap before I’m able to fully relax, you know?”
Bodhi got her meaning immediately and grinned. “Well,” he said, lifting her into his arms and carrying he to the bed, “Let’s see what sort of nightcap I can offer you.”
He stripped her and, not wanting to wait, he tugged her legs around his waist and pushed inside her. They made love slowly, not wanting to break the spell of this warm summer night and afterward, fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Bay shook Tom’s shoulder gently. “Tom? Babe?”
Tom blinked his eyes open to see her standing by the bed, and she grinned at him, pointing at her belly. “We have lift off.”
They called Kym and Roman to come look after the girls, while Tom took his wife to the hospital. As they chatted easily in the car, neither noticed the beat-up Camaro following them.
Tom had insisted that she have a birthing suite at the best private hospital and Bay didn’t argue. Just like she told Sailor, when it came to their children, she wanted the best. The nurses and midwives greeted them like old friends, after Esme and Milly had been born, Tom had given the maternity wards a huge donation, so relieved that the birth had gone smoothly. They had been worried that since Bay’s shooting, she might not be able to carry to full-term, but now, as they waited for the birth of their son, Bay had proved again that she was invincible.
As the nurses performed tests and doctor examined her, Tom stroked her hair from her face. The contractions were painful, but Bay had learned to breathe through them. She gripped his big hand tightly when one hit her.
“Oww, oww, oww,” she grinned as her muscles cramped and her pelvis shifted. “Remind me again why we decided to have another?”
Tom kissed her forehead. “Because we’re masochists.”
“Oh, right, yeah, that’s it…oh good, that one’s over.” Bay breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed back against the pillows. She seemed totally at ease with the amount of people examining her naked groin. The doctor looked up.
“Well, you’re about halfway dilated,” he said, “So, hang on in there. Want an epidural?”
Bay shook her head. “Like he said, we’re masochists.”
It was hours, and in the morning, Tom went to call Kym and updated her and talk to the girls on the phone. Bay settled on the bed, trying to get comfortable. She closed her eyes, knowing she wouldn’t sleep because the contractions were getting closer, and trying to relax the rest of her body. Deep breathing helped immeasurably, and as she was focusing on it, she didn’t hear or see the person, dressed in hospital scrubs with a face mask, who had slipped into her room.
Stuart Lawson gazed down at the woman he had always been obsessed with, who he’d shot in cold blood all those years ago. If anything, the years had made Bay lovelier than ever and pregnancy certainly suited her.
A shame he would have to kill her now. He grinned behind the mask. Who are you kidding? You’ve dreamed of this moment…
He grasped the scalpel he’d stolen from the supply closet and drew it out of his pocket. He hesitated, not knowing where to stab her, to cut her throat or slash across her rounded belly. For once in his life, Stu did consider that he would be killing an unborn child…and it gave him pause.
Another nurse nudged her way into the room, and started to chat with him. Bay opened her eyes and Stu turned away and left the room as quickly as he could. Damn it.
But there was also a sense of relief. He didn’t want to kill the child. Bay, yes, he could kill her over and over again, with great enjoyment, but a baby?
No. He would wait until the kid was born. She would be here, unguarded for a couple of days at least after the birth.
Stu changed back into his clothes, keeping the scrubs in his backpack and went outside. As he lit a cigarette, he pulled out his phone and called the one number programmed into it.
Bartholomew Foy answered with a curt. “Is she dead?”
Stu felt stung. “No. I couldn’t do it with the kid inside her.”
“Sentimental fool. We agreed you would kill Ms. Tambe as both a warning to Sailor and Creed, and as a thank you for us springing you from your incarceration, Mr. Lawson.”
“And I will kill her, I swear. Just…the kid didn’t do anything to me.”
Bart sighed. “Did you not consider that by killing them both, the impact would be greater?”
“I don’t get how your Sailor girl will know it’s you, why she’s even connected to Bay.”
“My sources tell me they are now friends. Sailor is very sensitive…when Bay Tambe dies, it will draw her out into the open.”
Stu sighed. He couldn’t argue. He had no idea how Bart Foy knew about him, or why he was helping him. It seemed tenuous to him…but then maybe Foy just like killing women. He could understand that. “Fine. But after Bay gives birth. Do you want me to kill Sailor for you?”
“No. Sailor is mine,” Bart’s voice took on such a dark tone that even Stu shivered at it. He wouldn’t want to be Sailor King when Bart caught up with her. “For now, just make sure Bay Tambe is dead before the end of the week.” The phone went dead, and Stu sighed, glancing back up at the hospital, before trudging back to the car Bart had leased for him.
Buddy Tomas Meir was born at eleven-thirteen a.m. the nest morning. An hour later, when they were alone and holding their son in her arms, Bay looked up at Tom with tears on her beautiful face, grinning widely. “He looks just like you.”
Tom, close to tears himself, kissed her forehead then the baby’s. “Poor kid.”
Buddy squirmed a little then yawned. Bay laughed. “Yep, definitely you, that was your patented ‘after Thanksgiving dinner yawn.’”
Tom laughed and leaned his head against his wife’s. “You did it again, Baijayanthi Tambe Meir. You have given me the world. I love you.”
She smiled and pressed her lips to his. “Right back at you. Oh, hang on, I think he’s hungry.”
Buddy was nudging at her breast and when Bay offered him her nipple, he took it and began to suck gently, never taking his eyes from his mother’s. Tom stroked Bay’s hair and she leaned into his touch. “Did you talk to the girls?”
Tom nodded. “They’re so excited. I sent them a photo of Buddy and they already love him. Kym said she’ll bring them in once you get some rest. I think she’s told everybody in the world,
I’ve already had so many messages. Sailor called from Italy and sent her love.”
“Sweet girl.” Bay winced a little as Buddy sucked hard on her nipple. “Forgot how weird this feels.”
Tom grinned at her, his expression mischievous, and she burst out laughing. “Dirty-minded boy. Believe me, you sucking on them is a lot different.”
“I know how sweet they taste.” He kissed her softly. “God, I love you.”
“And I love you, Tomas Meir. We really made it, huh?”
She didn’t see the wary look come into his eyes, and soon she was falling asleep herself, the baby satisfied and exhausted. With Tom’s hand stroking her hair, Bay drifted off, totally relaxed, overwhelmingly happy, with her beautiful son in her arms.
Tom waited until Bay was asleep then slipped from the room. He called Roman, asking if Kym was in the room with him. When Roman said no, Tom sighed. “Listen…I’m going to up Bay’s protection. We’ll be okay here at the hospital, I think, they have pretty good security, but when we take Buddy home…jeez, Roman, why did this have to happen now? Have you heard anything on Lawson’s whereabouts?”
“No, I’m sorry, Tom, my detectives haven’t found anything. It’s like he’s disappeared off the face of the Earth.” Roman sighed. “Have you told Bay?”
“No, and I don’t want her to be stressed at a time like this.”
“Tom, I’m not sure that’s the right decision. Bay’s a strong woman; if she finds out Stu is out and you knew…one thing does strike me. I think he has help on the outside.”
That brought Tom to attention. “What?”
“I don’t know, it’s just Lawson isn’t the brightest button, it’s very hard for someone to disappear so easily without help.”
“Who the hell would aid that asshole? He had no-one on the outside except Kym, back in the day and she’d hardly help him.”
Roman was silent for a moment. “Did you read the letters?”
“From Lawson’s cell? Yes. I really wished I hadn’t, his bloodlust for my wife is what keeps me up nights. For someone as dim as Lawson, he sure has a varied imagination when it comes to the many ways he would like to murder Bay. God, even saying that makes me want to throw up.”
“He won’t get near her, Tom, I swear it.”
“Keep my girl’s safe, won’t you?”
“Do you even have to ask? Concentrate on Bay and Buddy, man, we’ve got this.”
Sailor was trembling so much that Bodhi had to take her hands in his. He smiled down at her as they watched the small car wind its way up the hill to the farmhouse, creating a dust storm behind it.
“Baby, it’s just my mom, not The Grim Reaper.”
Sailor wasn’t comforted. “What if she hates me on sight? Worse, what if she hates Tim? What if she thinks I’m using you both?”
Bodhi rolled his eyes. “She won’t, you know why? Because you’re not. She can see the truth of things, beautiful girl, I swear. As for her hating Tim…he’s my son. I guarantee half of that car’s trunk will be full of gifts for him. She loves me, she’ll love my family.”
Sailor blushed with pleasure, but still grumbled. “Momma’s boy.”
Bodhi laughed as he led her from their little hideout and out into the yard to meet his mother. “You betcha.”
Vittoria Creed stepped from the car and immediately Sailor felt herself relax. A petite woman, slim-framed, with a short, stylish white hair cut, and glasses on her nose, she had a kind face, and a ready smile. Vittoria hugged her son and smiled down at her grandson as he shook her hand, shyly but seriously. She turned towards her car and whistled, and a large dog bounded out of the car and over to them. He was so large that Tim took a step back, but the dog sniffed him and licked his face, making Tim laugh.
“And Mom, this is Sailor. Sailor, my mom, Vittoria.”
Sailor could see Vittoria sizing her up with the same huge green eyes that she had passed onto her son. Sailor, her heart thumping, met her gaze steadily. “It’s lovely to meet you,” she said in broken Italian, and Vittoria smiled, kissing Sailor’s cheeks.
“Sweetie, I speak English, but thank you for trying. I appreciate it.”
Vittoria turned to Claudio and Soleil who were waiting. “And you two…still trouble. Soleil, you grow more beautiful every day. Claudio, you’ve showered. That’s a good step.”
They all laughed, and Claudio ushered them all inside. In the kitchen, his cook had made a huge breakfast buffet and soon they were all talking over each other and grabbing food.
Sailor was happy just to watch this crazy Italian family. Vittoria squeezed her arm on the way around the buffet table and Sailor smiled back, relieved that the woman didn’t take against her right off the bat. She knew Vittoria would want to talk to her alone, however, and after breakfast, she wasn’t surprised when Vittoria asked her if she would like to walk down to the olive grove. Bodhi started to object, giving his mother a warning glance, but Sailor agreed readily.
Sure enough, as Vittoria took her arm, Sailor knew the question that was coming. “So, Sailor, I understand you worked for Bodhi’s agent?”
Sailor nodded. “Vittoria, I know what you must think, and so, I am ready and willing to tell you everything you need to know to prove that I couldn’t care less about Bodhi’s status or celebrity and definitely not his money. I love your son, completely and totally. I would live under a bridge with him.”
Vittoria nodded to herself. “Sailor…you must think I’m an interfering old woman, but I just want to know you. Bodhi had his demons when he was younger. He didn’t deal with his father’s death well. You know all of this?”
Sailor nodded. In bed, during the times they weren’t fucking each other senseless, they would talk. The way Bodhi talked about his dad made her heart hurt. “I wish I could have known him.”
“You’re a sweet girl,” Vittoria patted her hand. “Bodhi…he spiraled down and I blame myself for that, for leaving and coming back to Italy without him. It was my mistake and so you see, now, I am perhaps overly vigilant.” She smiled softly. “He may be nearly forty, but he’s still my little boy.”
“Vittoria, I swear to you. I will never hurt Bodhi. I couldn’t, it’s not in me. He has given me a life I thought impossible and I will try every day to repay him.”
Vittoria stopped and studied her for a long moment. “I believe you, Sailor King. It’s in your eyes. You love him.”
“Yes.”
Vittoria began to walk again. “Bodhi told me about your situation, where you grew up. You were brave to escape it.”
Sailor said nothing to that, uncomfortable. Vittoria looked at her. “That wasn’t a criticism, Sailor. I cannot imagine the horrors you went through there.”
“But I can see how you might think that I’d latch onto Bodhi because of it?”
“Can you?” There was no reproach in Vittoria’s voice, and Sailor knew she could be totally honest with the older woman.
“I can see how some people might use him to better their situation. I’m not one of those people.”
“Good. I like you, Sailor King, I can be as straight forward as I like. None of that silly ‘my feelings are hurt’ nonsense. You are a straight shooter like me.”
Sailor was glad of the approval in Vittoria’s voice. “Did you like Gemma?”
She knew it was bold to ask the mother about the ex-girlfriend, but Sailor wanted to know what kind of woman Gemma was. Vittoria gave her a conspiratorial grin, but sighed.
“Gemma was very different than you, Sailor. High-strung, very elegant, high-maintenance. Skittish like a thoroughbred race horse.” Vittoria smiled at Sailor. “I think you are more like me. A tomboy, is that the word?”
Sailor grinned and nodded. “It is, and yes, that sounds like me. I’m not nearly as elegant as you, though.”
Vittoria laughed. “Believe me, I’m usually covered in paint and pastel dust, my hair sticking up in every direction. Just ask Claudio. Do you like him?”
“He’s lovely…a little
withdrawn. Knowing Soleil first, I had imagined him to be as extrovert as she is, but he’s not.”
extravagant as Solly, the dear girl. You are friends, yes?”
Sailor nodded. “I adore her, and she’s doing Bodhi and I a tremendous favor by posing as his partner in public.”
Vittoria nodded. “She’s a good girl…I’ve always thought of Claudio and Solly as my children, and Solly and I especially…have something in common.” She gave a Sailor a meaningful look, and Sailor got it after a beat.
“Really?”
Vittoria laughed. “Really. I didn’t know myself until well after Bodhi’s father died. For the last two years, I have been very happily dating a wonderful woman called Christina.”
“Does Bodhi know?”
Vittoria shook her head. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment. As I said, Bodhi was very close to his father.”
Sailor considered for a moment. “Knowing Bodhi, he would just be glad you’re happy.”
“You think so?”
Sailor nodded. “But it’s none of my business.”
Vittoria hugged her. “You are part of this family now, Sailor. It is your business, and thank you for being so supportive.”
Sailor grinned. “And if Bodhi gets angry about it, I’ll kick his ass.”
Vittoria laughed. “That’s my girl. Shall we go and rejoin everyone?”
Vittoria spent most of the rest of the afternoon bonding with her grandson, who took to her straight away, already in love with her large dog, whose named was Tag.
“He’s a Leonberger crossed with a Bernese Mountain dog,” Vittoria told Tim. The dog was as tall as the ten-year-old, and Bodhi rolled his eyes.
“He’s huge. How on Earth do you control him?”
“Bribery mostly,” she shot back to the amusement of the others. “It worked on you as a kid.”
“True story,” Bodhi grinned and Tim laughed at his father’s expression. Bodhi ruffled his hair and Tim hugged his dad hard. Sailor’s eyes filled with tears at the joy in Bodhi’s eyes. His relationship with Tim had really blossomed.
No Promises: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 54