by Laura Morgan
“Missed you too, Jelly Belle,” Will replied, and she giggled. He hadn’t called her that in over ten years, and she guessed she’d asked for it with name-calling him first. Cassie no longer associated herself with such a silly nickname, and hadn’t since they were still kids.
Now, that name reminded her of those precious sweet treats and Leo’s new nickname for her. To Cassie, it also symbolized the turning point in hers and Leo’s relationship. Such a silly thing, but even now a bag of the sweet candy would bring her a smile and a flutter in her chest. She looked back at Leo, having known he’d follow close behind, and she caught the stunning grin on his face. He’d obviously heard Will call her Jelly Belle, and was shaking his head in surprise.
In that moment, Cassie didn’t care what her parents thought of Leo. She was tough enough to know the difference between love and lust this time around, and wasn’t about to let her mom or dad diminish what she and Leo had. Love hurt at times. In fact, it’d come close to tearing her apart. Cassie had learned that lesson a long time ago, but knew he was well worth the risk.
Chapter Twelve
The small group chatted long into the evening, catching up, and for Leo, getting to know one another better. Will was warm and courteous to him, as Cassie had told Leo he would be, and he appreciated the effort her brother seemed to be going to. Will had the same gentle, yet honest and sincere way about him that Cassie had, and Leo had taken a liking to him almost instantly.
Roger had made a quick introduction and then taken a spot by the door, where he’d yet to move from. His usually friendly persona which Leo had gotten so used to nowadays was gone, though. Roger was all business, and Leo was glad of it. At one point, he’d considered asking Cassie to let him go, but had come to realize how important he now was, and not just for Cassie, but for them both. Leo knew that with Roger around they could relax and be a normal couple during times away from the safety of the apartment, and he appreciated the chance to enjoy his lover’s company rather than constantly worry about her safety.
After finishing his glass of Penelope’s homemade lemonade, Leo was desperate for a real drink, and he politely asked Will if they had anything stronger in the house.
“Let me show you my wine cellar,” Timothy replied for his son, before standing and indicating for Leo to follow him. He knew exactly what this was. It was Timothy’s chance to establish dominance and pretend to be a protective father, when actually he’d been far from it. From what Cassie had told him, her dad had been absent during most of her childhood, working away from home for weeks at a time. When he had been around, by all accounts he hadn’t made a fuss of his children or kept his promises to take them on days out or lavish them with attention.
Cassie had confided in Leo that it felt as if her father been there for her only when it’d suited him, and had otherwise sat back and done as Penelope instructed, just like the placid man he seemed content to be. Leo didn’t like Cassie’s father, he’d known before even getting here. In the interest of keeping the peace, though, he’d endeavored to be on his best behavior. Leo wouldn’t give Timothy the chance to badmouth or cast judgment on him, so he stood and walked out into the hall after him with a courteous smile.
“I didn’t know you were a wine connoisseur, Timothy,” Leo said, and he began reeling off names of expensive bottles he too had procured over the years. Timothy’s wide eyes said plenty—he was impressed. “I also have a passion for collecting beautiful things,” Leo added, eyeing the art on the walls as they walked through the large house. “Back in New York, I had an assortment of vintage sports cars and million-dollar collections of fine art.”
“Ah yes, your Stateside collection,” Timothy replied with a scowl, and Leo noticed the change in him immediately. Here we go, he thought, concealing a knowing smile. “From what I understand, you paid for those things using a fortune made from exploiting the vices of others. Is that right?” His voice was calm, but his face said it all—Timothy wasn’t at all comfortable confronting Leo, his domineering wife had clearly put him up to it. Leo knew that Penelope was the one he’d have to win over, or at least come to an understanding with if he were to get anywhere with Cassie’s family. Timothy was merely her lapdog, and Leo pitied him.
“You and your wife are welcome to question me, my morals, values, ethics, and past misdemeanors, Mr. Taylor.” Leo was cool and calm as he delivered his practiced speech. He’d known this would come at some point over their visit, and was glad that at least on this issue, Timothy hadn’t disappointed him. “How I earn my money is of little consequence to how I choose to spend it, but yes—I did make a small fortune from delivering others the object of their desire for a fee. It’s the same principle as your vintner really,” he said as he plucked an expensive bottle of red wine from one of the shelves. “He must earn a fortune selling his wares to rich connoisseurs who can afford to indulge, and is he immoral for doing so?”
Timothy frowned. “I guess not, but when what you’re selling is women and drugs…”
“I don’t sell those things, or perhaps you’d like to see my financial statements?” Leo cut him off, and Timothy shook his head. He took the bottle from Leo’s hand and carefully slid it back in its place on the pristinely organized shelf. Leo knew he was stretching the truth, but he wasn’t technically lying. Jamie had taken over that side of things, so as far as his life in the UK went, he was completely above-board and legal in his current business ventures. Plus, he wasn’t about to go into any detail regarding his professional life during their visit. It wasn’t any of their business, and he wasn’t interested in their opinions on the state of his affairs.
“I’m sorry, Leo. It’s just that Cassie’s been through so much, and I would hate to see her get hurt again, that’s all,” Timothy replied, and he visibly softened. His mask dropped, and the weak, weary man shone through again. He’d evidently said his piece, and Leo respected the sentiment.
“I get it, but I’m not the bad guy. I worship Cassie, and did everything I could to save her back in New York. I almost lost everything getting her away from that monster, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I see things through to the end, Mr. Taylor, so don’t ever think I’d up and leave, or hurt her knowingly.” Leo was sure Timothy’s eyes were glistening with tears he’d held back over all the years, and he had to take a breath to stop his voice from faltering too. “I’ve made it my life’s work to make your daughter happy, and I would never let anyone else cause her pain ever again. Cassie means everything to me, and I’d die without her,” he told him, and was surprised by his own words. They were so honest it hurt, but seemed to do the trick. Timothy’s face lit up, and he smiled from ear to ear.
“In that case…” He pulled the wine back from the shelf and rubbed at the label thoughtfully. “I guess we should be celebrating more than just Will’s birthday.”
***
Cassie chatted away animatedly with her little brother while their mother cooked up a storm in the kitchen and Roger watched over them all from his seat beside the door. Leo and their father still hadn’t emerged from the cellar, and she guessed they were having some version of “the talk” Timothy had given Jonah once upon a time ago. She cringed at the sheer thought of it, but knew Leo would stand his ground, whereas Jonah had crumbled under her parents’ scrutiny.
“So, come on, be honest. There must be someone you’ve got your eye on? Weekend hookups are all well and good, but now you’re through university and the long days and nights with your head stuck in a book…there has to be more?” Cassie demanded, grinning broadly at her brother.
She couldn’t ever remember a woman he’d brought home to meet their parents, or whom he’d mentioned as more than a passing fling during their phone calls, and she hoped he might finally be ready to move on from bachelorhood and find something special now that he was finished with his studies.
“Well, there’s this one girl…” Will replied, and his shy smile said it all. Cassie jumped up and down in her seat, clapping her h
ands with girlish delight. Her brother scowled and shook his head. “Calm down, sis. It’s early days yet, but we’ve had a few dates, and I like her.”
“Are you going to invite her out with us tomorrow?” she asked, mentally planning their night out in the nearby city to celebrate Will’s birthday. He shrugged.
“I’d said about going to see a movie or something, but I can text her and ask if she’s up for a night out with us instead? You coming to visit was a surprise after all, so I couldn’t ask sooner.” Will grabbed his cell. He stared at the screen thoughtfully, and Cassie decided to give him some privacy to come up with his message to the girl she could already tell had made her mark on him.
She stood and walked the few steps to where her bodyguard sat watching her with a smile. She rested her hip on the sofa beside his perch.
“All good?” she asked, and he nodded.
“All good,” Roger repeated with a smile. “It’s nice seeing you with your family, especially him.” Cassie knew he was talking about Will, and she nodded.
“There’ll always be a big place in my heart for that boy.” She peered back over her shoulder to watch as her brother spoke quietly into his phone, evidently having opted to make a call to his new girlfriend rather than just send a text. “It feels good to be with him again. In fact it feels good being with all of my family, regardless of the past.”
“Damn straight,” Roger replied with a warm smile, and she patted him on the shoulder before heading back over to where her brother was sitting. She stopped en route and stared at the handful of photographs that littered the nearby mantle, and smiled. The first few were of the pair of them as young children, and each was so very happy and carefree, the epitome of innocence. She was a quirky, fun, and adventurous young girl, but had later caved to peer pressure in her teens and followed the herd. During those years, Cassie had been at a completely different end of the spectrum to her lighthearted old self, but at the time she hadn’t cared enough to miss who she’d once been.
Somewhere in the house would be an album filled with pictures of a dark-haired teenager who looked like her, and yet that same girl was an entirely different young woman to the one that stood there now. Her mother had called her a diva, a “right royal pain in the bum,” and even a bitch—and she had been. Cassie had wanted it all, and downright expected it. Now? She’d happily settle for peace and normalcy. Well, that and her now regular bursts of excitement only Leo could seem to awaken in her between the sheets.
Leo and Timothy appeared in the doorway after a short while longer, looking relaxed and far more at ease with one another than when they’d left. Cassie knew without asking that her hunch was correct, and they’d had their obligatory talk. However, this time it seemed Leo had passed whatever test her father had put him through at the behest of their matriarch. Even Cassie knew her father didn’t have the wherewithal to give her partner too much hassle without being prompted, and she smiled to herself at how domineering her mother seemed to be. What a complete contradiction Cassie knew she was to Penelope, and yet she didn’t care. She’d never wanted to end up like her mother, regardless of her affection for her, and had evidently succeeded.
“Do you fancy a glass of real wine?” Leo asked when he reached her, and he brushed her cheek with a delicate kiss. Cassie looked down at the bottle of aged red wine in his hand, and knew it must’ve cost hundreds of pounds to buy, but also that it’d be wasted on her palate. She shook her head no. “I thought you’d say that,” Leo said before she could answer, and then pulled a second bottle from behind his back.
“That’s much more like it,” Cassie said with a smile, and she snatched the bottle of sauvignon blanc from his hand before following him over to the drinks cabinet to grab a glass. She poured one for Will too, and handed it to him with a wink. His eyes were bright, happy, and he returned the gesture with a soft smile. Cassie liked this new girlfriend of his already. Just talking with her on the phone made him light up, and she couldn’t wait to see how they were together in person.
By the time they’d all settled back in their seats and were sipping on their chosen drinks, Will had his date arranged for the following evening, much to Cassie’s elation, and their mother had begun delivering plates of appetizers. The siblings tucked straight in, while Leo waited courteously as Timothy took a few bites, and then he had a taste.
She watched him the entire time, unable to stop from admiring the man she loved with every inch of her body and soul. Cassie envied the wine glass as he brought it to his mouth and pressed his lips to the rim. She was jealous of the admiration and respect he showed to the vintage wine as it passed over those lips, and when his tongue curled around a piece of Parma ham-wrapped fig, she felt herself blush. A surge of desire blasted through her, and it was all Cassie could do not to jump on him and demand he take care of those needs the way only Leo knew how.
She’d shocked herself. Never had she experienced such a horny rage like it, and knew she had to be sending him some hormonal energy waves from across the room, because when his gaze met hers, he was like a caged animal. His intense stare seemed to penetrate her from feet away. Behind his cool exterior, Cassie knew there was a power in him that could, and would, have her floating on air the second they were alone, and she craved him. It didn’t matter that she was stronger now and more independent than ever. She no longer cared about how she ought to feel or what she was meant to want from a modern relationship. She wanted the same thing she’d asked him for the first night he’d come back for her—to be owned by Leonardo Solomon.
“So, Leo. What made you head over to the States for your education rather than stay here?” Her father’s voice broke the intense silence, and Cassie forced herself to push aside her needy, salacious mood. She sipped on her wine, but oddly wasn’t enjoying it, so she opted to focus on a loaded bruschetta that sat in front of her instead. As Leo contemplated his answer, she realized she didn’t know all that much about his life from before he’d moved to America either. When they’d talked about their childhoods, he’d been so reticent after telling her how he’d been orphaned at such a young age that she’d decided against pressing him for any more information. Like with all things deep and meaningful, Leo had to open up those vaults inside of him at his own speed, and only when he was ready.
She was glad he seemed to be in one of his more agreeable moods, and soon realized she was listening to his answer as intently as her father seemed to be.
“I was offered a scholarship with NYU after college in the UK, so moved there when I was eighteen to pursue my degree,” Leo told him, and Timothy nodded in understanding. Cassie was sure she saw a renewed respect in his expression, as though he hadn’t necessarily considered Leo to be so highly educated. In all honesty, she couldn’t blame him. With a reputation as a notorious gangster and felon, Leo must have found it commonplace to receive that sort of reaction while meeting new people.
“Let me guess, football or boxing?” Timothy asked, refilling their glasses.
“No, civil and urban engineering,” he replied with a kind smile, surprising him with his answer.
Cassie caught the wry grin on Will’s lips beside her, and loved that her brother was enjoying this little show too. The many assumptions her parents had undoubtedly made about Leo were being proven wrong—left, right, and center. It was wonderful to watch, and when their mother returned to inform them dinner was served and to take their seats, she seemed taken aback by the change of atmosphere. All three members of the Taylor family were leaning forward, listening to Leo intently, and even Penelope took a second to compose herself.
Leo didn’t say another word; he simply left his revelation hanging while the small group followed her order. Each member of the Taylor family took their seats at the huge dining table, and then Leo accepted the chair at the end of the table opposite Timothy. Roger joined them and remained quiet, but he accepted the hostess’s offer of a home cooked dinner with a courteous smile. Penelope served up a delicious meal of roasted
chicken with a variety of perfectly prepared and cooked side dishes.
“Cassandra, will you help me serve, dear?” she asked, and while she hated the old-fashioned way of it, Cassie agreed. She piled up a plate for Roger while her mother served both Timothy and Will, and then it was her turn to dish up some food for Leo. Care and attention to his preferences came as naturally as if she were plating up her own meal, and Cassie surprised herself by enjoying such a simple task as preparing his dinner for him. When she rounded the table and set the plate down in front of Leo, she realized he was watching her every move like a hawk, and she felt the rush of heat spread out from her core again. Their eyes met and she had to bite the inside of her cheek, afraid she might moan with the desire curling her insides and twisting her gut.
Cassie forced herself to step away, knowing they’d soon start making everybody feel uncomfortable again, and grabbed her empty plate. She’d just leaned over to start dishing up her own meal when Leo’s voice was in her ear, and she jumped in surprise. She hadn’t even noticed him stand.
“My turn to serve you, I believe,” he whispered, and he took the plate from her hands. He indicated for her to take a seat, and began doing the same as she’d just done for him while the others watched on in shock. Penelope seemed surprised beyond words, and took her seat with her mouth pursed and her plate only half filled. Will seemed to be enjoying it tremendously, and he even offered Cassie a wink when she caught his eye.
Being traditionalist, it simply wasn’t the way Penelope or women of her generation and class did things, and she’d tried to instill the same traditions in her daughter since birth. However, Cassie hadn’t been the type to give control of herself to anyone in the same way. She wanted respect but also wanted her chance to submit when appropriate. She adored how Leo was so ready to show her family how much he honored Cassie in those small moments of kind gentleness. Cassie knew it must be an odd dynamic for their parents to get their heads around, but one her mother would have to respect. Hers and Leo’s mutual respect for one another shone through any layers of indifference or iciness that plagued most couples, and he neither degraded nor belittled her by serving her in return for her having attended to him.