by Reina Torres
Essa stood beside her for the most part, leaning closer to her to be heard above the pressing crowd. He introduced her to people she recognized by name from the society papers and the gossip magazines that she’d read back before the attack.
Actors and personalities gushed over her performance. Business and calling cards were set into her hand. It was a heady rush of new sensations.
And through it all, she felt him in the darkness. Valerio, standing with his family. Now, her family.
She smiled to herself as she nodded and smiled while a real-estate mogul of some notoriety pumped her hand over and over.
She heard a note of concern in her head and shook her head slightly, hoping that Valerio would see it and relax.
The man holding her hand was aggressive, but he was harmless. She enjoyed hearing his feelings about the performance. He sounded like a man more used to a classic rock concert. She heard a little Southern flavor in his voice, a bit of an accent that he’d never be able to shake no matter how hard he tried. He was truly appreciative for the experience, but she also heard a little tinge of curiosity in his tone.
Coming to a head when he asked her. “Would you be free to join me for dinner some night?”
Allegra heard Essa’s quiet indrawn breath beside her, but she knew she could handle it. It gave her a quick moment of ridiculous pride. Still, she wished she could see Essa’s expression.
“I’m sorry, Mister-”
“Allen. Geoffrey Allen.”
She nodded and smiled, covering their joined hands with hers. “What a lovely offer, Mister Allen. I think it would be lovely to have dinner with you and your wife. My… my husband and I would love to get to know you.”
“Oh,” she felt his hesitation in his hand as well as the tone of his voice, “um, I’m not married.” He withdrew his hand from hers and cleared his throat. “Mr. Nylund, I’m looking forward to the upcoming concert.”
Essa’s tone was light and carried a relieved sigh with it. “We shall look forward to it. Having you in the audience is a great joy, sir.”
Someone took Allegra’s arm while Essa continued to talk to Mr. Allen and she turned to lean her ear in their direction. The wind made the introductions. Linda’s gardenia scented lotion reached her nose before the sound of her voice. “Hey, you, awesome job tonight.”
Allegra grinned. “You too, your solo in the Debussy, was-”
“Yes, yes, thanks. I just wanted to give you something.”
“Me?” Allegra felt her brow furrow. “What is it?”
With Linda’s hand on her arm, Allegra felt her shrug. “I don’t know. One of the patrons had to leave and they said this was for you.”
Allegra felt something bump into her arm and she lifted up a hand to take it from Linda. She used her fingers to feel the surface of the present.
“It’s just a white box with a red ribbon that you can pull off.”
There was an element of impatience in Linda’s voice, but Allegra could relate. She’d never been one to sit around shaking gifts when she was a child. She’d tear into the wrapping paper and leave a huge mess in her wake.
Her fingers found the bow on the package and felt the commercially created bow. It wasn’t going to untie so she just tugged at it and felt the ribbons around the box shift. Walking her fingers to the side she pulled one of the cross-ribbons down the face of the box and pulled the ribbon free.
There was a moment when she paused, thinking back to the layout of the stage.
“What are you looking for?” Jane was at her other elbow a moment later. “Oh, sweetie, I’ll take that for you.” The bow was plucked from her hand. “Who gave you a present?”
Allegra turned it slightly toward Jane. “Is there a card? A label?”
“Hmm,” Jane leaned closer and Allegra smelled her light lilac perfume. “No, sweetie, I don’t see anything.”
“It’s probably in the box,” Linda offered up the idea.
Allegra nodded and reached for the box top. She fumbled a bit but had it off a moment later, turning it over to set it under the other half.
She heard a gasp from one or both of the ladies as she reached into the box.
Jane grabbed at her arm, but it was already too late. Allegra dropped the box and the gathering around her came grinding to a halt at the sound of breaking glass.
Valerio heard the shattering glass, but it was the pain he felt in his chest that moved him first. It was a good thing that the crowd had already started to disperse, or he might have knocked someone over in his rush to get to Allegra.
Something crunched under the sole of his shoe, but his eyes were fixed on his mate. Taking hold of her hand, he turned it over and narrowed his gaze at the freely flowing blood trailing down her fingers and onto her palm.
She barely flinched when he touched her, almost as if she expected his touch.
“I’m okay, Valerio.”
He didn’t answer, he didn’t need to. She felt his concern, his worry. She even felt his relief when the quick application of his handkerchief seemed to slow the bleeding down.
Salvatore took point with the security staff that had converged on the scene. They might not be in charge of the zoo staff, but he was going to take charge of the situation.
Uberto moved them off to the side. “I’ll take care of the glass, bring the box back home.”
As they walked, Valerio still fretting over her hand, Allegra turned back toward the stage. “Be careful,” she called to the youngest of the three, her worry plain in her features and the tone of her voice.
Valerio heard the predictable grumble in his brother’s voice and yet didn’t take offense. He saw the smile that Uberto gave his mate, read concern in his brother’s eyes.
Allegra sighed and the sound didn’t leave him concerned, it left him hard.
She laughed, a soft melodic sound that had more blood pulsing through his body.
“I think we should get to the car.” Natale’s suggestion got them moving.
He stepped closer to Allegra and had her safely in his arms a moment later. The pianist sighed and waved at him and the conductor met his eyes with worry and affection for Allegra plain to see in the older man’s eyes.
The driver was already at the front entrance and he heard Natalie’s phone case shut with a click. “Take her home, Val. I’ll wait for the others.”
He didn’t want to argue. Salvatore would take good care of his mate and Valerio desperately needed some time alone with Allegra. Setting his mate in the car he turned to brush a kiss on Natale’s cheek. “Thank you.”
She gave his shoulder a playful shove. “Go.”
In the car he got down on his knees and reached for her hand. “Let me see again.”
She groaned but held out her hand.
He looked at her fingertips and the bear made its opinion known about the whole event.
Her laughter softened the anger he’d been fighting. “Both of you need to calm down. I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
She sighed. “Your bear is pretty close, isn’t he?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I can hear him in your voice. Feel him just under the surface. Even in the dark he’s rather imposing.”
He listened to her words, absorbing their meaning.
“Is Salvatore bigger than you as a bear?”
His bear rushed at the wall separating them. Fangs pushed through and he tasted his own blood on his tongue. “Why?”
He felt her fingertips on his cheek, brushing against his face.
“You’re not angry,” she trailed her soft skin against the thickening hair, blending with the fur struggling to push through his skin, “you’re jealous.”
Valerio bent over her hand, looking at the cut. They were shallow, superficial. They could have been worse, so much worse. The worry pushed at him like a hand ruffling up his fur. “Does it matter?”
“His size compared to yours as a bear?” She giggled and that only made his frustration worse.
<
br /> But as disgruntled as he was, he had one primary aim, taking care of his mate.
His phone buzzed and a quick look told him what he already suspected. The glass was thick, but the way it was broken, they weren’t worried about thin slivers. Valerio set his phone aside and picked up her hand again.
He lifted her hand up to his nose and took in a deep breath, fanning the exhale across her skin. A sigh escaped her lips when he touched his tongue to her fingertip. He brushed his tongue over the pad of her finger in one direction and then another. His touch made her shiver and he liked the way she sagged back against the seat.
When he drew her finger into his mouth and cleaned away her blood she made a little moan in the back of her throat. When he slipped the next finger into his mouth she giggled softly.
“Don’t misunderstand me but, I – Oh, wow, that feels amazing – I mean, is this your way of making me melt? Because I’m all for it.”
To answer her he had to hold back the hunger he felt building inside of him. They were close to their home and he wanted her to get safe inside, but he knew he had a little time. “It’s the same principle of how I’ve been healing the mark on your shoulder.”
“Oh,” she sighed and moaned again as he took another finger into his mouth, “so it’s like the old adage of ‘kiss it and make it better’ except I get to have your tongue on me?”
He smiled at the way she described it, applying a little more pressure from his tongue as he bathed her finger. The taste of her blood was a familiar one and his body enjoyed the reminder of their mating.
“You’ll get more of it later after we get home,” he turned her hand over and looked at the three fingers he’d treated. The tips of her fingers weren’t bleeding any more. While he could see fine lines that wouldn’t be likely to leave a scar, he was sure they would be healed in a matter of minutes.
The car pulled into the private parking entrance of their building and descended toward their private penthouse elevator. Assured that she could step out on her own, Valerio exited the car and made his way around to open the opposite door, gently drawing her out beside him. The driver pulled away, leaving them standing comfortably beside each other for a few moments.
Allegra turned toward him and Valerio’s gaze poured over her face. It was a dream, he worried. There was always a little doubt in the back of his head that said he’d wake up one morning, alone and suffering again. And yet, with all the years he’d waited, hoping to meet ‘the one’ in such a crowded city, staying on deep-seated faith alone, he’d finally found Allegra.
He watched as she lifted a hand toward his face, showing him the tip of her ring finger that still held a drop of blood.
“I know,” she told him, a little bit of resignation in her tone, “that we’re going to discuss what happened when the others come home.”
“Mmm hmm.” He took her hand in his, drawing her into the elevator when the doors slid open. When he set the floor, he wrapped an arm around his curvaceous mate and pulled her closer, using his other hand to take hold of the finger she’d presented to him.
“Until then,” he pressed a kiss lightly against the cut, “I’m going to take care of this cut and try to make your knees weak.”
“What,” she swallowed as his lips closed over the first part of her finger, “I mean why would you want to do that?” She flushed as his tongue swept over the pad of her finger. “Because you make me weak just by touching me.”
He leaned back to speak and she mourned the loss of his heat. “Because then I can carry you in my arms when I take you to bed, and I do so love carrying you.” He pulled her back into his mouth, slowly tangling his tongue against her finger.
“You’ll get no arguments from me,” she sighed, leaning closer into his embrace.
Chapter Eleven
Allegra listened carefully as Salvatore explained some of what happened after they left the zoo. Uberto was more than happy to embellish his part of the events. “I picked up what was left of the box after Big Foot stepped on it.”
She reached over and laid her hand on Valerio’s thigh, giving it a little squeeze.
“It’s the craziest ‘gift’ I’ve ever seen. And if it’s from a friend of yours, Allegra, it’s time to end that friendship.” She heard some noise on the table, the soft shift of something flat against the glass. “The glass was already broken, inside the box. The pieces were glued down to the bottom of the box so that they wouldn’t move around if someone shook it.
“There was nothing in the box that would have thrown the shards or anything like that. Bastard knew she’d reach into the box to find her present.” He shoved the box further down the table. “Did Mama bear fix up your cuts, Allegra?”
Turning toward his voice, Allegra didn’t know what to answer.
Natale helped, as always, translating the family’s inside jokes. “’Berto calls Salvatore ‘Papa Bear.’”
“Oh,” Allegra winced a little on Valerio’s behalf and then held up her right hand, “all healed up… ‘Baby Bear.’”
The room went silent for a moment before Natale started to laugh. “Nicely done, Allegra.”
Allegra reached out toward Uberto and there was a moment wait before he put his hand under hers. “Sorry.”
He gave her hand a squeeze and then pulled away. “I deserved it.” He laughed a little himself. “Partially I did it because I know he’s likely to be ready to rip something apart by now and I thought we could get in a little fun.”
“Fun?” Allegra laughed. “You wanted Valerio to beat on you?”
“On me?” Uberto nearly choked on the idea. “No. I was willing to let him get a few hits in before I kicked his furry ass, thank you very much.”
Allegra shifted a little, her concern on the man who held her in his lap. “Are you upset?”
“Upset?” he parroted. “Of course, but I want to hear the rest of what they found before deciding what I need to do.”
That got her attention. “There’s more? I thought that this was just some crazy prank.”
Salvatore spoke again. “We found a card. Likely it was on or in the box, but it was on the ground where you were standing. From what I can tell there’s nothing handwritten on it. It’s written with braille.”
A tickle of unease worked its way down her spine. She reached out and someone put the paper in her hand.
It took a minute for her to wrap her head around the idea that someone had come out of the blue to hurt her. It had been so many years of peace.
She knew everyone was waiting for her to read it, so she took in a steadying breath, laid the card on the table and touched her fingers to the edge of the paper. Reading should only have taken a few seconds. The first thing she’d learned when the world went dark was how to read. Audible books were great, but reading on her own had always been one of her greatest pleasures.
She stumbled over a few of the words, more from disbelief than lack of ability to read it clearly. When she was finished she pushed the card away toward the others, not really caring if it ended up back on the floor.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would say it’s from-” her voice died away as if saying his name would conjure him before her. Instead she focused on the message, repeating it out loud.
You should be home like a good little girl.
Where have you been sleeping?
You won’t like it when I find you.
Haven’t you been hurt enough?
When she finished the last word she felt weak, empty. If she could have summoned up the energy she would have shaken like a leaf.
Lance.
“Allegra?”
She heard someone saying her name, but in her head… it was Lance.
“Allegra? Do you remember me?”
Remember? How could she forget?
The last thing she’d ever seen was his face.
“Allegra?” Warm hands settled on her arms, burning her. She was cold. So very cold.
“Allegra? Stellina, talk t
o me.”
Valerio. His name came to her like a sigh, warming her heart. He was close. Very close.
“Say something, please?”
He was so gentle with her. Caring and sweet. She wanted to answer him, but what was left inside of her heart and mind was a jumble of feelings, fear wrestling the others under for control. Dread was a close second. Dread numbed her heart and slowed her heartbeat, dragging her under.
“Should- should we call her doctor?”
Allegra heard the concern in Natale’s voice and blinked back a tear.
Why wasn’t this behind her?
“Why won’t he stay away?”
Oh God, the words had tumbled out of her, nearly an octave out of her normal range. She was stunned and shocked when her body started to shake, as if it had finally remembered to catch up to the rest of the insanity.
“Hasn’t he taken enough from me?”
She was suddenly tight in the arms of her mate, his gentle hands smoothing her dress around her body. There was an odd expectant silence in the room. She wanted to say something to ease their worry, but she couldn’t speak beyond the knot in her throat. If Lance was the one who had sent the present, he could be anywhere.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“I know, my love.” Valerio nuzzled his cheek against hers and she breathed in his scent.
The warm spice of his skin soothed her nerves, heated her skin, cleared some of her head.
“I’m taking her to bed.” Valerio’s statement garnered no argument and moments later the door clicked closed behind them and he moved for the bed.
“Wait. Stop.”
He did what she asked, stopping just a second after she asked and waited, listening to her.
“I’d like to take a shower, pl-”
He didn’t wait for her to finish asking, taking her straight through their bedroom into the bathroom.
Setting her down on the mat, he stepped into the shower and turned on the water, setting her temperatures in the panel.
Once the water was on, falling in a constant shower from the panel above the tile, he turned back to his mate and felt his heart stutter in his chest.