by Nyx, Angel
It didn’t surprise me when Carly went with the chicken parmigiana while I got the shrimp po’boy. Over our meal I deliberately kept the conversation light. I asked Eli about his grades, the kinds of video games he liked to play, anything to keep the boy entertained and Carly’s mind off of the letter she’d received. By the end of lunch I was reluctant to take them back to their apartment. I wanted to take them to my home. At least there I knew they’d be safer.
“Bella.”
“No. I know what you’re going to say and the answer is no. I’m not letting it scare me away from my own home, Gio.”
“Stubborn woman.” As stubborn as she was, and as much as it frustrated me, I also admired her determination and her strength. “I’m still driving you to work. I will be back to get you in a few hours.”
I walked them to their door and waited until I knew they were safely inside before I left. Once outside, I had my phone pressed to my ear. “We have a problem. I will be at the door in five.”
Cesare and Luciano were set up across from Carly’s apartment building where they had eyes on the front entrance. The camera we’d set up at the rear entrance gave a bird’s eye view of the alley that ran behind the building.
“What’s happened?” The question was from Cesare.
I pulled the letter from my pocket and handed it to Cesare. “I need to know if either of you saw anyone who looked suspicious or out of place before I arrived.”
“No one came through the front door.” Cesare looked over at his partner. “Luciano? See anyone in the back?”
“I’m not sure. There was a delivery van in the alley just before you pulled up. The guy wasn’t inside long. He looked like he was in a hurry to get out of there but I didn’t think much of it.”
“Show me.”
I waited while Luciano pulled up the surveillance video. The guy looked vaguely familiar but I couldn’t place where I’d seen him before. “Keep an eye out for him and if he shows up again, I want him intercepted.”
“You got it, Boss. Your girl okay?”
“Si. She’s tough. She won’t let this chase her from her home. Keep me posted, and keep tabs of everyone coming and going.”
“Will do.”
I felt a small amount of relief knowing they would keep an eye out for the delivery driver, but it bugged me that couldn’t place where I’d seen him before.
Chapter Thirty Seven
Carly
I appreciated Gio’s concern, after I showed him the letter. It made me feel special to him, knowing he wanted to try to keep Eli and I safe. Was it stupid not taking him up on the offer I knew he was going to make? Maybe. But I refused to let some sick fuck scare me out of my own home.
When it was time to leave for work, I kissed Eli, told him to be good for Risa, and made my way downstairs where Gio was waiting. I’d convinced him to wait for me in the lobby because I didn’t want to scare Eli.
“You look beautiful as always, Tesoro.”
I rolled my eyes at his compliment. “Sweet talk isn’t going to change my mind, Gio. I’m not packing a bag and staying at your house. If I get another letter, I’ll take it to the police.”
I noticed a muscle tic in his jaw and gave him a puzzled look. “What?”
“I do not think the police will do much about it.”
“It’s their job, Gio.”
“Ah, but stalkers are not often a priority to them until they actually do something to hurt their victim.”
“I have more faith in the NOPD than that.” Why did he think so poorly of the police? I started to ask but stopped myself. It could be something as simple as all the bad publicity police departments across the country have gotten thanks to the bad seeds. Maybe I was an optimist. I preferred to believe that the bad seeds were only a small number of officers and the only reason the public thinks otherwise is because media sensationalizes their actions while ignoring all the good things the police did on a daily basis.
“We shall see, Bella, we shall see.”
Sometimes, the best course of action is to let a discussion drop. We pulled into a parking space not far from the club and I let Gio get the door for me. “Thanks for the ride. Let’s not walk in together. I don’t need any shit from the girls and if we walk in together there will be way too many rumors.” What I didn’t say was I didn’t feel like dealing with Chablis and she would be the one to start shit.
“They will find out eventually.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll deal with it then. It’s too soon.”
“As you wish.”
“Thank you.” My steps were sure as I entered the employee entrance of the club. The girls were rushing around, getting their outfits ready for the night, and out in front we were preparing to open the doors.
“Hey, Carly, looks like you’ve got an admirer. Some flowers came for you, addressed to Lola.”
Midori’s words sent a chill down my spine. It was too much of a coincidence for the flowers to not be from the same person who’d slipped the letter under my apartment door. I approached the bouquet Midori indicated and reached for the card. My hand shook a little as I opened the envelope.
Beautiful Lola,
I miss you on the stage. None of the others can hold a candle to you. Please come back, it’s where you belong.
~A
I stared at the card for several seconds before I picked the flowers up, carried them to the nearest trash can, and tossed them into it. I almost tossed the card in as well but stopped. I needed it, along with the letter, to give to the police. “Merda.” Gio still had the letter.
I stalked out of the dressing room and into the main part of the club just as the doors opened. Customers started coming in and I weaved around them until I reached the bar. “Tony, where’s Gio?”
“Hey, Boss Lady. He said something about going to your office to wait for you. Everything okay?”
“Not by a long shot.” I waved off his concern and slipped into the hall leading to my office. The door closing behind me muffled the music to an extent. At my office door I paused, to calm my nerves, and stepped inside. “I’m glad you’re here. I forgot to get the letter back from you. I need it.”
“You’re shaking. What’s happened?”
Fuck fuck fuck. I didn’t want him to know. I opened my mouth to tell him nothing, but that wasn’t what came out. “He sent me flowers.”
“What? Let me see it.”
He held his hand out for the card and after a beat I handed it over. “I want you and Eli at my house. Unless you want me sleeping on your couch until we find out who is sending these to you.”
“Damn it, Gio. I can’t uproot my son this way.”
Before I could process what was happening, I found myself pinned against the door with Gio’s body pressed against mine.
“I will not negotiate this, Bella. Your safety, and Eli’s safety, are too important to me. Make your choice.”
I could feel his heart beating where our bodies were pressed together. I shifted against him and felt his growing arousal. “Okay.”
“Good girl.”
I jerked at his words. It was a little kinky, and more of a turn on than I would have thought. My hips moved as if they had a mind of their own and pressed into his erection.
A moan escaped me seconds before Gio’s lips crashed down on mine. My arms wrapped around his neck and when he picked me up, I wrapped my legs around his waist. The position allowed me to grind against him, which caused us both to groan.
Three long strides carried us to my desk. I should have said no. I should have put a stop to things. Should have, but didn’t. His hands released me long enough to tug my jeans off, followed by my panties. The unmistakable sound of a condom wrapper opening reached me and I tried to come up from air. “Gio. We can’t.”
“Shh, Bella. Let me love you.”
He pushed into me and my head fell back, baring my throat to his hungry kisses. He stretched me with his fullness and all I could do was grip his shoulders and hold
on for the ride.
All too soon, I felt my orgasm cresting and a whimper escaped my parted lips. “Close. So close.”
“Not yet, Tesoro. Wait for me.”
His hips pistoned into me and when my orgasm hit, I muffled my cries against his shoulder. The clenching of my inner walls dragged him over with a shout of his own.
We stayed there like that for several minutes. He softened and slipped from me and I briefly wondered if he lost the condom in the process. Wouldn’t that be embarrassing to clean up?
“You are perfect, Carly.”
“Hardly, Gio.” My hand lifted to caress his cheek. “Um, I need to get dressed and get back out there.”
“Si, we both need to.”
When he moved back to help me off my desk, I was grateful for his steadying hand. My legs were still just a little shaky.
“My job here is done.”
The smirk on his face as he exited my office had me wanting to throw something at him. Cocky bastard. If I didn’t know any better I’d think he’d planned it. Gio wouldn’t do that, though. He wouldn’t fake a threat to me just to get me in his home. He might be a cocky bastard, but he wasn’t dishonest. Right?
Chapter Thirty Eight
Gio
We needed to step up the search for whoever was stalking my girl. Carly was putting on a brave face, but I knew she was scared. She had every reason to be. It was my experience that, if a woman is being stalked, it often ended badly. I refused to let that happen.
Nothing could be done with the florist until morning. Chances were, the bastard paid in cash, but on the off chance we got lucky, I would be questioning them myself.
I kept an eye on anyone who got too close to Carly as she moved around the club. She didn't make keeping her safe easy, but I'd expect nothing less from her. She'd grown up in a bad neighborhood—she knew how dangerous this could be—yet she refused to cower and hide. I could admire her strength even if it frustrated me.
By the time the doors were closed, I was completely on edge. "Come, Bella, let's go get your son."
"Are you sure this is necessary? Why don't I sleep at my place tonight and pack a bag in the morning."
"Fine. But I will be staying." The look on her face made me smirk. "You didn't think I would let you be there alone, did you?"
"Dio! You're insufferable. Fine. You can stay, but you have to be out of my bed before Eli wakes up. I'm not ready to explain this," and she motioned between us, "whatever this is, to him."
"As you wish, Tesoro."
I watched the shadows as we made our way to my car. Was her stalker out there? I couldn't help but wonder, too, if Chablis was behind it. If she was pissed enough, would she resort to such a thing?
I didn’t relax until Carly and I were finally in her apartment. I’d waited for her to bid her sitter, Risa, goodnight, then pulled her into my arms. “We will get to the bottom of this, Bella. I have contacts in security. They are already searching for anything that will tell us who your stalker is.”
“I’m scared, Gio. What if he goes after Eli to get to me?”
“I won’t let that happen. I will arrange a ride to and from school for him.”
“I can’t keep him a prisoner, Gio. He has friends. He has a birthday party to go to this weekend.”
I took her face in my hands and kissed her to stop her words. “Shh. Let me take care of this. Let me take care of both of you, Tesoro. Trust me to keep you both safe.”
“I do trust you, Gio, but you can’t be everywhere.”
Oh, she had no idea just how far my reach could be. “Come, let’s get some sleep. We can discuss this more in the morning. Don’t worry, Bella, I will be out of your bed before Eli awakens.”
I waited for her to get dressed for bed before I joined her in her bedroom. Her hair was pulled back in a braid, to keep it out of the way while she slept, and my fingers itched to undo so they could feel the silken threads between them. At her bedside, I removed my shoes and shirt, then slid into bed with her. As her small, soft body curled against me, I slid my hand down to rest on her hip. “Sleep, Carly. I’ll keep you safe.” It was a promise I intended to keep.
“Goodnight, Gio.” Her voice was already slurred with sleep.
“Goodnight, Amore.” The words were whispered in the darkness of her bedroom while her body relaxed against me and her breathing evened out.
I was awake before the sun began to lighten the sky. I spent the time waiting for Carly and Eli to awaken by making phone calls. I had a man waiting for the florist to open, I had two more on call to watch the club, and I’d ordered security cameras to be placed around the perimeter. The photo of the delivery guy who’d left in a hurry yesterday was circulated to my men. If he was our stalker, we’d find him.
By the time my woman stirred, I’d fixed breakfast for the three of us. I expected Carly to make it to the living room first but Eli beat her to it.
“How come you’re here so early?”
“Good morning to you, too. Your Mama let me sleep on the couch because it was very late when I brought her home form work, and she didn’t want me to fall asleep behind the wheel.”
“Oh. Okay.”
I saw Carly watching us and winked at her over her son's head. I would let her be the one to explain the plan to him. “Good morning, Bella.”
“Good morning. Something smells good.”
“I fixed breakfast. Come. Let’s eat. We have a busy day today, do we not?”
A glare shouldn't turn a person on as much as hers did me. I wanted to pin her against her kitchen counter and have my way with her.
I ushered them both to her small table and dished up the omelets, sausage, and toast I'd fixed. For Carly and I, I poured coffee while Eli got orange juice. The three of us sitting down for breakfast together was perfect. It felt right.
Chapter Thirty Nine
Carly
I was grateful to Gio for fixing breakfast. It gave me a small reprieve before I had to sit Eli down and explain to him what was going on. How do you tell your eight year old that, thanks to your job, you have a crazy stalker after you?
“Eli, Amato, there is something I need to tell you.”
“What’s wrong, Mama?”
I saw his eyes cut over to Gio as if he was worried he’d done something. I sat on the sofa and pulled him onto my lap. “You know that before I became manager I danced on a stage. Sometimes, doing that can cause some people to get the wrong idea.” I closed my eyes a moment before I continued. “Do you know what it means to stalk something?” When he shook his head no, I explained the concept to him. “It means follow, even when doing so scares whatever you are following. Someone has started doing that to me. It’s a very scary thing, and I want us to be safe. So does Gio. He asked us to stay at his house until the police can find the man who is following me. You can take anything you want with you, even your game system.”
“Is he gonna try to hurt you, Mama?”
I knew he meant the stalker. “I don’t know, Amato.” I glanced at Gio before I turned my attention back to my son. “Let’s get packed. We can act like we’re going on vacation.”
“Cool!”
“I even have a swimming pool of my own.”
If Eli had any trepidation about going to Gio’s, hearing there was a swimming pool erased it. I watched him rush off to his room to pack. “Dio. That was so hard to do.”
“I know, Bella, but you did well.”
When Gio wrapped his arms around me, I leaned into him and rested my head on his chest. “Thank you for being here this morning.”
“Haven’t you figured out yet, Tesoro? I don’t want to be anywhere else but with you. Take today off. I will have Tony keep an eye on things at the club. You need to take a day to let go of the stress.”
I could have argued. Maybe I should have. But I didn’t want to. “I think you’re right. I need to just...not think about it for one day. Maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ll find him today and I won’t have to worry
anymore.”
I left Gio in the kitchen to clean up the dishes while I went to pack a bag for Eli and I. I took enough for just a few days. If I needed to get more, I could always come back for it.
The last thing I did before we left was call Risa. She needed to know, too. To say she was pissed at me for not telling her about the letter when I first got it was putting it lightly. Still, she understood why I was going to stay at Gio’s house.
“Just keep me posted about what’s going on, okay? You’re like family.”
“I will, Risa.” I hung up the phone and nodded at Gio. I was ready to go.
Having already been in Gio’s home, I knew what to expect when we pulled up to the gate. I turned in my seat to watch my son’s face. The wide-eyed stare made me laugh. “You’ll have plenty of space to ride your scooter in the backyard. Just be careful around the pool.”
“I will, Mama. Can I pick my own room?”
The hopeful look on his face when he looked to Gio made my heart ache.
“Of course. There are five guest rooms to pick from.”
“Yes!”
Ah, to be a child again. It didn’t take much to make them happy.
Stepping into the foyer, I was startled to find the house wasn’t empty. Gio’s mother, Carmella, was there with several of he children that had been at the anniversary party.
“Eli!”
“Matteo! What are you doing here? I got my PlayStation with me, wanna play?”
“I hope you don’t mind. I asked Mama to come by so Eli could have someone to play with.”
“Mind? Gio, that was so sweet of you. Of course I don’t mind.”
With Eli occupied, I got our bags put away then sat in the family room sipping a cup of hot tea.
“Gio tells me you have a stalker. Don’t worry, he’ll find this person.”
A look passed between mother and son that puzzled me and I filed it away to ask him about it later. “So he keeps telling me. I still think I should go to the police about it.”