What he hadn’t taken into consideration was although I felt tired and emotional right at this moment, I was now the wife of a Morello and a more formidable opponent than he realised.
Chapter Twenty-One
Bee
I knew I had a strong ally in Trip the moment Nico stopped dead in his tracks and surveyed the vehicle we were going to be travelling in.
It was a jeep, a brand new and expensive looking jeep, but a jeep none the less.
Nico dropped his holdall onto the floor, shattering the quiet that had suddenly surrounded us as the metal studs on the base of the bag hit the unmade road. He took off his Aviators and without thinking through his show of hesitation, he began to walk around the silver coloured 4x4.
Trip found my eyes and waggled his eyebrows at me in amusement as we watched him. I knew then, that he and Kendall could also see straight through Nico. I grinned quickly at them both and then rolled my lips into my mouth and bit down on them with my teeth to stop the laughter that was building up from falling freely out of my mouth.
‘You’re joking?’ Nico finally spoke from the other side of the vehicle as he wielded his sunglasses in the direction of the jeep.
‘Look, Boss, you called me at five this morning…’
Did he now? That piece of information was interesting.
Trip carried on, ‘You’d had an idea…’ Trip gestured speech marks either side of his head as he quoted Nico, ‘You wanted to show Bee a few of the places around the island and thought it would be fun if the four of us went together for a couple of days and nights away, and could I organise it all?’
Nico stared at Trip for a few seconds looking completely dumbstruck. It was so obvious to the three of us looking at him that he was way out of his comfort zone. Normally, he would organise everything, or others would do it to his exact specifications.
‘Security?’
‘Nic… I woke up Franco as soon as you put the call through to me. As always, you will be surrounded by security.’
‘It’s not me I’m worried about.’ Nico looked at me from over the jeep, placed the glasses back over his eyes and tipped his head at me as he wordlessly answered Trip.
‘Franco has it covered. You know damn well he won’t let you down.’
‘Best we get in then.’ He nodded back at Trip.
I watched as Nico walked back around the jeep shaking his head from side to side. Slowly, we all saw the start of a smile beginning to make the corners of his mouth twitch. He picked up his bag, took mine from my hand and after dumping them in the back of the jeep he opened the small passenger door and waved his hand at me offering me to get in. I took hold of his hand and inhaled quickly as what can only be described as an electrical current travelled up the length of my arm. For the first time since yesterday our eyes really met each other’s. I knew as soon as I noticed the gold threads appearing in his orbs and his eye narrowing on me, that he had felt the connection between us too. I jumped in quickly, fastened my seat belt and heard him clear his throat as he attempted to move on as always from what had just happened between us.
* * *
It had taken everything I had not to reach out and touch Nico, as he had very competently driven us along the main roads that had been cut through the mountainous area surrounding the place he had chosen to build his home. The inclination to connect with the man who was doing his utmost to maintain a friendly distance from me was powerful. In the small space in the front of the vehicle and with both of us only wearing summer clothes, occasionally our bare skin connected and I’d had to stop breathing momentarily to make sure I didn’t gasp out loud. It seemed after our first and only real sexual contact, my need for the man had intensified instead of lessening.
I set about trying to relax into the comfortable wrap around seat and concentrated hard on the happy banter going around the jeep as Nico and Trip argued about whether we should be listening to Elvis or The Beatles. When they couldn’t make up their minds, aiming a grin back in Kendall’s direction, I’d taken control and switched the radio on low. We’d travelled onwards with Greek pop music playing faintly in the background. Then taking hold of the opportunity, I began to question Trip and Kendall, who were happily cosied up on the back seat, about the many places in the world they had visited.
Our first stop was about two hours away at Knossos, an ancient palace and settlement site near Heraklion. Nico explained it was thought to be the first city ever built in the whole of Europe, and I had truly never seen him look as captivated as he did wandering around the ancient city. The three of us trailed happily behind him, listening to everything he wanted to tell us about the magnificent site, and wanting him to have memories of this moment I snapped everything I could from every angle possible. Although, if I was truthful with myself, I knew it wasn’t pictures of the ancient structures that were going to take up most of the space on my memory card, because in between snapping pictures of the site for him, I found myself taking pictures of the man I’d married for myself. Looking through the lens of the camera afforded me the cover to study Nico. Even after our fraught conversation this morning he was back within his comfort zone and was relaxing. Unfortunately, to me he was becoming even more beautiful and interesting the more he relaxed. I was a confused but very happy bystander, watching him unfold and slowly becoming the man who I believed he was always meant to be.
‘In here is what was the original throne room and apparently, looking at the guidebook, an original stone throne still exists inside,’ Nico informed us and we all took our place in the queue behind him waiting to enter the room he’d just spoken about.
It was damn hot, even for someone used to living in the dry heat of Vegas. The ancient ruins were reflecting the sun’s rays straight onto the bare skin of my legs. I knew that after today it would not only be my face that looked healthy, but my limbs would also be tanned. With the intense heat on my legs, standing still on the spot while we waited to enter became uncomfortable. I stepped out of the line and moved about twenty feet away from the others, lifted my camera back up to my face and began to turn around to look at the various scenes for possible pictures. Through the lens, for the first time today, I caught sight of one of Nico’s security team and a shiver ran down my spine.
Was he really worried about my safety?
I wanted to believe that it really was just a matter of security and something he’d got into the habit of having around him.
I turned myself and my camera around again and almost as if I was magnetised to the man, Nico suddenly filled all of my screen. Through the safety of the lens his eyes connected with mine when he looked up and found me watching him. I lowered the camera slowly, feeling the need to look at him properly and as soon as I did, he turned away. I watched as he spun around deliberately to show something to Trip on the 3D viewer we’d been given when we entered the palace.
‘No way… So, this is the place that held the Minotaur?’ I heard Trip answer Nico and then he took the 3d viewer from Nico to show Kendall.
Nico’s eyes remained on the couple. I could feel the struggle he was having within himself not to look back over at me, and when he seemed to beat it so easily it hurt like hell.
Thank God we were with Trip and Kendall, they were the perfect couple to water down the tension between us. In a strange sort of companionable silence, we finally went in to see the throne he wanted to show us and then made our way back out to the jeep. At last we were back on the road and I had the chance to distance myself from him. I sat in the back seat with Kendall where I feigned tiredness and closed my eyes while I ran everything through my head again like a slideshow.
The way he normally held my hand and the way he had touched me on the beach last night were at the forefront of my mind. Then they were replaced with how he was now doing everything in his power to keep his distance not to.
I missed him.
But the longer the day had gone on, the more time I had to think over the facts that were presenting themselve
s. Being a card player, I knew all about feigning a hand and I was convinced that was exactly what he was now doing.
He hadn’t touched me last night after I’d fallen asleep and I could understand why, but the fact that he’d not even slept next to me told me something had spooked him. Add that to the fact he had called Trip so early this morning to come up with a few days of travelling and it gave me enough evidence to give me what I hoped was an understanding of him. I’d heard his words this morning about not allowing himself to touch me, to taint my skin with his evil. I was now convinced that he was either trying to avoid us being around his grandmother or being by ourselves, or probably even both.
He was avoiding me, because he was scared he wanted me.
His words that he had spoken to me only yesterday swept through my mind.
“You can run, Bee… but you can’t hide.”
Well back at ya, Boss… Back at ya.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nico
I heard the girls gasp on the back seat as Trip steered around yet another terrifying bend. We were crazily high up and on a single unmade track, which meant the back end of the jeep skidded ever so slightly on the loose gravel with every corner we took. For the first time today, I was glad Trip was in control of the jeep we were in. Because although I’d totally enjoyed driving the thing around for most of the day, it had to be said that with Trip being a fully trained pilot, he had better reaction skills when it came to taking in everything that came in our direction. He was still managing to keep up a good pace as we raced against the sun that was lowering in the sky. I knew, had we had more time, we might have reduced our speed a bit. But as the light was fading fast, we needed to make it through and out to the other side before the sunlight finally left us.
Christ knows why he was so adamant about being here tonight.
‘Crap!’ Kendall screeched out from behind us as we went around another corner.
‘Calm yourself, Perky… I’ve got it all under control. Have I ever let you down yet?’ Trip called out to her without taking his eyes off the track in front of us.
‘This place better be worth this dangerous journey, else I’m coming for your ass, Carter and you too, Nico.’
I grinned listening to Kendall’s words and knowing that for her to use Trip’s proper name he really had the possibility of the silent treatment from his wife for a few days.
I checked the Sat Nav again before I jumped into the conversation.
‘I haven’t seen the beach, Kendall, but I’m told it’s spectacular… we’ve got about three minutes left of this terrain and then it opens up and we descend down to Elafonissi.’
‘You’d better be right, Nico,’ Kendall replied.
‘I usually am,’ I offered laughing.
‘Bit of luck I did my homework wouldn’t you say, Nic? We definitely wouldn’t have made this in a sportscar or whatever else it was you had in mind.’
‘No… I know,’ I answered him resolutely.
‘Then tell me again how I was right and you were wrong.’ I heard the girls giggle a little from behind us and I knew he was trying to distract them from the last bit of our journey. The track had narrowed again, with one false move from Trip we’d be off the edge.
I cleared my throat and started, ‘For the hundredth time, you were right.’
Several times over he had made me admit to him in front of Kendall and Bee that he was right and I’d been wrong, after my gut reaction to the vehicle this morning. I’d had to agree it had been a fun and exhilarating way to travel and explore the island, even if it had at times put me closer to Bee than I would have preferred.
I knew by the silence that now suddenly engulfed the small jeep the four of us were contained in, that we were all praying for an end to the final part of our journey. Although I’d looked around my grandmother’s birthplace before, I had only read about the beach and its island we were travelling to now. But, I knew I wanted to show it to Bee, so she could take pictures and wander around the uninhabited space. Coming from Vegas where crowds of people were often to be seen everywhere you looked, I knew the space and tranquillity this place offered would give us time to breathe and think.
I wanted that for her.
Although right now, I knew space to think was the last thing I needed.
Our first day had been cram packed full of adventures and experiences. It had been a day that I knew I would never forget, because I had spent it with the majority of the people that meant anything to me.
At last we rounded one final corner and the track opened up in front of our eyes.
To say I was rendered speechless was severely underestimating how I felt.
The island and beach in front of us sparkled even in the limited light of the setting sun. The sand was almost pink in colour and seemed to be made of glitter rather than glass.
Trip slowed down the jeep as we descended into what looked like another time and place from the world we’d left far behind us. To the left of our view was the ancient lighthouse, which although it had additions to it over the years still stood tall and proud as it guarded the ancient peninsular. To the right was the small chapel I’d read about.
‘Okay, so you two have exactly five minutes to grab your bags and jump out. Kendall and I are staying back here in the village and you two are walking over to the island where you’re staying tonight.’
‘Pardon?’ I questioned, making sure Trip could hear my hesitancy.
I watched him jump out from the driver’s seat and run around to help Bee down.
‘You heard,’ he shouted out laughing.
‘I know it’s not going to be a proper bed, Nico… and that you have certain standards. But what Nonna and Trip have organised here sounds like fun and something the two of you will never forget,’ Kendall added.
Nonna and Trip? Of course.
‘I bet,’ I whispered as I reluctantly got out of the jeep and offered Kendall a smile.
Fleetingly, I looked at the woman who was holding on to Trip’s right hand as she carefully lowered one beautifully shaped, long, bare leg out the confines of the jeep and I swallowed hard.
‘There ya go, Mrs. Morello.’ Trip grinned at her as he lifted her hand up to his lips to place a soft kiss on it.
Watching that simple act made my stomach turn over with jealousy.
Jealousy?
I had gone out of my way not to lay eyes on my wife whenever possible today and hadn’t, apart from where necessary, touched her since I’d kissed her head as she sat up in bed this morning. It had killed me to take in just how hurt she looked at my lack of response to her being there, when truthfully, I hadn’t slept all night knowing she was close beside me. I had sat on the couch doing battle with all of my senses. Listening to her soft sighs, the way she whimpered and moaned in her sleep. Watching pictures in my head of just how compliant she had been, coming apart while I’d finger fucked her only a few hours before. Even worse was inhaling her light floral perfume which was floating on the air in our bedroom. Every time I breathed in, I inhaled more of her and truthfully, I knew I was struggling.
So this morning, like the bastard I was, I told her how I wouldn’t be touching her, and I’d watched as the pain I’d caused her ran down her cheeks.
She didn’t need a man like me in her life. I’d battled with that thought over and over again as I’d lain awake last night. But right now, it was essential for both of us that we carried on with our agreement. I’d promised myself as I tossed and turned in my bid to find some sort of peace, that I would work harder on keeping a distance from her and that was how I’d spent today, with that newly sworn promise to myself driving me forward. What I hadn’t reckoned on was just how hard it was going to be.
I’d tasted her plump lips.
Caressed her tongue with my own.
Watched her eyes roll high up into her head as she’d come apart on my fingers.
And even now I could still taste the sweetness of the woman after she’d orgasme
d on my tongue.
Her moans, movements and taste were my new addictions and I was struggling hard to deny myself.
Her addiction was being fought. Mine on the other hand was becoming more impossible to ignore by the minute. Wanting her was becoming all-consuming and so fucking strong that I could hardly think straight.
With the weight of her addictions being aired, the debt and threats off her shoulders, the woman was transforming before my eyes and becoming more beautiful by the day. The constant anxiety I’d watched her experience for the past few years had abated. It pleased me that I hadn’t seen any sign of it since I’d propositioned her back in Vegas.
I had to keep reminding myself that I was helping her by having married her and by staying with her. Whatever hell I had to walk through while trying to keep my hands to myself I would gladly do to keep her happy. The one thing I absolutely knew, was that she definitely didn’t need an attachment to a bastard like me, because when it was time to do so, I would most definitely be walking away.
But now Trip was touching her.
I inhaled deeply making my nostrils flare and then exhaled loudly. His eyes lifted over her head and I widened mine at him in silent question. When he laughed in response, I stared all the harder.
‘Thank you, Trip,’ Bee offered.
‘Come on then, you two. The water is shallow enough now at low tide for you to walk over to the island. It’s uninhabited, but you will find a luxury tent erected, food, water and everything you need for your twenty-four hours in paradise.’ He turned his head to aim the next bit more predominantly at me. ‘Because it’s uninhabited once the tide comes in you will be cut off from the rest of civilisation, so although security will remain back here with us, it is of course guaranteed that you’ll be safe…But, you do need to start making a move.’ Trip moved nearer to me as he spoke. Then he spoke again out of the earshot of our wives. ‘And this lifechanging moment is brought to you by The Beatles - All You Need Is Love.’ He grinned his fait accompli at me and waggled his eyebrows.
Brash Boss Page 14