Delgado’s stare hits mine over Cyd’s shoulder and I can’t read it. There’s a first. It may come as a surprise that a hefty chunk of my training was in psychological areas. I’m not just a side of beefcake. I also need to be aware of character, read a situation before it goes south.
But with Cyd’s father, I have no idea whether he’s grateful that I kept her safe, or whether he wants my balls in a spiked cage.
“Daddy what happened? Why are people attacking us and this house?” Cyd asks, releasing herself from the hug.
“It’s nothing Darling.” He tells her with a wave of his hand, dripping with gold signet rings, his gold watch shifting on his wrist. “Just a misunderstanding with some investors who have become unnecessarily irate because they’re jealous of my success.”
Yeah that’s the reason. I have to choke back a snort of derision. Delgado is still Cyd’s dad even if he is a self-adulatory narcissistic gangster. I won’t be a part of her disappointment in the most important man in her life. Up until now, that is. And then an idea hits me.
“I recommend that Miss Delgado be moved to a safe house.” I say, attracting a flash stare from her father. His eyes narrow but I don’t care. My only worry is that he might fire my ass off the job and then I’d have to deal with Cyd wanting to come with me. Of course I’d take her but my lodgings aren’t exactly up to her usual standards.
“My orders were that two sets of bodyguards were better than one.” He snarls, with a dismissive tone.
“However, that was a faulty decision.” I say, attracting a glare in return. Delgado figured the convo was over but I’m not backing down. “Seeing as both crews are piled up dead aside from Adam and me.”
Delgado’s face crumbles then. His eyes lose their arrogant taint and turn fearful.
“We have to get out of here.” He says, his cowardice written plain to see.
Adam and I exchange a look of distaste for the weak man who hired us. I decide to take charge. I take Cyd’s hand in mine, ignoring her father’s eyes following my every move. He’s too scared about his own skin to protest. All the Big Man posturing is gone out of him.
“We’ll split up now. Adam, you’ll take Mr Delgado to the safe house and stay there while this situation is sorted out. I’ll send a new crew over but it’s going to be expensive.”
“Whatever it costs. I don’t care.” Delgado whines.
“Cyd will come to the airport with me. I’ll take her to that cooking school in Italy - you set up the tuition as soon as you reach the safe house - and we’ll keep her out of the line of fire until this - misunderstanding - is resolved.”
“Yes whatever.” Delgado is already heading down the stairs for the front door. “Cyd, you have your charge cards, just pay for whatever you need, Baby.”
“Daddy, wait.” Cyd follows him down the staircase and my heart pounds with the idea that she’s going to insist on going with him and not me.
But she hugs him tight for only a moment and then comes back up the half flight to my side. I pick up her hand and cage it in my own.
“Bye Daddy.” She says.
Her father’s eyes note my possession of her but he turns and heads for the door without saying a word beyond a muttered goodbye.
“Looks like you belong to me for real now.” I husk down to her from the side of my mouth.
9
Cydnee
I’ve been to Italy various times, on trips with my father to Milan and Rome. But my time with Quartz has been the dreamy fantasy I thought only happened in books and movies.
“I’m not going to some stupid cooking school.” I told him as he drove me to the airport.
“Uh-huh. You are.” He informed me.
He refused to take Daddy’s private plane in case the gang had eyes on it so we had to ride business class to Rome, as first was full. He pinched my cheek and kissed the pout off my mouth as we settled into our seats. I realized I was still sporting remnants of bratty rich girl and vowed to eradicate them entirely during our journey.
“Quartz, I didn’t plan on trading in one dominant daddy for another by running away with you.” I said.
“Is that what happened? You ran away?” He laughed. “Baby, I’m still your bodyguard living on your father’s dime and you’re still your daddy’s daughter. So for now we respect the boundaries and follow the plan I laid out to your father.”
“So you mean you’ll be keeping your distance from your boss’s daughter from now on?” I said, sliding my hand under the cashmere airline blanket he’d thrown across his lap against the vicious aircon.
“Don’t you believe it. That’s one boundary that’s been breached and there’s no going back. I can’t get enough of you, although not on a crowded jet with intrusive cell phone videos all around us.” I laughed as Quartz firmly removed my hand from his growing bulge, but kept it there on his thigh, his palm covering mine. “This is an overnight flight so hold that thought until the lights go down and everyone’s asleep.” He husked into my ear as the steward poured us champagne.
The flight was the first initiation into our new life - alone together. Quartz insisted I enroll into the three month course located in an old castello high in the hills.
“You said you wanted to be good at something.” He said. “Now’s your chance.”
I gave him a little pout because it makes him laugh, but he was right and once I got into the structure of the class, learning stuff was great and the sense of achievement did a lot for my worldly confidence. There were only two guys in a class of girls and Quartz was there, in the corner of the room, every day. He glared at the guys and I glared at the far greater number of girls who couldn’t keep their eyes from fluttering at my man.
“Your bodyguard is gorgeous.” They’d say at break when we sat down to sample what we’d cooked and someone always invited Quartz to join. He always sat down beside me, no matter what rich girl swung her pin straight hair in his direction and patted the chair next to her. Eventually they got the message that Quartz is taken. I guess he was right about our chemistry shouting out loud to everyone around us.
We have adjoining rooms in the old castle, large with windows looking out across the grounds. Needless to day I sneak through the connecting door and into Quartz’s bed every night and our passion has been blissful. We couldn’t have landed a more perfect outcome.
The only downside is that the owner of the school, a blond middle aged woman called Christina Liplicker (no joke) has taken an instant dislike to me. She’s polite enough, no doubt because I have my own personal slab of iron watching over me, but I can tell she thinks I’m a princess. ‘Principessa’ she mutters whenever I mess up a recipe.
Which is frequently, until the morning we have spaghetti carbonara on the menu. My eyes fly over to catch Quartz’s and he throws me a massive grin. We both recall the first night when we ate that meal, to his nonna’s recipe. This one I cannot mess up. It feels like the most important thing I’ll ever do to get this right.
I focus intently, not gazing across the room at Quartz as frequently as I usually do. He’s a potent daily distraction - even the other girls lose their clarity when he’s around. Every time I do glance up at him, when I’m confused, or nervous that the sauce is going to congeal into a lumpy mess and come out like scrambled egg instead of the creamy deliciousness Quartz loves, he gives me his trademark grin and a surreptitious nod, letting me know that he believes in me. His support makes me try harder, but with confidence because that’s what it takes.
“Trying is not enough.” He once told me when I was upset over my disastrous panna cotta dessert after class. “You must believe completely that you can do it, work at it with love and then the stars align to make it happen. It sounds like Wizard of Oz shit but it works, believe me.”
“I do believe you.” I whispered, right before his lips sucked mine into his mouth. It was the first time the L word had crossed those full lips and it left me breathless.
Quartz comes to join us for lunch
and all the girls want him to sample their sauce. He winks at me, seeing my pout. He likes how possessive I am of him, which matches his own fierce greed over me. He tastes each sauce and nods approval but saves mine for last. He goes into raptures and says, “My old nonna would be both proud and envious.”
Every morning for the last three months, I’ve woken up with my leg entwined around Quartz’s and his arm securing me tight to his chest. It’s the safest and happiest I’ve ever been and I don’t want it to ever end. Sometimes I lie very still in his arms so I can relish the sensation of his skin against mine. Sometimes he’s already awake and watching me sleep, all tousled from how deeply he rode me the night before.
But this morning I hear a commotion in the hallway. Voices are raised and I feel a certain nervousness. Quartz is awake already. He’s got his phone in his hand and he looks disturbed by what he’s reading on the screen. But he deposits it on the gilt nightstand, gets out of bed and reaches for his gun holster hanging over an antique chair.
“I have no idea where she is.” Christina’s voice is right outside Quartz’s door. “No one can leave the castello. Our doors are securely barred at night.”
“My men have searched the ground floor and now she’s not in her room. So where do you suggest we search next?” A male voice.
“Oh my god, it’s Daddy.” I whisper.
Quartz is pulling his pants on but that’s not going to be enough to get us out of this.
“Have you checked with that beefcake she tags around with?”
“Bitch.” I hiss. “She’s always had it in for me.”
A loud rapping on the heavy door interrupts my diatribe against the witch of culinary arts. I’ve thrown on my silk wrap and Quartz is heading for the door.
“What are you doing?” I squeak.
I was intending to hide in the bathroom.
“Opening the door to your father.” He says bluntly, but with a grin back at me over his shoulder.
“Noooo.” I squeal under my breath but too late.
I’m frozen on the 18th century tile floor, cool underfoot despite the summer heat, as Quartz throws back the door like he’s welcoming his Italian ancestors.
“Mister Delgado, Signora Liplicker, good morning.” He says with total confidence. Er, does he detect the rage spreading across my Father’s features?
“I will have your skin for this.” My father says bluntly. he looks to Adam to take care of things but forgets those are Quartz’s men. “Cydnee come with me now.”
“Stay where you are Cyd.” Quartz tells me and I do as he says.
“Let me explain.” Quartz tells Daddy, without a hint of fear in his muscular flexing. “I love your daughter and I want to care for her and protect her for the rest of our lives.”
“Well yours is going to be exceptionally short.” Daddy growls.
“Daddy.” I blurt. That’s it, it’s official. Quartz said the L word in front of Daddy.
“Has he hurt you, forced you?” Daddy asks.
“No of course not. I love him too.”
My father gapes at me like he can hardly believe what he’s hearing.
“I’m glad you’re here, Sir, to take care of Cyd as I have to leave for a few days.” Quartz says.
“Why, where are you going?” I cry and run to his side. I take his arm and he enfolds me under it, a move my father takes note of.
“I had a text from my cousin that Nonna is dying. They don’t expect her to last the week. It’s my one chance to say goodbye seeing as I’m here in Italy.”
“I’ll come with you.” I say.
“You’re not going anywhere.” My father intervenes. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”
He and Quartz lock stares for an extended period. The tension rises in the spacious hallway to the point even the antique rugs are curling with the strain.
“It’s up to Cyd.” Quartz says, holding me tighter against him like he’ll never let me go.
“Daddy I love you and I don’t want you to be mad at us but my life is with Quartz now and I intend to support him.”
Quartz looks down at me with a look of total adoration that makes my toenails tremble. Just when I think we’re totally at one with each other, something happens that makes our bond even tighter. I squirm out from under his wing and take his hand so we stand side by side, united against any attack. My father registers defeat on his face and I immediately reach out to hug him.
“Please stay here until we get back.” I breathe against his cheek. “I want us to be reunited properly.”
“I’ll prepare a room for you, the best in the house.” Christina, standing right up close to us, announces.
“Baby there’s not much time.” Quartz is already tossing clothing into a small bag.
I blow daddy a kiss and then close the door on everyone but me and Quartz, feeling like a real grown woman at last.
“You were right to be upfront about us.” I say as Quartz takes my hand to lead me to the bathroom. He throws the gold faucet thats shaped like a fish, it shakes and rattles then water comes tumbling out. Enough for two.
“Didn’t I always say I knew I’d have you in the end.” He says, sliding the silk off my shoulders so the robe drops to the floor.
I smile at his reminder of the line from my favorite movie.
“Well you better treat me better than Rhett treated Scarlett.” I say and gasp as he presses me back against the shower wall and pins my wrists in his one-handed grasp, high above my head so my tits lift toward his mouth. He soon obliges by tipping his head down and tugging one nipple, then the other into his lips, to lap with the tip of his tongue until I shudder with delight.
“Aren’t we in a rush?” I pant, the heat already bursting through my veins. I want him inside me desperately, to cement our latest level of commitment with flesh.
“So we’ll make it quick.” Quartz husks into my ear. The head of his hardness is already circling my opening like hunters on the prowl. “It won’t be any less pleasurable for being fast.” He thrusts his hips and the length of him is buried all the way to the hilt.
“Damn right.” I moan. The pleasure of his considerable width pressing and pushing down my channel sends heat gushing through every pore.
He pumps in the rhythm I like best. Three shallow thrusts followed by one hard and deep. With one hand clamping my wrists high, the other circling my clit point, my body is stretched long for his mouth to nip and suck. It seems like seconds before I’m shuddering through an unbelievably powerful climax which Quartz soon emulates.
Immediately after, he soaps us off and turns off the faucet. He straps a small towel around his narrow hips and I marvel for the billionth time at the way his chest widens out above his pelvis like an inverted pyramid, all ridges and carved lines that I never get tired of toying with while he sleeps. He saves the large fluffy towel for me and gently smooths it over my limbs until I’m dry. He admires my naked body then leads me back to the bedroom to dress.
“Come on Baby, we’ve got a road trip to hit.” He says.
“I’ll go anywhere with you.” I say.
Epilogue
Quartz
Four hours of forcing the fastest ride possible out of the Moto Guzzi bike I’d bought for our stay in Italy, brought us to the house that has belonged to my family for two hundred years, deep in the heel of Italy.
“Is she...?” I asked my cousin Luna, after kissing her on both cheeks.
“She’s still here, just.” Luna said, eyeing Cyd out of the corner of her eye.
I took my girl’s hand and made the introductions and Luna’s suspicions immediately softened. She took Cyd into a welcoming embrace and I knew she was safe so I made my way inside and up the narrow wooden staircase.
Nonna’s small bedroom was full of people come to say goodbye and her priest was at the end of the bed.
“Nonna, I’m here. It’s Quartz.” I said, taking her hand.
“She can’t hear you.” Someone behind me said.
“Matteo.” She murmured, her voice a husk.
“Yes, it’s me Nonna.” I kissed her fingertips lightly as I did when I was a small boy and she defended me from my father’s constant derogatory remarks. “It’s Matteo.”
“Matteo.” Cyd was behind me now and my real name crossed her lips softly, like a blessing.
“Nonna I brought someone to meet you. This is Cydnee, we’re going to be married.”
Cyd’s eyes flew from Nonna’s face to mine and immediately filled with tears. I looked at her questioning, half apologizing for springing it on her like this, in front of a room packed with strangers. But it was the most important decision I’d ever made in my entire life and I needed Nonna’s blessing.
Cyd bite the side of her mouth and a tear rolled down her cheek as she nodded agreement with all her heart. She reached for Nonna’s hand and I covered both with my own. The other members of the family gathered close and rested comforting hands very lightly on Nonna’s body as she slipped away.
“I brought you some carbonara sauce I made myself.” Cyd murmured. “It’s nowhere near as delicious as yours but I wanted to make it perfect because it’s Quartz’s favorite dish in the entire world.”
My heart expanded so wide in my chest it felt like it was burning the walls. Nonna smiled a little and her head nodded almost imperceptibly. Her eyelids closed.
Cydnee - Six months later
“You look beautiful. Perfectly beautiful.” My father takes my hand to slip it through the crook of his arm as he leads me toward my future.
Keeping Her Safe Page 6