*Cat*
I knew that yesterday’s scare would’ve sent Elio into overdrive, and I was right in all the best ways. After romantic baths with candlelight, a massage then a much-needed nap with my favorite movies playing and a gorgeous dinner on our verandah where the stars were shining brighter than ever, I slept amazingly that night.
I didn’t think he was going to top yesterday but when I opened my eyes, I found the bed surrounded by a rainbow of roses. A huge grin spread across my face as I sat up, a hand on my belly to support our daughter’s weight. I gently picked up one of the red roses on my pillow, slling it deeply.
It was gorgeous, but also had the scent that I loved.
“Elio,” I said, loving the sentint and gesture but also worrying about how the flowers were going to die right after this. It had to be a thousand dollars worth of roses covering , and I pondered how I hadn’t noticed him doing this.
The sunlight was still early, an orangeish tint as it ca through the window, only more highlighting the beautiful color of the flowers. Before I could admire them more, though, sothing moved in the corner of my vision, and standing in the doorway was Elio.
With a deep smile on his face and carrying a tray full of breakfast food, Elio looked way too proud of himself as he entered, gently setting the tray in front of . I gave him an impressed look as the glass of juice didn’t even move from the vibrations.
“Don’t worry, they ca from the garden. I didn’t buy all of them.” Elio chuckled as he saw the rose in my hand. “The ones I had planted last year blood, so I thought you might like to see them. I was going to use the petals to dry them out anyway.”
“You’re spoiling ,” I said, lifting the rose to brush against his cheek. “You don’t have to do this, you know. I’m really okay.”
“I know.” He chuckled, brushing away the roses so he could sit on the bed beside . “But I want to. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I smiled, that familiar warm rush of love wanting to burst out of my chest. I swore this man was the life and death of .
“How’s our baby girl doing this morning?” Elio asked, gently placing his open palm on the belly.
I winced as I felt her kick in response, right where his hand was.
Elio grinned widely, amazent in his eyes no matter how many tis he felt it. “Hey, princess,” he murmured to her.
“She’s hungry and so am I.” I smiled, snatching the maple bacon on the plate and munching on it. Sure enough, baby girl got so much more active after I ate. “You have to go to work, right?”
Elio nodded, an annoyed look on his face. “I have to go do a tour of an office building site and then a eting, but I managed to negotiate with Leo so I can do the rest of my work from ho. I’ll only be gone a couple of hours, and then I’ll be ho to be with you the rest of the day.”
“Elio,” I started, pursing my lips but he refused to take any objections.
“Nope. That is what is happening.” He leaned forward to kiss , eyes full of love when he pulled away. “You can’t get rid of . Even if you get sick of , I’ll just woo you over and over again.”
I chuckled, wrapping my arms over his shoulder. “I could never get sick of you,” I said honestly. “I’m afraid it’s too late for either of us to back out. We’re stuck together, babe.”
“Just the way I like it.” He laughed, leaning in for another kiss, lasting much longer.
I could feel his reluctance to leave and I pushed back, giving him a grin as I waved him out of here.
“I’ll be fine without you for a couple of hours,” I reassured him, grabbing another piece of bacon to munch on it. “So hurry to your job, superman.”
He gave a playful look and leaned forward. I thought he was about to go for another kiss, so I blocked my mouth but the mischievous twinkle in his eye made realize I was very wrong. He bit my bacon, snatching the top of it, and winked at as he got up, scurrying out of the room.
“anie!” I yelled after him, half-laughing as I ate the other half of the piece.
“You love !” he shouted back and then he was gone. I ate my breakfast until both baby girl and I were full and then the maid who was allowed in our suite, Kendra, ca in to clean up the roses. She promised they were going to be saved and petals dried, so I made my way to the living room where my nest of cozy blankets was calling out for .
Elio didn’t need to serve hand and foot. I was used to doing things myself, and Dr. Manning was convinced that it helped the pregnancy too. If there was sothing I couldn’t do myself, we had servants though few who helped out during the day.
But Elio was as stubborn as a mule.
I sighed, putting on my regular channel of cartoons and pretending to be innocent until the maid finished cleaning the living room and then left. Once I was alone, I picked up my phone and called Franky.
Besides Leo, he was the only other person who knew what was happening in the company. And since Leo was with Elio, Franky was the best choice.
“Hello?” Franky answered, in his usual curt and cold way.
“Hey, it’s Cat.” I smiled, pretending to be friendly. We were on much better terms than when we first t and he threatened , but we still didn’t have what I would have called a good relationship.
“What do you want?” Franky said bluntly.
I rolled my eyes. Of course, he wouldn’t even pretend and just cut to the chase.
“What do you know about what’s going on with this MS13 bullshit?” I said, up front.
“A lot,” he replied quickly.
“Great.” I grinned.
But just as quickly he cut off with, “But I won’t tell you.”
“Why the fuck not? It involves and my child,” I argued.
“I’m not going to risk having to deal with Elio’s wrath once he finds out, because he will find out. I saw what he did to Leo and I don’t look good with a black eye.”
“That was Elio?” I asked in disbelief. I had seen the black eye Leo had gotten a few months ago, but he’d reassured that it was just part of his job. “Why? Did Leo do sothing?”
“Yes, he pissed Elio off,” Franky emphasized. “So, I won’t be making the sa mistake. Goodbye.”
“Wait,” I called out desperately. “At least tell what I need to do to protect my baby. No details, just... please.”
There was a mont of silence, like he was thinking, and then he sighed.
“All I can say is that you don’t need to do anything. Keep your eyes peeled and never go out alone. That’s all I can tell you,” he said.
“Okay, thanks,” I pursed my lips in disappointnt and the line went dead. I sighed, throwing my phone to the side as I lay down on my side. I wanted to know more but Franky was my last idea.
I’d tried appealing to Elio but that didn’t work. I tried sneaking details off his phone and computer, but I wasn’t exactly a hacker and it was all encoded. Even my attempt to sneak into the office with him had failed spectacularly. Leo and Franky had been my last options, and now they had both failed.
Damn loyalty to their boss, I thought bitterly.
I had no other ideas and no other leads on how to find anything out. I sighed, laying a hand over my stomach as I narrated the cartoons for the baby and prepared for my nap. It didn’t take long before I was swept away into my weird dreams.
I woke up in a familiar lap again, rubbing my eyes briefly as I looked up at Elio. He was on his phone typing quite fast, and I felt his hands bury into my hair despite him not even looking at , gently brushing it back from my face.
I sighed in contentnt, able to see from the screen on his phone that it was still relatively morning, a little past ten thirty. But as cozy as I was right here, the dryness in my mouth prompted imdiate fixing.
“I’m thirsty,” I said expectantly, opening one eye to look up at him.
He chuckled, imdiately putting his phone down.
“You’ll have to get up so I can get it,” he smiled.
“Boo. Can’t you teleport?” I asked with a cheeky grin as he leaned down to kiss .
“I’ll work on it but for now, no,” he said once we parted.
I shifted, sitting up so he could get up. “Iced tea with three cubes!”
“I know,” he called back, heading to the kitchen.
I grinned. He could’ve ordered the maid to get it, but he knew I loved it when he did it himself. As I waited for my drink, however, I heard the sound of a car outside pulling into the driveway.
I strained to look over the couch, pushing the curtains away as I spied outside. There was a black car, no license plates outside, and I knew imdiately it was from the Valentinos. A man stepped out, dark glasses on.
“Hey, Elio. Sobody’s outside,” I called out to him warily just as the doorbell rang.
I got to my feet, groaning from the extra weight of the baby and I wobbled out into the hallway. Elio had already gotten to the door, a serious look on his face as he said sothing in a low voice.
The man noticed and went silent, causing Elio to turn around. He stiffened and I knew sothing was wrong. There was a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“I’ll et you in the study,” Elio glanced at the man who nodded, coming inside.
I couldn’t see his eyes behind the glasses but I knew he was staring at as he passed by, heading upstairs to the study.
“Who is that?” I asked Elio, knowing I wouldn’t get an answer.
“Nobody,” he said quickly. “I left your drink on the kitchen counter. I’ll be right back.”
He kissed on the forehead, dodging and following the path of the stranger. I heard the study door open and then shut.
I glanced into the kitchen where my iced tea was.
I could be a good girl, get my tea and drink it while I watched TV and waited for Elio to be done, I thought. I could do exactly what Elio had asked of .
But I wasn’t the obedient type.
I ignored my iced tea, holding my stomach and moving upstairs slowly enough so the stairs didn’t creak. I snuck across the floor, knowing where to place my feet so I wouldn’t make a sound and once I was near the study door, I gently and quietly pulled on the handle, opening the door just the slightest crack so I could hear.
“How many this ti?” I heard Elio, sounding furious.
“Two,” the man replied. “One of their guys escaped with just injuries, but his partners weren’t so lucky. Just like the few, all killed the sa way with a ssage left so we would see it.”
I stiffened hearing this. Two more n were killed?
“Any civilians see this ti?”
“None. We made sure.”
“Good. Make sure their families are inford and get them buried in Eterna. We might have to start our own Eterna after all this. Dammit.”
“In addition to the n, I ca to report that we received a ssage from MS13.”
“What is it?” Elio sounded furious. “Demanding to kill my family again?”
There was a pause of silence and as guilty as I was for spying on them, I was also invested enough that I wanted to look over to see what was happening. But the man spoke up again.
“They said, and I quote, ‘The warnings stop now. You have chosen war. We will not stop until the entire Valentino family is wiped out.’ End of ssage.”
I held a hand over my mouth, fury rising as I heard the ssage. Slowly and quietly, I shut the door once more and then made my way downstairs. My iced tea was mostly lted but I didn’t care as I sipped it and sat on the couch.
A deep fury had spread through like poison, and I narrowed my eyes as I thought of these bastards and their goddamn ssage. I should’ve been scared but the fear was consud by my anger as I thought one damning thought.
These cocky bastards would regret threatening my family.
Reviews
All reviews (0)