Leah's Seduction: 8 (Gianni and Leah - Leah's Seduction) (3 page)

Chapter 5

The next morning, they had breakfast at the hotel. The restaurant’s rich wood trim glistened from the flood of morning light coming through the leaded, beveled-glass windows. It was cozy, and the seating was comfortable.

Leah’s hair shone in the light, and she looked innocent in her ruffled blouse. The nature of their relationship amazed Gianni. The sex has hot, better than with any woman before. Yet he could talk with her, even share business insights.

Months before, he had taken Leah to meet his parents, and there had been no reason not to. It had seemed natural, and hadn’t been a big deal. Now, seeing her parents in Portland, even on such a short trip, meant a lot to her. Mostly, Gianni had arranged it because he wanted them to get to know him under relaxed circumstances.

And he didn’t know how long that would be possible. Knowing her parents, Gianni understood better how Leah was such a warm and loving woman. Still, she was unique, and had qualities he had found in no other. When he held her in his arms, it felt so right. Yet he was uneasy about their future.

“What are you having?” Leah said.

“Eggs Benedict sounds good. And you?”

“I’ll just have fruit and yogurt. If I know my mom, she has a big lunch planned.”

It was early. They wanted to have time to walk outdoors before meeting Leah’s sister for coffee. Portland was fresh and green from all the yearly rainfall. It was a big city with small-town charms. The city’s nickname was “City of Roses” because roses grew like crazy there. Leah told him there was a rose festival each year.

She was going to be surprised when they went up to their suite later. It was just so appropriate to have dozens of roses, in all colors, delivered. Leah liked flowers.
That
he knew from experience. He couldn’t wait to see the delight on her face.

Leah sipped her coffee. “Why are you smiling?”

“Just enjoying your company.”

She squinted at him. “You’re up to something.”

“Can’t I just be looking forward to the day with you?”

*****

The weekend in Portland turned out well. The good weather lasted. There was so much to do that the trip was really too short. They would have to return when they could. The city had many galleries that Gianni would have liked to see. They did visit one of the lush, green parks. But there wasn’t enough time to visit the wineries in Willamette Valley, or enjoy any of Oregon’s beaches.

He did get to meet Aubrey, the youngest sister in the Ivers family. She was three years younger than Leah, and attending the theater arts program at the community college. Despite her busy schedule, she made time to meet for coffee.

Aubrey had her mother’s blond hair and blue eyes. She was very pretty, and bubbled with excitement over costuming, which was her passion. Neither pressed for more when she didn’t offer much about her boyfriend. The sparkle in her eyes when she spoke of him gave away that she was in love.

As Leah predicted, when they went to the Ivers’ home for lunch, there was plenty of food. Her mother was a good cook. And Patrick had provided bread and dessert from the bakery. Gianni was close to his own family, and comfortable in such settings. There was a very down-to-earth quality at the Ivers’ home that he quite liked.

After lunch they visited the farmer’s market and toured Portland University. Before dinner, they went back to the hotel to freshen up. When Leah discovered the flowers, her reaction was just as he had hoped. She gasped with delight and threw her arms around him. It was a good surprise.

All in all, the visit was enjoyable, and Gianni nearly forgot about all the drama waiting for them in New York. He managed to push it aside a bit longer. On the last day, they went up to Pittock Mansion, now serving as a museum, overlooking Portland’s skyline.

It was surrounded by acres of natural beauty: rivers, forests, and mountaintops. No other place in town offered a more breathtaking view. They sat on a bench and gazed at the city below. “It would be nice if we could stay longer,” Leah said.

“I agree. Maybe next time we can.” Gianni put his arm around her. “There is a lot waiting for us back in New York.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder. “Yes. Ava, for one thing.”

“I was thinking of her too,” Gianni said. “It bothers me that she felt confident enough to follow you.”

“The confrontation did get to me, I admit. It’s harassment, both the emails and her unannounced presence at the coffee shop.” Leah put her hand on his thigh. “I’d like to strike back, put an end to it. But I don’t have a way to do that.”

“We will take legal action if she keeps pushing us.” Gianni looked down, over the expanse of the city below. At least for that brief time they were away from it all. “We did get a court order to stop her from putting up the billboards with those pictures and her messages.”

Leah sighed. “That’s a relief.”

“Yes, since there is an ongoing lawsuit, the judge felt more strongly about it. Anything like that can sway opinion. And I am glad he wouldn’t allow her to proceed.”

She looked over at him. “Maybe she will start to get the idea that she can’t get away with what she intends.”

“I doubt that. In fact, my guess is that she will be annoyed about the court order. Ava will consider it a personal affront. And I won’t be surprised if she strikes back harder,” Gianni said. And he was pretty sure that was true. In the state of mind Ava was in, he didn’t expect her to back down. Not this soon.

*****

With so much at stake, Gianni wasn’t about to leave everything up to his attorney. He had directed Dawson to put together a surveillance team in order to find out what Ava was up to. When Gianni got back to his office at GR Showroom, his security chief had something to show him.

“It seems Ava has a boyfriend,” Dawson said.

Gianni watched the screen. In the footage, Ava wore a tight, purple designer dress and spiky boots. Her hair was twisted up, and diamond pendants hung from her ears. She looked ready for work at her modeling agency.

A point of interest was the buff guy walking beside her. He looked a bit rough around the edges, with plenty of tattoos, scruffy jeans, and a tight cotton shirt. His brown hair was short-cropped, and the man clearly visited the gym often.

His biceps stretched his shirt sleeves, and his broad shoulders narrowed to a trim waist. Veins in his neck bulged and his eyes narrowed. He was yelling something, but the camera had been too far away to pick up sound.

Then he grabbed a fistful of Ava’s hair, and she nearly fell over. The brute shouted something in her face, and shoved her when he let her go. He had his back to the camera, and Ava faced it. She looked upset, but didn’t fight back.

The man strode past her dismissively, and Ava went on her way. “Who is the dude?” Gianni said.

Dawson punched a button to stop the viewing for a minute. “Brian Fagan. I looked into his background, and it seems he is a fashion-model groupie.”

“That’s an interesting designation.”

“He has been with numerous models, and reports are that he doesn’t treat them right.”

Gianni raised his brows.

“He is an abusive son of a bitch,” Dawson said.

“He looked it.”

“He has been with Ava for a while.”

Gianni leaned back in his chair. “Which explains what occupied Ava’s attention for the last many months when I didn’t hear from her.”

“Yes, it does. And there’s more.”

“Go on.”

Dawson shuffled some papers. “The guy has a problem with gambling, and has been in trouble a lot. He needs cash to feed his addiction. It seems fashion models are easy prey, and he sweeps them off their feet long enough to fund his activities.”

“Let me guess,” Gianni said. “They get tired of being whacked around?”

“You got it. And considering that their careers depend on good looks, showing up with bruises and such can be an issue.”

Gianni was thoughtful for a moment. “So now Ava?”

“She does have her own company. No telling how long it will take him to drain her dry.”

“It’s coming together.” Gianni raked a hand through his hair. “It appears Ava is back with her hand out because she needs money for her abusive boyfriend.”

“That was my guess too. And gambling isn’t his only habit.”

“Yeah, I guessed the drugs.” Gianni leaned forward. “And I can tell you that his asshole behavior may just suit her.”

Dawson didn’t flinch. “Because she enjoys the pain?”

Gianni nodded. “Unless she has changed, which I doubt.”

“Do you want to see the rest of what we got?”

“Sure, let it run. I’d like to see all of it.”

There were more scenes of Ava with her boyfriend. His behavior was consistent, and the nature of the relationship was clear. On one of the days, Brian Fegan skipped the hair pulling, and slapped Ava instead. Gianni was sure he was capable of much more.

When the showing was over, Gianni came around and sat on the desk. He looked at Dawson. “Find out all you can. And stay on her.”

When his security chief left, Gianni sat in his chair and looked out the window. For so long, he had blamed himself for her irrational suicide attempt. But he had been blind. The signs had been there all along, but he had missed them.

He had known she was emotionally fragile. And had assumed breaking up with her had pushed her over the edge. But Ava’s issues ran much deeper. Fear and pain had been aphrodisiacs to her, but in the extreme.

For her, the power play, submission, and sex scenes were all a waste of time. The important thing for Ava was the pain itself, and she didn’t seem to care what type of pain. Gianni realized from seeing the surveillance of her that she didn’t care who was giving the pain, either.

Gianni wasn’t a stranger to such masochist tendencies, and knew that Ava craved the abuse for the euphoric effect of endorphins released during pain. She needed her
fix
from a partner that would give it to her. And Brian was the man of the hour.

From the beginning, Ava had been able to tolerate pain well. Not that Gianni gave her what she truly craved. He suspected she had a history of masochistic trysts, as years of pain can acclimate a person to it. Make them acquire a taste and preference for it.

Yet when they had been together, Gianni had kept her in line. He had set boundaries, and hadn’t violated them. But that didn’t alter Ava’s need. And once he was no longer there to protect her, and keep her from harm, the power of her inclinations surfaced.

Gianni was under no delusion about what happened in the playroom between Ava and the man she had chosen. If he would abuse her in public, it would only be worse behind a locked door. There her compulsion to be with a man that would hurt her would run unchecked.

He felt like beating the crap out of Brian Fegan for being an uncultured brute. But it wouldn’t solve the problem. Ava would only find another man to do her bidding. And in the meantime, her outcry that she wasn’t after his money was a lie.

Ava needed a deep pocket, and Gianni was sure her boyfriend would beat her into submission on that one. It took a lot of money to fund gambling habits. And when paired with drug issues, no amount of money was enough.

Chapter 6

Kyra was supposed to meet Leah and Daniela at the Tribeca Grand for a must-attend event called Closet Raid. The hotel was on the border of two affluent neighborhoods with cobblestone streets and historic buildings. The interior had an eight-story atrium, and there was a downstairs lounge that they planned to visit later.

Some well-known fashion bloggers were offering garments from their own closets, and the fee gave attendees access to their enviable wardrobes. There would be a wide range of styles available for purchase, lots of activities, giveaways, and music.

Leah and Daniela sank into soft chairs in the lobby to wait for Kyra. “So you and Gianni went to Portland together?”

Leah proceeded to give her the highlights of the trip, telling her all about the things they did, as well as how Gianni had charmed her parents. Talking about it warmed her heart all over again.

Daniela smiled. “That’s my brother for you. He can be quite charming.”

“And the last day we hiked in Forest Park, a huge forested area in the city. There are miles of trails, and it’s very popular. There were cyclists, bird watchers, dog walkers, runners.”

At that moment, Kyra entered the lobby wearing a bronze-colored satin blouse and slim jeans that made her legs look a mile long. She rushed up and plopped in a chair beside them, breathless. “Sorry I’m late. I jogged part of the way. I didn’t know if you’d wait for me, and wasn’t sure where I’d find you.”

“What was the delay?” Daniela said.

“Oh, this interview I had. Remember I told you about that modeling agency that was interested?” Without waiting for a reply, Kyra continued, “I went to the appointment today.”

“How did it go?” Leah said.

Kyra frowned. “Actually, some of the questions she asked me were odd.”

“In what way?” Daniela said.

“Well, it started out okay. But then she wanted to know about friends and connections in the industry. Which made sense at first, because I thought she was going to ask for references.”

“She didn’t?” Leah said.

Kyra shook her head. “No, it was more like she was prying into my life, which I didn’t get. And then she wanted to know where I had modeled before.”

“That’s a long list,” Leah said. “Didn’t she have your résumé?”

“Yes, that’s what threw me too. Then GR Showroom came up. I’ve been doing quite a few shows there in recent months.”

“That should be a good reference,” Daniela said.

“You would think,” Kyra said, then looked at Leah. “She asked me if I knew Gianni’s girlfriend.”

“That’s none of her business,” Leah said, feeling violated.

Kyra threw her hand up. “Exactly. And it was so unusual for her to ask something like that. But when I said that I know you, she started grilling me.”

“What kind of questions?” Leah said.

“You know, personal stuff. What kind of person are you? How long have you known Gianni? I mean, she rattled them off.”

“What did you tell her?” Leah said, not sure she liked the sound of this.

Kyra brushed her hair over her shoulder. “Not much. I clammed up. I tried to stay professional, and just said that I’ve had only good dealings with GR and all connected there.”

“That was good,” Leah said. “I’m glad you didn’t tell her anything private.” She was relieved it hadn’t gone worse, but her heart was still racing.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Kyra said, clutching her purse to her chest. “Really, it was too weird. I had to leave. I don’t need work that badly.”

“How strange,” Daniela said. “What was the name of the agency? I know most of the big ones in the city.”

“Catwalk Stardom. Have you heard of it? I hadn’t before,” Kyra said.

Daniela put her hand over her mouth as soon as Kyra uttered the name. “Oh my God.”

Leah and Daniela spoke at once. “What?”

“She changed the name of her company recently. Updating the image, I guess. That’s why you haven’t heard of it,” Daniela said.

“Who?” Kyra said.

Daniela stood up. “What’s the name of the woman you spoke to?”

“It was Ms. Stewart.”

“Yes, that’s her,” Daniela said, pacing and waving her hand in the air. “Ava Stewart. She’s the owner.”

Leah felt dizzy. “Gianni’s ex?”

Daniela stood in front of Leah. “Yes, it’s her.”

“She was using you to get some dirt on me,” Leah said, turning to Kyra. It was just more harassment. Now Ava was going through her friends. She feared that Ava would use any means to get what she wanted.

Kyra shook her head. “Well, she got nothing.” She looked at Leah. “I walked out. That chick is nuts.”

The news deflated Leah’s enthusiasm for shopping. She went with her friends anyway, not wanting to ruin it for them too. But she was appalled at Ava’s ruthless attempt to learn something about her that could be used in the ongoing attempt to get Gianni back.

Not knowing what was next was unnerving. Each time Leah thought she had the situation under control, there was some other incident. Would it ever end? And worse, if Ava didn’t get information one way, she would get it another.

Gianni’s life was high profile, and Leah was in the limelight because of it. With that kind of public exposure, privacy was limited. There were too many ways for Ava to find out what she wanted to know. And it wasn’t all about the lawsuit, either.

It was clear that the woman’s intention to get at Leah was because of jealousy. It was even messier now, because she had some deadbeat boyfriend egging her on. Gianni had relayed what the surveillance had turned up. Yet that wasn’t the whole story.

Leah knew it wasn’t. The way Ava behaved was more than a matter of squeezing money out of Gianni. If Ava succeeded in her aim, it was likely she would dump the abuser and fall into Gianni’s arms.

Ava didn’t realize that wasn’t going to happen. But Leah knew that’s what she was after. Maybe she couldn’t leave the boyfriend now, and catered to his demands under duress. Although Leah hadn’t known a woman in an abusive relationship, except for Kyra’s brief experiences, she had read a bit about it. Often the woman couldn’t leave. The abuser would find her, and might hurt her badly. Some relationships were hard to escape, even if the woman wanted to. And Leah wasn’t sure that Ava wanted to leave.

But if she got Gianni back, all that would change.

Meanwhile, Ava refused to disappear from Leah’s life. And she kept doing things that were difficult to predict. Leah wasn’t sure what it would take to convince her that she had no chance with Gianni. She was unstable and elusive. Leah didn’t claim to understand her.

Daniela’s voice startled Leah back to the present. She held up a silver cocktail dress. “What do you think? Should I try it on?”

“Yes, it’s beautiful.”

“Why haven’t you been trying anything on? Don’t you see anything you like?” Then Daniela paused. “You aren’t still worrying about Ava, are you?”

Lean nodded. “It’s hard not to. She’s like a viper. The woman won’t quit.”

“I can’t argue with that. But don’t let her get to you. That’s what she wants.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Daniela held the sparkly dress out to Leah. “Here, you try this on. It will look good on you. I’ll find something else.” She shoved Leah toward the dressing room. “Go, go. You’ll feel better. Shopping will help, you’ll see. And after we scoop some good deals, we’ll go have a couple of drinks in the lounge.”

Leah laughed and kept walking toward the dressing room. “Okay, I’m going. I’m taller than you, though. I don’t know if this is going to fit.”

Daniela just grinned and waved toward the dressing room. Then she turned and resumed thumbing through the racks of clothes. Leah focused on the dress. It might fit, after all. Maybe she would wear it to dinner with Gianni later. She decided that shopping and drinks would take her mind off Ava. She hoped.

*****

The dress fit perfectly, and Leah ended up finding several other items. It did cheer her up. After cocktails with her friends, she had Roston stop by the apartment so she could change. As she brushed out her hair, her phone vibrated.

It was a text from Gianni:
Looking forward to seeing you.

She replied:
You should be. Wait until you see what I’m wearing.

Something new?

Yes. Your sister picked it out.

Can’t wait to see. I have a special evening planned.

What’s the occasion?

Seeing you.

Leah’s heart melted.

She was right on time at Uva’s, an Italian place on the Upper East Side. The moment she stepped inside, Leah felt transported into a rustic-style Italian villa, ideal for a romantic rendezvous. A waiter guided her to the outdoor seating in back, where Gianni waited.

He looked like an Italian heartthrob in a pale blue shirt that matched his eyes, and a shimmery charcoal blazer. Gianni stood when she entered, and his gaze he bathed her in admiration. He made her feel like no other man had before.

The glass-enclosed patio had planters with red flowers set along the ledges, and the night sky was visible through the clear ceiling. The room was softly lit with a candle on each table. “This is romantic,” she said. “It’s lovely.”

“
You
are lovely.” Gianni’s eyes grazed over her, lingering at the low-cut bodice. “And I do like that dress. It looks good on you.”

Leah’s cheeks warmed. No matter how often he flattered her, it still had an effect. “Thank you. And you look handsome, I must say.”

Gianni’s blue-gray eyes sparkled. His sandy blond hair was carelessly tousled, making the most of his masculine allure. “I’m glad you like what you see.” His eyes pierced into her, the lighthearted banter clearly meaning more.

For a moment, Leah forgot to breathe.

“I took the liberty of ordering a Super Tuscan. I hope you like it.”

The waiter appeared as if by magic and poured some of the silky red wine into her glass. Leah swirled and sniffed. Then she took a sip, letting the wine roll over her tongue. “Mmm, this
is
good.”

Gianni hadn’t taken his eyes off her, so after sipping, Leah licked her lower lip seductively. Lust filled his eyes. “Teasing so early in the evening?” he said.

Leah smiled demurely.

“We’ll have to see what we can do about that later,” he said.

“Promise?”

Gianni’s expression was sexy. “It is a promise.” He took a sip of his wine. “I have something for you.”

“A present?”

The waiter returned, and Leah had to wait for an answer. They chose sundried tomato bruschetta for an appetizer, and the waiter left to get the order. Gianni was quiet, so Leah had to ask. “What is it? Now you have me curious.”

He reached beside his chair to retrieve a small package wrapped in silver paper. Gianni handed it across the table, his expression giving no clues. She couldn’t imagine what it was. Leah untied the ribbon, and opened the gift.

Light purple satin material embroidered and decorated with glitter sparkled in the candlelight. She lifted the delicate gift from the wrapping. It was a mask. Leah examined it closer. “It is so beautiful.”

“It will look very sexy on you.”

“Are we going to a party?” Leah said.

“A party of two,” he said. “Just you. And me.”

A tingle ran up Leah’s spine. It was one of her fantasies to wear a costume mask during a scene. She hadn’t told Gianni, but she didn’t need to. She had written about it enough in her journal. And now she would get her wish.

It was good to have Gianni aware of her need without having to say it. “It’s exactly as I imagined,” Leah said, placing it gently back in the wrapping. “I can’t wait to wear it.” Warmth flooded her body as she thought of the mask, and she sipped her wine for courage.