Baby V (Chianti Kisses #1) (7 page)

“
Hi Momma, Wha
t’
s for dinner? Your son is starving
.
”

At the mere mention of hunger, the three women jump to attention as if on a mission. Guiding us through the porch and into the main foyer, they buss around planning our impromptu meal. Dom and I are left in their dust as they speed through the two-story entrance hallway and into the dining room, before disappearing toward the kitchen. Leaving our bags by the foot of the split staircase, Dom tells me h
e’
ll meet me in the kitchen as he heads into his office.

I follow the warm, delicious scents emanating from the large kitchen beyond the oversized french doors at the far end of the open foyer. Two place settings are being set at the kitchen island as I walk in. The tell-tale microwave beeping draws my attention to the oval platter mom withdraws from it. I sit down on one of the bar stools while Momma serves out a chicken breast and vegetables to me. Aunt Rosie follows behind with a basket of fresh rolls.

I had
n’
t realized how famished I was, having had confused my hunger pangs for delayed symptoms of my wild night. The marinated chicken is delicious and I devour bite after bite before looking up to see all three women looking back at me. I try to swallow my last mouthful safely before sheepishly asking,
 “
What?,
I’
m hungry
,
”
 
with childlike eyes.

Nonna smiles and places another chicken breast on my plate.
“
Eat, eat. You eat not enough at school. My job to put meat on your bones
.
”

I had just made her one happy grandma.

My second helping is starting to disappear as Dom finally strides in, looking tired and worn. His plate is warmed and set in front of him before he fully settles.
“
What are we drinking?
,
”
 
he asks me after sampling the vegetables.

I raise my glass of iced lemon water to him, quietly answering him.

“
Oh no. I need a
real
  drink. You
?
” He heads over to the large wine refrigerator and selects a 2008 Chardonnay before turning to me, holding up the bottle.

After a squint of my eyes, I hold up my thumb and forefinger to indicate a small smidgen amount, as I savor the warm fresh-buttered bread in my mouth. After gulping down my food, I sarcastically voice out,
 “
You are trying to corrupt me
.
”

I’
m not sure if i
t’
s a realization, or a request.

CHAPTER SIX

After we finish our dinner and clear away our dishes into the dishwasher, Aunt Rosie asks if she can show me my new room. I follow her lead out into the main foyer and up one side of the dual staircase to a set of large carved double doors. I know this room well, as it used to be Do
m’
s personal home gym.

Aunt Rosie pauses briefly before opening the gorgeous artisan doors as if she is about to present a masterpiece. The once dank and sweaty man-zone has been completely transformed into a shabby-chic paradise, with my personal items spread around the room as if they belong in their new locations. Warm beige and cream
dé
cor fill the large spaces once occupied by treadmills and weight machines. I can barely contain my gratitude for Aunt Rosi
e’
s hard work in making my own special space in her home.

“
Grazia, Aunt Rosie. Grazia. I
t’
s beautiful!
,
” I move about the room in utter wonder at all of the precious details. What a transformation! Wait...

“
Was Dom OK with this?
,
” I cry as I hug her small five foot frame.

She looks almost bashful, with blushed cheeks as I let her go.
“
Sweetheart, it was my pleasure. Make yourself at home. This room was just begging for a make-over. It will be easier to turn into a nursery this way, anyway...
,
” I stand back in shock.

“
All right momma. I think tha
t’
s quite enough of that.
V’
s tired. We should let her get some sleep
,
” Dom declares from the doorway with my bags in his bulging arms.

Aunt Rosie kisses my cheek goodnight and then pulls Do
m’
s cheek down to kiss as she passes him, making her exit. When h
e’
s sure she is far enough away and out of ear shot he exhales deeply.

“
You have John on your case to work at the company, and I have my mom on my case to procreate. I win
,
”
 
he compares each of our familial pressures.
 “
So... what do you think? Do you like the room
?
”

I smile.

“
I love it, but you did
n’
t have to give up your gym for me
,
”
 
I assert to him, trying not to sound ungrateful. There are many guest rooms on the other side of the house. They are smaller than this airy space, but i
t’
s only temporary. It would have been fine.
 “
But thank you. I really appreciate it
.
”

Dom shifts his eyes over to the nearest wall. I notice his neck start to flush under the collar of his shirt as he speaks.
“
Do
n’
t mention it. I want you to be comfortable here, V. I... needed more space for my equipment, anyway. I had a bigger gym built in the basement. You should check it out
,
” he looks around the room and walks over to the far side of it, standing in front of the french doors overlooking the sprawling back lawn.

He nods toward the glass, and informs me
,
“
This side of the house has the most amazing view at sunset. There are chairs out on the veranda now, if you ever want to watch it
.
” He taps the glass and points to the giant wicker furniture on the other side of the window.

“
The bathroom has been redone, and you know my room is just on the other side of this door if you need... anything
,
” he steps over to a side pocket door next to the bathroom and opens it to show me the dark interior of his sleep chamber. He closes the door halfway and shrugs his shoulders.
 “
You know, if you have a nightmare or something
.
”

I had forgotten about the secret door joining the two rooms. Well, as long as he does
n’
t plan on barging in, I do
n’
t see a problem.

“
I do
n’
t have nightmares anymore, Dom
.
” I can see the embarrassment spread over his tired eyes. I feel guilty that I have possible caused that.

“
Bu
t
…”
 
I try to lighten the mood
,
“
... if I do, yo
u’
ll be the first to know. I promise. You look exhausted from the trip. You should get some sleep
.
”

I quickly regret my suggestion. If he heads off to sleep,
I’
ll be by myself. I have
n’
t spent this much time alone with him in years, and I
t’
s really nice. Not sure what to say, I just stand there shifting my weight back and forth from one foot to the other. Like me, he must also be at a loss for words, with the charged silence growing between us.

He steps forward and kisses my cheek softly. I can smell the remnants of his cologne lingering around his skin. I
t’
s spicy and warm, and I want to surround myself in it.

“
Sweet dreams, Baby V
,
”
 
he whispers into my ear as he lifts his lips from my skin. I feel the weight of his breathing down on me as he stands no more than an inch away.

Feeling weightless, I think I may be floating from the sensation. My mind floods with speeding images as if I am whirling by them, unable to stop. The pressured pulses building in my veins begin to thud deeply in my ears. I am spinning out of control, but remain still as a rock, mentally grasping for anything to latch onto.

I find myself desperately wanting Dom to hold me tight, safe, until the storm around me calms. Unsure of how to tell him what I need when I hardly understand it myself, all I can muster is a faint
 “
Mmm, Hm
m
”
 
preceding a deep gulp as my eyes widen to watch his own deflate and slowly pull away toward his bedroom door.

Dom pauses before closing the door gently behind him
,“
Just knock if you need me
.
”

Oh I need him alright.

Oh my God!
What am I saying, er, thinking to myself? I reach out to touch the door cautiously, brushing my fingertips over the satin finish. My senses are heightened as I can feel the grain of the wood in i
t’
s delicate pattern under the white smoothness.

The storm is settling slowly as I turn my back to the door and slide down i
t’
s length until I am met by the hard wooden floor beneath me.
I’
m not sure how much time passes. It could have just as likely been one or ten minutes, hardly enough time for the prickly bumps along my arms to smooth. I wrap them around my knees, pulling them close into me while trying to sort out wha
t’
s just happened.

Do
m’
s muffled voice breaks the silence, invading my mind once again, through the door I am resting against.

“
Hey... did you read it
?
” Pause.
 “
The loses are upward of eighty thousand. We ca
n’
t ignore this, I mean enough is enough. This shi
t’
s got to stop, John. The
y’
re forcing our hand
.
”

What?
I
t’
s almost eleven
o’
clock at night. Why does Dom need to talk to my brother this late about business, especially if the
y’
ll see each other first thing at the office? I wonder if this has anything to do with that phone call about the man in the hospital? I press my ear closer to the wood to amplify the voice behind it.

“
Yeah, I know. The
y’
re getting violent and i
t’
s only a matter of time before someone gets killed.
I’
ll be damned if i
t’
s going to be one of
our
  guys. No... no. W
e’
ll wai
t‘
till the meeting to see what our options are. Yeah, sh
e’
s fine. I have
n’
t gotten into details with her yet. Trust me, sh
e’
ll do it. If I know your sister, sh
e’
ll really take it on, you know.... But, tha
t’
s all I want her knowing right now.
I’
m doing this my way, John, not taking any chances on screwing this up. Alright. Yup. Eight AM
.
”

Silence is all that answers me from the other side of the door, as I hug it tighter, searching for answers. The spinning returns, but this time is a different kind of storm. One of confusion and shock. Who could be killed?
Killed?!
Is it a figure of speech? Like sometimes I wanted to kill someone for pissing me off? And what am I not supposed to know, so Dom can do this
his
way?

My head is hurting as I pick myself up off the floor, and perform my nightly pre-bed routine before crawling into the lush covers of the king-sized bed. I doubt
I’
ll be able to sleep with all the commotion replaying itself in my head. Someone above me must have taken pity, because sleep rescues me before I drive myself insane with endless unanswered questions.

~*~

Morning light shines through the large windows and over my bed as my eyes attempt to adjust to the sudden brightness around me. Immediately, I try to wrap myself around what happened last night. How much was actually real, how much was a dream? Was
any
  of it real? The richness of Do
m’
s cologne, the burn his lips left behind on my skin, or the cloak and dagger phone call from behind the closed door.

Ugh. I
t’
s seriously too early for this level of contemplation.

As I sit up, letting the blankets fall from me, I look straight ahead to the door at the center of last nights ordeal. I wonder if Dom stares at the other side, planning how and what he was going to be doin
g
“
his way
.
”

Reaching for my white puffy robe, I swing it around while slipping my arms into it and cinching it at the waist. I make my way down the left staircase to the grand entrance, heading toward the kitchen with my padded socks cushioning my feet from the hard marble beneath them.

The kitchen is filled with lingering traces of bacon and I help myself to a slice from the plate in the warming drawer of the range. Momma always leaves me breakfast when I sleep in.
I’
m glad to see that has
n’
t changed, even though i
t’
s no longer the kitchen of my youth that she prepares it in. A bowl of fruit salad and a piece of toast round out my meal.

Heading back to my bedroom, I notice an envelope with the letter
 “V
”
 
on the cover, propped up against the mirror on my dresser. I reach for it without hesitation, knowing full well who it is from.

V-

We never finished our talk last night. I have time this afternoon. You should come to the city and we can meet up. I think yo
u’
ll want to hear what I have to say. Meet me at my office around 3. My driver will take you.

Dom

P.S.- You snore.

Jerk. I am 99.99% sure I do
n’
t snore. I can just pretend I never found the note, after hearing him basically planning t
o
“
handl
e
”
 
me his way,
I’
m not about to make it any easier on the traitor by simply waltzing into his office to be a pawn in whatever he and John were talking about.

I busy myself by unpacking the last of my things and check my email. Stephani
e’
s message is a welcomed distraction. I open it and instantly depress myself by missing my best friend. I want to tell her all about last night, but think
I’
ll come off sounding like a conspiracy-crazed stalker that listens to to other peopl
e’
s phone calls and closed door conversations, imagining them plotting against me.