Life of a Fool (London Brothers Book 2) (23 page)

“No, il mio amante, I understand that you don’t trust me.  I
also understand that you are confused.  Your friend Jason has had weeks with
you to convince you that we don’t belong together.  And I can’t possibly think
of what you have been doing with him or anyone else.  But I am trying to be
calm and understanding about it right now.  Please, let me have my wife back.”

I stared at his face, trying to read the truth.  I saw his
worry and desperation.  I saw the man I married—at least a glimpse of him—and I
knew I needed to keep him happy…keep him on the “loving” path for a while
longer.  So, I said, “Okay, Antonio.  I will let you show me.  I will give
myself to you.  I am trusting you with my body, with our child, and I pray you
will take care of us.”

I was immediately thrust against his body as he wrapped his
arms around my waist and pulled me to him.  “I love you,” he spoke in English. 
“I will show you, mia moglie.” 
My wife.

We left Maui Memorial Hospital and drove for almost two
hours to a large home situated on what appeared to be a remote side of the
island.  It was the ultimate luxury retreat, including a beautiful pool,
six-person hot tub, rooms and beds that slept at least a dozen people.  The
open walls of the living area looked out onto the beautiful blue ocean waters. 

“This place is really amazing.”  I said, trying to keep the
sadness out of my voice.  It was a place of tranquility and remarkable luxury,
and Antonio and I—there together—just didn’t fit. 

“It is.”  He stepped behind me and circled his arms around
my waist, carefully rubbing my stomach.  “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For not aborting.  I know you could have, easily.” 

“You forget who I am, Antonio.  That isn’t me.  No matter
the father.”

He spun me around, lifted my chin with his hand, and looked
into my eyes.  I could see conflict there.  He was angry, maybe frustrated was
more like it, but regret and gratefulness were flickering in his eyes too.  “I
know.  But I have not been the best man and husband.  So I guess I’m saying a
part of me would have tried to understand had you made that choice, amore mio.”

“I don’t want to fight.  Not now.  I’m exhausted.  Would you
mind if I lie down and rest?”  I touched my belly for good reference.  I wanted
to postpone any sexually close contact as long as possible.  To some, it might
seem like I was a bitch when he was trying so hard to please me.  To others,
well, they understood when an abusive man was in his “sweet or redemptive”
mode.  And I understood Antonio all too well.  Once he’d tasted “blood,” so to
speak, he would never go back to being just a normal guy.  He felt and saw the
power in it, and like all abusers, he’d never let that go.  So, time and
distance was good.

“Certainly, amore mio.” 
My love.
  “May I lie with
you, just for a while?”

“Yes, but I really need to rest.  No playing, okay?”  I was
sweet and a bit playful with my words, just to keep him happy. 

“Yes, of course.”  He led me to the master bedroom that was
open-aired and filled with a four-poster bed, all white linens, and a cool
breeze. 

“This is really nice.  Thank you.”  As a reflex, I kissed
his cheek. 
Stupid me.

He groaned and grabbed my waist, pushing me back toward the
bed as he slammed his mouth onto mine.  His tongue pushed its way inside, and I
couldn’t help but to meet his kiss with my own desire.  “Antonio…slow…down…” I
murmured through our kisses.

“Oh, amore mio…I can’t.  I need you.  Please.”  I hated
myself for wanting him, but my hormones were all over the place. 

“Io sono tua.” 
I am yours.
  “Slow down.  I will not
fight you.  Just give me a minute.”

He stopped and looked at me.  “Yes?”

“Yes, but slow.  I am still not healed.”
From you beating
me weeks ago.
 

“Oh, my love.  I am so sorry.  Please forgive me.”  His
apology in English was really compelling. 

I kissed his lips and looked deep into his eyes.  I could
see small…very small traces of the man I married, but not enough to think he
had miraculously changed.  This was all for survival. 

I gently pushed him away and worked slowly to slide my pants
down, taking my panties with them before I climbed up onto the bed.  Antonio
watched with hooded eyes as I lay back and waited.  He slowly crept up onto the
bed, like a lion to his prey.  He kissed the insides of my legs all the way up
from my ankles to my inner thighs, then stopped.  Carefully, he lifted my shirt
up and over my casted arm and head.  “I hate that I did this, amore mia,” he
said when he watched my broken arm struggle with the shirt. 

I didn’t reply.

“I will be a better man,” he mumbled as his lips lingered
around my stomach.  “I promise.”

I ran my hands through his hair but didn’t speak.  I closed
my eyes as Antonio continued to leave a trail of licks and kisses all over my
body and thought of Jason.  Tears formed, and I tried to keep them from
dripping down my cheeks.  My body wanted the sensual touches.  It knew them
well.  But my heart and brain were protesting as loudly as they could, and the
flood of emotions completely overwhelmed me.  A sob accidentally escaped,
stopping Antonio.  I opened my eyes, afraid of what he might do, but as our
eyes met, a sadness washed over him.  He carefully crawled up next to me,
turned me toward him, adjusting my body so that my head was on his chest and
cradled me.  “Shh…it’s okay.  Not today.  I can wait.  You are still upset with
me.”

“Yes,” I said softly.

“Your body wants me?”

“Yes,” I said as a tear ran down my face and onto Antonio’s
shirt.  He groaned and wiped my wet cheek. 

“Stop, amore mio.  I understand.  Let me just hold you.”  He
reached to the side and pulled a blanket over my naked body.  “There.  Sleep. 
I am here to love you.”

I took a deep breath and closed
my eyes, thankful that I didn’t have to betray Jason yet.  Sleep.  That was
what I needed.  Sleep.  Yes, things would be better when I wasn’t so tired.

*****

Warm hands running up and down my body woke me up.  At
first, I was confused as to where I was.  Then, I saw his face.  Antonio was
naked in the bed next to me, his erection evident as it stabbed into my side.  “It
is time to wake up, my lover.  You must be hungry.  You’ve been sleeping for a
long time.”

“Antonio, why are you naked?”

“I took off my clothes after you fell asleep.  I just wanted
to be close to you, my skin touching your skin,” he whispered and kissed my
shoulder before slowly moving to hover over my body. 

“Oh.”  I instinctively wrapped my good arm around his neck
when he leaned in for a kiss. “How long did I sleep?”  I asked. 

He leaned back slightly.  “About five hours.”

“Wow, I must have been wiped out.  My head feels better,
though.” 

“That’s good.  Shall we get up and have something to eat? 
It is almost two o’clock.  Or…” his voice trailed off as he pressed his cock
against me “…perhaps we could make love first.”  Well, Antonio, it wouldn’t be
making love to me, but my body was screaming for release.  “It has been too
long, I need to be inside you.  I need to mark you as mine once again.  Please.”

Before I could answer, he was already pushing into me.  “Wait…”

He paused, “What is it?  Am I hurting you?”

“No.  I’m just…”

“Shh,” he whispered against my lips before covering them,
stopping my protest.  “Let your body remember me, il mio amante, mia moglie.” 
My
lover, my wife.
His voice was gruff and needy as his cock continued its
agonizingly slow pace all the way to the hilt.  It was too much, and I gasped
at the feeling.  “Shh…it is me.  Remember me.”  He watched my face the entire
time.  I finally closed my eyes and relaxed, giving into him.  “Yes,
there—there.  Relax and let me have you.  You are mine.  Forever.”  As much as
my body was enjoying the feeling of becoming aroused, my head kept
contemplating how I was going to ever get away from him and back to Jason.  Oh
God!  Jason…yes, think of Jason. 

I wrapped my legs around Antonio’s waist as I fantasized it
was Jason making love to me.  It was enough to spur Antonio on, and his thrusts
became more and more urgent.  “Do not come until I tell you.  Understand.”  His
voice was sexy, but hearing it threatened my hot libido with an icy cold
dousing.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Good.”  He leaned down and wrapped his mouth around one
sensitive nipple, sucking it hard. 

“Can’t…too much.  I’m about to come.”  I was panting like a
dog in heat. 
What the hell.

“Oh, yes.  Now, il mio amante.  Now.”  He practically
screamed the words as pounded into me a few more times before pouring himself
into me, causing my body to orgasm with his. 

“Oh, God!”  As my body convulsed, he slammed his mouth onto
mine and kissed me deeply.  I hated the guilt, but as I came down from my
orgasm, my body felt sated, calmer.  After a few minutes, Antonio released my
mouth and looked into my eyes.

“Thank you,” he said, kissing my nose.  “I needed to do
that.  As a man, as your husband, I needed to empty myself into your body.  Did
I hurt you?”

“No.  I don’t think so.  I do need to get up and go to the
bathroom, though.”  I gave a slight smile.

“Okay.  Yes.  Here.”  He pulled us both up to a sitting
position, his cock still inside me.  I felt it twitch, and he grinned.  “It
missed you.”  I didn’t say anything, just stared and tried to climb off his
lap.  “Not yet.”

“I just need to go to the bathroom, Antonio.  Please.” 

Without a word, he stood with me and I had to wrap my legs around
his waist to keep from falling as he walked us both into the bathroom.  “What
are you doing?”

“Taking you to the restroom.  I will put you down when we
get in there.”

“Stop.  I can walk.”

“No.  I’m planning to put you right back on top of me as
soon as you are done.  I need more.  Now.”  He sat me on my feet right next to
the toilet. 

I sat and peed, feeling huge relief.  Antonio stood over me
and waited.  “Um, I might need a little break from what we just did.  Could we
get some food now?” 

“Not yet.”

“But I think the baby is hungry.”  I couldn’t help the
little grin as I watched his eyebrows raise and his mouth drop open in shock. 

“Oh, so you are going to try that, huh?”  I could tell it
humored him, so I nodded my head and smiled.  “Is our lovemaking so terrible
that you would rather eat?”

“Yes…”  I attempted to joke, and he laughed out loud.  I had
to keep things civil.  I knew in my heart that Jason and Craig were looking for
me.  Time…I needed time.

“Wrong answer.  Now I
have
to try again.” 

I finished going to the bathroom and stood to go wash my
hands.  He followed right behind me, just waiting to grab my body.  I spun to
face him.

“Oh, you are a sassy one today, mia moglie.” 
My wife.
 
He picked up one of my legs, wrapped it around his waist, and thrust his cock
back inside me.  I threw my head back at the sudden sensation, and he lifted my
other leg so that he could carry me back to the bedroom.  But instead of going
to the bed, he walked outside to the large balcony and sat in a lounge chair,
me straddling him.  “Ride me.  Now.”  I moved my hips slowly and stared at
Antonio’s face.  He was watching my body.  One of his hands came up and laid on
my stomach, and I saw him smile.  The other hand wrapped around to my ass and
he squeezed it.  “Ride harder.  I need it.”  I did as he asked, and within a
few minutes we were both moaning out our releases.  “Ahh…yes!  Always only for
me.”

No, Antonio.  I wouldn’t be yours much longer.

I was so fucking exhausted. 

But adrenaline kept me going.  I had to get to my Lori Ann. 

The flight was incredibly long.  Thirteen hours, with two
different layovers.  As soon as I landed, I rented a car and started looking. 
I’d tried to call Craig, Frank, and Ty, but all three phones went straight to
voicemail, so I assumed they were still flying. 

I flashed my badge a few places, talked to a local, and went
on a hunch that The Italian would try to find a nice, secluded place on the
island.  As I searched, I kept hearing Lori Ann’s words… “Jace, you know as
well as anyone that I need to be able to protect myself. 
He will come
looking for me. 
You know it.  I know it.”  I promised her I would protect
her and keep her crazy husband away. 

I failed. 

But not again.  I had to find her.  Three days had gone by,
and I prayed like hell that she was still on Maui.

I wasn’t paying attention to the time, but apparently a few
hours had passed because I received a text from Craig letting me know the team
had landed on the island.

Craig:

Just landed.  Tell me you’re in one piece and not dead.

I called him back.  “Hey.  Where are you?”  Craig answered.

“Driving.  And, yes, I’m fine.  Just narrowing down my
search.  I think I’ve found a remote compound that’s promising.”

“Where?”

“Looks like the eastern side of the island.  Just like
something that prick would rent.  I found out from a little research that the
house was rented out just thirty-six hours ago.  Has to be it, man.  There are
tons of places around here, but none that are as remote.  He wouldn’t want to
take her into these tourist areas.  She could too easily escape or cry out for
help.”  The thought made me sick. 

“How far away from the airport are you?  Should we rent our
own car?”

“Yes.  This place is two hours from the airport, and I’m
already headed there.  I’m about halfway now.”

“You need to pull over.  Stop.  Stay put and wait for us.” 
Craig voice was tight and angry.