Turn Towards the Sun: Book Three- Forever in Bloom (The Sunflower Trilogy) (19 page)

“Hello?”

“I’m calling for Ava Milano. This is American Express.”

“This is Ava Milano.”

“Hello, my name is David Simpson from the fraud department. We had an alert that your card was being accessed in California, but earlier today there were charges in Arizona. Can you verify your purchases please?”

“I haven’t used my card today,” I explain.

“Not at all?”

“No, not at all. I’ve been at work all day. In Arizona.”

“Okay, well it seems your card may be compromised then. It would be best to put a freeze on the card. We can issue a new one right away.”

“How did this happen? The card is still in my wallet,” I say.

“Not sure, ma’am but unfortunately these things happen all the time. It could’ve been an online purchase or an email you sent that someone hacked or any number of methods. Thieves are getting pretty smart these days. Don’t worry though, you won’t be responsible for these charges and we’ll get you set up with a new card quickly.”

“Okay, thank you,” I say just as Enzo approaches. “Babe, that was Amex. They said someone tried to use my card in California and also here, but I haven’t used it today.”

Enzo’s brow furrows. “Fraud?”

“Yeah, he says it happens all the time. At least they caught it.”

“Possibly, but I’ll have Alex check into it further and we’ll see what we can find out on our end. Let’s just make sure it’s not related to Anna.”

“I didn’t even think of that,” I say, softly.

“We’ll check it out.”

“Okay, it couldn’t hurt.”

“No, it couldn’t. Are you ready to go home?”

“I am.”

As we ride home, my phone rings again. Enzo takes it from me and answers.

“Hello, I’m calling for Ava Milano.”

“This is her husband. What can I help you with?”

“This is Ahmed from Best Buy. We were calling about your new credit application but you already have a closed account with us and we wanted to know if you wanted to reopen that account.”

“Amore, it’s Best Buy. Did you try to open a new account?”

I shake my head. “No, when would I have had time to do that? I don’t need anything from Best Buy.”

“Ahmed, this is the second call today and we believe my wife’s identity has been compromised. We’d like to request to deny the application. Do you need to speak to my wife?”

“Yes, sir.”

I get on the phone and verify the information provided is inaccurate. I take down the PO Box address he gave me that was on the application. It’s in Arizona. After thanking him, I hang up and stare at Enzo. “Fucking great. This is just fucking awesome.”

“We’ll get it handled, Ava. Let’s call the bank and make sure we put an alert on the account.” Enzo pulls out his phone and dials his personal banker, Amanda Brandon. “Yes, Amanda? This is Enzo Milano, how are you? It seems Ava’s identity may have been stolen. Can we put a freeze on our accounts please?” He listens quietly and nods. “That’s perfect. We’ll be by in the morning to open new accounts. Thank you, Amanda.” Enzo turns to me. “We’ll go to the bank in the morning and get our accounts reassigned. We may need to call the credit bureaus too.”

“Okay.” I sigh. “Just more shit to deal with.”

“Yes, I’m afraid.”

We ride the rest of the way home in silence. When are we ever going to get a fucking break? As soon as we arrive home, I go straight to my bedroom and change into my workout clothes. Since I can’t leave my house I decide to pound out my stress on the treadmill. Lacing up my tennis shoes, I try to ignore Enzo standing in our doorway watching me.

“What, Enzo?”

“Nothing, amore.” His eyes and voice reflect his sadness and concern for me.

“I’m fine. I just need some time alone to collect my thoughts.”

“I understand.”

“I hope you do.” I walk past him to our workout room, taking my phone with me so I can listen to music. Putting my headphones on, I turn the machine on and start my run. There is so much going on in my head. I’m trying so hard to forgive Enzo for keeping this Anna shit from me and I know why he tried, but I just can’t get past that he thought lying to me was the best move. What else has he kept from me? I turn up the speed on the treadmill.

Even with the gun and all this extra security, I don’t feel safe all. Anna is deranged and I imagine her sitting at a table in a dark motel room plotting my demise. In fact, I don’t think anyone is safe right now, especially Enzo. She’s definitely an ‘if I can’t have him no one else can either’ type of girl.

I wouldn’t believe any of this crazy shit if it weren’t actually happening to me. The situation with Emma was far more understandable than this. Emma wasn’t crazy, just hurt. Anna is one crazy bitch. You can’t reason with crazy.

My thoughts wander to how Anna was able to get out of the mental hospital. Did she ever go to Illinois? How did she know she could get Enzo alone in Vegas?
Oh shit.
The interview we did on the morning show. If she’s been trying to get to us for a while she would be watching my every move. She knew he would be alone.

She had to go to great lengths to distract him enough to slip something in his food or drink then lure him away without Checca noticing. Just how long they were alone and what she was able to accomplish is the disturbing part. Is it possible she could coerce Enzo to have sex with her while he was under the influence? Part of me finds it difficult to believe that even a drugged Enzo would be able to have sex with another woman.

Angry tears roll down my cheeks while I run and the more I cry the faster I run. I have to remind myself that I can run all I want on this treadmill but the problem isn’t going away. After forty minutes, I slow down and start my cool down. My phone buzzes indicating a text message. I open it and freeze. Fuck.

I stomp quickly down the hall to Enzo’s office and hand the phone to him. “A. She has my fucking phone number and B. She has pictures. Fucking bitch.”

Enzo’s eyebrows rise at my choice of words but he quickly goes pale when he looks at the text I received from Anna. It’s a video of Enzo and Anna together at the hotel. He appears to be walking with her willingly, but what she doesn’t realize is that if you know Enzo, it’s very obvious that something is wrong with him. His confident gait is missing and Anna is clearly leading him to the room. We watch the short video as Anna fishes the hotel room key out of Enzo’s pocket and hands it to him to open the door. She looks nervously over her shoulder before entering the room. The text says, ‘Bet you can’t wait to see what happens next.’

“I’ve seen this footage. The PI I have working on it was able to get it from the hotel,” Enzo explains.

“Well, it was dumb of her to send it. It’s quite obvious to me that you were being led there. Her plan backfired if she thought it would convince me you went with her willingly.”

“I’m glad,” he says but his tone doesn’t match his words.

“Why do you still look so worried? I’m not buying it, Enzo.”

“Ava, I’ve tried a thousand times to remember what happened in the room but I can’t. I don’t know what happened and I don’t know what she taped but I’m sure now that she will send you whatever she has.”

“Oh. I didn’t think of that.”

“I’m going to keep your phone.”

“No, you’re not. Whatever she sends I’ll deal with it. In fact, I think we should text her back.”

“And say what?”

“Fuck you. Watch your back, bitch. You stupid whore. Any of those work for me.”

“I don’t think we should validate her actions with a response.”

“You’re probably right but if we don’t respond do you think that will just antagonize her more?”

“That’s possible, yes.”

“So what should we do? Maybe it’s time to get the police involved, Enzo. She is harassing us again.”

“I’ve considered it but I think we have more to lose doing it that way. There is so much risk that she could go to the media.”

“True.” I slump down in the closest chair. “I have no idea what we should do next. I feel like we are just sitting ducks waiting for her to strike. It’s a very uneasy feeling.” I’m hurt, angry, and doubting everything in my life.

“I know, amore. I feel the same way. We’ll get you a new phone in the morning.”

We sit staring at each other for several minutes before I stand to leave. Enzo stands at the same time and out of nowhere, I’m overcome by a sudden desire for my husband. I have no idea where it came from but it’s here. Enzo looks at me, silent, but his eyes say so much. I know he’s sorry. I know he’s hurt. We both are. The only thing I want right now is him.

I rush towards him and throw my arms around his neck, planting my mouth on his in a passionate kiss. He quickly responds twirling me around until my back is against the wall. We kiss fast and hard as though our lives depend on it.

“Enzo, I want you to make love to me. Now,” I say, breathlessly.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes. I need you. Unless you don’t want me.”

“There isn’t a moment of the day that I don’t want you.”

Enzo starts to pull me towards the office door but I stop him. “What’s wrong with right here?”

“Here?”

Pulling me to him, I kiss his neck. “I want you now.” I pull at his shirt and pants in an attempt to undress him. The feeling inside me is almost primal- like an instinct driving me to connect with him physically.

“Ava…” Enzo whispers as he returns my passionate kiss. When I don’t respond, I’m taken by surprise when he suddenly lifts me off my feet and, pushing the door open, carries me valiantly down the hall to our bedroom. “I want to savor every moment with you, every supple inch of your skin, every crevice of your beautiful body.”

My heart begins to melt from his romantic words. I want this between us too. Enzo hovers over me with a look on his face that I find extremely difficult to resist. “I love you so much and....” He buries his face in my neck dotting kisses along my cheek and neck. “I’m sorry, Ava. So sorry.”

“I know,” I whisper, absorbing the blissful feeling of his hands and lips all over me. “I feel like I’ve been away from you for so long.”

Enzo looks up at me and our eyes meet. “I’m so thankful to have you- so thankful for this moment with you.” He drags his lips across my cheek. “It pleases me so much to know that you still want me- that this…incident hasn’t repelled you.”

“I need to shower,” I murmur, suddenly remembering post-workout state.

“I don’t care.”

“Enzo, I… mmm.” I can’t talk anymore as his hands explore my body. Enzo’s hands tangle in my hair as his mouth presses against mine once more. Right now, I couldn’t care less that I need a shower.

“Ava, Ava, Ava,” Enzo whispers, “Tell me you’re still mine. Tell me you love me.”

“I love you and I’m all yours, you know it. And you are mine, Enzo. No one can come between us.”

“That’s right,” he says tugging on my stretch pants.

I quickly pull off my sports bra to release my breasts from their restraints. Enzo’s hands immediately go to them, squeezing and kneading them between his fingers. Throwing my head back, I do my best to push my pants down. I reach down and unzip Enzo’s pants, pulling his dress shirt out of the way. Enzo uses his foot to further pull down my pants but they get stuck on my tennis shoes.

I kick them off and help Enzo get my pants off the rest of the way. Reaching down, I stroke his erection and using my hand, I guide him into me. I take a deep breath and stare into his intense blue eyes. He moves slowly within me, as though he is savoring the feeling. I wrap my arms around his neck and return his gaze. God, I love him. I love him so much it’s overwhelming. Nothing else matters. Nothing.

Enzo’s pace increases as we move in time. Our bodies fit together perfectly. His desire and passion envelop me until I feel as though I might implode. I dig my nails into his shoulders as he continues to whisper, “Bellissima, Ava, ti amo, ti amo.”

“I love you too, Enzo. You are mine.”

“I am yours.” His lips find mine and our tongues combine into a sensuous tango.

With every opportunity, he feels compelled to assure me of the magnitude of his love for me. At this point, I’d have to be sick, dumb, and blind not to know. Even his lie was done from a place of love. No one has ever loved me like this. No one else ever will. It’s extremely comforting to know that I have a love like this.

“Promise me you won’t leave, Ava. Promise me.”

“Never. I’ll never leave.”

“Thank God.” He pushes deeper into me, our bodies causing so much movement the headboard hits the wall behind us. Enzo’s body tenses and he calls out my name one more time as he releases into me. My own orgasm follows quickly and I quietly endure the pleasure tsunami washing over me.

Enzo slowly releases me and supports himself on one arm while staring at me. Reaching out to me, he wipes away the hair that sticks to my face. It’s a sweet gesture.

“I know I’ve told you. I know you know this but I have to tell you. Thank for you for letting me come back here and thank you for letting me show my love in this way.”

“I have no choice when it comes to you, Enzo. I love you too much to stay away for too long.”

“I hope I never give you a reason to want to stay away. I always want you here with me.”

“I know.”

We lay quietly next to one another- the silence between us filled with so many unspoken words. It’s unreasonable to think we can just go on with our lives after what happened but there must be a way to move forward. Somehow, I can forgive and Enzo can earn my trust again. We have to fight for what we have. We have to win.

Enzo breaks the silence. “Bella, how about a bath and then some dinner?”

Shaking my head, I reply, “I’m not hungry at all. I think I’ll just enjoy the bath and go to bed early. I am pretty exhausted.”

“Yes, but you should eat to keep your strength up.”

“I suppose I’m going to need it.”

Enzo reaches out and rubs my cheek. “Amore, let’s enjoy tonight and not talk about unpleasant things. Let’s just have tonight.”

“That I can do.”