Zia had a good reason to be concerned. She hugged Eve to her heart. “Mama has been really busy. So has Papa. That’s going to change, I promise.”
Eve pushed out of Mirabella’s arms and looked up at her mother. “Don’t cry, my Mommy. I don’t want you to cry,” Eve wiped her mother’s tears. “I’ll let you play with me today. Okay? You’ll feel better.”
“Yes, baby. Mama’s fine. You are my beautiful special girl. Our only baby girl. Papa and I love you to the moon and back!”
“To Neverland and the stars?” Eve grinned.
“Absolutely. Do you want to go downstairs and eat breakfast with Mama? I’d like it if you did. Marietta has made your favorite!”
“Pannie-cakes?” Eve’s mouth opened with wonder.
“Yes! With strawberry syrup!”
“Yay!” she stomped her feet.
“Yay!” Mirabella cheered. She stood and took Eve by the hand and walked her out of the room leaving the fable of Captain Hook behind.
**
Giovanni woke alone. He tossed the covers away and picked up his watch from the night table. The time was a little after eleven. He hadn’t intended to sleep in so late. With the big party happening that evening, he’d hoped to have Bella in his arms.
“Cazzo!”
he said.
Barefoot he went into the bathroom and pulled out his dick. He pissed. He shed his clothes and turned on the shower. His room was one of two with the larger shower and closets. Giovanni was able to step in and let the cool jets massage away his weariness.
When Mirabella entered the room she noticed the empty bed first, and then heard the shower. Her prince was supposed to be asleep. The original plan was for them to all have breakfast upstairs together. After seeing how exhausted he was, she changed gears, and time got away from her. She knew his schedule. He never slept in this late. Mirabella opened the door to the bathroom and barely saw through the cloud of steam. She turned to leave and reconsidered. She remembered his touch in the middle of the night. How tired she was. How frustrated she left him. She went to her suitcase and found her cosmetic bag. She found his treat tucked inside. Slipping it into the palm of her hand she returned to the bathroom. She disrobed.
“I was waiting for you,” he said.
“Were you?” she answered. “Lucky I came up here when I did or else you would have shriveled up into a prune.”
She opened the glass door and stepped inside. She kept the gift in her hand concealed behind her. Giovanni stepped back to let the water rinse the suds from his hair and face. His dark hair was slick and flat to his head. The water left his skin in a fine spray, polishing it with moisture. She went to him. She couldn’t help herself. Mirabella ran her hand over his broad chest to his muscular arms. As he turned her so her back was against the shower wall, he rested one hand against the tile above her head. He had the body, and long reach of muscle packed arms like that of a prizefighter. The steam of the shower covered his skin with moisture that glistened under the shower lights. Giovanni leaned forward. He looked at her with unrequited desire. He was so close she could see the crinkles in the corners of his violet blue eyes.
As time went on in their marriage, he never questioned her about birth control. They never once discussed future children. And she didn’t bother to take any contraceptives. She didn’t need to. The doctor told her there was a very slim chance she would ever carry a baby to term again if she were lucky enough to conceive. It was all due to the extensive scarring along her uterus. After two years of caring for her husband it seemed the doctors were right.
She was barren.
“Are you finally mine now, Bella?” he asked. The question came through a deep sigh. She loved it when he spoke to her with such restraint in his voice.
His head cocked over to the side and his gaze swept down to her breasts before landing on her lips again. “Say yes.”
Mirabella rose on her toes.
“Yes,” she said.
Their lips met. His mouth was hot on hers. Like a wildfire it sparked searing passion in its wake from one kiss. The heat wave flashed up between her thighs. She stretched against him, brushing her nipples over the wall of his chest. Then his questing fingers found the lips of her sex as he stroked her clitoris nice and slow. One touch from her man and she was ready. Her body shuddered with the sweet familiar tingle of pleasure. Her lips parted as she breathed in the steam, soap, and heady scent of anticipation. And his tongue swept into her mouth to delve deeper. It swept the roof of her mouth and tangled with hers. She nearly dropped what she clutched in her hand behind her. Instead she bent her left knee and rested her foot to the tile. Giovanni had the freedom to continue to love her with his hand.
“
Bon compleannu,
Bella
,” he said through their kiss before their lips parted. His breath feathered her cheek, ear, and then his mouth was on her neck.
“Don’t bite me, Gio,” she pleaded. The dress she wore tonight would reveal everything. She stroked his cock. She gave it a long and steady touch that lengthened and strengthened his desire for her with each tug and pull.
“Can I have my birthday wish now? Right now?” she tugged a bit harder.
“What’s your wish?” he said through clenched teeth.
“You, me, and the kids. Our day. Before the party starts,” she whispered. “All day, you’re ours. Promise me. Nothing takes you from us.”
He stopped the nibbles to her neck and lifted his face to lean and kiss her. She turned her mouth away. Giovanni grabbed her chin and enforced his will. And it was then she revealed the gift she kept in her hand behind her back. He let go of her chin. His gaze bore into her when he accepted the tube of lubricant from her hand. He set it in the soap dish before bringing her up into his arms and kissing her once more. Mirabella wanted to feel him deep inside of her. She hooked her right leg high and across his hip. She was pushed up the shower wall when he thrust into her and she felt the full power of his love. His lower body moved, and the thick length of his dick needed no guidance to enter, and reenter her again. Mira rode his dick. Giovanni sucked and laved her nipple. Up and down she went until her spine melted and she clung to him for existence. Giovanni’s face buried between her breasts, and his breathing was reduced to shallow gasps. Every sensation she could name, and a few she had never known, pulsed through her vagina. She whimpered with pleasure.
Giovanni stopped working his hips and fucking her. Mirabella immediately sobered. Panting she looked down at him with disappointment. He eased out of her and she landed on her shaky legs. She turned toward the wall, and placed her hands flat there. Her head dropped between her outstretched arms.
Each and every time he was gentle, attentive. He parted her buttocks. Two fingers stroked up from her sex to her anus. He squeezed a dollop of lubricant into the crease of her ass. Mirabella tried to relax. The anticipation often made her clench her buttocks and thighs with trepidation. Giovanni nestled his hips up against her ass and slowly fed his cock into her. She bit down on her lip as her sphincter muscles stretched beyond belief, before surrendering to his thick invasion.
Mirabella squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Hands glided over her back, and then down the sides of her butt cheeks. Her husband had taught her the art of wicked pleasure. He massaged her ass with one hand and plunged in between the parted globes. He pinched her clit with the other. He pumped his hips with a slow motion and went deeper, ever so deep.
“Mmm. Oh Gio… oh my God,” she panted.
Slowly she found the ability to gather strength in her trembling thighs to brace for when he thrust harder. And it happened. His hips thrust faster and faster in opposition to the tender massages of her clit by his thumb.
“So good, Bella, you feel so good,” he wheezed.
“Gio, I can’t hold on much longer!” she warned. His deep humorless chuckle vibrated through her. Her nails scratched and clawed at the tiles as his thrusts became sharper, more insistent. He slid a hand under her and pressed it against her diaphragm as the other gripped her hip and held her still. It seemed there was no end to his fucking. She now had her forehead pressed against the wall and was trembling hard. She reached between her parted thighs and grabbed his groin. She squeezed hard. He howled through his release.
Mirabella drew in a long breath and joined him.
Before The Party –
“Donna Battaglia, you have a visitor,” said Talia.
Mirabella glanced up. She wore sunglasses over her eyes. In less than three hours they would have to dress for the party. However, the morning and afternoon was spent with the kids. Giovanni was in the pool with Eve helping her swim. Family was scattered. This was the only stolen moment Mirabella had to herself.
“I do? Who is it?” she asked the housekeeper who only smiled in return. Mirabella squinted, even though the dark lenses of the sunglasses blocked the sun from her eyes. She hadn’t seen Marietta in over an hour. Her sister and her friend were very busy with getting everything ready for the party.
“Give him to me. I’ll watch him.” Catalina reached for Gino. Her sister in-law wore a sheer red cover-up over her white bikini. Mirabella looked to her son who was now sucking his two middle fingers with tears in his eyes. She held him on her lap as punishment for his behavior earlier. Giovanni was able to witness his son defiantly jump from the edge of the pool into the water. He had to go in after him and bring him out. He spent time chastising Gino, who only grinned at his father.
“Keep him from the water,” Mirabella said. She handed her son over. Gino bucked and fought over the exchange, and then settled down into his aunt’s loving arms.
“Ah, Gino, stop your fussing. Is it okay if I get in the pool with him, Mira? He’s truly sorry. Aren’t you,
piccoletto
?” She kissed his face and he fought her.
Mirabella eased on her sheer white cover-up. She glanced to the pool. Eve was in her father’s arms as he circled the water. Her daughter floated above the waves. She kicked her feet and splashed, laughing. Giovanni’s attention was solely on her. That might explain the agitation Gino felt. Mirabella smiled at her son.
“Yes. Take him in, but keep your eye on him. And, Catalina, can you make sure Giovanni focuses on Eve. She needs her father today.”
“Don’t you worry!” Catalina grinned. “Auntie and Gino will have their own fun! Eh?”
Gino flashed a smile for them both.
“I knew you were faking,” Mirabella wagged her finger at her son. Mirabella walked off. Zia was upstairs with Gianni who had a slight fever. They agreed he’d stay out of the water. Her son was the only one out of her children who suffered from ear infections. She might need to take him to the doctor again.
“This way,
signora
,” Talia said.
Mirabella followed the servant back inside and though the craziness of people scrambling and yelling orders to each other as they marched to Marietta’s drumbeat. She knew her sister relished having the event in her home. Here she was the Donna.
“She waits for you in the lake room, Donna,” said Talia who then took her leave. The lake room was what they called the room made of total windows. It gave a spectacular view of the blue lakes of Como with white sailboats coasting.
When Mirabella entered she didn’t see her visitor at first. And then she caught sight of her from the corner of her eyes.
“Sophia?” she asked.
“Donna Mirabella,” Sophia smiled. “
Grazie
for seeing me!”
“Oh my! Sophia!” Mirabella went to her and gave her a hug. It had been over two years since they last saw each other. “I had no idea you were coming.”
“I’m sorry, Donna. I saw in the paper that you were to be in Milano. I speak to Zia and she tell me you come here for party. I have to speak with you
, per favore
. I’ve travelled so far.” The old woman’s voice broke with emotion. “I beg you!” she wept.
“Of course, come here, sit down.” Mirabella helped the old woman sit.
“Prego,”
said Mirabella. She sat next to her on the sofa. Sophia dropped her head and wept. Mirabella stroked the woman’s back. She waited patiently for her to share her troubles.
**
Shae hurried. Marietta needed her to check on the liquor shipment and make sure everything ordered was taken to the rooms that were designated for entertaining. It was a simple task she thought at first. Then she discovered otherwise. How the hell was she to do anything when she could barely speak a word of Italian? No one bothered to translate. She felt like a fool. And even more frustrating, she couldn’t find a fucking solitary moment to pull her friend aside to tell her about her feelings for Carlo.
When she entered the hall she heard a woman crying. Confused she stopped. Curious she continued, but was very careful not to be seen. She peeked inside. She saw an old woman weeping and Mirabella next to her, comforting her. Mirabella spoke in Italian to the woman. There was no way to understand them. Before she turned away the woman spoke in English.
“I would not have come. I’m desperate. I need your help,” Sophia said.
“Tell me. What is it?” Mirabella asked.