Ti Amo (37 page)

She lifted her right knee to reach down into the pocket of his pajama pants and brought out a square shaped jewelry box.

“What is this Santa?” she shook the box and sat back on his lap.

Giovanni placed his hands behind his head. His chest swelled with pride over what he’d gotten her. “Open it.”

Mira sat back and peeled away the gift paper. “You wrapped this? All by yourself?”

“Eve helped,” he chuckled.

“I bet she did.” Mira opened the box. The bracelet’s beauty captured the breath in her lungs. It had a tiny charm of a diamond pacifier dangling from it. This was a link bracelet with diamonds connecting each golden loop. “It’s beautiful.”

“The jeweler said it’s from his motherhood series. We put a charm on a link for every milestone in Eve’s life. Or if you give me more babies?”

Mira glanced up at him and his voice faltered. He smiled shyly. “You haven’t said if you will give me more babies.”

“You want another baby?” Mira asked.

“More than anything. This time I can take care of you. Protect you. Be there for the birth of my son.”

“Or daughter.” She corrected.

He winked. “As long as we can create another as beautiful and special as Eve I’m happy.”

Mira dropped her head. She couldn’t contain her tears. Giovanni made her lift her face by raising her chin with his finger. “What is it?”

“I’m so happy. You have made me so happy.”

He drew her to him by cupping the back of her neck. His tongue explored her mouth and the kiss deepened. Mira lost herself in his kiss. “There’s more,” he said when they were left panting with their foreheads touching.

“What is it?”

“Under the tree. Green present. Go get it.”

Mira sat back, she handed him the box with her bracelet, and he removed it to fasten it around her wrist. The diamond charm bracelet sparkled beautifully under the Christmas lights. The house remained silent. Most were either in bed or outside patrolling. They were alone. “So what now? A pair of matching earrings?” she asked curiously scanning the few scattered presents left. The only green one was a wrapped six-inch cylinder tube. Mira frowned. “Is this it?”

Mira returned to his side, this time sitting next to him. “Now I’m curious,” she said a bit anxious. She peeled away the wrapping and removed a silver engraved tube. The date 1-1-92. “I don’t understand?”

Giovanni removed the tube from her hand. He held it out for them to see the date. “In Italia, to marry, a citizen must appear before the clerk and declare their intentions. The banns, which are wedding announcements, go up for two consecutive Sundays in town hall. After the second Sunday there is a four day wait. Bella, January 1
st
you will be my bride.”

“It’s our wedding day?”

“I’m sorry. We can’t marry traditionally. To convert to Catholicism would only delay the wedding, and I want to marry now.”

She accepted the tube. “So this is where our wedding certificate will go?”

“It is.”

“It’s beautiful.” She kissed him. “I have your gift.”

“Where is it?”

She reached for his hand and pressed it to her belly. “Here.”

Giovanni frowned. Mira chuckled. “You will be a father again. I’m pregnant.”

He sat up right. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Yes! We’re pregnant.”

He lifted her and brought her to his lap so suddenly she gasped in fright then exploded in laughter. Giovanni hugged her tight to his chest. “
Ti amo
!”

“I love you too!”

“Catalina?”

She turned from the kitchen counter. She wouldn’t be able to sleep without some chamomile tea. Dominic had spoken her name. He stood in the entrance way smiling.

“Domi?”

“I didn’t have a chance to give you my present.” He walked in and she lowered her teacup. She blinked at him and tried to hide her happiness, but she was about to explode with it. “Turn around. Lift your hair.”

Catalina did as she was told. Dominic slipped a gold chain around her neck with a tiny Faberge egg diamond pendant dangling from it. “For you my love.”

“It’s beautiful, Domi. Thank you.”

He held her from behind. Catalina closed her eyes relishing how sweet his embrace felt. She wanted to say more. She had a gift for him but it was in her room. She didn’t mention it. This moment was gift enough for them both.

“Always remember my love for you. Always.”

“Oh Domi.”

“Always.” He kissed her cheek and let her go. Catalina squeezed her eyes shut and tried to suppress her tears. Her heart raced and her legs felt weak. When she summoned enough air in her lungs to speak she couldn’t. She glanced back in the kitchen for Dominic and found that she was alone. Catalina broke. She pulled out the chair to the table and sat down unable to stop her tears.

Riker’s Island, New York

The speaker system announced his name. He rose from a bench that he shared with six other inmates and approached the door. After a loud buzz the door released and he passed through. He barely heard the guard’s orders. He was too busy fuming over his detention. The guard un-cuffed his hands but kept his feet shackled.

“Move!” The guard’s voice snapped like a whip. Kei did as he was told. If his visitor wasn’t his attorney he figured it was that bastard federal agent who had again summoned a meeting with him. Cheung, his cousin, his blood, had turned on him. He confessed to everything and told some lies as well. As the charges piled on, the hope of his money and influence dragging him out of this hell faded away.

Kei walked the line. In an orange jumper that reeked of the male funk from the other inmates who’d worn it he grimaced, as he counted down to cube six. When he stopped before his visitor he frowned. A beautiful dark haired Italian or Middle Eastern woman sat on the other side of the glass. She pointed to the phone and picked it up.

Who was she? Someone from his firm possibly?
Kei sat. He picked up the phone.

“Hello Mr. Hyogo.”

“Who are you?”

“Doesn’t matter who I am. What matters is why I came. I’m here as a friend.”

“I don’t need a friend.” Kei narrowed his eyes on her. “Tell me your name or leave.”

She smiled. Her lips had a perfectly applied rose gloss to them. She tossed her dark hair back over her shoulders and fixed her steely gaze on him. She looked to be in her early forties or late thirties. She had a refined polish to her olive skin and her large almond shaped brown eyes were sharp and assessing. “My name is Isabella. I hear you wanted to kill Giovanni Battaglia.”

Kei’s stomach clenched. “That fucking piece of shit sent you here!”

“No. No. I’m not here for him. I’m here because of him.” She leaned forward. Her smile eased from seductive to sinister. “An enemy of yours is an enemy of mine. Mr. Hyogo, you are facing some serious charges, and the wheels of justice in America churn painfully slow and even slower in Italia. I can be of use to you.”

“So you want to help me? For what?” Kei spat.

The woman didn’t answer.

“Look if you don’t tell me something this meeting is over.”

She nodded. “Consider this, the American’s are talking about extraditing you back to China to stand for crimes of your past. Don’t fight it. We both know that you have more influence among your old friends in the Triad. My people are working with your attorneys to make sure the transition happens. Once we succeed you can decide if my friendship has value to you. You can decide if Giovanni Battaglia should go unpunished for the way he has destroyed your life. And if you decide that he must be dealt with, no one can deliver him on his knees to you but I.”

“Why? Why would you do this?”

“Because of her, Mira Ellison. She should have never come to Italy.” The woman hung up the phone and rose. Kei tapped the glass to stop the woman. Did she just threaten Mira? His heart raced at the thought of Mira in danger. Even now with all that has happened between them he loved her still. “Wait dammit! What does this have to do with Mira!” he shouted.

The woman walked away, out of his sight.

Sorrento Italy – La Melanzana

“We should go upstairs,” he moaned softly, his Adams apple bobbing in his throat after a deep swallow. She licked then traced her lips along the muscular length of his neck. She had cornered him on the sofa, and was now seated on his lap with her hands gripping the back of the sofa on either side of his face. They faced the Christmas tree. She could see the door and hall behind them if she lifted her head. Mira however was too aroused to do so. She dragged her lips from his neck to his mouth. After a long sweet kiss she parted the front of his robe and ran her hands down his bare chest to his silk pajama pants. She could feel his erection coiled thickly under the fabric and stroked him.

Giovanni gritted his teeth, and she chuckled.

“I have one request, and as your soon to be wife, I have the right to ask.”

He closed his eyes and nodded. Mira brought his cock out from the top band of his pajama pants and rose on her knees to position herself over the tip. With several slow strokes of her fisted hand around his shaft she could see how aroused he was. She guided him under her nightdress to her core and eased down on his cock. Giovanni’s jaw clenched. Mira shuddered as each inch eased into her.

“I want you to pardon Domi,” she whispered against his lips and kissed him, moving slowly up and down on his lap.

His eyes flashed open. The look on his face confirmed what she believed to be true. He wanted to send Domi away, just as Catalina feared. “He’s family, Giovanni, our family, and he stays here, with us. We work it out. Promise me sweetheart.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, capturing his tongue and teasing it with twirls and sucks. “Promise me,” she breathed between licks. A shiver rushed down her spine when he thrust up into her while she put down bottom maneuvers that had her inner vaginal walls tightening around his length. She sucked on his neck and his sweat tasted salty and spicy on her tongue. He gripped her hips and controlled her bouncing, groaning deep in his throat. Her mind went blank as pleasure cut through her and she neared her climatic end. Together they reached the point of no return. It was quick, hot, and sweet. She dropped her head to his shoulder and breathed through her nose.

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“As my
donna
this one is your decision. Family is always your decision.” He wheezed.

Mira’s head shot up. She looked at him, shocked. He gave her a wry smile. “If you want Domi forgiven he will be. He won’t be sent away.”

“And he and Catalina?”

Giovanni sighed. “Whatever you think best, Bella.”

She hugged his neck tightly, and he groaned, trying to keep her moving on his cock. She giggled and resumed the rhythmic dance that had him whimpering like a baby. Mira cupped his face. His heavy lidded blue eyes opened with a dazed look of submission. “Our future is all about family.” She flicked her tongue at his lips and swirled her hips. “It’s who we are. Family.”

“I love you, Bella.”

“I know sweetheart.
Ti amo
.”