As much as getting me pregnant seemed to be the directive in Luca’s brain, making love to me was not all that he did. He excelled in the romance department too. Of course that led to more sexy times, which I guess contributed to his goal of putting a baby inside me. Although if I were honest with myself, sometimes he fucked me as though he didn’t care for me, but then he’d turn around and do this…
We were sitting at a well-known café in front of the Arc de Triomphe, the famous Paris arches and a symbol of this beautiful city apart from the Eiffel Tower. After our drinks had arrived, Luca got up and disappeared. I saw him talking to one of his soldiers, Tony, who handed my husband a box of chocolates. I recognized the exquisite packaging of mint bows and an espresso-colored box. It was from the chocolatier I loved whose establishment was beside the restaurant.
“Oh my goodness,” I said with glee when Luca returned to our table and handed me the box. “How did you know I was going to ask you to stop by later?” I had eaten the last piece this morning.
“I pay attention, tesoro.” The smile he shot me made me giddy.
I hurriedly lifted the cover of the box, and my heart rolled under my chest when I saw it was the copycat selection of what I had bought. I picked up a cocoa-dusted one, took a bite, and let the decadence enrobe my tongue. I lifted my chin and puckered my lips.
Luca laughed, a rich, indulgent tone as melty as the chocolate in my mouth. His mouth fastened on mine and we kissed for a while.
A clearing of the throat broke us apart.
Our server Francois returned to take our orders.
“Ready to order lunch? Monsieur, madame?”
Luca ordered the bistro steak; I ordered the duck confit.
When Francois left, Luca took my hand and played with the diamond ring and the wedding band. “So, what do you want to do this evening?”
“It’s going to rain. Paris is lovely in the rain,” I said with a dreamy sigh.
My husband’s beautiful lips pouted in the little-boy sulk that was so incongruent with his entire persona and yet it suited him. I also welcomed it because it closed the distance between our ages.
“Surely you’re not suggesting we walk in the rain like that movie last night?”
I took a sip of my wine, happy he actually paid attention to the movie we watched. “That is exactly what I was suggesting.”
“It’s going to ruin my suit.”
“If they’re worth that exorbitant price tag you pay for them, they should hold up.”
He arched a perfect brow. “That’s not how it works. And I’m wearing expensive shoes.”
This time, I was the one who pouted. “Please?”
His gaze lowered to my mouth. “What do I get out of this?”
I leaned in to whisper in his ear. “You can fuck my mouth any which way you please.”
He leaned back and watched me with hooded eyes and a lazy grin. “I’ve created a temptress.”
I speared an olive from the antipasto plate, and with elaborate flair, sucked it into my mouth. “Hmm, this tastes good with the chocolate.”
“That’s an abomination, tesoro.” He made a disgusted face.
“Salty and sweet?”
He regarded me carefully. “You couldn’t be pregnant already?”
I stilled, and my heart dropped before my mind dismissed the impossibility. “It doesn’t work that way. It’s only been a week since you went caveman over my pills.”
He leaned closer, saying softly, “But I’ve gone without a condom from the beginning. And we’ve been fucking nonstop. That would make it over two weeks.”
My heart continued to pound. My period was due to begin soon, which meant the first time we had sex had been my most fertile days. I gulped. “It’s still too soon to say.”
Francois returned to swap out the empty breadbasket with more French baguette. Then he inquired if we needed anything else. When Luca and I gave a negative response, he disappeared again.
“But not inconceivable,” Luca said.
“Unless you have super sperm.”
He smirked.
I rolled my eyes before looking around because it was ridiculous to bring this up in a crowded restaurant. “I’m going to get my period tomorrow and I’m very regular. So if I miss, there is a possibility.”
“You said you’re very regular.”
“There is that fact, Monsieur Moretti,” I said coquettishly. “But with the stress of the wedding, the wedding night, the traveling…all have been known to disrupt it. And can we not talk about this here? You’re trying to get out of walking in the rain.”
Luca sighed. “You’re hell-bent on dragging me to do it.”
I batted my eyes at him. “Won’t you do it with me, my love?”
I’d been in the moment when the endearment fell from my lips. A noose strangled my throat and shut down my vocal cords. I couldn’t take back the words or make light of them, but then a charming smile stretched his mouth, and elation filled my lungs. Right before he picked up my hands to kiss the back of my fingers, I thought I saw a flash of contempt in his eyes.
He kissed my knuckles. “Of course, baby.”
Even when he met my eyes again and they were full of warmth, that passing expression unnerved me.
Francois returned with our orders and for the rest of lunch we talked about things other than pregnancy and Paris in the rain.
We did not walk in the rain that night. Something came up, and I knew it wasn’t something deliberate on Luca’s part because Dario Falcone, Luca’s consigliere, and my cousin, who wasn’t really my cousin by blood Carmine Calabrese were involved. I heard my husband talking to Carmine on the phone. It wasn’t Luca’s usually calm derisive tone, but there was a bit of agitation. I doubt it was because he broke his promise to me.
Carmine sent me a text apologizing for intruding on our honeymoon. Luca told me not to wait up for him but he made sure I wasn’t alone for the night, leaving Tony and Rocco to keep me company. They were an odd pair. Tony was tall and skinny with a head of salt-and-pepper hair, while Rocco was a head shorter and stockier. He reminded me of a bulldog. He also had a shaved head. Tony was more talkative than Rocco. After a reasonable amount of time in their presence, I told them I was going to bed. I hadn’t contacted Doriana since that night Luca threw out my birth control pills.
My husband had kept me busy, and tonight was the only night I could boot up my laptop. I also brought out my DEC-phone. Doriana’s Encrypted Channel. That was the only way we communicated by text other than through my laptop. Booting both devices, I logged in to a gaming chat room and entered the code.
The Wi-Fi in this apartment was secure enough, but not for me. Once Luca had given me access, I was able to modify it to my needs, and most importantly, access the audit trail to remove my digital footprint.
I smirked. Because I was that good.
I brought up the message from Doriana (D0R15N7). My own Dark Web handle was Chimera (Ch1M3R2), not really an uncommon username on this secretive layer of the internet since a chimera was a mythical creature made of several animal parts, and in my case, identities.
Doriana: Are you available?
Chimera: I’m here.
The time and date of the job was ten days after our scheduled return from Paris.
While I waited for a reply, I opened the packet that would give me the job details like time, event, and type of network security. I could usually hack through most of them, although they were getting more sophisticated. The key most of the time was to search for infrastructure weaknesses of the software they already used. Hacking took time and practice, and I’d been out of practice since Santino kidnapped me. Also, I was suffering a confidence issue because I got caught. But I still had the two hundred million dollars stashed in Swiss accounts and cryptocurrency. Doriana wanted me to hold on to the money because we’d been compromised at the same time and she was trying to keep her eggs in different baskets until she was safe.
The only two people who knew about the money were dead. And Doriana, of course, because she was the one who set up the heist.
The chat pinged.
Doriana: Finally.
Chimera: I told you I was lying low.
Doriana: So, can you take the job?
Chimera: I’m surprised you haven’t given it to someone else.
Doriana: The Friar is on standby.
The Friar was my rival on almost every job. He was an egotistical hacker, but Doriana seemed to enjoy working with him, too.
Doriana: I was giving you another three days because he’s been monopolizing all the jobs.
I grinned.
Chimera: I’m honored.
Doriana: So, are you taking it?
I looked at the images she sent me. God, these teenagers couldn’t be over sixteen. The pictures were from missing persons’ reports. Doriana’s contact within the human trafficking watchdog organization provided most of the info. The time between the snatch and the time of sale was roughly six weeks. They were being groomed for some sick motherfucker with money.
Chimera: I’ll have to pass on this.
There was no response for a few seconds and then…
Doriana: Why?
Chimera: I’m not in a position to do the research.
Doriana: You’re being watched?
Chimera: You can say I’m being watched, but it’s not what you think.
I was married to a crime boss. I was possibly pregnant with his baby and the man was attached to me at all times. Until I had a clear-cut vision of post-honeymoon life with Luca, I couldn’t commit to anything.
Doriana: Damn. I really hope you’ll reconsider.
Chimera: I’m sorry.
Doriana: Let me know ASAP when you’re clear.
Chimera: Will do.
I was so engrossed in the chat and looking at data, that I hadn’t heard the footsteps and voices until they were right outside the door. My heart leapt into my throat. It was the damned acoustics of this room. Sometimes it had its advantages, but during times of subterfuge, it was a liability.
When the door started to open, I closed the chat window and brought up a real estate website. Since I was sitting crosslegged on the bed, I tucked the phone under my butt.
Luca walked into the room. He paused and looked at me. “Watching a movie without me?”
“Looking at real estate.”
He grinned and walked to the closet. “What’s it going to cost me?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” I replied in a petty tone.
Luca loosened his tie and started rolling up his shirtsleeve. Sigh, I could watch this man all day. He epitomized sexy in a rumpled-suit kind of way.
“Carmine and Dario came back for drinks. Since you’re awake, why don’t you say hi to them?”
“I guess I could.” I snapped the lid closed on the laptop and surreptitiously snuck my DEC under it before putting them on top of the suitcase. I let the phone fall between the suitcase and backpack.
“I’ve never seen you on your laptop,” Luca said.
I shrugged. “The iPad is easier for most of the things I want to do.”
“Hmm…” Luca snagged me around the waist and hauled me against him. “Are you still mad at me for not walking in the rain with you tonight?”
“I forgive you.”
“I also don’t want you getting sick,” he said. “Just in case you’re pregnant.”
Our lips were almost touching. I laughed lightly. “You and your obsession with getting me pregnant.”
“We need to put more work into it.”
“We have guests, Mr. Moretti.” My tone was flirtatious.
“I should send them home.”
“Come on, we can save that for later.”
I gave him a chaste kiss and tried to extricate myself.
“You’re still mad.”
I wasn’t, but I was anxious for him to forget I had a laptop.
“I can’t stay mad at you.” I nipped his lower lip. He groaned and claimed my mouth, his fingers digging into my butt cheeks and hauling me against him. He was hard, and I was pleased I was getting used to seducing the hell out of him.
Laughing inwardly as we broke apart, I said, “We have guests.”
“So we do.” He kissed my forehead. “I can boil water for tea.”
“Yes, please.”
After making sure I was decent for company, I walked out of the bedroom. The guys were in the living room. Tony and Rocco had left.
Carmine stood and walked over to me, giving me a hug and a kiss. “You’re glowing, cuz.”
“That’s because I take good care of her,” Luca said. “Put that in your report back to Vincenzo.”
“When did you arrive in Paris?” Without waiting for his reply, I nodded to the other guy in the room.
Dario tipped his chin before lifting a beer to his mouth. His eyes were riveted on the soccer game playing on the wide-screen TV.
Luca frowned at his consigliere.
Yes, Luca. What is wrong with him? That was disrespectful, but right now, I didn’t want to rock the boat. As Luca’s consigliere, Dario was his adviser, making him a top man in the organization. He had the boss’s ear. Dario had never been warm to me. But maybe I compared him too much to Carmine. When I wasn’t looking, I felt his eyes watching me like a hawk. But he’d look away when I met his gaze head-on. I wondered if he was trying to keep me off-kilter.
Carmine was the one who voiced the awkwardness in the room. “Don’t mind him. He didn’t get his way.”
“Which way is that?” I asked.
“We had a meeting with the Russians,” Luca said. “It’s all settled.”
Code word for: This is not your problem.
Carmine got the message as well and patted me on the shoulder. “What have you been up to while we stole your husband away?”
“Oh, huh, looking at real estate on the internet.” My words stumbled over each other.
My cousin regarded me for a beat and then he gave one clap to get everyone’s attention. “You know what? I haven’t seen this apartment. Care to give me the tour? I detest the team playing on TV right now.”
“Sure…” I looked at my husband. “Luca?”
“Go ahead.” He didn’t look too happy. I wasn’t sure if it was at Dario or Carmine, but I was sure it wasn’t because of me.
Carmine escorted me from the room.
“What do you want to see?”
“That’s a nice portrait of Jean Mansen,” Carmine said, his hand on my elbow guided me further until we reached the black and white room. “Luca seemed eager to get rid of us, too.”
“Why doesn’t Dario like me? He couldn’t be more obvious.” In the beginning I thought it was because we were strangers and it took him a while to warm up to people, but he hadn’t changed. He was Luca’s best man at the wedding.
“Does he need to like you?” Carmine asked. “Let’s go here.” He pushed me toward the balcony.
“Ugh, it’s too cold!” I protested. It wasn’t. I loved this weather, but I knew I was about to get a lecture and was trying to avoid it.
He pushed me outside and then closed the French doors behind him. Still, he spoke in low tones. “Dario likes nothing to do with the Galluzo. One of the Galluzo clans killed his father.”
I gasped. “I didn’t know that.”
“That’s twenty years ago. He should let go of that shit. It was a fair war. But what I want to know, cuz, is why you brought that laptop with you?”
“I could be looking at things on the tablet.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Then why do you even ask? You know I can’t go anywhere without it.”
“Are you doing anything illegal?”
“You know I gave that up a long time ago. Everything is so advanced now, they’d eat me alive.” And my nose grew longer.
My hacking adventures started when I hacked the computers at an elite secondary school and changed my grades and a few of my friends’. There had been an uproar and Papà became concerned. He’d never been interested in the minutiae of my education, but he demanded to see my IQ and found out it was 149. By no means was I at genius level, but it was enough to cause my parents concern.
Papà paid a large amount of money to strike my transgression from record. Santino was the one who took care of the problem, which was why unto this day, even if he was dead, I hated him for killing my friends, the school administrator, and the teacher. Mamma also never let me forget it. She didn’t directly reference people being killed, but she always said I would get someone hurt by trying to be too smart. I didn’t know why everyone was in an uproar about my skills. It wasn’t until Carmine explained I was a security risk, and no family would want me in an arranged marriage.
“I know you’re lying. Santino told me he suspected you took their money.” The money in question was the money I siphoned from the big sex trafficking auction Santino organized with the Russians without my father’s knowledge.
“Well, he was wrong.”
I was used to this game with Carmine. He looked out for me, but admitting anything could land me in trouble with Mamma because he was close to her, too. One could say he was our mediator. And he usually kept her off my case. But he wasn’t able to intervene when Mamma suggested holding me back from attending college for a couple of years. Which was why at twenty-two I hadn’t finished any higher education.
“I told you, cara,” he said gently. “Once you’re sure Luca accepts you as you are, you can do as you please. You need protection so no one can exploit you.”
I breathed heavily. “He’s a good husband.”
Carmine chuckled derisively. “So far, I’m not seeing the wildcard nature that everyone is wary about.”
Maybe because no one lived to tell it. I thought about Frankie Rossi’s demise. Santino teamed up with crazy Frankie in hopes he could torture the information out of me because my cousin didn’t have the balls to do it maybe because he’d known me since I was a child. No one outside of me and Luca knew who killed Frankie. Maybe he told the De Luccis, but the Galluzo didn’t know and certainly not the Rossis.
“Me too. He’s moody, but so are all mafia bosses.”
“If they’re not moody, they’re not to be trusted.”
I laughed. “Are you talking about yourself?”
Carmine looked at me affectionately and tucked a hair behind my ear. “You don’t trust me, cara?”
The French doors opened, and Luca stood there, glaring at me and Carmine. “I thought you were going to show him around?”
Shit.
“I’m just indulging her a view of Paris in the rain,” Carmine said smoothly, catching some of the drizzle that fell on us with his fingers. “Since you denied our poor girl that romantic experience.”
If Luca’s glare had physical momentum, Carmine would’ve toppled over the balcony and plunged to his death.
“And it’s not your place to give it to her,” my husband growled, grabbing my arm firmly and drawing me inside.
“He didn’t like the pop art,” I cut in hastily, trying to give a valid reason on why we abandoned our tour. “But how did he know I wanted to walk in the rain?”
The two men locked eyes. Carmine’s eyes danced with amusement while I could sense Luca seething. I might be naïve in many things, but this was too obvious to ignore.
“Oh. I see.” I tilted my head in Luca’s direction. “What did you tell them?”
“Fuck,” Carmine said. “I don’t want to cause problems. Luca thanked us for saving his shoes from the rain, that’s all.”
Luca scratched his brow. “It was no big deal. I could buy another pair of fucking shoes.”
“I think I’ll go to bed,” I announced, and extricated myself from my husband’s hold. “Please give my excuses to Dario.” Then I added under my breath, “Not that he’d care about my absence.”
Once I got into the hallway and out of sight, I could hear Carmine laughing despite Luca’s cutting remarks regarding his big mouth.
“You should just be honest with her,” Carmine said.
My steps quickened, desperate to return to the bedroom, cheeks burning from a combination of humiliation and disappointment. I was sure Carmine softened the blow of what Luca really said. He always did that. He’d cause mischief, and then when it went too far, he’d fix it. No, I would not stay mad at my husband because I was hiding something worse from him. I was feeling guilty too, but I wasn’t risking anything until I was secure in his love. When I reached our bedroom, I tucked the laptop and phone into the backpack.
