Chapter 22: Married With Malice: Chapter 21

Ever since I found her in the storm I can’t deal with the thought of letting her out of my sight, almost as if it’s too good to be true that she’s here. I’m so afraid I’m dreaming, that she’s still lost and I’m still frantically searching for her.

At least a dozen times during the night I woke up to check on her and then exhaled with relief every time I found her sleeping peacefully beside me where she belongs.

All day Anni has been exhausted, napping on and off while I hovered nearby in case she needed anything. I asked room service to bring up her favorite foods and then coaxed her into eating a few bites. I made sure all of her electronic devices were charged and stayed in the room when Dr. Murphy stopped by to examine her.

Given that the roads were impassable, it was a dose of luck that a retired pediatrician happened to be staying at the resort. Though Anni’s wrist is still a little swollen and she’s bruised and sore, she’s otherwise healthy.

As I sort through the events of the last twenty-four hours, I’m acutely aware of just how much luck has come our way.

First, there was no explicable reason for me to go looking for her. We were supposed to meet for dinner in the evening. I’d been sequestered in a conference room all day, staring dully at my laptop screen and waiting for the hours to pass. Entire monologues were composed in my head as I prepped for what I’d say to my wife at dinner.

It was only midafternoon when I said fuck it, snapped the computer shut and decided I couldn’t wait any longer. She didn’t answer my text so I went searching for her at the spa. All I found was one rather jumpy staff member who said Anni had left a while ago.

On my way up to our room, the manager stopped me in the lobby. The weather forecast had changed from a few possible inches of snow to at least a foot and a half at this elevation. The single road up and down the mountain would be closed until the plows could get through, which wouldn’t happen until the snow had stopped falling.

This didn’t even sound like terrible news to me. My only plan was to devote all my time to Annalisa. Being snowed in through New Year’s would be a great chance for us to shut out the rest of the world.

But she wasn’t up in the room where I thought she’d be. She didn’t answer her phone. And the keys to the rental car were missing.

An anxious dash out to the parking lot confirmed that the car was gone.

What came next was freaking anarchy. I nearly gave the manager a heart attack when I physically collared him and barked out a demand for the security footage.

All the noise and commotion attracted the Gentry brothers. Got to give them credit. As soon as they heard the story, they didn’t stand around and wring their hands and offer lame shreds of advice.

No, the three brothers nodded at me and said, “Let’s go find your wife.”

I’m indebted to those men for eternity.

There aren’t enough words of gratitude in any language. They don’t know this yet but I’ve already made sure the bill for their stay was taken care of. It’s not much of a gesture but I couldn’t think of anything else.

By late evening, Anni was going a little stir crazy in the room and wanted to attend the resort’s New Year’s Eve party. Outside, the sky is clear and the roads will be plowed tomorrow but for tonight we’re all stuck here.

Now, with only an hour left until midnight and the beginning of a new year, we find ourselves hanging out in the lounge while surrounded by members of the Gentry family.

Creed peers at Chase with a frown. “Are you aware that there are dicks on your tie?”

Chase gulps a cup of hot chocolate and then wipes away his whipped cream mustache. “They’re not dicks. They’re bananas.”

Creed shrugs. “From a distance they look like dicks.”

Chase examines his tie. “If your dick looks like this then you ought to see a doctor.”

“For fuck’s sake, I didn’t say MY dick looks like that.”

“Quit cursing. And stop making fun of my tie. It was a Christmas gift from my son.”

Creed snorts. “I can guess which son. Must be Kellan.”

“Correct.” Chase beams. “My boy’s got good taste just like his dad.”

“He gave you a dick tie as a joke. I don’t think he meant for you to wear it to a New Year’s Eve party.”

“Insult my tie again and I’m stealing your hot cocoa.”

“Junior, you try that and you’ll be WEARING hot cocoa.”

“Boys.” Cord holds up a hand to signal peace. “No brawls tonight. We promised the ladies.”

Chase notices that I’m watching their bickering match. “Hey Luca, are you gonna drink your hot cocoa?”

I hand over the cup. “All yours. I haven’t touched it.”

“Score.” He takes a big gulp. He manages to dribble some on his banana dick tie.

Annalisa is curled up on the sofa with her legs tucked under her and surrounded by the Gentry women, who have been fussing over her nonstop. Anni takes a sip from her mug of hot chocolate and then catches my eye.

I wink at her.

Her lips twitch and she blushes.

We haven’t yet had the serious conversation we need to have. It’s coming soon.

“Hey folks.” The squat resort manager appears and claps his pudgy hands together to get our attention. “There’s food and live piano music in the ballroom and we’ll be starting the countdown to midnight in a little while.”

The man’s eyes land on me and then quickly shift elsewhere. I feel kind of bad for snarling in his face and scaring the shit out of him yesterday.

After exchanging some pointed glances, the three Gentry women rise and claim their husbands.

“Where are you taking me?” Chase wants to know as his wife drags him away. “Will I have fun?”

“We’re going to the party,” she says. “Let the kids have some privacy and enjoy the fire.”

She pushes him down the hall before he can argue. Creed and his wife are right behind them. Cord pauses and gives me an encouraging smile before slinging a heavily inked arm around the shoulders of his wife, Saylor.

Once the Gentrys are gone, Anni and I now have the lounge to ourselves. The reception desk is dark and the big stone fireplace crackles at my back. Trills of piano music echo from the ballroom, along with a smattering of laughter.

I motion to the couch. “Can I sit down with you?”

She sets her mug down on a long coffee table. “Of course.”

A flutter of nerves rolls around in my belly as I settle in beside her.

She eyes me and plucks at my hoodie. “I like seeing you like this.”

“Sloppy?” I scrub a hand over my stubbled jaw. I probably look as if I just rolled out of bed.

“Yes. Although I’d call it comfortable. Relaxed.”

I stretch my arm across the back of the sofa and drape it around her shoulders. She responds by inching closer to me.

“I guess we’re skipping the countdown,” she says.

“We can count down to midnight right here. Anyway, we’re underdressed for a party.”

She glances down at herself. “Not true. These are my designer flannel pajama pants.”

“Right. And these are my runway sweats.”

When she elbows me with a sniff of laughter, I take advantage of the situation and pull her into my lap. She so obviously pleased that I have to scold myself for failing to do this regularly.

Her hair is gathered in a loose ponytail and I slide the band out, running my fingers through the soft strands. She’s free of makeup, exactly how I like her. Those dark eyes of hers that hold secrets and own my heart, observe me solemnly as I finish stroking her hair and use my free hand to reach into the deep pocket of my sweatpants.

“I have something for you.” I pull out the small jewelry box. “I meant to give it to you for Christmas.”

She accepts the box and runs her fingertips over the embossed lettering on the lid before prying it open. She stares at the charm bracelet and worries at her bottom lip, her thoughts mysterious.

I take the bracelet out and she cooperates as I slide it on the wrist that isn’t covered with a bandage and kiss the back of her hand. When she finally raises her head, there’s a mournful cast to her eyes.

“Thank you, Luca. I really love it. And I’m sorry that I don’t have anything to give you.”

“Wrong.” I wrap my arms around her soft body. “You’re all I need.”

My heart does a little manic skip of joy when she lays her cheek on my chest and nestles even closer. I can feel every breath she takes. This is how I want us to be, tonight and forever.

In the corner, a stately grandfather clock ticks away the seconds, creeping closer to midnight. There are so many words jumbled in my head, all attached to deep feelings, all competing to be spoken first. I’ll get to them, but first I have a request to make.

“While you were sleeping earlier, I had a long talk with Cale,” I say.

“How did that go?”

“Good. He and Sadie were worried about you. They send their love.”

She nods. “I think they’re worried about you too.”

“I know.” During the phone call with my brother, the underlying tension and sadness between us was detectable. “But Cale made an offer that I think would be good for us all.”

“What’s that?”

“He and Sadie have invited us to stay with them. Sadie is due in just a few weeks and they’re busy prepping for the baby. This means Cale could use some help at the ranch. And I’d really like you to get to know my family. Plus it’s been a while since I spent time with my brother. We haven’t really seen eye to eye since…”

“Since you took his place at your uncle’s side,” she finishes.

This is a touchy subject that has gone undiscussed between us. It’s long past time to change this.

“That’s true. Cale never wanted me to have any part in the mafia. For years he threw himself on the sword in the hopes it would keep me out of the fight. But I saw more than he thought I did. I knew he hated being Richie’s right hand. And then when he married Sadie, it was clear he belonged with her, not in New York. So I did what Cale would have done for me. I offered my uncle a trade. He’d lose Cale but he’d get me, and he’d been scheming to pull me into the family business for years. To Richie, that seemed like a worthy deal. He sensed that his hold over my brother was tenuous. He also knew that any implied threat against Cale and Sadie would keep me in line indefinitely. In order to keep my brother safe, I’d cooperate with any demand Richie made.”

“Including marrying me,” Anni says. “To fortify the alliance between him and my father.”

“Yes.” I tighten my arms around her.

She’s quiet for a moment.

I hope she understands that I’ve only made this confession because I trust her. And I want her to trust me back.

“Daisy would have been punished severely,” she says. “For defying my father. And her husband never would have been seen again. I made a deal too, Luca. I’m sure you’ve suspected this all along.”

“You love your sisters. I love my brother. This was used against us.”

Again, she falls silent. She sighs into my chest.

Now is the time to make something else crystal clear.

With my forefinger, I gently tip her chin up so I can see her face.

“Our marriage didn’t happen the way marriages are supposed to happen. That doesn’t mean I regret a thing. I just wish I’d started this with a different attitude and told you honestly how I felt about you.”

She sits up straighter but remains in my lap. “How do you feel about me?”

“You’re my heart, Annalisa.” I hear my voice crack and need to pause and take a breath before continuing. “You fascinate me in every way. You’re beautiful and you’re intense and you’re passionate. No other woman will ever be able to live up to you. I should have made sure you understood this every single day. I know how badly I’ve messed this up.”

She breathes deeply and looks down. “I think we might have messed it up together, Luca.”

My entire future and everything I hope for hinges on this next question. “Do you want to fix it together, baby?”

She lifts her head. Her lip quivers and her eyes mist over. “More than anything.”

I tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her ear and touch her soft cheek. “We’re minutes away from a new year. Let’s start again and go slow. We can stay at the ranch for a couple of weeks. Let me take you out on dates, Anni. Let me give you all the romance you deserve and then try to earn a kiss from you at the end of every night.”

As she listens, the light of happiness dawning in her eyes electrifies my senses. I’m going to spend every day of my life keeping that light shining bright.

“I would love that,” she says and suddenly her lips press together. “There’s only one problem.”

“What’s that?”

Her mouth bends into a playful smirk. “I’m going to make you work for those kisses. And for everything else.”

“Can’t wait. To demonstrate my commitment, we’ll sleep in separate bedrooms. No sex until I’ve groveled enough.”

From the ballroom, a loud countdown begins, all the guests shouting in one voice. “TEN. NINE. EIGHT.”

Anni giggles and crawls her fingers up my chest. “If you think that’s going to be easy, think again.”

“SEVEN. SIX. FIVE. FOUR.”

“I know. It shouldn’t be easy.”

She laughs again. My favorite sound on earth.

“THREE. TWO. ONE. HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Cheering erupts. The clock chimes midnight.

My wife and I stare at each other.

“Happy New Year, Annalisa,” I say to her.

“Happy New Year, Luca.” She leans in until our foreheads touch. “Now kiss me.”

No need to ask me twice. I slide my hand up her back and enjoy her shiver of delight. My mouth claims hers and my tongue tastes the sweetness of the hot chocolate she drank. She shifts her position, straddling my lap and getting lost in the kiss with a soft groan that sends my cock spiking.

The overpowering need to feel all of her, to bury myself inside of her, nearly eclipses everything else, including my own promises.

She grinds slowly, moving her hips. And I nearly lose my mind.

Anni breaks the kiss and I’m panting. My balls ache and my heart hammers. She runs her lips over my neck and her breath feathers against my ear. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t torture you.”

“Oh yeah?” I growl and push my hand under her fleece sweatshirt. “Back at you, honey.”

My fingers deftly unhook her bra. She inhales sharply. At the rate we’re going, there’s a serious chance we’ll consummate the new year here on the lounge sofa.

But she gives out a little groan and starts to slide away. “We should stop while we still can.”

With reluctance, I quit feeling her up and remove my hand from her shirt. “Fine. But I’ll need some time alone to jerk off before I can sleep tonight.”

She runs a seductive fingertip over my jaw and whispers, “I want to watch that.”

“Killing me,” I say. “You’re killing me.”

She’s smug. “Why are you surprised? You know how much I enjoy watching.”

I can’t fucking breathe. My dick is on the verge of exploding. I make the time out sign. “Mercy. Begging for mercy.”

With an adorable giggle, she unwraps her legs from my hips but doesn’t leave my lap. Her cheek lands on my chest again and I stroke her hair while we listen to the raucous noise coming from the ballroom.

“We should probably get out of here,” I say. “As much as I like the Gentrys, I think my social battery is worn out for now.”

“Did Chase really not know that those bananas were penis-shaped?”

“I get the feeling that’s why he wore it.”

She lays her hand on my heart. “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Always.”

“I know we’ve decided to sleep apart for a little while but just for tonight can I sleep in your arms?”

She asks the question with such timid sweetness, as if there’s a chance in hell I would refuse her.

The deep crunch in my chest opens a well of emotion and I can hear the effect in my own rough voice when I say to her, “Yes, Anni. Of course you can.”