“Let me guess…it’s a vagina,” I say, studying the art from the greenery of the east lawns. The midday sun picks up every fleck of pink.
Smoke scans the oil painting. “Enzo had it delivered?”
Both men holding the flesh-toned painting nod. The piece is big and garish and made even tackier by a gold-plated frame.
Smoke tilts his head. “Is it upside down?”
“Does it matter?” I ask, shaking my head. “A vagina’s a vagina no matter which way you position it.”
The men holding the art nod again.
Smoke’s chin tilts to the sky. “Why is it in my face?”
“Because it’s a gift. From Enzo. A special touch for your ceremony.” I check the paperwork from the Juliet Griffin Fine Art Gallery. “Yup. He blew three hundred thousand dollars on this baby.”
Smoke lets out a distressed sigh. “Get it out of here,” he says to my men.
They look back at the house, and then at each other, perplexed. “Where should we put it?”
I know what Smoke is thinking. “Say the North Cottage, and I’m sending it to a landfill.”
“Sounds like a win-win,” Smoke smirks with a dumb-ass grin. “Fine. I’ll call Juliet and see if the gallery might be up for an exchange. Just put it in the basement for now.”
The men take off, and Smoke and I scan the grounds one last time. “The new surveillance is all online, and twelve additional personnel from the towers will be on security detail.”
“Mm-hmm,” he says, rubbing his chin as he studies me. “Something you want to discuss, Leo?”
I’m quieter than normal. Pensive. I’m thinking. Dangerous, I know. I’m about to do something. Something rash and impulsive. Something I should be worried about, but I’m not.
I play it off. “Like what?”
“Like why you and Ivy were gone all day yesterday. Last night, too. And why Roberto is suddenly off our books. His entire debt paid.”
My feet shuffle along a tree-lined area of the gravel path. I don’t know why I blurt it out, but I do. “Ivy’s moving in with me. After Enzo leaves.”
There. I said it. I haven’t told Ivy yet—small technicality.
Smoke stops mid-step and presses a hand to my forehead. “Are you delirious?”
“No more so than usual.”
“Is she pregnant?”
I beam with an elated laugh that comes out of nowhere. “I’d love that, but not that I know of.”
“Are you sure about this?”
I nod and don’t bother trying to stifle my goofy grin. “I know it’s fast—”
“From shouting that the two of you are nothing more than a few one-night-fucks—”
“Not my proudest moment.”
“To wanting her to move in.” He nods, deep in thought. “This could go a lot of different ways. What if it doesn’t work out?”
“Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt, the bumper sticker, and the seventy-two-ounce mug.”
He shakes his head. “There’s no harm in taking it slow.”
“I’ve tried. Even told Ivy I would, but slow is a tough speed for me. In the beginning, I broke it off and cut all ties with her. I even put Hunter between us.”
“We all saw how that went.”
I shrug. “I’ve never been more fucked-up with jealousy in my life.”
We chuckle and stop at a small clearing, marveling at the childhood treehouse that towers over our heads. “You sure about this?” he asks.
“I know you have reservations, but you were the one who said to go after what I wanted, and I want her. It’s like shoving all my feelings into grenades. As soon as I cast them aside, they explode.”
“And her security check?”
“Clean and nearly complete.” He gives me that look. The wrong fucking answer look.
I hate that look.
My voice sobers. “The only loose thread is a father she’s never met. Fucker abandoned her and her mother from the moment of birth.”
“I see,” is all he says, his tone apparent.
“Children aren’t responsible for the sins of their parents.”
“I wasn’t judging Ivy.”
“Then you’re judging me.”
He takes a breath. “There’s a reason I wasn’t allowed to treat Trinity after her attack. Emotions always cloud judgment. Maybe you’re too close to Ivy to complete the investigation.”
I’m ready to bark go fuck yourself at him, but then I’ll end up proving his point, so I tamp down my feelings, and keep my voice dull and monotone. “My investigation hasn’t stopped. If anything, my investigation of her is more comprehensive than my own team.”
“Spare me the details of your deep probe into Ivy.”
It was definitely deep. I clear my throat. “As I was saying, her investigation was thorough. As far as I can tell, neither Ivy nor anyone in her inner circle has a clue who her father is, and they’ve tried finding him for years. I doubt he poses a threat to anyone except perhaps himself if he ever materialized. As far as everyone in North Carolina is concerned, the asshole might as well be dead.”
We approach the mansion and see Ivy and Trini in the distance. They’re in the garden, followed by their faithful swan. Trini looks happier than I’ve seen in years, and Ivy is beauty personified.
“Does this make her your date?” Smoke asks.
“Date?”
“Tomorrow night. She’s in a gown. You’re in a tux. Sounds like a date.”
Warmth fills my chest. It certainly does.
Smoke and Trinity make their way to the house as I steal Ivy away for a walk. When we near the cottage, I pull the slip of fabric from my pocket. “Still trust me?”
Amused, she giggles. “Do you always carry a blindfold?”
“Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to.”
I slip it over her eyes and wave a hand in front of her face. Nothing. Confident she can’t see a thing, I ease her hand around my arm and nudge her to walk with me. I watch Ivy twist her fingers, quietly settling her nerves. She’s nervous, and I’ll admit, for the first time in a long time, I’m nervous, too. This could go either way, and I don’t want to scare her off.
We arrive at the cottage, and I stare at the steps. Hmm, how should I do this?
“Hang on,” I say and scoop her up against my chest. Her arms wrap naturally around my neck. “Leo?”
“Almost there.” I climb the steps with ease, then set her down on the landing. Instinctively, her arms fly out, mummy-like, as she feels around. It only takes a second before she’s fidgeting with the blindfold.
I give her hand a playful smack. “No peeking.” My voice is stern and gruff as I enter the code for the lock.
“You can remove the blindfold.”
She does, and it takes a second for her eyes to adjust. Her smile grows as she peers inside the door. “Where are we?”
“My secret hideaway. The North Cottage. It’s a guest house on the estate.” I take her hand. “I’d like you to move in with me.”
“What?” she gasps.
I take her in my arms and kiss her, releasing a big sigh. “Not right away. We’ll do it whenever you’re comfortable. And after I evict my roommate.”
She frowns, confused. “Roommate?”
“Enzo is bunking here.”
“Enzo, the high-powered CEO of D’Angelo Holdings? You two must be close.”
“As close as I am to a scorpion.”
“Then why is he staying here instead of the lavish mansion on the hill? Somehow, I imagined a man like that would need…tending to.”
“Let’s just say I’m keeping him grounded.” I close the door and explain. “It's just a precaution. Keeping Smoke and Enzo separate is a good safety measure. Plus, it keeps Smoke from murdering Enzo, which is certain to happen if those two end up living under the same roof.” I slide my arms around her. “Enough about Enzo. Focus on us.”
“Are you asking me because you know I have the recipes for all of Aunt Grace’s muffins?”
I kiss her. “That and spying on you from here is murder on my neck.” I rub my neck for effect. “Watching you this close will be easier.”
Her gaze falls. She’s right here in front of me, but I can feel her drift a million miles away. Maybe I’m pushing too hard. “You don’t have to decide now. It’s an open invitation. Whenever you’re ready.”
Her fingers circle my shoulder, and I can tell she wants to say yes. What’s holding her back?
I cup her cheeks. “Enzo leaves after the Erede al Trono.” I sweeten the deal. “I’ll move everything in for you.”
“Shirtless?” she teases.
“Man Candy Moving Company, at your service. You won’t have to lift a finger.” I kiss her fingertips, one by one.
A smile emerges, and her shoulders relax. “Even Mr. Whiskers?” she kids though I know she’s serious. She does that thing where she worries her lip through her teeth.
Mr. Whiskers. Her small stuffed animal. The cuddly furball is in every photo I could find of her from childhood. She totes him around as a therapy technique, downplaying his importance. But I know his significance in her life. A small detail Aunt Grace let slip out. Ivy believes Mr. Whiskers was a gift from her father. At least she has that.
I sport a noncommittal shrug before pointing to the mantle. Next to a vase full of roses, he sits. Her smile is priceless. “Who else will keep me company when I’m home alone?”
She kisses me, letting the last of her defenses fall away. I love the way this woman kisses. Warm and tender. Hot and deep. I need her more than I’ll admit, even to myself. But my kiss will never hold back. And this little white dress she’s been teasing me with is about to be torn off.
We make our way through the house and arrive at my room. Soon to be our room. I rush to remove her clothes. She squeals as I toss her on the bed. “What about your roommate?”
What she doesn’t know is that Enzo is a creature of habit. Leaves early. Comes home late. Sometimes, not at all. My men will alert me if he returns ahead of schedule. Rule number one in security: the boss is never surprised.
I tug off my shirt and remove my jeans. My mouth works up her body, nibbling along her breasts and neck until I find her ear. “Ah, this is another trust exercise.”
Her eyes flutter open. She notices the door hasn’t been shut. “What if he comes in?”
I lie back against the pillows and wrap her thick, beautiful curls around my fist. “The only man you should worry about coming is me.”
“Yes, sir,” she says, slicing her tongue down my abs as my legs widen around her. Her tongue flicks the tip of my hard cock before lazily circling the shaft.
“That’s it. Take me in, angel.” Ivy sucks my dick so hard I lose feeling in my toes. Yes. She hums around my length, and I inch closer to losing all control. When my tip hits the back of her throat, I’m done. “Get up here,” I demand.
Ivy straddles me. My hand moves between her legs, ready to slip her panties aside, and fuck.
“Something wrong?” she asks innocently, nibbling my lips.
I growl with satisfaction. “No panties. You’re about to get it.” I smack her butt cheek and move her into position, the heat of her sex wet and ready. I remove her dress, grab her hips, and slam her body onto me in one unforgiving thrust. We stare at each other as electricity sparks all around us. Our bodies move, pounding out a sacred beat, propelling the earth around the sun.
I flip her to her back and drag my length from the heat of her. “What are you doing?”
“I want your first orgasm on my tongue,” I demand and spread her knees wide. I pump two fingers inside her as I lick, suck, feed, fuck—I devour her. When her body shudders, I thrust my thick length in. Again and again, I take her. Need her. Claim her. Climbing to a pace that’s rough, igniting me until every cell in my body explodes.
Her back arches, and I feel her body shatter into a million more pieces beneath me. My climax crashes on me hard as the world falls away.
Ivy’s hand caresses my chest as my cell pings.
I’m too busy catching my breath to care about who the fuck it is.
It pings a second time. “Maybe it’s important,” Ivy whispers, nuzzling into my neck and planting kisses there.
I squeeze her tightly. “Impossible. All important things aren’t due until tomorrow.”
She hands me my cell. Two texts from Wilson, the man who owns the photo restoration company. I didn’t expect to hear from him until next week. I read the messages.
Almost done: Call when you can.
“I need to take this.”
I kiss her forehead as she curls into the blanket. I close the doors and move down the hall as I call Wilson.
“Z., glad I caught you. I’m going out of town this weekend and wanted to get this to you before I leave.”
“So, you’re done?”
“Almost. I can give it to you now if you’re in a rush, but it’s not perfect.”
“How long for perfection?”
“Tomorrow evening at the latest. But I can text it to you ahead of time.”
“No, don’t.” I’m looking forward to being surprised. To seeing an image of Antonio I’ve never seen before. I intend to give it to Smoke, but still, it feels like a small gift for me.
“If you’re in the city, I can drop it off when I’m done.”
“Do me a favor. Drop it off at D’Angelo Towers. Leave it with security. I’ll have someone deliver it here.”
“You’ve got it.
I hang up and hear water running. Ivy’s making herself comfortable and taking a shower. I join her, eager to lather up every breathtakingly gorgeous inch. Between all the differences in her features and mine, I wonder what our kids will look like. With her hair and mine both dark with wavy curls, I feel like that’s a given.
But what about that beautiful strand of silver? Is that something she would pass down?
“Who was it?” she asks as I lather soap along her back.
“Wilson.”
“Is he new? I don’t think I’ve met him.”
“He’s a photo restoration guy. He’s been working on a project for me.”
“You’re having a photo restored?”
“One of Antonio. It was found on the property, demolished by the rain. Every image of him is precious and rare, and—”
Ivy whips around. “Can I see it?” Her eyes are full of emotion and hope. I love how she latches on to every aspect of the D’Angelo world, always interested in learning more about the family that means the world to me.
“Sure. But I won’t have it until tomorrow night.” I take my time, toweling her off. She falls into a million-mile stare. “What’s that look?”
She snaps back and meets my gaze. “Tomorrow is Erede al Trono.”
I nod. “I’m hoping the photo comes before that. Depending on how it turns out, I might give it to Smoke as a gift. A piece of D’Angelo history he’s never seen.”