Chocolate and Italian Wine (Music and Mayhem Book 1) (23 page)

She stared into his jeweled blue eyes and shivered. “Tell me, Kari,” he said again.

Ignoring his request, she said, “So, wow, let me see if I’ve got this straight. You’re in the freakin’ Mafia.” It left a bad taste in her mouth. “Rifuckingdiculous…”

“I think you already had some idea, Kari, you just needed to hear me say it. Am I right?” 

“I don’t even know, Paolo,” she shook her head.

“Look, I’m the same guy I was ten minutes ago and from the day you met me. Nothing has changed, Kari.” 

“Nothing’s changed? You kept some really serious shit from me, man! I mean, I understand not telling me on the first date, but once you said you loved me, and I said it back—why keep it from me?” she pressed, on the verge of yelling.

“I hear what you’re saying,” he said nodding. “But I would have told you, sooner or later. Forgive me for not telling you sooner and blowing up our relationship weeks ago.”

She looked at him thoughtfully. “You wouldn’t have blown it up, Paolo. Why assume that?”

“No? It felt like the logical assumption and I just couldn’t lose you. I love you so much,” he confessed.

“Why didn’t you just trust me enough to tell me? You’ve asked me to trust
you
, and I have. We staged a damn crime scene, Paolo!  Oh my gawd, how did I not know? It’s all so obvious now,” she said, facing off with him, holding her palm to her forehead.

“Fuck, Kari. I didn’t mean to hurt you, babe. I just have this overwhelming need to protect you. You mean everything to me. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” He wanted to touch her.

“Paolo, you weren’t protecting me when you kept who you really are from me. You were protecting you. What the hell is
wrong
with you? More importantly, what the hell’s wrong with me?” She crossed her arms protectively in front of her and her face was wrought with anguish.

“You’re right. I’m a selfish motherfucker. Because I fell head over heels in love with the most beautiful woman in the world and didn’t want to send you running for the hills out of fear of me. I don’t have an angle, baby. Never wanted anything but you. It’s too late to apologize for what I am. All I can do is ask your forgiveness for staying silent on something so important.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to walk away, to nowhere in particular, because she didn’t know her way around. He followed her.

“Where are you going?” he asked, as she huffed along.

"Shut up!”

“Can I come?” he asked, hot on her heels.

“Leave me alone!” She turned to face him, arms flailing. “The Tae Kwon Do, the guns, and all the damn bodyguards! They’re hit men! I feel so stupid!” she chortled snidely. “You don’t seem to get that.”

“Kari…” He reached for her.

“I said shut up! You don’t get to talk to me,” she snapped, pointing at him as she eluded his grasp.

She marched quickly, stomping her way across the lush green landscape, sweeping past two sparkling blue water pools, various white marble statues and fountains. Paolo continued to follow. Once she was behind a grove of olive trees, she wheeled around and swung at him, connecting with his chest. It gave a thud and she winced because it completely hurt her hand. She was so angry that hot tears burned her eyes as they ran down her cheeks.

He grabbed her hands and she struggled with him as he pulled her close and held her tight. She eventually went limp as she quit battling and allowed his embrace, reluctantly wrapping her own arms around him. They held each other for a long while. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” he muttered into her fragrant hair. “Can you forgive me?”

“I don’t know, Paolo,” she said into his chest. “This is huge. This is scary. I’m confused and I don’t know what else I can expect,” she said.

Fuck,
there’s more, baby
, he thought. “I love you more than I can express with words. I promise to always keep you safe, Kari. What I do will never come back to harm you.” She looked up at him. He looked down at her lovely face, and framed it in both hands. “I love you.”

She moved back a little and held him by his wrists. “I know. God help me, I love you, too, liar.”

“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell,” Paolo said.

“Do you really want to go there right now, Paolo Montovani?”

“No, definitely not,” he said. His hand went to her hair and tugged at it gently, forcing her capitulation. Their lips fused in a passionate kiss of surrender, of forgiveness and of promise. And as they stood beneath the olive trees, her eyes opened in time to see a flash of light cross the morning sky. She had no idea what it was, but took it as a sign; a sign that their futures, hers and Paolo’s, no matter what, would be forever intertwined. And for some reason she felt a strange sense of calm, even as Paolo heaved her over his strong shoulder and carried her back to the house.

20

Maria Elena woke up to her mother shaking her shoulder, rather aggressively at that. “What is it, Mama?” she asked, sitting up and wiping her hair from her face.   

“I want you to see something,” Carlotta said excitedly, going over to her window and holding open the curtain.     

Maria Elena eyed her mother with confusion and timidly got out of bed. Going over to see what Carlotta showed her, her eyes widened. She looked at her mother, eyes dancing with merriment. “For me?” she asked. “Because of…”                

“Yes, because of your interview. Your revenge has begun and soon the Montovanis will see that there is nothing left aside from Paolo to choose you, Maria Elena.”

                   The two observed the hoards of news vans and reporters at the iron gates of the Bianchi estate and it was wildly fabulous to Maria Elena.
You are not the only one who is interesting and can get attention, Karisma Montgomery,
she thought. In one night, she’d made herself a famous woman who was intricately linked with the perceived “most famous woman” on earth. Everything was coming together perfectly.

“Come on, Mama,” she said excitedly. “I’ve got to get beautiful for the cameras.”

                                             ***

Ray was lost in the moment, enjoying the vigorous oral skills of his latest conquest, when he heard Karisma’s name mentioned on the television.

              “Yo, slow it down,” he said to the woman who was going down on him. “What are they saying?” He turned up the volume, but couldn’t understand. He looked down at the girl, who was watching him and he nodded expectantly.

“She says she’s pregnant with Giampaolo Montovani’s child and that Karisma Montgomery has tried to steal him away, leaving her alone with a child and feeling so sad and ashamed,” the woman said. Then she yawned and went back to Ray’s cock.

Ray, however, was more fascinated with the story. “She says Kari did that?” he asked.

“Yes, she says Karisma won’t let him be a father to her baby,” the woman said in heavy Italian diction.

“What the fuck? I knew that pretty muthafucka was no good. Kari ain’t had shit to do with that,” he said. Then he hopped up.

“Where are you going?” the woman asked in her thick accent.

Ray glanced at her like he didn’t process the question. He looked at her hard. “What’s your name again, baby?”

                   She looked at him and it was obvious that she was insulted. “Anna,” she finally said.     

He frowned. “Anna? I thought it was Linda or somethin’. Anyway, Anna baby, you got to go. I got a plane to catch in a little while.”

                   “Fucking asshole,” she mumbled as she got up and snatched up her clothes to get dressed. The entire time she mumbled, now in Italian, and Ray just ignored her, getting right on the phone to make some calls.

She finally walked out of the hotel room, slamming the door as she left. “Crazy ho,” he muttered, staring at the door.

Then he sat down on the chair in the corner of his hotel suite and shook his head. “Shit, Kari! Why the fuck you messin’ with that guy, baby?” he asked, shaking his head.

                                           ***

              After that intense talk, the one that further complicated and intertwined their lives, Paolo and Karisma snuck back into the house to make love.

Claimed by his kisses, and branded by his touch, she had granted forgiveness to the man she loved through the uniting of their two bodies in the type of passion where secrets could not be kept and all emotions were exposed and vulnerable. Yes, finding out that what she had heard about and grown to suspect was truth had been surprising, but it shouldn’t have been. She’d seen the signs. She wasn’t a naive person, but she was someone who had desperately wanted to keep experiencing the good thing the two had going. And now that she knew, nothing could change that in her eyes. She’d just have to deal with it.

Lying in each other’s arms and knowing that there was more to say, Paolo continued to share his life’s secret with Kari. “I am the heir to my father’s position.”

“You mean that you’re going to be a Don?” Kari asked, looking over at him.

“Yes, one day. It’ll be more responsibility, but I already do quite a bit,” he said.

“Like what, Paolo?”

“Well, at this time I am in control of the western US enterprises, and soon, it’ll expand. I’m what you know as the underboss. My father’s head of the family, but I run it.”

Un. Freaking. Believable
, Kari thought. “You run the family? Why doesn’t your father do that?”

“The underboss controls the family, sweetheart. I answer only to my father.”

“For how long? Until you take over?”

“Exactly.”

“And when is that? When he passes on?”

“Or should he ever become unable to perform his duties to our family,” he said looking at the ceiling.

“So you lied about the gun, didn’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You told me you’re forced to carry it now because of threats to your family.”

He remembered. He’d had to explain its presence when he’d gotten back from Italy.

“I didn’t want you afraid. I couldn’t tell you all of that right then.”

“Wow. What about FutureShock? Is that a front?”

“A front for what? No, it’s a lawful enterprise run the same way Goldtone is. You own it, but don’t necessarily oversee the day-to-day operations. Same with FutureShock. We are, however, involved in all that goes on behind the boardroom doors,” he told her.

“So are you being threatened or not?” she quietly demanded.

He thought about it. “Not right now, baby,” he lied. He kissed her.

She nodded, relieved. “But you’ll be the big dog one day,” she said in a small voice.

He chuckled. “Is that what I’ll be? A big dog? I get the distinct impression you aren’t too fond of big dogs.”

“Why would you say that?” she asked, frowning.

“Butch? I think my St. Bernard makes you a little leery.”

“It’s his massive head that makes me leery,” she countered.

“I’d say you manage massive heads quite well,” he teased.

“Gawd, Paolo, you’re so nasty,” she laughed. So did he. “Haa! Okay then, he has gigantic fangs and bites.”

“Oh baby,” he chuckled as he kissed the top of her curly head. “So do I.”

She sighed, looking deeply into his eyes, eyes that were making her unsteady as she gazed into their turquoise depths. “Don’t bite me, Paolo.”

He stared back at her with the same intensity. Stroking the side of her arm, he so wanted to arm her with the knowledge of what Maria Elena had done, but now was most definitely not the time. “I won’t, baby.”

              Then she looked over at the clock. “Oh, look at the time. We have to get up. Your brother is expecting us at 2:00.”

“I know. We have plenty of time,” Paolo said, pulling her in tightly and using his one free hand to tweak her nipple just a bit.

Kari shook her head. “Uh, uh. No premarital sex right before visiting the priest.”

“Aw, baby, just a quickie before we leave. Who’ll know?”

“I’ll know; you’ll know. Not to mention the rest of your family. You think they don’t know why we’re spending so much time up here?” she commented, giving him a sideways glance.

“The way I’m feeling right now, I think it’s hilarious imagining my father downstairs wondering if I’m up here fucking you,” Paolo said, leaning in and giving her a quick finger swipe up her pussy, making her jump.

Kari smacked him with a pillow. “That thought is gross, and nasty.” But then she laughed afterward. “I really don’t need your family thinking I lay around all day with my legs wide open.”

Paolo was already walking over to the bathroom and only when he was safely in it did he respond. “It works for me!” he yelled from behind closed doors.

“So says the fuckaholic!” she shouted back, making sure he could hear. She heard his laughter commingling with the shower water.

Kari breathed in and reached for her phone. Her heart sank. Forty-five freakin’ messages. She placed it back down. “Later,” she said, and hurried to join Paolo under the water stream.

                                                        ***

“Why the hell hasn’t Kari called me back?” Tessa demanded. She paced the floor. “This crazy bitch is all over the TV talking about how she’s pregnant by Paolo and how Kari made him choose between her and the two of them. That’s a damn lie and I know it,” Tessa said to Chris.    

“I’ve been trying to get her, too. This shit is crazy. I’ll call her again,” Chris said, showing equal frustration.

“Do you think she’s okay? Maybe she’s in hiding?” Tessa asked. The tension was thick in the air.

“What the hell for?” Chris asked. “Hold on.” He put his finger up in the air to silence Tessa, who was rambling. “Wolfe, Chris here. Is Kari with you?”

“She’s in the car ahead of me,” he said.   

“Thank God. Is she okay?” Chris asked.

“Yeah, she’s cool. Why? Something up?”

“Wolfe, man, you haven’t heard? Some woman’s claiming she’s a man stealer. Ugly story. Does she know?”     

“Hell, I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. I’ll Google it and fill her in later. We’re in route to Paolo’s brother’s church.”

“What’s she going to church on Saturday for?” Chris asked.     

“She didn’t tell me.” He lied.

“Yeah, okay. Just have her call me. Before she goes in if you can. I just have to make sure she’s okay.”

They hung up and Wolfe pulled up the info and told Jamil, who was driving. “It seems some shit’s up with Kari.”      

“What do you mean?” Jamil asked.

“Some woman, a Maria Elena Bianchi, talked with the press. The video is all over the internet and news. She’s saying she’s pregnant, Paolo’s the father, and Karisma made him choose her over his baby.”

“What? That doesn’t sound like the Karisma I know,” Jamil said, shaking his head.

“Damn,” Wolfe said, looking at the video. “Kari’s involved with some shit she doesn’t need to be. Paolo’s Mafia. You know that, right?

“Yeah, but nothing we can do about it,” Jamil conceded.

“It’s on and crackin’. Put on your gear, man. Paparazzi’s gonna be on bitch blitz when we get to that church.”

                                                       ***   

“I’m not a fast car kind of girl, but I have to say, it sure is fun riding around with you in yours. How many sports cars do you have?” Kari asked, loving the feel of being so low to the ground and zipping down the highway in the black Maserati.

“Six,” Paolo said with a wide grin.

“What, you collecting them?”

He nodded. “I love fast cars,” Paolo said. He removed his hand from the circular shift paddle and squeezed Kari’s bare knee before putting it back there.

She looked around at the madness that surrounded them. “This is so insane, Paolo. I swear, I have never been escorted through town like this before. So many people and paparazzi; I’m not used to quite as many of them being around when I’m overseas. I wonder why they’re swarming now.”

“Karisma Montgomery’s in Italia! It’s big news, baby.” He was going to deal with Maria Elena for this.

She shrugged. “So, fast car man, do you like Bugattis?” Kari asked.

“Fuck yeah. I’d love to have that one in my collection.”

“I have one in my garage.”

“What? You never told me that.”

She smiled. “My security guys love it. Especially Omar. He takes it for a spin every day.”

“Why didn’t I know that? How long have you had it?”

“Since a few months before I met you. It was a gift,” she held her hand up. “A conversation for another time,” she said.

“I’ll be very interested to hear that story,” he assured her. She smiled a sly grin and looked away. “Kari,” she looked over at him as he turned serious. ”Are we okay?”

“I have no clue how to answer that. I don’t even know how this all works. I know Mafia from the movies. Gawd, I hope that’s not accurate.” She gulped and smiled, trying to act casual, but she was truly freaking out about it a bit.

“Real life is different, Kari.”

“Art often imitates life.”     

“Baby, my family is for the most part legitimate.
My
businesses are all legitimate…” 

She interrupted him. “Then why would you need to be a part of something like that?”

“I was born into it. In families like ours, there’s no choice. But I made the decision to be my father’s successor. There were others who could have done it, but he wanted me. I agreed. And believe it or not, my mother had the final say. Mando became a priest, Rafie is unqualified, so with me being third oldest, I became first in line. I accepted.”