Secrets and Seduction Las Vegas (Sexy Italian Imports Book 1) (28 page)

“You sound like you’re drunk.”

“I…we were at your parents. I overdid it.”

“Dad?”

“Yeah.”

“He got my last boyfriend sauced a couple years ago, and the guy couldn’t make it to work the next day.” Monica paused. “Funny thing is, he didn’t end up striking me.”

Antonio let out a breath. “I gestured at something Valerie said just as she bent down to kiss me.”

“Sure.”

“I’m positive if I wasn’t so drunk, if it hadn’t been so dark in the condo, it wouldn’t have gone the way it did.”

“Good excuses. In the meantime, she is bruising, swelling, and needs stitches—”

“Stitches? I didn’t see a cut!”

“Her teeth cut her inner cheek.”

“Oh, shit. What the fuck have I done?”

Monica heard the pain in his voice. “She’s staying home tomorrow. You might want to call her then.”

“Tell her I called. Tell her how sorry—”

“Listen, asshole, I’m going to be watching her closely. If I see anything like this again, I’m going to have my friends in the security business pay you a visit and break every one of your goddamn bones.”

“Monica, believe me, nothing will ever happen to her again. I’m falling in lo—” He took a breath. “She means everything to me.”

“I’ll tell her you called.” Monica hung up. Was he going to say he loved Valerie? Was that the truth, or just a way for him to make himself sound more acceptable?

She walked back into the bedroom. Her baby sister sat curled up in one of the overstuffed chairs in the corner wearing her pajamas. Valerie held the icepack to her cheek and pressed gauze in her mouth with her finger. She looked so young and fragile. Monica blinked back tears, feeling the big-sister urge to protect her from the difficult elements of life, but she had to let her muddle her own way through.

She held up the cell phone. “He called.”

Valerie nodded. “I was supposed to call him.” She mumbled around her finger and the gauze. “You gave him hell?”

Monica sat in the other chair. “That’s what sisters are for.”

Valerie leaned forward, her eyes worried. “Please don’t say anything to anyone about this.”

“Mom and Dad?”

“Or Ryan. No one can know.” Her sister’s eyes looked moist.

“As long as it never happens again.”

“Monica, I’m a professional therapist, and I have worked with dozens of domestic abuse cases. I would never subject myself to violence. No matter how much I loved the person.”

“Love?” Now Valerie was saying it?

Her sister sat back, dropping her gaze to her lap. “Hypothetically.”

“Of course. You can’t love someone you’ve only known for weeks, can you.” She’d been asking herself the same thing all day.

Valerie gave her a look. “You’re fishing for something, Monica. What is it?”

Monica did love Joe. She felt it in every inch of her being. But Valerie and this mysterious blackmailer, a man who suddenly turned violent? She wanted to make her sister see the truth. “How well do you really know this guy? He could be a serial killer for all you know.”

****

Valerie stared at her sister. She could be right. Antonio’s weekend secrecy, his disguise, the Toyota.

“Just go slowly. Please. Make sure he’s legit.” Monica got up, stood behind her, and braided her hair.

Valerie couldn’t talk to her sister about her suspicions. Monica wouldn’t understand. She’d completely freak out and, after tonight’s craziness, feel compelled to tell the family everything. No, she felt it better to talk to her therapist about it. See what he had to say.

“I will. It’s unfortunate your only interactions with him have been so unpleasant. He’s really a good person.”

“I usually trust your instincts, Val, but this guy—”

“Right now, Monica, I just don’t want to talk about it. I’d like to crawl into bed.”

“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. We’ll let ourselves out.” Monica bent and kissed her sister on the forehead. “Call me if you need anything at all. I’ll set the alarm as I go out.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your being here tonight. And please apologize to Joe for me.”

“Let me know if you want to talk. And be careful.” With a meaningful last glance, Monica left. Monica was warning her about her heart.

She went to the bathroom and took off her makeup, brushed her teeth with just water, and took some pain reliever. She got into bed with one of the books Antonio had given her and read to take her mind off tonight’s fiasco. At about page fifteen, a woman’s body was found outside a North Las Vegas casino. Beaten to death.

She snapped the book shut and tossed it on the floor. She looked at her bedside table, at the note he’d left her. Heart V + A. She closed her eyes. Why did all these outrageous things keep happening to drive them apart? All of them valid and overwhelming reasons why she shouldn’t fall for him. She sighed. Too late.

****

Monica sat next to Joe on a double recliner in the media room. He pushed the remote to turn off ESPN. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s okay. Defending him like any abused woman would.”

He slung an arm around her shoulders. “She seems like a smart girl. You don’t think it’s anything chronic, do you?”

She looked at him, needing to talk to someone about it, since she’d promised Valerie she wouldn’t go to their family. “I just don’t know. Valerie’s been overprotected all her life. Maybe she’s seeing what she wants to see in this guy.”

“I have a friend. He’s a private investigator in LA, and I’m sure he could give us the name of somebody local.”

She put her hand on his chest. “That’s a great idea.” She stood. “Let’s go call him right now.”

He pulled her down onto his lap. “First, I want you to promise me something.”

She smiled. He was such a sweet guy. “Anything, Joe.”

“Promise me, when we have our own house, we can have a media room like this.”

****

The next day, Valerie slipped into her favorite red bikini and stretched out on a chaise lounge by the pool. She was reading Antonio’s latest novel, a different book than the one she’d failed to get through last evening.

She’d had a restless night and ended up sleeping until ten. When she tried to drink her morning coffee, the hot liquid sent her dancing around the kitchen in pain. Coffee was coffee, a necessity of life, and she drank it cold through a straw.

Her stomach rumbled. It was noon, and she hadn’t eaten anything yet. What did she have in the refrigerator that wouldn’t require chewing?

She heard the glass door behind her open and footstep quietly coming toward her. She looked up at Antonio, but the sun was behind him, and she couldn’t see his face.

Chapter Twenty Four

“Hi.” Valerie squinted as she tried to see Antonio’s face.

He didn’t say anything, just stared at her.

The bruising was atrocious, she knew that because she’d almost started crying this morning when she’d looked in the mirror. Now, in the glaring light of the sun, it probably looked even worse.

He sat next to her leg on the lounge chair and rested a hand on her knee. His other hand moved as if to touch her bruised cheek. When his fingers shook, he pulled it back.

She sat up and visored her hand over her eyes to see his face. Her heart melted, and a lump formed in her throat—there were tears in his eyes. She scooted closer and pulled him into her arms.

“Antonio. It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to do this.” She caressed his back reassuringly.

He tentatively put his arms around her, as if she would break. “Valerie.” He sounded like he was choking. “How can I say I’m sorry? What can I do?”

Her own eyes filled with moisture. “Last night, I was too shocked to think rationally, but I know it was unintentional. There is nothing to forgive. We just collided, and it was unfortunate, but things like this happen.”

“If I hadn’t been drunk—”

“It might still have happened.”

He put his hand in her hair and touched his forehead to hers. “Why are you so amazing?”

She shrugged. “I can’t help it.”

He laughed, but his eyes were so full of pain, she knew he was a long way from forgiving himself.

She gestured toward the kitchen. “I was just thinking about going inside to find something to eat. Are you hungry?”

“I brought food. Eggs, yogurt, soup, oatmeal, ice cream.”

“You shopped for me? That’s sweet. How long has it been since you’ve been in a grocery store?”

“About three years.” A small, self-effacing smile curved his lips. “Prices have gone up.”

She laughed quietly, careful not to open her mouth wide. “I bet they have. The price of beef must have been a shock.”

“I didn’t look. I knew it would make me faint.”

“I can just picture you swooning at the Albertson’s.”

“With a beef roast clutched to my chest.”

She touched his face then dropped her hand to his. “I think I have some hamburger in the freezer if you’d like to make yourself a burger.”

“No, I’ll eat whatever you’re going to have.”

“You want yogurt and soup?”

He shivered dramatically. “Sure. It wouldn’t kill me.”

“It might. How about scrambled eggs and bacon?”

“Sounds good. You stay here. I’ll cook.”

“How nice, thank you. I was just in the middle of this book…” She gestured to his latest novel sitting on the table. “And I can’t put it down.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

“You have a fascinating writing style. It’s quite different from the way you speak.”

“My dual personality.”

“Oh, right. I forgot.” She smiled but winced with pain as she moved the injured side of her mouth.

He stared at her, his eyes intense. “Monica told me you needed stitches.”

“Monica is an alarmist. I just applied pressure to it and the bleeding stopped.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “I really hate myself.”

“Don’t.” She squeezed his hand. “If I’d done the same thing to you, how would you want me to feel?”

“Yeah, but I’m a man. I’ve been hit plenty of times.”

“Not by someone you have feelings for.”

“No. They were mostly ugly guys.”

She giggled. “No women?”

“Slapped by a few.”

She ran a finger along his chin. “Who could slap this pretty-boy face?”

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“Mmmm, no. It was the moment I knew I wanted you. When you stood up to Troy, it made me weak inside.”

“Two men acting like Neanderthals?”

“No. One big sexy hunk…” She switched to a southern accent. “Havin’ a dust-up with my boyfriend over me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t that seem a little sexist to you? Your being a psychologist and all?”

“Oh, I’m sexist all right.” She took his hand and put it on her stomach. “And I just thought of a way for you to make it up to me.” She smiled, wickedly. “All you have to do is…kiss me.” She moved his hand down to her bikini bottom.

“Valerie, you are a goddess.” His voice dropped to a husky growl as he eased her back into a reclining position and moved between her legs. He kissed her belly then lower. Removed her bikini bottom and kissed her the way she wanted to be kissed. She hoped he’d put the ice cream in the freezer before he came outside.

****

They spent the day together. He cooked for her, she took pain reliever, and in the afternoon they napped on a double recliner in the movie room. They watched a movie, played backgammon, and floated in the pool, drinking frozen margaritas and discussing politics and religion. They were both surprised they weren’t as opposite in their views as they thought they might be.

When he’d done his shopping that morning, he’d stopped at a natural food store and bought her an herbal tea to help her heal quicker, and a tube of gel to help the bruising dissipate. She couldn’t imagine anyone being more thoughtful than he was.

They went outside with gin and tonics when the sun set. Hers had a straw in it. Turning a chaise lounge to face west, he sat and eased her snugly between his legs. She lay back on his hard, sexy chest. He kissed the top of her head and brushed his chin back and forth across her hair.

The smoke from wildfires in California made the sunset spectacular. Red-and-orange-streaked sky over the mountains that rimmed the valley. She felt safe in his arms. Had the time they spent together helped him overcome his guilt? Her face was bruised, but her heart was solid. Whatever his demons were, together they would be able to conquer them. She would never give up on him. Never.

****

Valerie had patients the next morning and snuck out of the house, leaving him sleeping. She left him a note on her pillow.
Yesterday is a day I’ll never forget. V.

He called her at noon. “Why didn’t you wake me?”                          

“You looked like you could use the rest.” She turned her office chair to look out the window at the mountains.

“Yeah. I didn’t sleep well the night before.”

He was probably running his hand through his hair right then, thinking about the accident again.

She changed the subject. “I need to respond to an invitation to a fundraising gala for the runaway shelter. It’s next Wednesday. Would you like to go?”

“Let me check my calendar.” She heard the beeps of his phone as he accessed his appointments. “I’m free.”

“And whom shall I say is my guest?” Did he like to use his own name or his pen name?

“Go ahead and use Grey Thornton. It might generate some publicity for the shelter.”

“Thank you. That’s very generous.” She vacillated, not sure how much she should ask him for, then decided to go for it. “There’s also a silent auction, and they’re looking for donations.”

He chuckled softly. “Sure. How about a full set of my hard covers? Signed.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

“I’m a giver.”

“Mmmm. You were definitely a giver last night.” Her voice was low, seductive.

“Last night was unforgettable. When is your day over?”

“I’ve got patients until eight tonight.”

“Any breaks? You could run home, or I could come to your office.”

She laughed. “I wish. Today’s booked. It must be a full moon.”

“Must be. I’m feeling
pazzo
myself.”