Without comment, she obediently did exactly as I said.
I couldn’t stop myself. Fucking high from her innocent submissiveness, mesmerized by the sway of her hips, I thought about every dirty thing I wanted to do to her to make her mine and mine alone. My cock hard, I watched her until she disappeared around a corner at the top of the stairs.
Shaking my head, I pulled out my cell, brought up the contacts and quickly typed. Deleting Unknown, I replaced it with a new name—one I stared at for five fucking seconds.
Then I cursed under my breath and scanned the hall and courtyard before going to my SUV for the charger.
Sancia
Lying in the dark, the cell phone in my hands, I stared at it like a lifeline.
Maybe it was.
Or maybe it was the worst mistake of my life.
I did not know.
All I knew was that I wanted to text him.
Was I supposed to text him?
I had been so stunned, I had not asked. I had not asked any of the questions running through my mind so fast, they were making me dizzy. Why did I need to be able to contact him? Why was he giving me a cell phone? What was I supposed to say to him? What was his name? Why did he smell like metal and spice and soap? Why had he asked my age?
How old was he?
I wanted to type every single question out and press the arrow, but I did nothing.
I simply held the phone and stared, waiting, hoping.
My window open, a soft evening breeze blew in the scent of the orchards followed by the distant hint of the Mediterranean. It had always smelled like home to me here, but now another scent was playing across my senses.
The masculine smell of him barely lingering on his phone and my hands was mysterious and elusive. Like midnight and danger, it all swirled around a dark musk that was as forbidden as it was intoxicating.
Wishing I could have leaned into him, just to inhale, to feel if his chest was as hard as it looked, I was foolishly entertaining the fantasy when I heard the front door open.
Rushing to my window as footsteps sounded in the gravel courtyard, I stood back in the shadows.
The same two men who were with him before were beside him now, both keeping their heads down, while my mysterious gift giver looked across the courtyard as he opened the front passenger door of his SUV.
A silent plea played through my mind.
Please. Please, please, please look up.
The two other men got in the vehicle, and he walked around the front.
Moving closer to the window, I leaned on my desk.
Please look up.
He opened his door.
The plea escaping my lips, it whispered on the wind. “Please look up.”
His hand on top of the vehicle, one foot resting on the sill, he lifted his head, and his gaze cut right to my window.
My heart leapt, my breath caught, and I leaned forward.
Moonlight fell across my face, and his eyes met mine.
For one suspended moment, we stared.
Then, with the slightest of movements, he tipped his chin before getting into his vehicle.
The engine roared to life, large tires crushed the gravel and taillights glowed bright red as the SUV swung around and disappeared down the driveway.
I did not realize I had been holding the phone to my chest until I heard Papà’s voice call up the stairs. “Sancia?”
Spinning around, panic struck.
“Are you awake, cara mia?”
Dropping to my knees, I shoved the phone under my bed, then jumped up and rushed to my door. “Coming, Papà!”
My heart pounding, my feet still bare, I flew down the stairs.
Looking rumpled and tired, Papà glanced up and waved his hand. “Slow down, child. You do not need to rush every time I call.”
“Yes, I do.” Guilt tumbled all over my emotions, and I chastised myself. “I always need to rush to you when you call me, Papà.” I grasped his frail arm as he gripped the banister for support. “You need to lie down. Come, I’ll help you up the stairs.”
His exhale was heavy, but his voice came soft. “Principessa.” But then he said no more.
I looked into his eyes that were as dark as mine. “Yes, Papà?”
He slowly shook his head. “I do not deserve a daughter like you.”
Concern chased the guilt. “Do not say that.” I was the one who did not deserve him. The memory of the weight of the phone in my hands burned like betrayal. I did not know my mysterious gift giver. I did not know if he was friend or foe or intended Papà any harm. Shame fell past my lips, and I blurted out my suddenly guilty conscience. “I am sorry, Papà.”
Shaking his head, Papà dismissed me. “You have nothing to apologize for, child.”
Yes, I did. I had expressly gone against his wishes the moment I had accepted that cell phone. Even thinking about it made me remember every detail of the man who had given it to me, and heat struck my cheeks. “Come, I will help you upstairs and get you your medicine.” Praying my blush did not give me away, I gently coaxed Papà up the steps.
The effort wearing on him, he said nothing until we reached the second floor. His breathing labored, he cradled my hand on his arm and looked down at me. “I think it is time we stop worrying about the medicine, Sancia.”
Sancia.
Not cara mia, not Principessa.
My heart fell to the floor and shattered around me. “Papà?” Unable to move for fear of splintering apart, tears welled. “What are you saying?”
The lines in his face that were too many for his age curled around a tired smile. “Cara mia, I think we both know it is not working.”
“No.” No. “Do not say that. We will go back to the doctor. We will get a new medicine. We will—”
“Stop, Sancia.” Papà patted my hand. “We knew this would be an eventuality. You are not a child. You have never needed me. You are like your mother. You are smart and kind and good. You will be okay. I will at least make sure of that.”
“Papà, no.” Frantically blinking back tears, I started to lose control of the grief I had been pushing down for two years. “Stop saying these things.” I was not ready. “It is not time.”
“I am afraid I am out of time, cara mia.” Dropping his arm, he nodded toward my bedroom. “For tonight, get some sleep. We will talk in the morning once I have rested.” With effort, he turned toward his room.
Pain ruptured from every broken piece of my life. “I am not ready!”
His shoulders dropped, and he hung his head. “Neither am I, cara mia, neither am I. But I will live to see you become a woman, and your mother will look after you from above like she always has.” Without lifting his head, Papà glanced back at me. “Same as I will look after you once I am gone.”
This was not happening. “Papà.”
“Always, cara mia.” He walked into his bedroom and shut the door.
Covering my mouth so I did not openly sob, I fled to my room and shut my own door.
Then I collapsed on the bed, and the tears came.
Wrenching, heavy sobs that shook my body and robbed me of all breath.
But they did not take away the pain.
Erico
I made it to the foot of the driveway before I lit into Giancarlo. “What the fuck was that?”