Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Micah
I press my mouth to Scarlett’s mouth, kissing her harder. Finally I have what I need to satisfy that hunger for her.
She’s truly mine now. My wife. Mine, not just for now or the remainder of a contract. Scarlett Delarosa is mine forever.
The mere thought pumps adrenaline through my veins, through my heart, through my soul. It shoves away the worries about Anton and all the shit that’s been on my mind to the back of the beyond, so I can feel her, enjoy her.
I lace my finger through her hair, cupping the back of her head while I fuck her sweet pussy, pounding into her so she’ll always remember tonight.
I want her to remember the good parts about us. How we feel together. How we fit together. Everything we said to each other.
Scarlett moans and I kiss her greedily, then her muscles squeeze around my cock as she comes. I watch the pleasure of her orgasm play across her beautiful face like a possessive caress.
She moans louder, like she’s savoring every ounce of her orgasm, and my cock is harder for hearing and watching her unravelling in my arms.
The walls of her pussy throb harder around my length, clamping and squeezing until I lose control, and fuck, I explode, her cunt taking everything from me.
But I’m not done with her yet. I’m only just getting started.
I pick her up and carry her to bed, where I finish taking off her clothes and mine, then I position her on her hands and knees in front of the mirror across from the bed so we can see each other. Just like that first night at the hotel.
I renew the memory, and there, I devour my beautiful wife all night.
In my head, I keep hearing her telling me she loves me and she’ll stay with me forever. I’m so glad I finally told her what I wanted. And look at us. It’s as if we’ve never lived our lives without each other.
Just before sunrise, I watch her fall asleep. She lies still in my arms, resting against my chest. As she closes her eyes, the spell that helped me forget the world breaks and reality pours back in.
Despite the bigger things I have to worry about, the first thought to hit me is Eloise, her audacity and utter disrespect.
I saw the whole video she played of Scarlett in rehab. I stood at the entrance to the hall with my father and cousins.
I’d promised Scarlett I’d join her after our meeting. My father and cousins decided to come along to donate. We didn’t think we’d be walking into an ambush.
I’ve seen Eloise do some cruel, bitchy shit in my time, but nothing has ever been as bad as last night. She fucking investigated Scarlett, and she was even bold enough to announce it.
I was already aware there were recordings of Scarlett’s therapy sessions, but I was respectful enough not to cross that line. Eloise, on the other hand, thought she should broadcast it at a charity event designed to uplift women who are struggling. What a juxtaposition of shit.
Eloise was way worse than all the assholes put together in the movie Carrie . What was worse is, we’re all adults, but what she did was the sort of fucked up bullshit you’d get in high school.
I’m about to become the don of the family and the alliances we have, which includes her and her father, but she thought she could embarrass my wife in front of everyone and get away with it. She won’t. Last night’s apology wasn’t enough.
The reason Eloise thought she’d get away with what she did, or that it was okay, was because of the length of time she’s known my family. That’s not going to stop me from making sure she receives a more fitting punishment.
I may have come to Scarlett’s rescue, but the damage is done.
People talk. No matter how much sympathy they may show a person, they still talk behind their backs. I never wanted Scarlett to be subjected to anything like that.
I guess, though, Eloise is perhaps the least of my worries.
Today is the fourth day since I’ve known about Anton’s presence in New York, and I’m still a sitting duck. Nothing has happened since Estes broke into the vault.
The incident opened my eyes to a number of things. First, Anton working with Marcus means he’s tried to find an ally who’s strong enough to reach me. The second and most worrying is, the two of them are now working with one of my men.
Brahm and I now think it’s one of the enforcers, but since our team members all have high-level clearance, all we can do is observe them and watch their movements to figure out who the spy is. In this heightened situation, we can’t dismiss all of them for investigation without leaving ourselves open for attack then in a weakened position to strike back.
The only good thing I have on my side is I’ve summoned the Creed guards.
I don’t think anyone will try to steal the blueprints again at the company, which just leaves the printed copies that are in my vault here.
After the other night, I changed the security system so the only two people who can open the vault without it sending the alert and activating the guns are Scarlett and me.
I lie there, holding her, thinking about everything.
Something has to change and I have to be the one to change it. Things have gone on for way too long, and now they’re worse. I imagine I’ll meet Anton soon.
When I do, I won’t give him the chance to speak. The instant I see him, he’s dead.
An hour later, there’s a gentle knock on my door.
Carefully, I get off the bed so I don’t wake Scarlett. Then I pull on a pair of sweatpants and answer the door. It’s Maria.
“Buongiorno, Micah, your father is here to see you.” She gives me a gentle smile.
I can’t hide my surprise for hearing that my father is here. He’s never come to see me so early in the day before. I hope nothing more serious has happened. He knows what’s going on with Anton and the recent developments. “Thanks. Did he look alright to you?” Maria is great at giving me a heads-up when I need it.
Her smile widens. “Yes. He seemed like his usual self.”
“Okay. I’ll be down in a minute.”
She dips her head. “I’ll go see if he wants a cup of tea.”
“Thanks.”
She leaves and I pull on a shirt. I stare at Scarlett wondering if this could be about her.
My father heard what Eloise said about the payment to Scarlett. Although she never found evidence of it, the implication was strong, and neither Scarlett nor I denied it. So, maybe my father knows me so well that he’ll know it’s true.
Regardless, he can’t do anything about it. I just don’t like tension between us.
I head downstairs, where I find him sitting in the living room sipping on a cup of tea.
He places the cup down when he sees me and stands. At least he doesn’t look angry, so maybe he’s not here to argue.
“Buongiorno.” His voice is lighthearted and insightful.
“Buongiorno, Papà.” I stop in front of him, and he gives me a curt smile.
“Sorry to stop by so early and unexpected.”
I shake my head. “You never have to apologize for that. What’s going on?”
“I thought I would stop by to see how Scarlett was.”
I can’t help but look surprised. “You did?”
“Yes. I know she was deeply upset by what Eloise did. Your mother is furious. And so am I. I thought her actions were completely inappropriate and disgusting.”
Something inside me loosens. The tension and strain from not only the last few months but possibly a lifetime. This is the first time in my life that my father has met me halfway with anything. “I’m glad you think so.”
“Of course. I thought you should know I pulled my investment from Eloise’s company last night after you left.”
“Seriously?”
“It was the right thing to do. Besides, I’m not entirely sure all that she claims about her company, including the charity work, is as truthful as she says it is.”
I thought about that, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if Eloise staged the videos she showed off last night about her efforts in Rwanda. I was as shocked as everyone else who saw that video that she would do anything at all to get her perfectly manicured fingernails dirty.
“Aside from those things…” He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, the look in his eyes softer. “I didn’t think it was right for me to give my support to Eloise when she treated my daughter-in-law in such a terrible way. Her actions were disrespectful to me, too.”
That was a million-dollar contract, so Eloise has truly dug herself a grave. I’m sure all the people she told about my father’s investment will soon know he’s pulled out. It’ still doesn’t feel like it’s enough, but that is definitely something to hit her hard. “What about Luis?”
“He’s not happy about it, but that’s not for me to worry about. The incident got me thinking that it happened because I allowed Luis and his family too much freedom to do what they wanted.”
I won’t disagree. He’s right. “Thank you for the support.”
He gives me a clipped nod then stares at me with more thought in his expression. “What she said… about the payment. Was it true?” My father never asks a question he doesn’t already have the answer to. I’ve learned that the hard way when I was sixteen and took his car, wrecked it, then tried to lie about it.
“Yes.”
“Not once have you acted like a man who planned to let his woman go.”
“No. I didn’t.”
“I really hope you don’t plan to.”
I shake my head. “No, Papà. Scarlett’s not going anywhere.”
He nods, and a proud look flashes in his eyes. “I guess you really did fall in love after all, then, and it all worked out in the end.”
“It did.”
The soft patter of footsteps behind us makes us turn. Scarlett stands in the doorway looking like a little fairy dressed in her yoga pants and sweatshirt and her hair pulled into a high messy bun.
Her cheeks color at the sight of my father, and there’s a noticeable tremble in her hands. “Mr. Delarosa. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Don’t apologize. And please call me Giovanni.” My father gives her a soft smile and I appreciate this moment for what it is.
Scarlett looks more at ease. “Thank you.”
I put my arm out, signaling for her to join me. She does, and I slip an arm around her tiny waist, pulling her close to me.
Father smiles at the sight of us together and gives me a pleased nod. “Genevieve and I would love for you both to join us on Sunday for dinner. It will just be the four of us.”
“Then we’ll be there,” I reply, but Scarlett and I both nod.
“Wonderful. I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of the morning. See you Sunday.”
We both say goodbye and watch him leave. Scarlett looks up at me the moment we hear the door close.
“I really hope I didn’t interrupt you,” she says.
“No.” I plant a gentle kiss on her lips. “He was actually here to check on you.”
“Me?”
“Because of last night. He finally saw how much of a bitch Eloise is. He’s not going to be working with her anymore.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I told you he’d like you the moment he got to know you.”
Her eyes twinkle, and she seems awed by my words. “That means a lot.”
“How are you feeling?”
She slowly shakes her head. “The pain feels raw, but I’m trying not to think about it. It was hard seeing myself like that on the recording. It was worse that everyone else saw me that way.”
“I’m sorry it happened, bellezza. I will make sure you never have to worry about Eloise or anyone like her again.”
“Thank you.”
“I was thinking of taking the day off to spend it with you.”
“I’d really love that.” Her face brightens, and she looks more like her usual self again.
“Then I’ll do it.”
Maria walks back in with an envelope and her brows narrowed. “This was under the front door,” she says, holding the envelope up. “It’s just got Scarlett’s name on it.”
Scarlett and I look at each other, then she steps forward and Maria hands her the envelope. “I wonder what this is.”
Nerves place me right back next to her as she opens the envelope.
She pulls out a note and reads it. The moment she does, her skin pales, becoming sheet white and her entire body erupts in shivers.
Scarlett drops the note and the envelope and steps away from it as if it might end her.
Her reaction tells me everything I need to know, but I pick up the note and read it anyway. It says:
Soon, my love,
Anton.