Chapter 14
ISLA
So much for never seeing Ciro again. The last thing I ever imagined was having him in my dumpy car. God, I prayed he didn’t look in the backseat. I’d forgotten Pippa’s car seat base was back there and probably a few of her toys.
I’d just have to keep him occupied.
Except, his custom-made cologne assaulted me in the worst and best way as he sat next to me. It made me remember our intimate times together. He was an incredible lover.
Stop! What are you doing?
How could I agree to having a drink with him? Clearly, my exhaustion made me weak around him, which was dangerous. I needed to resist him and at this point, I wasn’t confident that I could.
“What happened to being an interior designer?” he asked, catching me by surprise.
“What? Oh. Um.” I didn’t know how to answer his question.
“Don’t say it was the money. I put a half a million in your bank account the day after the party.”
“I know.”
“So then, what happened?”
I bit my bottom lip. “I needed to take a year off to save up money to pay for it.”
“Jesus, Isla,” he hissed. “I gave you more than enough money.”
“I didn’t ask you for any money. I never needed your billions.” I only needed and wanted him, but like most uber rich people, he believed money would solve every problem.
“Yes, I’m well aware that you can do every goddamn thing on your own.” He tapped his hand on his knee and his breathing picked up. Clearly, he was getting frustrated with me and that was fine. I was more than frustrated with him. “But is it so awful to accept my help?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” He turned toward me and it was amusing to watch this large, refined man struggle to change positions in my little car.
Holding back my laughter, I said, “Because I don’t want you to hold it over my head. I don’t want to owe you a dime.”
“But you can sell the Bimmer and keep the money without a second thought?”
I gaped at him. “Seriously? That was a birthday gift. I should be able to do whatever I want with it.”
“And this is what you did with the money?” He fanned his hands out along the dashboard. “You bought a piece of junk that’s on its last leg.”
“Hey! Don’t insult my car. It gets me where I need to go.”
He snorted. “Barely. We saw how it took you three attempts to get it started.”
“So you admit you’re stalking me. Nice, Ciro.” I turned into the parking lot of a small Irish pub that Alba and I frequented, before Pippa was born. It was small and not too far from either of our homes.
“Not stalking. Just observing.”
“Whatever, Ciro.” I turned the car off, got out of my car and hustled to the entrance. Ciro was hot on my heels like I’d run off or something. “Only one drink.”
“You’re in charge, My-la.”
I ignored him and went inside. Scanning the room, I found a vacant high-top table. Perfect, because I didn’t want to be in a booth with him.
“Have you been here before?” he asked, taking up the stool across from me.
“Yes, many times.” My heart thundered in my chest, being alone with Ciro. It was impossible to ignore him or act indifferent when he exuded confidence and power, wrapped in a handsome, intoxicating package.
Just one drink, then you can go home.
“Who with?” he asked casually as he took in the space around him.
“My friend.” Under the table, my foot bounced on the metal bar. I wished I was immune to his lure, but all I could think about was having sex with him. This man had possessed me body and soul hundreds of times. Being with him was a sublime, transcendent experience.
The scene in his bedroom the night I ended our relationship flashed behind my eyes. He dominated me before the party while I was on my knees with him plowing into me. It was naughty and sexy.
A stirring between my legs forced me to push thoughts of sex away. I couldn’t think of such things with Ciro mere feet away from me.
“Male or female?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Does it matter?”
“Not at all.”
Right, I didn’t believe him. He was searching for information about me, like if I had a man in my life. Of course, I would try to avoid answering any and all personal questions because it wasn’t any of his business.
“Welcome to Buckley’s. Is this your first time?” a perky redhead asked. I couldn’t help but notice her large knockers. They really stood out under her tight cropped top. She was probably a college student, in her early twenties.
Obviously, I was still insecure about my lack of boobs. Although, I had a lot more due to nursing Pippa. But this young woman outshined me in the bust area.
“Not my first but it’s his,” I replied, pointing at Ciro.
“Well, welcome, sir.” The young woman gazed at Ciro admiring him like all women upon seeing the Italian prince for the first time. “Would you like to hear our specials?”
“What would you like, love?” His dark eyes pinned me in place, avoiding the server.
Why did he call me love? Weird.
“I’ll have a club soda with lime, please.” I smiled and nodded at Ciro to go next.
“Your best Irish whiskey.” His eyes remained on me as if no one else was around us.
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” The server left and wiggled her bottom for Ciro’s benefit, no doubt. He didn’t look once in her direction.
“Paolo doesn’t have to sit alone at the bar.” I jerked my chin at his bodyguard. “He can join us.”
“No.” Ciro’s jaw twitched as he stared at me. “Why a club soda?”
“Because I like club soda and I’m driving.” And I gave up alcohol when I found out I was pregnant, not that I could tell him as much.
How would I tell him about Pippa?
Having him here changed things. Before now, I convinced myself he wanted nothing to do with me and Pippa. But if that were true, he wouldn’t be staring at me like he wanted to smother me with kisses and rip my clothes off.
“We can take you home so you can have a real drink.” His dark eyes smoldered and his tongue darted across his bottom lip.
Coming here was a big mistake…
“Club soda is a real drink.” I stared at him, showing him, I wouldn’t be controlled.
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged and rested his elbows on the table. “Do you plan to finish school?”
“Maybe.” Here come the questions, again.
“What will it take for you to finish?”
“Why are you so concerned about my education?” I tilted my head, trying to read him, but failed as usual. The man was the most unreadable person.
“Because you’re a gifted designer.” His words hit me hard in the feels. “If you could see how the casino turned out. It’s spectacular.”
“Is it?” I smiled a little as I tried to picture it in my mind. All the hours. The blood, sweat and tears I’d poured into that project. I’d devoted all my free time to it because I’d wanted to make Ciro proud.
“Yes, baby. The place is phenomenal. You need to see it.”
“Do you have any pictures?” I would let baby slide this one time, because I really wanted to see how my creation turned out.
“I have a few.” He took out his phone. “But you need to see it in person.”
“That’s not possible.” Was this where he tried to lure me back to Canada?
Never in a million years. I had Pippa to think about and Ciro was not a reliable man.
His moods changed on a whim. He switched between hot and cold a dozen times within sixty seconds.
He left my head spinning many times and I wouldn’t allow him to do that to my daughter.
“It could be. We could leave tonight.”
“Ciro.” I sighed, tensing up. He was doing it. Trying to persuade me to do whatever he wanted. Not this time or ever again.
“I’m just saying…” He handed me his phone. “The pictures don’t do it justice.”
Our server appeared as I studied the images on his device.
“One Irish whiskey and a club soda with lime.” She placed the drinks in front of us. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No, that will be all,” he replied in a curt tone.
“Thank you,” I told the redhead.
She scurried away, probably butt hurt after Ciro didn’t ogle her. Most women acted shattered when Ciro disregarded them as he had our server. He was just that attractive and magnetic to my female counterparts.
“You can be nice, you know.” I swiped through the pictures. He was right, the casino turned out spectacular, but I bet it was even more magnificent in person.
“What did I do wrong?”
“She was nice and you were rude.”
“I didn’t want to give her the wrong idea. I’m only interested in one woman.”
I lifted my gaze and found him staring at me. “It’s beautiful.” I returned his phone to him.
“Don’t you want to see it in person?”
“Maybe someday.” I sipped my drink. “How’s the family?” We need a subject change!
“Fine. A lot has happened since you left, but I don’t want to talk about it right now.” He took a drink of his whiskey.
“Why not? I love your family.”
“I know, but they aren’t why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?” I may not want to hear his answer, but I wasn’t interested in dancing around the subject anymore.
“Are you dating anyone?”
“That’s why you’re in San Francisco? To ask me if I’m dating anyone.” I rolled my eyes hard and sipped my club soda.
“I’ve been having nightmares about you and needed to see with my own eyes that you were okay.” His directness stopped my heart. I could tell he wasn’t lying. Why would he?
“What kind of nightmares?” I leaned forward so I didn’t miss a single word he said.
“I can’t really explain them. They started a couple of weeks ago and in each one you needed my help. I’d wake up in a cold sweat at one in the fucking morning and had this crazy need to pace in my bedroom.”
My eyes went wide. His bad dreams began when Pippa started waking up during the night. Could it be more than a coincidence? Like a link between father and child that I never imagined possible because they hadn’t ever met.
“That’s really interesting,” I replied, trying to fight off the guilt threatening to invade my conscious.
I always tried to give Ciro the benefit of the doubt.
Down deep in his soul, I believed was a kind and loving man.
He just rarely showed that side of himself.
I wouldn’t risk my daughter’s mental well-being, hoping Ciro would rise to the occasion and be a good father.
He would need to prove himself to me first. But I didn’t think I could give him a chance after the way he treated me.
“It’s fucking annoying, is what it is. I’d had enough of it and that’s why I tried to find you.”
“Oh. I see.” I twisted my lips, feeling strangely deflated.
Ciro hadn’t shown up out of the blue like an answer to my prayers. He hadn’t heard my cries for help, and he wasn’t there to rescue me. I reeled in those foolish thoughts quickly. Ciro would never be mine. Not my hero. Not my king. Not my love. He would never be what I needed.
Nevertheless, if he didn’t return home soon, I might not be able to resist him. My body and heart still wanted him desperately. My resolve was dwindling every minute I was near him.
My reality was a harsh bitch. Ciro would always keep Pippa and me at a distance because of his fear of losing us permanently like his mother. Therefore, he would never allow himself to love us wholly and completely.
“That didn’t come out right.” He reached for my hand, but I pulled back. “Isla, I miss you.”
“I’ll be back.” I hopped off my stool and headed for the bathroom before I broke down. It was obvious my exhaustion was setting in.
Whenever I was extremely tired, I cried, and I couldn’t let Ciro know he was getting to me. My defenses were crumbling. I needed to get away from him to regroup and pull myself together.
Luckily, no one was in the single bathroom. I turned to close the door and there he was blocking me…