Chapter 80
Harlow
The room was quiet as darkness surrounded me.
The hair on the back of my neck stood as I looked into the dark.
There was nothing but my nerves driving me insane.
I was wrapped in my safety blanket. No one could get me here.
My eyes fluttered shut once more, before snapping open.
This time, there was a figure by my bed.
My heart hammered in my chest, but before I could scream, rough hands grabbed me, flipping me in the bed and burying my face into the pillows as they tied my legs and wrists. I needed to scream.
“I’ve been waiting.” Their voice was husky and distorted; I couldn’t make out who it belonged to.
Tears stung in my eyes, but there was a growing desire building inside me.
I knew the voice, even if I couldn’t place it.
The hands were familiar, too. “You’re desperate and needy? Huh. Nothing but a needy whore.”
“Please…” I whimpered, moving my body against the restraints.
“Already begging, and I haven’t even touched you.”
And then I was yanked to my feet and pulled over firm shoulders. Then they were carrying me out of the house. Tears streamed down my face as I was thrown into the back of a car. Rough yet soft hands trailed up my bare legs, bypassing the rope and slipping into my panties.
“Ahh, what do we have here?” they sang in surprise. “You’re wet…drenched. Now let’s get somewhere more private and have a little fun.”
I gasped, jerking up in bed only to find it empty. Caterina wasn’t in bed, and daylight was flowing through the curtains. What the hell was that? I had a lot of dreams before, but nothing like that. Why did I have a dream where I was taken? From my bed. Kidnapped…what the fuck was wrong with me?
My phone jerked me out of bed quicker than I wanted to as the alarm blared. I had to get everything ready for dinner tonight. Antonio would make the best meal we ever had tonight, and I was going to help him.
I crawled out of bed, shaking the dream from my bones.
If it happened again, I would talk to Serena about this.
Talking to Lizzy about it was different than actually experiencing it.
Why was it happening now? I knew we talked about this before, but there was no way I could even think about doing something remotely close to a CNC scene considering I was barely getting back into sex.
I was scared, and that was putting it simply.
I glanced at the note on the table and smiled at the sweet words.
You are the light of my life. Tomorrow makes a year of marriage, and while it started one way, I am glad and forever grateful you decided to stay by my side.
Tomorrow was our anniversary. I couldn’t believe I forgot about it when it was the best day of my life. A year of being with my best friend. My soulmate. I never realized this could happen, and now it was my reality.
We had to do something special, but knowing Caterina, she already had something special planned.
Four hours before everyone was supposed to be here, Antonio and I were in the kitchen making homemade pasta.
My brothers were with us, playing in the dough more than helping, but I enjoyed bonding with them.
Hunter and Hayes were both opening up to me, Hayes more than Hunter, but he was slowly working on it.
Hope was still young, but it was easy to make her laugh.
She and Serenity would get along perfectly.
I was happy my girl had kids to grow up with, and I couldn’t wait for our family to grow, but I knew I wanted to do more things before pregnancy.
Caterina came home around six with several bouquets of flowers.
Roses and sunflowers for me, and a mixture of sunflowers and daisies for the table.
Serenity also got pink and purple gerbera daisies for when Alexander brought her home.
Caterina already told me we had to take her shopping to outdo him.
“Are you ready?” Caterina asked.
“To have a house full of the people I love? Absolutely.”
I met Mallory and her wife at the door, along with her children. The kids ran inside to find Serenity. Moira told them she was in the playroom. Malachi made a comment about her not yelling at the kids, which earned him a few choice words in Italian followed by laughter from the other men.
“I’m so glad to see you,” I said as I pulled Mallory into my arms. “How are you, Izara?”
“We’re great, Harlow. Glad to see you well.”
I gave her a smile. “As well as can be expected, but I am getting better every day.” I grabbed Mallory’s hand. “You’re going to freak out when you see this.”
Mallory looked at her wife before I pulled her into the dining room.
My mom knew Mallory was back in my life, but I never got the chance to tell her my mom was alive.
When we walked into the kitchen, my mom was laughing with Antonio and my grandma.
It was nice hearing her laugh again, and she was finally cooking once more.
She loved cooking and baking before, and now she was slowly dipping her toes back into it.
Antonio was an amazing chef, and he was always ready to teach.
My mom and Mallory’s eyes met. She smiled, and I felt Mallory grasp my hand, stopping mid step. “Ms. Lewis?”
“It’s me, Mallory. Look at you!” My mother beamed.
Mallory scurried to her and practically leaped into my mother’s arms. “Oh my God. I thought. How?”
“Vincenzo lied to me. To both of us,” I explained. “It’s something we can talk about later, but all that matters is we are all here. I don’t think you ever met my grandmother. This is Opal.”
“You’re the Mallory we’ve heard so much about?” my grandmother asked. “And this is your lovely wife?”
Mallory reached out for Izara, pulling her closer. She was a part of this dysfunctional family, too. “Yes, ma’am. Our hooligans are around here somewhere. Wow. I’m so happy you are all together again.”
“It was a long decade, but we are finally happy.”
Dinner went swimmingly. And when Antonio and his staff started to bring out dessert, Caterina decided to make the announcement about the auction. We wanted everyone there to support me and my art, even if it meant showing people my intimate pieces.
“I have an announcement,” Caterina said as she stood up.
“You’re already married,” my grandmother chimed with a laugh. She had one too many glasses of wine.
“We’ll be getting married again, but that’s for later.
In roughly two weeks, Harlow will have an auction for her art with the proceeds going to various charities at Chicago’s museum of art.
” I felt my cheeks heat when there were claps and cheers around the table.
“We want everyone to come and support her.”
My mom pulled me into a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you, baby.”
“You can thank Caterina. Without her. I wouldn’t have been able to express myself. Fair warning, a lot of the artwork is intimate. It shows a story of healing.”
“As someone who has seen all of it,” Lizzy started, “her art is beautiful. This is so exciting, Harlow.”
Caterina said people would love my work, but I wasn’t sure.
But now my friends and family were all excited.
My art was…it was a story. It was my story, and my story was a hard one to explain to people, but the art I created showed it.
I had several variations of artwork from dark and gritty, to passionate and erotic.
The auction was something I was excited for but also terrified of.
Now I had everyone to be a part of this new journey with me.
“So now you need two dresses,” Mallory chimed.
And then I remembered. I grabbed Caterina’s hand. “We have a gala in a month. And I’ll be auctioned for a date for charity.”
Mallory and I laughed at the look on Caterina’s face. “Huh, who is taking my wife on a date?”
Mallory sipped her champagne. “You, when you win the bid.”
Caterina looked at Izara. “I think your wife just conned me.”
“Don’t worry, she did the same to me. She’s in the auction, too.” Izara laughed. “It’ll be a worthy cause, but she could’ve just taken my Mastercard.”
“I’m taking Harlow shopping for the auction and the gala. I need to make sure no one bids on my wife but me, so she will be in a paper sack down to her ankles.”
I shoved her arm. “Seems like you’ll have to have the winning bid, Mrs. Moretti.”