Chapter 28
28
They flew by helicopter to the Amalfi Coast and Zach’s place right on the shores of Lake Como.
The red-brick palazzo was another stunning masterpiece that left her slack-jawed.
“Can you believe this place?” Angela, who’d accompanied them with Gabriel, asked as they moved from room to breathtaking room. “I hear it once belonged to a famous opera singer.”
The statuesque African American beauty shaded her eyes as they gazed back at the palazzo from the jetty where they’d wandered. Behind them, Zach was showing Gabriel the workings of his speedboat.
A big boy with his toy.
As if he’d caught her thoughts, he raised his head and slanted a heart-stopping smile her way.
“Shit. That smile shouldn’t be legal,” Angela murmured under her breath. “And you two really need to stop with the I-wanna-fuck-your-brains-out-right-now looks. It’s a health hazard to the rest of us trying to keep up.”
Bethany’s face flamed. Knowing how completely besotted Angela and Gabriel were with each other made it easy to join in when Angela’s smirk turned to outright laughter.
“You glad we ditched Olga the Ogre?” She waggled her eyebrows.
Bethany laughed again. “It’s certainly nicer without her around.”
Angela’s eyebrow arched. “Right. You’re the diplomatic type. I think Mike’s about to ditch her. I say the bitch deserves to be ditched all right. From like thirty thousand feet above the Atlantic.”
Bethany’s eyes widened.
Angela shrugged. “Yeah, I’m hating on her. She tried to make a play for Gabe, too.”
“Well, in that case, when the time comes, I’ll bring the wire cutters.”
Angela smiled speculatively. “You’re a keeper. We should hang out when we get back to New York.”
Bethany smiled. “I’d like that.”
The men joined them, and they headed inside for lunch of roast peppers stuffed with shredded lamb and pasta.
As they enjoyed coffee, Zach caught her hand in his and trailed his lips over her skin.
Her phone beeped. She ignored it, caught up in the intense gaze of the man who commanded her emotions so very effortlessly.
“You like the house?” He seemed a little nervous.
“Yes, I do.”
He nodded. “Good.”
She raised a brow. “Good? Is this some sort of audition?”
A corner of his mouth tilted. “Maybe.”
“I hate it when you’re cryptic.”
“It’s okay, Peaches,” he murmured for her ears alone. “You can work out your frustrations on me later.”
Her phone beeped again. Zach plucked it off the table, glanced at the screen and inserted it in his pocket. He ignored her arched look and stood.
“You work for me. The only person who should be commandeering your time is me.” He took her hand and pulled her up.
Gabriel and Angela followed, and they headed back to the chopper.
Easy banter accompanied the ride back to Rome, but every now and then, she caught a look on Zach’s face that made her nape tingle.
In the rush of getting packed to head to the airport, she forgot to ask for her phone back.
Three hours after takeoff, he lowered his superb body over hers, pinning her to their king-sized cabin bed. “You want to try out the sky deck? I still have a promise to keep. Something about fucking you as we race toward the stars?”
She tried to lift her hand to smooth back his hair, but her hand flopped uselessly back down as her sweat-slicked body shuddered through the afterglow of yet another orgasm. “Give me a year, Zach. I’m sure I will have caught my breath by then.”
He laughed, pure arrogance and male satisfaction throbbing through his voice. “You have an hour.”
“Oh… joy.” Her eyes drifted shut as he turned sideways and tucked her into his side. His steady heartbeat beneath her cheek lulled her deeper into sleep. With a sigh, she gave in.
* * *
Zach held his breath until he was sure she was asleep. Then he released the anger locked inside him.
Karim had taken the situation to a whole different level. The second message he’d sent to Bethany’s phone had contained more clues as to what had happened six years ago. His ex-brother-in-law was skating dangerously close to breaching the terms of the agreement he was fighting Zach to protect.
He meant to threaten Zach. And damn if it wasn’t working.
A trace of panic flared alongside his anger. Karim couldn’t have chosen a better bull’s-eye to aim for by setting his sights on Bethany. But what he didn’t realize was that Zach would protect the most important thing in his life—Bethany—at all costs.
The fact that his ex-brother-in-law may not also know the whole truth had crossed his mind. It was the reason Zach had gone against his own rigid principles and placed the call to Farrah’s parents earlier this evening.
His message had been simple. And succinct.
Now he needed to wait and see what shook out. See if they could halt the juggernaut that their son was dangerously close to crashing.
In the meantime, he had to keep Bethany occupied and away from any communication devices.
He sighed. There would be hell to pay when she found out. He had no intention of keeping them from her long-term. Only until he knew he could come clean without jeopardizing her safety.
She sighed in his arms, and his heart turned over.
He fucking adored her. She was the blood in his veins. The light in the darkness that he’d never thought he’d escape.
She was his life.
She stirred and he realized he held her too tightly. Forcing himself to loosen his hold, he listened to her sleep.
Nothing could be allowed to touch her.
Nothing.
* * *
“We’ve organized your chefs to prepare your meals at eight. Please let your hostesses know if you’d prefer to change the time.”
“I hope the chefs make more than just Thai noodles. I’m off carbs for the foreseeable future,” Olga pouted, more than a trace of malice in her eyes as she watched Bethany.
As far as she was concerned, she’d made her point with Olga. So Bethany smiled. “I’ll personally let the chef know to keep the carbs off your menu, Olga.” Keeping her smile professional, she turned her attention to the rest of the guests. “Then we head out for cocktails at the Vertigo Bar before midnight.”
They’d been in Bangkok for half a day. Everyone had had a chance to relax at the exclusive hotel spa and napped for a couple of hours to offset jet lag.
Four hours ago, a designer had arrived to take the female guests’ measurements for evening gowns, which were due back at six.
Once the dresses had arrived, Bethany had personally delivered the gowns and gotten a kick out of seeing each woman’s delight in return. She was trying on her own, after dinner and a quick shower, when Zach walked in.
The red and gold gown was made of heavy silk with a thigh split that showed a whole lot of leg when she moved. The high neck and collar were demure enough, but the severe cut at the shoulders left her arms and most of her back bare.
“You’re looking pretty pleased with yourself, Peaches.”
Her gaze connected with his in the mirror, and her heart did another crazy whirling. “I haven’t fucked up your trip so far. So yes, I’m pleased.”
He stopped behind her, pulled up her zipper and slid his hands over her hips.
“Have a little faith in yourself. I do.”
Her heart skipped several beats as his hands gripped her hips in a possessive hold. “You on a brownie point hunt, Savage?”
His eyes remained serious and intense. “Always. I never want to run out.” His eyes drifted down her body. “That dress looks incredible on you,” he breathed in her ear.
She shivered. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.” His evening jacket sat perfectly on his broad-shouldered frame, and the open collar of his grey silk shirt gave him an air of urbane sophistication that would most definitely draw female eyes. She tried not to think about that. “I thought you’d gone up to the Krug and cigar bar with the guys?”
“No,” he answered simply. They remained like that for another minute, devouring each other and letting their eyes say the words neither was ready to spill yet. Zach’s hand drifted down to the bracelet he’d given her for her birthday. He raised her wrist and placed a soft kiss on her skin, just below the bracelet.
Again, she sensed that air of restless watchfulness about him that she’d caught occasional glimpses of since they’d left Amalfi.
“Is something wrong, Zach?” She shook her head and corrected herself. “Something else I should know about?”
One corner of his mouth twisted up as he trailed his fingers up her arms. “Would you be satisfied with a same-bullshit-different-day answer?” Despite his offhand remark, a dark emotion throbbed in his voice that made her anxiety escalate.
“General bullshit or specific?” She didn’t think that outside of what was happening with Farrah’s brother and the non-disclosure situation Zach was the sort of man to worry about the outcome of any problem.
He loved challenges. He thrived on the adrenaline rush of tackling the impossible and besting it. It was what had made him the powerful, charismatic man he was today.
The only thing he didn’t relish was tackling the subject of jeopardizing the fragile connection they were building.
That thought made her heart swell and ache for him at the same time. He was fighting for them. She couldn’t deny that. And her love for him grew each time he showed her that.
“Specific,” he admitted with a harsh exhale.
“What can I do?”
He watched her silently in the mirror, then his lids slid down, veiling his expression. “You’re already doing it. You’re here with me.” He linked his fingers through hers and kissed her exposed neck.
She got the strong impression that hadn’t been his intended answer, but she let it go. She was learning fast which battles to pick and which to concede.
“Have you seen my phone?”
He tapped his breast pocket. “I have it, but you won’t be needing it tonight.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “You plan to keep me busy all night?”
His mouth twitched sexily. “Now there’s an idea. Any chance of convincing you to ditch the others and play hooky with me?”
“Nope. And you say that, but I know you want this trip to be a success as much as I do. Failure is not an option for you.”
“No, but I also can’t help wishing this trip were over. I feel like we’re suspended over a goddamn cliff,” he grated out.
She faced him, and he pulled her closer, as desperate for contact with her as she was for him.
“Three days, Zach. I’m sure we can find a way to forget about the future and make the next seventy-two hours memorable,” she supplied.
His mouth slowly curved in a wicked smile. Her heart kicked into gear and began to race.
“Ah, baby. You want memorable? I can give you memorable. I just hope you can take it.”