Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Joshua
W e meet our guy outside the front of the market, and he gives us directions to locate the girls. “Alesso will freak if he finds out Elisa did this,” Caleb says as we stride through the main concourse heading toward the wine bar.
“We’re under no obligation to tell him. She’s not a kid anymore.”
“I won’t be telling Salerno shit. He still hates my guts,” Caleb says, winking as we pass a group of women gawking at us with their mouths hanging open. We’re recognizable in the city. A consequence of having our faces plastered on billboards for years. Caleb is as notorious for his partying and his womanizing, but I like to think I’ve avoided being tarnished with that particular brush. “Ladies.” Caleb grins and salutes them, and they legit swoon.
I barely resist an eyeroll. “He doesn’t hate your guts. He doesn’t want you around Anais. They are two totally different things.”
“She’s in Vegas. Has been for years, yet he still hasn’t thawed.”
I level him with a look as we move aside to let a woman with a stroller through. “Don’t insult my intelligence, brother. I know you still fuck her when she’s in the city.”
“I can’t help it. I’ll never want to not drive a stake through that fucker’s heart.”
“I hate him as much as you do, but I still wish you’d cut all ties with her. She’s poison, Caleb, and I don’t trust her not to try and stick her claws in you permanently.”
He barks out a laugh as we approach the entrance to the wine bar. “I know how to handle Mrs. DiPietro. No claws are being stuck anywhere in this body by any bitch. Trust me on that.”
“So poetic,” I tease as we push open the door and enter the rustic bar. Several eyeballs swing our way as we stand just inside the door, scanning the crowded room for Gia and Elisa. We stand out in our designer suits, and our tall, broad frames and similar looks always draw attention.
“There. In the back.” Caleb jerks his head toward the far corner where the girls are tucked into a circular booth.
A waitress moves toward us, holding two menus and sporting wide doe eyes. “We’re not staying,” I tell her, barely making eye contact as we walk across the space. I’m checking the room, looking for signs of anyone who doesn’t fit in but it’s mostly women in here, chatting over wine and sharing plates. The few men in attendance don’t warrant a second glance. I breathe a little easier knowing that but not much.
Gia’s head lifts when we’re a few feet away, and her lips pull into a grimace. Elisa has her back to us, so I don’t notice she’s crying until we stop at the table.
“Lili.” Panic underscores Caleb’s tone. “What’s wrong?” He slides into the booth beside her while I sit on the other side beside our troublesome informant.
“For fuck’s sake,” Gia hisses. “That asshole didn’t have to call you.” She spits fire from her eyes, and it makes her look even more beautiful. She’s only wearing jeans and an off-the-shoulder sweater with minimal make up, but she’s the sexiest woman in the room by a mile. Gia doesn’t even have to try. It just comes natural to her.
“That asshole is an experienced made man who deserves your respect.” I keep my voice low. “He’s ensuring your safety and under strict instructions to call me if you pull any bullshit.” I clear my throat and pin her with a dark look. “Hence why I’m here.”
“This doesn’t involve you, and I took precautions.” She flings her hair over her shoulders, and a blast of perfume tickles my nostrils. “I’m not being followed, and I requested this table so I have a full view of everyone coming in and out of the place.” She pulls her bag onto her lap. “I wore a wig leaving my building, and I’ll put it back on returning.”
“I can’t believe you’d risk your best friend like this,” I say, looking across the table where Caleb and Elisa appear to be exchanging heated words. Her eyes are red-rimmed, and her face is all blotchy. “It’s too dangerous, and she’s not equipped to fend off any attack. This was reckless and selfish.”
“Fuck you, Joshua. She needed me, and I won’t let her down. I would never risk my friend. Why the fuck do you think I met her in such a public place? In Manhattan? Liam is in Boston today, and he hasn’t got anyone tailing me, so chill the fuck out. You’re overreacting.”
“I’m your boss,” I remind her, trying not to focus on where our thighs meet under the table. “And I’m not overreacting. Grab your things. We’re leaving.”
“Like fuck we are.”
“Gigi, it’s okay.” Elisa slides her hand across the table. “I shouldn’t have called you.”
I shoot daggers into the side of Gia’s face.
“Fuck off, Joshua.” Gia stabs her finger into my upper arm. “She called me on my personal cell not the burner.” Gia eyeballs Caleb, her gaze lowering momentarily to his arm circled around Elisa’s shoulders. “You need to take him out and get him laid because I’m liable to stab him if he keeps busting my balls when it’s completely unnecessary.”
Caleb arches a brow, but he’s too concerned with Elisa to give me shit. I didn’t tell him I blew Elizabeth off Saturday night. I had zero interest in fucking her after I left Gia’s apartment. The only redhead on my mind all night was the spitfire currently sitting beside me.
“This is my fault,” Elisa says, fixing pleading eyes on me. “I promise I won’t call her again if you let this pass.”
“Don’t make promises like that!” Gia links her fingers in Elisa’s. “I want you to call me.” The women share a loaded look and Caleb is as tense as a brick. He’s always been overprotective of his Lili.
“I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“She won’t,” Caleb butts in, squeezing Elisa’s upper arm. “You can’t meet up, but it’s safe to call her if you need to.”
I count to ten in my head. It’s either that or shoot him. “Take Elisa to her apartment.”
“Call me later,” Gia says as Elisa retracts her hand. “We’re not done discussing this.”
“Thank you,” she whispers. Tears well in her eyes. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Lise.” Gia elbows me as Caleb helps Elisa out of the booth. I stand and let her pass. The girls hug and Gia whispers something to her friend as Caleb watches with concern written all over his face.
“Let’s go, Lili,” he says, a few beats later, taking her hand and pulling her away from Gia. Caleb wraps his arm around her. “I’ve got her.”
“Guard her with your life, and message me when she’s home safely.”
They walk off as I throw a few bills down on the table. “Grab your things. We’re leaving.”
“You’re such an asshole.” Anger paints her beautiful face as she grabs her purse and her coat and a couple of shopping bags. “And I’m not telling you why she was crying, so don’t waste your breath asking.”
“Wasn’t planning to,” I truthfully admit. “Elisa Salerno is not my concern.”
“You really are a cold prick. Do you care about anyone but yourself?”
My sharp gaze pins her in place. “You already know the answer.”
She nibbles on the corner of her mouth but doesn’t reply.
I take the bags while she puts her coat on, shaking my head when she tries to take them back. “Let’s go.” I gesture for her to go ahead of me, and I follow, ignoring the heated looks sent my way as we pass a few tables of giggling women.
I stop her outside the door, checking left and right to see which way Caleb went with Elisa, and then I steer Gia in the opposite direction. We head down to the lower level where the food market is. “Don’t manhandle me.” She shoves my hand away as we walk past the butcher shop. “It’s bad enough I’ve got to walk beside you and endure your little groupies,” she adds as a gaggle of college-age girls scream at me, trying to catch my attention.
“Jealous much, Gia.” I smother a grin.
“Don’t start with me.” She grips the strap of her purse more tightly. “Oh, I want to pop in here to buy sauce for Saturday’s dinner.” She races into the hot sauce store like she’s got a rocket up her butt.
I trail her inside the store, wondering at the viability of such an offering. But it must work because the place is crawling with people, and the till is ringing with purchase after purchase. I watch her inspect every bottle like it’s life or death. “Buy the hottest. With any luck, he’ll drop dead, and problem solved.”
“You can’t die from too much chili,” she says, handing two bottles to the man behind the counter. “You’d have to ingest it in massive doses, but it can make you sick.”
“Good, sprinkle his portion liberally.” I swipe my card before Gia has even removed her wallet from her purse.
“That’s not a bad idea. Maybe if he’s sick, he’ll let me stay over to nurse him, and I can snoop while I’m there.”
“Second thoughts,” I say, swiping the bag and gripping her elbow. “Go easy on the prick. We might need to interrogate him.” I open the door for her, and we step outside.
A laugh bursts from her lips, lighting up her entire face, and it’s like being sucker punched in the nuts. “You’re too fucking easy to wind up.”
“And you’re beautiful,” I blurt, like a teenager with zero game.
Her eyes widen as she stares up at me, and our surroundings fade into the background. My eyes drop to her plump lips, and I’m contemplating planting one on her when reality returns with a cruel slap to the face.
“Josh. Is that you?” an unfortunately familiar woman asks from behind me.
My heart slams against my chest as ice drips through my veins. Gia glances over my shoulder, her mouth forming an O shape. She doesn’t fight me when I wrap my arm around her and turn us to face the woman who single-handedly decimated my heart.
I fight to maintain a disinterested look when my eyes instantly roam her rounded stomach. Bettina’s smile is brittle as she glances between me and Gia. Her hands gravitate to her bump, and I don’t see any rings on her fingers.
Of course not.
While this could be any man’s baby, I know exactly who got her pregnant. I have known she’s been with him all this time, so it doesn’t take much to connect the dots.
Rage surges forward from where it’s buried in a lockbox marked with my ex’s name. “Wow. You let him knock you up? Is there no end to your foolishness, you stupid bitch?”
“Joshua!” Gia attempts to pull me back when I put my face all up in Bettina’s, but I’m an immovable force.
I shuck her off and glare at my ex. I’ve waited years to say this to her face. “Was the thought of being my wife so abhorrent you’d throw it all away to be his whore?”
“Josh, it was never like that.” Tears stream down her face. “I didn’t set out to betray you. I couldn’t help falling in love with him.”
She couldn’t help it? Rage pummels my insides, and my hands twitch at my sides with longing to strangle the bitch who deceived me and left me broken. But death would be too kind to her. Let her live and face what’s surely coming. “I suppose you just tripped and landed on his dick?” I snarl.
“We didn’t plan this. It?—”
“Shut. Your. Lying. Face.”
“I’m sorry, Josh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you’d still be mad. I was just so happy to see you, and I thought?—”
“You thought what, slut?” I glare at her, and she steps back, clasping a hand over her mouth. “That I’d forgive you for cheating on me, for months, behind my back, with that conniving prick just because it’s been nine years since your betrayal?”
“Don’t do this.” Gia wraps her arms around me tight. “You’re better than this.”
I ignore her words but hold her hands tight around my waist, needing to distract myself so I don’t strangle a pregnant woman in broad daylight. “Get one thing straight, whore. I will never forgive you, and I will never forget.”
Although our birthday is in December, I’ve always felt I’m more Scorpio than Sagittarius. Like most Scorpios, I hold on to resentment with the tenacity of a nun protecting her virtue and I never forget betrayal. If you cross me, I’ll cut you dead, remember it forever, and always hate you.
Sobs escape her mouth, and snot dribbles from her nose.
“I might have ended up with your whining, sniveling ass if you hadn’t shown your true colors, so I guess I can thank you for saving me that torment. As for the rest, you’re already dead to me, bitch. As dead as you’ll actually be in a few months when that baby arrives.”
“Joshua! Stop this. Oh my God.” Gia’s shocked tone doesn’t deter me, and I’m not taking back anything I’ve said.
The bitch’s tears stop, and her face turns pale.
A bitter laugh rips from my lips. “You didn’t seriously think he’d let you keep it or even let you live? You know he doesn’t love you, right? Please tell me you’re not that stupid. He didn’t marry you. You’ve been his piece on the side for years. You and countless others, so don’t think you’re special. And don’t think he’ll protect you when the time comes because he won’t. He’ll rip that baby from your arms and take it home to his wife to raise as their own.”
“He wouldn’t do that. She doesn’t want babies.”
Gia comes around to my side, peering up at me with horrified eyes. I’m not sure if she’s worked it out or if it’s more of a generalized state of horror.
“So fucking stupid.” I snap my fingers in her face. “Wake up and smell the coffee, Bettina. She can’t conceive.” I don’t know that to be fact. I’m just guessing this is the reason why they’ve never had kids and why he’s now resorted to using his whore as a last measure. “He used you to give him an heir, and you just spread your legs and let him. You deserve to die for being such a pathetic bitch.” I grab Gia’s hand. “If you’re lucky he’ll make it quick, but if his wife gets her hands on you, all bets are off.”
She visibly shakes, and if I had any heart left, I might take pity on her. But I don’t, and she doesn’t deserve it. “Rot in hell, Ina. You deserve it.”