Episode 70
Episode 70
Time to Celebrate
JULIANNE
Gio held my hand as we walked through Central Park. Lee and another bodyguard were walking a discreet distance away, giving us space but still close enough to intervene if something happened. Since Giovanni’s trauma, his hospital stay, and the police report of the assault being leaked to the media, we’d had a weekend at home and a single night out for dinner before the vultures came cawing.
Thankfully, Lee was strategic in his protection of his charges—Gio and me. However, Gio insisted Lee’s instructions were to ensure my safety first, above his own.
We had words about it.
I lost.
Now whenever we left, Lee had four identical blacked-out SUV’s leaving the garage at the same. Sometimes he drove us, other times he didn’t. All to ensure we’d lose the paparazzi. And he was fantastic at making us all disappear through the New York City traffic.
“So, how was therapy?” I nudged Gio’s shoulder as we walked through the park, just a normal couple out on a stroll.
He grunted and squeezed my hand. “Fine.”
“Hmm, fine doesn’t sound like an answer. If you don’t want to talk about it, you can just say, ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He let out a long breath.
“Fine.” I snapped back and tried to pull my hand away. He didn’t allow it and held on tighter, followed by a low, groan like sigh.
“I hate that I even need therapy,” he finally admitted.
I nodded.
“It’s like this entire big thing happened to me, to you, and I can’t avoid it, when all I want to do is ignore it entirely. Does that sound asinine or what?”
“No, it doesn’t. What Bianca did was traumatizing and criminal. That’s why you’re talking to someone about it. To eventually move past the trauma and be able to live your day-to-day life without it creeping up and swallowing you whole, or invading your dreams, like last night.”
Last night, I’d shaken him awake in the middle of a night terror. He’d jolted awake and jumped out of the bed so fast he was practically a blur. Then he just stood there, his body covered in sweat as he panted, hands in fists at his sides, eyes wild and scared. Eventually, I got him to relax by talking to him calmly.
He just kept whispering, “I need to get clean.” So I led him into the shower, and he stood there, palms against the tile as I quietly spoke to him and washed him from head to toe. Once he felt he was clean enough, I dried him and together we went back to bed, him holding me from behind as though I might try to leave. I wasn’t ever leaving him.
“I hate it so much. It makes me feel so fucking weak ,” he growled. “Last night…” He looked down and away. “Why does it feel like sometimes it’s getting worse?”
“Because maybe it has to go through whatever cycle in your brain it needs to in order to expel it. I know you hate it, baby; I do too. But to me, you’re dealing with it, and taking steps to find a healthy frame of mind. And that is beyond strong. It takes a lot to admit when you’ve been wronged so horribly and do something about it.”
He shrugged. “I guess you’re right.”
I nudged him playfully again. “I’m always right.”
He turned and pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around my waist as I crossed my wrists behind his neck.
“You’re the only thing that matters to me in this entire world. You know that, Julianne? I’d burn this fucking city down to the ground if anything or anyone tried to take you away from me. You’re all I live for.”
My heart pounded while my chest ached at the sincerity in his tone. “Sweet talker,” I whispered and rose on my toes so I could kiss him. He tasted of coffee and the cinnamon churro we’d shared when we entered the park. Absolutely delicious. I hummed against his lips as he nipped and teased my own.
Unfortunately, my phone disturbed our private time, and I groaned.
He mashed his mouth to mine and muttered, “Don’t answer it.”
I kissed him hard once, twice, and then pulled back while reaching for my phone in my jacket pocket. The display said it was my lawyer calling. The judge had taken a week to review the handwriting experts’ reports and findings and was supposed to make a decision on the additional information regarding my contesting of my parents will. This call was possibly the answer I’d been hoping for.
“Ms. Christoffersen, yes, hello. What do you have for me?” I spoke into the phone while Gio put his hand to my nape and started to rub the tension he found there. Just thinking about this case made all my muscles tighten.
“The judge made his ruling. The last will received was marked a forgery. It is null and void. The most recent version from months before the accident was confirmed legit. That version was entered into the court as the actual last will and testament for both Lewis and Rachel Myers.”
“Oh my god!” I lit up from the inside out and pressed my hand over Gio’s heart. “The judge sided with us,” I whispered to him.
He smiled so wide I wanted to kiss him again, but instead had to hold the phone closer to my ear as my lawyer reiterated everything I’d hoped to hear.
“You now own half of everything included in your parents’ estate and business holdings. It’s over. Congratulations, Mrs. Myers-Falco.”
“Thank you, thank you! This is amazing news. I’m going to go celebrate with my husband. I’ll be in touch.” I turned off the phone, reached both of my hands into the air and cheered up into the sky. “We won!”
Giovanni pulled me into his arms, flat against his chest and lifted me up until my feet dangled in the air. Then he spun us both around like children, laughing and cheering right along with me.
When he came to a halt, I was dizzy, my hair all over the place, my cheeks and the tip of my nose felt warm, and pure joy flooded my body. I was like a sparkler on the Fourth of July, every pore flickering and simmering with energized excitement.
“I’m so happy,” I croaked, the emotions skittering over me like confetti.
He grinned, cupped my cheeks, then kissed me so completely my knees weakened. I didn’t worry about falling because Gio was holding me and kissing me like he’d never get another chance.
“This is amazing news.” He threaded his fingers with mine and ushered me toward the park exit. “I know just the place we should go to celebrate.”
“You mean we’re not going home to boink it out?”
He stopped mid stride. “If you’d rather have a fuck fest than a drink fest, I’m all for it.” His gaze lit with passion.
I chuckled and dragged him toward the exit. “Why not both? Drink first, dinner second. Then we fuck all night.”
He let my hand go to wrap his arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. “My wife. Always surprising me with her intelligent ideas.”
“Stick with me, sir, and you’ll learn a thing or two,” I joked.
“Oh, I plan on never letting you leave my side. You’re stuck with me, Jules. To love and to cherish. For richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health. Until death do us part,” he hummed against my hair.
* * * *
Lee pulled up to a hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant where my family dined when my parents were alive.
“Gio,” I breathed, placing my hand on his knee to give it a squeeze.
“Some of my fondest memories are eating here with our parents. I thought after the news we received, we should bring their memory with us as we celebrate.”
“Baby,” I rasped while fighting back the tears. This was a happy time but our loss remained fresh, the wound still raw and painful when touched. It hadn’t been but a handful of months since we’d lost them.
He pressed his forehead to mine as the car idled. “They’d be so proud of you. Fighting for what was right. For what they wanted as their legacy. You are amazing, Julianne. Never doubt that.”
My stomach was completely aflutter at his ample praise. So much so, I cupped his cheeks and gave him a soft kiss. “Let’s celebrate. I need a drink and some pasta, stat!”
“What my wife wants, she gets.” He winked and opened the door and held out his hand, helping me out of the car.
When we entered, I recognized a familiar face standing at the hostess podium.
“Joel Castellanos in the flesh!” Gio boomed, and the handsome man turned around. A small brown-haired child with hazel eyes was propped on his trim hip. Gio clapped the man on the shoulder. “What in the world are you doing here?”
Joel chuckled. “Taking the family to the best Italian restaurant in New York City. Hey, Julianne.” He smiled gently.
“Where’s Faith?” I had met his wife briefly, first at Gio’s family’s funeral and then at my own parents’ service the next day. We’d held them back-to-back because so many of the same people were expected. Joel and his new wife Faith had attended both events to pay their respects. He’d been a long-time customer of our company, buying up land and properties that would be ideal for his luxury resorts.
“She’s…” He looked behind him as the stunning brunette walked up holding hands with a redheaded child I knew had to be Penny. “Right here.” He grinned. “Darling, look who I ran into.”
Faith smiled as she took in both Gio and me. “Oh my goodness, hi!” she gushed then came over and plowed into me, hugging me as though we’d been friends for years. We weren’t, but Faith was just warm and affectionate like that. Gio patted her shoulder as though she might have a cold when she steamroll-hugged him.
“I hear congratulations are in order.” Joel cocked a brow. “No wedding invite though.”
Giovanni chuckled and then wrapped his arm around my shoulder, tucking me to his side. “She couldn’t wait to lock me down. We married in a quickie Vegas wedding.”
“Technically we did the same, so I can’t chastise you too hard there, though I distinctly remember inviting you both.”
Gio laughed. “With only twelve hours notice, I might add. I was in London at the time securing a deal.”
“I was manning the fort,” I stated honestly.
“Then we should celebrate now…unless you have romantic plans?” Faith noted. “Because we have the girls.”
“Are you kidding? We’d love to have dinner with you and the girls. We’re celebrating a legal win actually.” I waved at Penny. The little girl held Faith’s hand and swished her pretty dress from side to side. And the little girl Joel was carrying was wearing the same dress.
“I love a good legal battle. I expect the details over dinner,” Joel said nonchalantly, then addressed the hostess. “We’re actually going to need a table for six. I believe the proprietor was holding the back for my private party.”
“Absolutely, Mr. Castellanos. We’ll make the adjustment immediately. It will be a few more minutes,” the hostess said and then dashed through the throngs of restaurant patrons to the hidden back deck area.
“You scored the entire back deck?” I asked.
“I like to dine with my family in peace,” Joel said coolly.
“Birds of a feather, my friend.” Giovanni chuckled.
While we waited, Faith introduced me to her daughter Eden, a shy little thing who clung to Joel. He doted on her as if she was his own, and my heart practically melted when Penny called Faith Mommy . I knew how heartbroken Joel had been when he lost his Alexandra, leaving him a single dad. Now, several years later, as he maneuvered his family around, he seemed happier than ever.
Once we were all seated, a couple bottles of wine ordered, appetizers on the way, I held up my glass.
“To new and old friends. May we be this happy for years to come,” I said.
“Salud.” Both Giovanni and Joel said.
“Cheers.”
I clinked my glass with Faith’s as she blurted, “Heck yeah!”
“Okay, so tell us about this lawsuit you won,” Faith wiggled in her chair and sipped her wine, obviously eager for some juicy gossip.
I told them all about the will, the forgery, and the drama I was having with my brother.
“Brenden always seemed like a nice fellow,” Joel murmured. “Shame.” He tsked and shook his head. “And about what I read in the celebrity rags…”
“It wasn’t good. All of it true,” Gio admitted.
Faith, who happened to be sitting across from Giovanni suddenly reached out and covered Gio’s hand with her own. “I’m a survivor too.”
Arrow, right to the heart. Someone had harmed this angel sitting with us.
“I’m very sorry to hear that,” Gio rumbled, dipping his head. I covered his thigh with my hand and rubbed his leg back and forth in case this conversation made him feel uncomfortable. So far, he seemed to be handling it well.
“It’s okay. I mean, I’m okay . With a lot of love from these guys.” She gestured to Joel and the girls. “And my father, I’ve been able to get past it. You never forget, but it doesn’t haunt you the way it does early on. Are you talking to someone?” she asked boldly.
Not a lot of people would venture down this path of questioning, when the subject was so touchy, but she seemed perfectly content and willing to share her own pain and recovery.
“I am.” Gio said and cleared his throat. His body became tense and more rigid as he sucked down almost a half glass of wine.
She patted his hand. “Good. And you have Jules to fall back on.”
“I’m very grateful for that.” He nodded, his tone becoming a bit curt.
She smiled so sweetly. “Joel will give you my number. If you ever want to talk to someone who’s been through what you have, I’m a phone call away.” Then she looked at me. “Both of you.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind.”
“What can I say, I’m kind. But I’m also that kind of girl who would like to get toasty and have tipsy fun with my husband when we put the girls to bed. So fill ’er up, Jules.” She pushed her empty wine glass my way.
I chuckled and refilled her glass and Giovanni’s.
The appetizers came, followed quickly by the entrees and we ate heartily, lots of oohs and ahhs all around. The girls were keeping themselves busy, coloring, playing on their parents’ phones, and even running around the empty room, hiding under tables, and giggling themselves silly. Joel kept his eyes on each one, but let them have their fun. Faith, on the other hand, was drink for drink with me. Each of us having a one-track mind toward drunk sexy time with our handsome husbands.
Faith then coaxed me into planning a vacation where Giovanni and I would come and visit them in Greece for our postponed honeymoon. Which I thought was a fantastic idea.
“Gio! We’re going to Greece!” I hollered and Faith clinked her glass with mine sloshing red wine onto the white tablecloth. “Whoopsie,” I said and then grabbed the bread basket and covered it. “All better.”
“You are sooooooooo smart!” she gushed. “No one will even know.” She put a finger to her lips and made a loud shushing noise.
“All right, it’s dessert time!” Gio called out and the girls came running, squealing as little ones often did.
The waiter brought out one of everything on the menu and we all descended on the treats like scavengers.
“I have a little surprise for my wife,” Gio announced as he extended his hand. Lee came out of nowhere and handed him a manila envelope.
“Lee? Where you been?” I asked, thinking he could add ninja to his resume.
He chuckled and then shook his head. “Doing my job. Keeping an eye on you two, not that you need it with Joel’s security. Two per person, Joel? Nice.”
“I don’t leave my family’s safety to chance.” Joel stated, serious as a heart attack.
“Whoa, that was hot,” I blurted.
“Right? He makes me melt. So hot I want to climb him like a tree,” Faith breathed, clearly about ready to do just that.
“You want to climb Daddy?” Penny asked. “You’re too big.”
“Psshhh! I assure you I’m not, little miss!” Faith grinned, her gaze plastered to Joel’s smirking face.
“Later, my love.” Joel brought the conversation back to Gio. “Now what is this surprise?”
Gio rubbed his thumb across his bottom lip, and just that move made me want to bend over his lap and get spanked. It had been a while since he’d given me a good spanking, and right now, that was all I could think about.
“Open the envelope, Jules.”
I pouted, wanting more than anything to leave and start our second party. Alone. In our bedroom. With both of us naked. I opened my mouth to tell him so, but he must have deduced where my thoughts had gone. He blocked my mouth with his thumb over my lips. “Open the envelope. Playtime later.” He used the Dom voice, and my panties went damp.
I bit his thumb, and his eyes darkened with lust.
With shaking fingers, I pulled out the paperwork. It was hard to decipher what I was looking at in my drunken state. “This is about FM Enterprises.”
He nodded. “I’ve signed my parent’s half of the company over to you. The business is yours, Jules. After the judge’s ruling today, you now own seventy-five percent of FM Enterprises.”
“Holy shit!” Faith breathed.
“Holy shit indeed,” I mimicked.
This changed everything.