Chapter 10
Chapter ten
“Ouch! Luci! Not so tight,” I gasp as my hands fly to my waist. “I’m still injured, remember. I want to be able to sit down and maybe eat.” Waves of pain flow through me and I make a mental note to take one of my medications before I leave.
“Ragazza, food is going to be the last thing on your mind when you see how snatched you look in this dress.” Lucia tightens the laces on the back of my dress. “Go look at yourself in the mirror.”
The satin is smooth under my fingers as I walk over to the mirror and stop short as I see my reflection. This dress has been sitting at the back of my closet for months waiting for a special occasion. It appears that time has arrived.
Emerald fabric hugs my curves in all the right places like it was stitched onto my skin.
A slit runs up my left thigh and the bodice is a corset that makes my waist look like an hourglass.
The top of the dress is off-the-shoulder with long sleeves.
My hair hangs in loose waves. An emerald necklace, earrings, and bracelet complete the look.
“Dominic is going to lose his mind when he sees you looking like this.” Lucia folds her arms and leans against the wall. A mischievous look is plastered on her face like she planned this.
“No, he isn’t. This is a business arrangement and he hates everything I stand for.” I grab a tube of lip gloss from the vanity and begin applying it.
“Looking like that, everything you stand for is going to go out the window. You have the vision of a very powerful, alluring, seductive woman.”
“Shut up.” I roll my eyes and shove the cap back onto the lip gloss.
My phone dings with the security camera chime. Before I can look, I hear the front door open and close, then footsteps running up the steps.
“Did I miss it?” Matteo’s voice echoes through the hall.
I don’t have a chance to react before his frame is standing in the doorway to my room.
“Wow! Cugina!” Matteo whistles. “You are definitely getting some tonight.”
“What the fuck Matteo,” I whirl around. “What are you doing here?”
“I told him what was going on and he wanted to come see.” Lucia grabs an emerald hairpiece and inserts it into my hair.
I place my hands on my hips, wincing slightly. “I thought you two were so against me hiring Dominic to figure out this mystery.”
“Oh, we are,” Lucia confirms. “But with all this talk of death and somberness we need something to lighten the mood.”
“And your sex life happens to be it,” Matteo laughs. “I mean someone is trying to kill you after all, might as well enjoy yourself and get laid. Besides Luci and I already bet your panties are coming off tonight.”
I shake my head. Words fail me. My own cousin and best friend are conspiring against me.
“And we are only making light of this because we already have planned how we’re going to kill Dominic and make sure no one ever finds his body if he hurts you.” Lucia grabs a few of the discarded dresses on my bed and hangs them in the closet.
“That’s not going to happen because we are not together,” I protest. “I’m just holding up my end of the deal so he can find the person who wants to assassinate me and I can slit their throat.”
“Please, Cugina. We know you and Dominic still have feelings for each other. Let’s be honest. You might hate each other for what happened in the past and the professions that separated you.
But deep down inside there is passion simmering, just waiting to be ignited. ” Matteo leans against the doorframe.
“And I did some digging on Dominic. He hasn’t been in a steady relationship since you broke up and you haven’t either.” Lucia smoothes my dress.
“That’s not true, there were some people,” I protest.
“Dating Gianni Mazzo for six months doesn’t count. Casual dates and hookups don’t either.”
I bend down to grab my heels and wince.
“Don’t do that. Sit in the chair and I’ll put your shoes on for you,” Matteo offers, taking the heels out of my hands. “I know you’re still in a lot of pain.”
“It’s not that,” I sit in the nearby chair, pulling up the edge of my dress slightly so Matteo can help me with my shoes.
“I just can’t get out of my head what Bruno said in the hospital room.
It’s been nagging at me. Dead butterfly wings, the king wasn’t supposed to fall, the bishop watches from within. I know someone is sending a message.”
“Yes and the message is they want you dead.” Lucia closes the door to my walk-in closet.
“I feel like it’s more than that. Why go to all this trouble with chess pieces and raven feathers?”
The doorbell rings. The chime on my phone sounds, and we freeze.
Lucia runs to the window. “Oh my god! Your date is here, Cipi…with a limo and flowers.”
“No fucking way.” Matteo is by her side. They both stare out the window gawking. “Awe he still cares.”
“Will you two knock it off!” I stand up and fix my dress. “We have to hurry. Nonna, Mama, and Gigi are still out but I don’t need them returning early and seeing this.”
“Is Gigi still dating that fool Elio?” Lucia follows me out of my bedroom.
“Unfortunately, yes, but I have some of the guards tailing them.” I pick up my dress and slowly make my way down the stairs.
“I have a good mind to knock some sense into that Ivy league pretty boy.” Matteo cracks his knuckles.
We reach the bottom of the steps when Matteo pulls me back. “Wait a minute, let me do it. Your father isn’t here and you need a man to give him a good talking to.”
“Cugino, please.” I roll my eyes but stay standing at the bottom of the stairs facing the front door. My heart is hammering so loud I swear they all can hear it.
Matteo opens the door to reveal Dominic standing on the front porch in a tailored black suit.
He looks so handsome!
Glimpses of a gold chain peek from under the collar of his crisp white shirt. An expensive watch glimmers on his wrist. In his hand is a large bouquet of roses. Not just a dozen, but at least two or three dozen roses.
“Buonasera, Dominic, it’s so good to see you.” Matteo clasps him on the shoulder as he enters.
“Ciao, Matteo…Lucia.” Dominic seems taken aback at seeing Matteo and Lucia in the foyer but his eyes widen as soon as he catches sight of me.
“Hello, Dominic,” I whisper. My stomach feels like thousands of butterflies are flying around.
“Wow, Cipi. You look beautiful,” he breathes, stepping forward to give me the bouquet. “These are for you.” The roses are wrapped in gold tissue paper and tied with a scarlet ribbon.
“Grazie.” I look down at the red velvet petals.
“So Dominic, what are your intentions with my Cugina tonight?” Matteo strolls over with his arms folded.
Heat streaks across my cheeks and I want to strangle Matteo. I can see he’s loving this way too much, and I’m mortified.
However, Dominic remains cool and collected. “I see you brought your entourage with you Cipi. Well Matteo, we are going to go to the charity gala tonight, Cipi is going to help land some new clients, and then I will be bringing her back home.”
“I see you brought out the limo,” Matteo nods.
“Yes, for most of the attendees tonight, that will be the vehicle of choice. We want to blend in.”
Lucia takes the bouquet from my arms. “These are lovely. I’ll put them in water for you.”
Matteo grabs my fur coat out of the closet but Dominic takes it from him. “I’ll do it.”
Tension fills the air as he holds the coat open for me. Slowly I step into it, sliding one arm down the sleeve then the other. I pull the coat tight around me.
“Have her back by midnight okay, Dom,” Matteo commands.
“Will you shut up,” I hiss through clenched teeth.
Dominic smiles, “Of course.”
“Matteo is only teasing,” Lucia chimes in. “You two have fun. Enjoy yourselves and don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.”
“Ci vediamo,” I call as Dominic holds the door open and we step out onto the porch.
“Thank you again for the flowers.” I move quickly toward the limo parked in the street at the end of the driveway. I know Lucia and Matteo are watching from the window. “You didn’t have to.”
“It was my pleasure. I can’t imagine what you have been going through after getting shot and they are your favorite after all.”
I smile as he opens the door for me and helps me slide into the backseat of the running limo.
“I didn’t know you had a limo,” I look around as he sits down next to me.
“It’s a business write-off. Cartieri Investigations is a billion dollar company with very rich clients. When we investigate people, we have to blend in with their world.” Dominic closes the door. “We’re all set, Tom.”
The running limo begins to move. I can see the driver through the partition.
“And I wouldn’t dare show up to a gala in a regular car with a Capuano queen,” Dominic adds smoothly.
“Oh, now I’m a queen,” I tease. “I thought I was a monster in your eyes.”
“I shouldn’t have said that. I’ll admit, seeing you appear in my office after fifteen years was quite shocking.
But you’ve always been a queen, Cipi.” His eyes lock with mine.
“Especially in this outfit. No one would ever believe the number of men you’ve eliminated.
” A faraway look appears in his eyes as if he’s remembering a different time. “You were always lethal with a gun.”
The air in the limo grows hot.
The space feels too small.
My skin feels like it’s on fire.
I knew it was a bad idea being in such close quarters with Dominic Cartieri.
What’s wrong with me!
I should hate him for abandoning me all those years right after my father died. I should be furious with him for choosing the law over me. Yet my body feels a completely different way.
I look out the window and focus on the glow of the city lights through the tinted glass.
“My father taught me well,” I whisper.
I can’t look at him.
I won’t look at him.
I’m scared of what will happen if I do.
I might lose all control and stick my tongue down his throat.
No. I’m a queen. I won’t throw myself at a man.