Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
ALESSANDRO
She caught my attention the moment she stepped out of the museo.
Tiny and sexy, but it wasn’t just her beauty that captured me.
I spotted the tear stains on her face and knew that she’d been struck with emotion inside.
She had a heart, and it now belonged to me even if she wasn’t aware of it.
Who are you, amore? I could answer that myself. “Signora DiMarco.”
Her long black hair blew around her face as a breeze picked up. She shoved it back before pulling out a hair tie to get it out of her way. Fuck me, she was perfect with her hair up or down.
As she passed my table, I could see that she was young.
I prayed that she was legal because I needed her more than my next fucking breath.
Wearing a pair of shorts that were perfectly fitted to her round ass and a blue t-shirt that clung to her chest, she was a walking temptation.
Somehow though, I didn’t believe she even knew it.
Seeing her spread out over my thousand-dollar sheets as she creamed on my tongue while screaming my name had my cock throbbing in my slacks.
Adjusting it under the table, so as not to offend anyone, I angled the fucker to fit under my belt buckle, covered by my suit jacket which I was glad that I had chosen to wear.
I watched her search the area for someone.
Every time she passed another man, my jealousy kicked in because she wasn’t searching for me. She should be at my side, telling me how much she needed me. I’d give her whatever she was looking for. Pulling out her phone, she bit her lip as she looked up something.
“Tale her and don’t let her leave the piazza,” I told my head of security, Cosimo. “Don’t touch her though. Capisci?”
“Sì chiaro.”
“é buono.” I took my seat back at the café, watching as she moved about. Sitting idly by wasn’t my thing. When I wanted something, I took it, but I had enemies, and she could be the bait to lure me in.
After checking my watch, two minutes passed, and that was the extent of my patience. Stepping up behind her as she tried to move around Cosimo, I laughed because my sweet bride-to-be was a tourist. Perfect.
When she turned to give me her best pissed off scowl, my sexy little thing gasped, and that hardened expression relaxed, allowing me to see the hint of lust in her eyes. I cuffed her bicep with my hand and led her to the table I’d dined at moments earlier.
“Come, Tesoro, sit with me and tell me why you’re running around the piazza. I hope it’s not a foolish man you were looking for.”
“Well yes,” she said, spinning her head around to look behind her.
I let out a growl, ready to dispose of my competition.
She turned her head back to me, and added with a blush, “Not like a boyfriend or anything. I was on a group tour and I got separated from them. I shouldn’t even tell you that. I don’t know you.”
“I’d never do anything to hurt you. I’m Alessandro DiMarco. What’s your name?”
“Isabella Vitali.” Did she come to Naples to find her roots or was it a class trip? Either way she’d been abandoned, and I wouldn’t stand for it. Her Italian needed work, but a lifetime with me would fix that.
“Tell me the company.” I’d have them fired immediately.
Anyone could have abducted her from the streets.
She had no idea how easy it was for a tourist to disappear and tossed into a sex-trafficking trade.
The sea wasn’t far from here, someone could have taken her.
She needed to learn to protect herself from the slick bastards out there when I wasn’t there to watch over her.
She sat nervously, biting her bottom lip, and fidgeting with the napkin on the table. “Honestly, it’s fine. I’m just going to go back to my hotel. I think it’s time I went home.”
“How long have you been in Italy?” I’d felt bruised by the fact that she was in my country without me. I intended to show her all the reasons she should stay with me.
“A day.”
“A day, and you’re ready to leave?” I was glad I found her before she left me forever. A burning pain in my chest from the realization that a two-minute difference would have been a lifetime missed.
“It was a mistake to come all the way here.”
“A mistake? I don’t believe that to be true. Isabella, I couldn’t let you leave now—unless I’d follow you back to America.” I sounded insane, but I didn’t give a shit. I was obsessed.
“You don’t even know me.”
She had a point, but my soul knew it the second I saw her exit the building. My heart raced out of control and all I saw was a future with her and our family we made. “Well that is what we have time for. Let me be your personal tour guide.”
The waitress came to take our order. So while we decided, I sent out a text to Cosimo to do some digging. After the waitress wrote down what we wanted and left, I asked, “So can I take you on a tour of Naples?”
“I don’t even know you. How am I supposed to trust you?” Smart.
“You trusted some other man and he abandoned you,” I growled, mostly to myself. “I’m not going to hurt you, but I want to ask you something. What made you cry earlier?” If it were being left here, I’d bury the fuck that forgot about her.
“The Pompeii exhibit. I mean I guess that makes me soft.”
“Amore, it’s there for a reason. It would not be such a special exhibit if it weren’t for the tragedy that happened in 79A.D. Pain and fear, hopelessness frozen in time.” Her eyes welled-up with tears and fuck, I wanted to kick myself. “I’m sorry, cara mia. I didn’t mean to upset you again.”
“No. See how silly I am?”
“There is nothing silly about it. Nothing. It was what drew me to you. I saw your gentle heart, and I wanted it for my own. I want you more than I can express, but I will take you on a small tour after dinner.”
“Okay.”
The food was excellent as usual. I watched Isabella move around her salad, hardly touching it. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just a little uncomfortable. Listen. I’d like to go back to my hotel room. I’m not feeling up for a tour or anything else.” She appeared to suddenly get sleepy which bothered me. I wished I could take her back to the villa and let her sleep in our bed, but I knew it was too soon.
“Was it something I said?” I asked, hoping that I was reading her tired look correctly.
“No,” she exclaimed, shaking her head and gesturing with her hands.
“Well then what is it?”
“I think all that nervous energy made me tired. All of a sudden, I’m exhausted.”
“That’s fine. We can continue our date tomorrow around two. I have work that I must do, but I promise to make you see the wonder that is Naples.”
“You don’t have to waste your time being my personal tour guide.”
“I want to be your—tour guide.” I stood up and extended my hand to her. She took it without hesitation, and I closed my hand around hers, feeling the softness. Fuck, it felt incredible. I could get used to this.
She gave me the name of her hotel. It was one that I owned which made me feel slightly better. I opened the back door to my black Jaguar. I helped her in and sat beside her while Cosimo drove us the ten-minute drive to Casa DiMarco.
He pulled up to the entrance and then held the door for us.
Everyone in the area stole a glance or two, but quickly turned their heads.
I’d never been seen with a woman, so this was a shocker.
Even though this was my hotel, I didn’t feel she was safe alone.
Being seen with me automatically made her a target to those wanting money and power.
I had both, but now I had something so much more precious.
“Let me walk you to your room.”
“That’s okay. I’ll be fine. This is supposed to be the safest hotel in the area.”
“I know it is, but maybe I want a few more minutes of your time.”
“Oh shit. Where is my keycard?”
“You’re missing your keycard?”
“It was here earlier. I’m sure of it. Shit,” Isabella muttered, digging through her purse which wasn’t large at all.
“That’s okay. We can get another card.” We walked up to the desk and I asked in Italian for a replacement card for her room and not to say anything about me owning the hotel. They nodded and asked, “Your room number please.”
“Room 305.” They activated a new set of keycards which deactivated the old one. They gave me one as if I were staying too. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t invade her space. We took the elevator and I kept my distance, so I didn’t slam her against the wall and take her like I ached to do.
“This is me. I bet the other card is in here somewhere and I’m blind.”
“Well, it’s better than nothing. So tomorrow then, Isabella?” I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it.
“Goodnight, Alessandro.”
I stood back and let her go inside, waiting until the door was closed before I’d leave. A scream from the room sent me rushing in with my gun in my hand. I looked inside and her suitcase had been emptied out on the bed. I searched her bathroom and closet for the bastards, but it was all clear.
Seeing the gun in my hand she gasped, so I tucked it away where it belonged. “They’re gone,” I said, hoping that she’d ignore the weapon.
She dug through her things, looking for something. Her underwear flew about, and I snatched one up and pocketed it before she could turn around. “I was robbed,” she cried.
“What did they take?” I asked as I called down to the hotel front office. I knew the night manager would be in.
“My money and my electronics. I only brought a little money with me because I thought they would be safe in my hotel room instead of on me.” A moment of clarity hits her, and she pauses.
“Affrettatevi fino alla camera 305. Make it quick,” I ordered.
“Why would she do that?” Isabella asked herself.
“Who, Isabella?” I questioned, pressing my hands to her shoulders for comfort. I’d do anything I could to fix this. Anything.
“The only time I left my purse unattended was when we were first boarding the bus today. I was stuck in the line and I’d been bumped.” I pulled her into my arms.
“I’ll make it better. What electronics? Tablets, laptops?”
“Yes, both. What am I going to do? How am I supposed to go back home?”
“I’ll take care of everything.” The manager came, but I didn’t let him past the door.
I didn’t want him anywhere near her panties.
I spoke to him while she sat on the bed, looking at the mess the thief made of the room.
Sending him on his way, I planned to take her up to my personal suite in the hotel.
“Come, Isabella. Let’s move your things to another room.”
“I can’t afford anything more than this. It was the cheapest room.”
“You don’t have to pay for it. I stay here when I work late and don’t want to travel all the way to my villa.
There is more than one bedroom in the suite.
” I tried to reassure her without telling her too much.
She was already out of sorts, and the more I told her about me, the quicker she might run.
I helped her pack her things into the suitcase and carried it out of the room while placing my hand on the small of her back. I entered and hit the penthouse floor, sliding my private key into the lock to activate the elevator.
“Wow, are you some big shot? Do you usually bring women up here?” She blushed, embarrassed by her questioning.
“Yes, to your first question and no to your second. I don’t bring anyone into my private spaces.
Most of the time, Cosimo will stay in the second bedroom.
” The doors opened to the hallway for the two rooms on this floor.
The other suites were for dignitaries or the like at an exorbitant rate. I didn’t care for anyone bothering me.
“Wow,” she said as I opened the door to the austere room.
“Please come in and make yourself comfortable.”
“This is absolutely gorgeous. You must be rich.” She blushed again. “Forgive me. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No. There’s nothing to forgive. I am quite wealthy. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just not sure what you’re doing with me.”
“Well, for the evening, I’m giving you a place to sleep, and then we have a date after I finish my work. From there, we will see where we go. Yes?”
“Yes. I suppose I couldn’t ask for more.”
“You could ask for anything, and it will be yours. Speaking of yours. Was there anything important on the laptop that you can’t get back?”
“No, I uploaded everything to an external flash drive. The money was the bigger deal. I’m glad I have my bank card with me, or they’d empty that out, and I’d never get home.
” Every time she mentioned leaving, I wanted to protest and demand that she stay, but I realized that she had to want me like I wanted her for it to work.
Tomorrow, I’d put my plan to win her into motion.