Page 31 of Blood & Loyalties
I had met Geo a few times, but I was shielded from attending the trial and wasn’t allowed to step foot in the state. I wanted to be with my family more than anything, but nothing I said could convince my mom or even Uncle Vino. As a result, I cried with Kiera. I read the newspaper articles every day, trying to piece the puzzle together. When my father called and told me he didn’t do it, I believed him to my core. Every night, I prayed and prayed answers would be found.
After what felt like forever, Daddy was let off due to a lack of evidence, and the killer had never been found.
My thoughts flickered to the last time I had seen Geo. I had been about thirteen, and we had met for a family dinner. The young boy … “Geo Junior,” I whispered, the link clicking.
Jag chuckled. “I always hated being called that, but yes, that’s my legal name.”
“We’ve met,” I stated matter-of-factly.
He looked confused and tilted his head. “I don’t remember meeting you.” He studied me intently, no doubt trying to think back to all the years he had spent with his father.
“Once, at a family dinner. My family, Uncle Vino and his family, and yours. We were young, thirteen or so.” I knew it was him. He had the same exact eyes.
A slow grin laced his lips. “I remember. So Ihavemet the infamous Catarina Lambardoni before.”
“I guess you have. Funny how things happen.” What in the hell was I saying? Stupid. “I’m so sorry about your dad,” I whispered, looking down at our entwined hands, loving the roughness of his touch.
“I know your father and your family had nothing to do with it. This is my family, too. While your dad was out on bail in California, he stayed with me.” He looked at me intently. “Did you know that?” I shook my head. “He taught me about the business one step at a time.”
That was news to me, and I didn’t know how to feel about it.
As the car slowed, my gaze moved to the window, seeing night had fallen. “Where are we?” I asked, to change the subject.
He didn’t answer, but when the car stopped, he pulled my hand, and I stepped out of the car, into the night. The night sky looked pitch-black with only small specks of glitter in the sky for stars. The moon was full, lighting up the ground around us.
“Check it out,” he ordered the guards, who began to walk into the darkness and came back with a head nod. “Come on.” His voice had softened when it came back to me.
We walked hand in hand in silence as we approached a checkered blanket with a wicker picnic basket sitting in the center of it. With the night sky shining above, it was like something you would see in a movie. The wide open space was only illuminated by the moon and the stars. No one could have torn the smile off of my face at this kind gesture from him. My stomach also twisted at it. Why was he putting so much effort into this when he’d already told me he was leaving? Why waste his time with something so romantic and thoughtful when he wasn’t planning on sticking around? Did he see this actually going somewhere? I broke from my musings.
“You did this?” I was in awe. I didn’t know how he had found this place. I hadn’t even known it existed. It seemed like a park with the flat open ground, though without any people around. The moonlight didn’t illuminate any playgrounds or benches for people to sit either. It was almost as wide as a football field without those huge white lines or numbers. All I could see was green grass that glowed in the moonlight. It was perfect.
“I had some help.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal, but it was a big deal for me. Antonio never did anything remotely this nice or sweet for me.
“Clear, boss.” The two guys came up, startling me.
“Good. Hang back,” he ordered them.
His strong hand grasped mine and led me to the blanket as the guards walked off into the distance. I sat, thanking the heavens above I had gone with jeans instead of a dress. I collapsed to the ground, feeling the softness of the cotton under my hand.
He bent down, opening up the basket and pulling out cheeses, fruit, bread, and wine. “Hope you’re hungry.” He smirked, taking a small piece of cheese and holding it to my lips.
I was stunned for a moment. Never had a man fed me before, and damned if I wasn’t leery about it. I’d seen my father do it for my mother before and it put a whole other spin on what was going on here between us. I didn’t think I could handle it. I couldn’t let my heart get any more wrapped up in this man than it already was. Allowing him to do this small task was opening up a can of worms that I didn’t know if I could put back in its container.
“I can feed myself.” I might have spoken a little too harsh, but this step was too much, said too much and I couldn’t. Instead, I went with what I knew. I pulled out a bit of my bitch.
“Not tonight. Sit and relax. Let me do this for you.” He raised his brow in challenge and my gut twisted in knots. A huge part of me wanted to do this, to experience it just for a moment, but a bigger part knew there would be hell to pay for the consequences.
I relented and slowly opened my mouth, feeling a bit uneasy, but after the tenth or so bite, I began to relax. Emotions started swarming me like bumble bees ready to sting. With every bite, my heart opened a little more. There was no use fighting it, so for the night I rolled with it. I would enjoy every second with this handsome man who was bending over backward to feed me, to take care of me.
His movements were tender as he caressed my body every chance he got, my tanned skin burning with each brush. Of course I was turned on, but there was so much more going on here, I needed to make this about the physical and not the emotional. I needed to keep what happened here locked in a little vault.
He placed everything back in the basket, and I laid down, staring at the night sky waiting for him. My mom had always said,if a man was cleaning, wait until he was done, because you probably won’t see it again. Funny how random thoughts like that just streaked into my head at the most inappropriate times. But mom would be happy I listened.
When he lay next to me instead of making a move on me, I quickly moved because I couldn’t take more of his kindness, but his hand halted me. “Let’s look at the stars.” I gulped down the protest. He was not helping me out here.
I sighed then fell back onto the blanket. His arm wrapped around my body, pulling me close. I wiggled to get comfortable and ended up lying my head on his chest, looking up at the beauty above us. Millions of beautiful, little glowing stars danced around the night, not a care in the world. They had no hearts that could break, no feelings to be smashed to smithereens. Their only job was to glow.
Jag’s hand combed through my hair, massaging me as he moved. I tried to keep my eyes open, but his ministrations felt too good. My eyes fluttered shut as I relaxed, enjoying his closeness and compassion. Simply enjoying him.
