Page 46 of Count Down

Gina and I strip off our clothes, as smoothly as we can while still trying to keep kissing each other. Eventually, we’re both fully naked in the candlelight. My hard cock presses against her bare stomach.

I lay her gently back onto her bed, giving in to how much I want her. I want her forever. My attraction to her has changed. It’s grown. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I want her to know everything about me. I want her to know me better than I know myself. And I want to know everything about her.

I watch her face and her body as I gently slide in and out of her. She looks magical in the flicker of the candlelight. Like the light is radiating off of her. I’ve never fucked like this before. Never felt this level of intimacy before. My heart is involved. And I feel hers, too.

When we both finish, I collapse down on the bed next to her. I wrap her in my arms, and I don’t ever want to let her go.

I speak for the first time since I got in her car. My voice feels gravelly. “You did a good job fixing the bed.”

Gina rolls over to face me. We’re nose to nose as she replies. “Yeah. I did it all by myself.” She smiles and it makes me smile too. “But I used the tools you gave me.”

As she blinks, I miss looking into her eyes, even though they’re only closed for a split-second. I give her lips a soft kiss. “I’m glad I’m here with you.”

Her eyes sparkle and glisten. “I’m glad you’re here too,” she whispers.

38

GINA

Last night felt like a dream.When I thought I was losing Luca, it was as disorienting as a nightmare. He shared some unbelievable things with me. But I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. I know I made the right decision. Luca and I should be together. I can’t imagine my life without him. And I can barely imagine his life without me.

Still, when I wake up, my mind is flooded with thoughts. I’ve got to warn my father. I’m not looking forward to talking to him, but I can’t put it off. I’m in danger as well, but I can’t just hide out. The showcase is the day after tomorrow. I have no intention of missing it.

I roll over and look at Luca. He’s awake, laying on his back with his hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. He looks more his usual self. But I can tell he’s thinking.

“Morning,” I whisper.

He rolls his head toward me. “How are you?” He asks with a slight smile.

“Good. You?”

He just nods. Then kisses me on my forehead.

“I should go talk to my father this morning,” I say. Luca nods again, slight concern crossing over his face. “Then I’ve got to teach. And I have rehearsal tonight. We move into the theater tomorrow. I know you said I was in danger, but I can’t just disappear or hide out.” I’m worried that Luca will tell me I have to hide in a safe house until who knows when.

“I don’t want you to miss out on anything,” he says as he rolls toward me. He runs his hand down my bare arm. “But I need you to be careful until I can interrupt the Russians. That might take a couple of days.”

This time I nod. I roll over to my bedside table and grab my phone off the top of it. I enable some settings, then Luca’s phone dings. He rolls over to pick it up and I explain what I just did. “I’m sharing my phone’s location with you. You can track me in theFind Myapp. Just in case. I’ll be going to my father’s office to talk to him. Then I’m teaching at the pilates studio. I’ll let you know when I’m done with that.”

Luca nods, a determined look on his face.

* * *

I give Luca a ride back to his place. It’s not too far from my father’s offices. Finding parking downtown on a weekday is hard. I end up opting for an underground garage, but it makes me slightly nervous. I doubt my phone is giving a very strong GPS signal from the underground concrete structure.

I feel slightly better when I get back up to street level and head to the office. I’m not looking forward to talking to my father. I haven’t spoken to him since before I moved out. The last time we talked it was an argument. He never reached out to me, and I never reached out to him.

I’m not sure how he’s going to feel about seeing me. Nicoletti men are well-known for holding grudges, even with ones they love. And I have no idea how he’ll react when I tell him he’s going to be assassinated if he doesn’t step down as District Attorney. His position as DA means more to him than anything else I know of. I wouldn’t be surprised if he chose to die for it. But still, he is my father. I don’t want anything bad to happen to him, and I have to try to save him.

As soon as I enter the office building, I feel out of place. Everyone is dressed up in formal business attire. I’m wearing leggings and a hoodie – my business attire. I’ve been to the office to see my father many times before. I never worried about what I was wearing then, so it didn’t cross my mind until I got here. But the last time I was here to visit him was years ago. I was just a kid.

When I get off the elevator at my father’s floor, I walk over to his assistant’s desk. She already recognizes me, even though I’ve never met her. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t the assistant the last time I was here. “Ms. Nicoletti. A pleasure to see you. Are you here to see your father?”

“Yes,” I nod. “I just need to talk to him.” I don’t know what else to say.

“He’s in a meeting right now. But he should be out in about 10 or 15 minutes. If you care to wait,” she gestures to some old wooden benches against the wall, “he should have time to meet with you when he’s done.”

I nod and head to the bench. As I sit down, it reminds me of an old church pew. This office has a strange feeling to me. I’ve never quite figured out why. Everything in it is old, but grand. Like it was the best of everything that existed a hundred years ago. It feels very traditional. As if the furniture would immediately cast out anything brand new. I’m surprised to see that they actually have computers. This place suits my father well.

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