Page 53 of Beautiful Devil

“Gia, wake up. Wake up, baby. It’s me. I’m here. I’ve got you,dolcezza.”

That voice.I know that voice.

“Fabi?”

In an instant, I’m hauled into his chest with his arms wrapped around my body. He’s kissing the top of my head all while babbling rapid Italian.

“Oh, grazie a Dio. Mi hai spaventato, dolcezza."

“I wish you would stop doing that.”

I must have said that out loud because he asks, “Doing what?”

“Speaking in Italian. I can’t understand a single word, and for all I know, you could be putting a curse on me,” I mumble against his torso. His verynakedtorso.

Oh, God. As I pull away from his body, he tips his head back and lets out a deep belly laugh. It’s one of the sexiest sounds I’ve ever heard.

“Oh,bella moglie, I haven’t laughed like that in a long time. I can promise you,dolcezza, I was not putting a curse on you.” Before I can ask him what he said, he catches me off guard with his next question, but this time, all traces of humor have evaporated. “What happened?”

I don’t want to talk to him about anything to do with the trial – I don't want to relive those memories. I’m trying to move on, but I also know by opening up and talking to him about this, I’ll be opening myself up to him, and as scary as that is, it also feels right. Iwantto be closer to Fabi.

“It's fine, honestly. I was just having my usual recurring nightmare about this creepy guy from Gallo’s trial.”

“You’re safe here,gattina. I won't let anything happen to you.”

I look into his beautiful brown eyes and make a choice.

I start to tell him about what I remember of the man. I tell him about how Gallo started shouting at me as he was being dragged out of the courtroom, and the last words he spoke to me, claiming my father was involved. There’s no way my dad could or would have had anything to do with him going to prison. When I called to tell them what happened, they were as surprised as I had been watching the whole thing unfold.

“Who else was he shouting at?”

“Huh?”

“You said he was shouting at someone with beady eyes. Do you know who it was? Did he say a name?”

I shake my head before answering. “No, it was so out of the blue. I didn’t know what was happening. I’ve never seen Gallo like that, ever. He just kept shouting at this man saying, ‘You promised I wouldn’t get caught,’ but he never said a name.”

“What did he look like?”

“He was tallish, about 5’11”, slim build. Wearing a black and white pinstripe suit with greying hair.” Tears pool in my eyes as the sick feeling churns in my stomach. “His eyes are what still haunt me to this day. And his voice when he said to me, ‘See you soon,cara,’before I left the courtroom. I’d never seen him before.”

Fabi pulls me closer to his chest, patiently waiting for my tears to stop falling. “I promise you, Gia, you’re safe here. No one will get to you.”

Never in my life have I wanted someone's words to be truer, but I learned a long time ago that you can’t rely on other people. Especially not to keep you safe.

CHAPTER19

FABRIZIO

I wakethe next morning feeling like there’s a weighted blanket draped over me. Peeling my eyes open, I smile to myself when I see why.

My sweet dolcezza.

The upper half of her body is draped over my chest and her right leg crossed over my hip. I can see just a smidgen of her cheek and kissable lips through the mess of hair she has going on. I’d like nothing more than to roll her over and have my wicked way with her, but not yet.

She had a rough night last night, tossing and turning, and when she finally did fall asleep, well…it was far from restful.

Needing to get up because I have a lot of pressing things to do, I carefully extract myself from under her, making sure I don’t wake her in the process. She stirs a little before settling back to sleep. I know I shouldn't, but I can’t resist leaning forward and getting a small taste of her. I press a lingering kiss to her forehead and then back away before I wake her up with my cock buried deep in her pussy.

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