Page 3 of Twisted Embrace

I continued to have difficulty understanding how everything had changed in a few months, but today was a day for celebration.

“Hmmm… I’ll admit that he’s probably the most gorgeous man I’ve seen in New York. Whew. What I could do to his muscular body is undoubtedly a crime in several countries.” The hunk wore a suit like no other man I’d seen. The expensive attire couldn’t hide his bulging muscles. They were pronounced enough my mouth watered. “But it would be well worth going to jail for even a single taste.”

She slowly turned her head, the mischievous look in her eyes the same as I’d seen dozens of times when hunk watching at our favorite upscale Manhattan bar.

“I won’t forget to let my brother Enzo know what you think of him. I’m certain he’ll appreciate it. He is single, by the way. I admit I’m not entirely certain what kind of woman could handle his surly attitude and brazen acts of violence, but given what I know about your kinky tastes, you just might be able to handle him.” Her laughter penetrated the room, forcing the man in question to glance in our direction.

When we locked eyes, his so blue I thought I was floating in the ocean, I was thrown into a few delicious seconds of fantasizing, imagining what it would be like to writhe underneath his chiseled body.

“Please tell me you’re lying to me. That’s just one of your bodyguards, right?”

“Well, Enzo is my bodyguard for today, my darling husband insistent he fly to New York with me. However, he’s also my brother, although sometimes I don’t know how that happened.”

I turned my head, feeling the color draining out of my face. “Would you like for me to explain the birds and bees? Oops. I guess you already figured that out yourself.” I tied another balloon to one of the chairs and glanced at every table to ensure everything was perfect.

“Trust me. I figured it out in every. Single. Position. Would you like to hear all about them?”

“Yuck. Keep your sex life to yourself.”

“That’s not what you used to say. Are you certain you don’t want me to introduce you? He’s rich, hard bodied, and single.”

We were teasing each other like we used to, but she was entirely different since taking on the role of the queen of the Cosa Nostra. “No. I think I’ll find a nice, normal, and very safe boyfriend, thank you very much.” When she didn’t say anything, I cringed. Now I wanted to slink away before she made good on her naughty threat.

While I wasn’t completely familiar with the lifestyle she’d been born into, I wasn’t immune to the exposure she must have endured while growing up in Italy. Until our recent discussion, she’d never opened up about her struggles of being the daughter of a brutal father and a mother who’d checked out early in her life.

“That was rude,” I said quietly. The last thing I wanted to do was insult her, but I also wanted no part of her world other than what we could share during time spent in New York.

“Nonsense. You have every right to be angry with me.”

“I’m not angry with you,” I corrected. “I’m worried.”

She pressed her hand on her stomach. “Don’t be. I have a happy life and a wonderful marriage.”

“You really love D’Artagnan?” She’d told me several interesting facts about both her family and that of her husband’s adopted family, two powerful crime syndicates inside Italy. There were parts of the story I found difficult to believe, as if she was highlighting an upcoming major motion picture. That was because I didn’t understand crime syndicate politics. She’d once hated her brother. Now he was guarding her.

She’d thought the childhood love of her life was dead, only to have him come back to life, his sole purpose to act on his need for revenge. The man had believed she’d been responsible for the fiery death of his real family, which was preposterous. There wasn’t a malevolent bone in the woman’s body. The fact they were madly in love and expecting their first child continued to amaze me. An even bigger shock was that the two families had merged into one powerhouse, a crime syndicate unequaled in Italy. That’s about the point I’d told her to stop telling me her story.

I’d never seen her develop a dreamy look in her eyes when talking about any man. Now she looked as if she wore rose-colored contacts, refusing to acknowledge that every day of life could be her last. I shuddered from the thought.

“More than the sun, moon, and stars.”

“Now I think I’m going to be the one getting sick,” I moaned. Even though she was nearing the end of her second trimester, her vicious bouts of morning sickness left her weak and exhausted most days.

Her laughter floated across the room and her brother glanced in our direction a second time, on edge to the point I was certain he was reaching for his weapon. All three guards had them secured in holsters, but easily outlined by their snug-fitting jackets.

Lucia touched her stomach and grimaced.

“Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?”

“I’m fine. Just the baby kicking. Here, feel it.” She placed my hand on her tummy and I instantly froze, a trickle of sadness stealing the moment of happiness.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Levin, but there were some complications with your daughter’s surgery.”

The single sentence was one that had haunted me for years. I didn’t need the ugly memory today. I jerked my hand away, feeling flushed and hating myself for it.

“Joy. I’m so sorry. Maybe this was a bad idea.”

Get it together. This isn’t your life.

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