Page 22 of Dark Masquerade
Umberto glanced briefly at her, a smile on his face. “What freak out?”
Elli relaxed and smiled. “You’re the best, Umberto.”
“Elli, you have a friend in me. I would never reveal anything told to me in confidence, by anyone, by Mr. Constanza, or by yourself. I would not keep my job long if I could not keep my mouth shut. But you have a friend in me.”
Elli chewed her lip, wondering if she should ask the question she was dying to know. “Does that apply to Yvetta? Can I ask you if you knew her?”
Umberto’s smile faded. “It was before my time, Elli. And the staff, they never talk about what happened. You know she was killed in Mr. Constanza’s bedroom?”
Elli felt a shock of ice in her veins. The room where she, Elli, had sex with Aldo? That room? “The same bedroom he has now?”
Umberto nodded. “Between us, the staff has always thought it strange, but no one has the courage to ask Mr. Constanza why he stays in the room where so much violence took place.”
Elli was silent for a while, staring out at the Italian countryside. She was trying to think of all the reasons why Aldo would still sleep in that room—especially now, with her. If he was keeping it as a memory of Yvetta, she felt uncomfortable sleeping and having sex in there.Maybe he just doesn’t want to admit what happened there. Maybe he thinks by loving me, he can erase the hurt.In that case, she would go along with it and help him heal the wound. Both of them had lost their great loves. Maybe it was time they both moved on …with each other. Elli was surprised how happy that made her feel.
She made sure Aldo knew exactly how she felt when he arrived home that night. Curving her body, clad in a dark red dress, her hair loose and flowing down her back, around him, she pressed her lips on his fiercely. Aldo looked delighted and swept her up into his arms.
“God, I missed you, beautiful girl.”
“I missed you too,” she said, stroking his face. “I love you, Aldo.”
She was astonished at seeing his eyes fill with tears, and only then did she know the depth of his feelings for her. He leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes, and she felt his tears on her cheeks. For a moment, they just stood there, then Aldo pressed his lips to hers. “If you only knew how happy you just made me, Elliana.”
“You makemehappy, Aldo.” At leastthatwas true, she thought, guilty now that she’d said she loved him. It was partially true; she did love him. She just wasn’t sure yet she wasinlove with him. But her not saying it to him was beginning to get awkward, and after the events of the day, Elli had thought,what the hell?She was glad she had made him happy and that was enough.
She smoothed his short hair. He looked fatigued as they walked into the house. “Darling, I can walk,” she said with a smile. “You look exhausted.”
He put her on her feet and chuckled. “I am tired, I have to admit.”
“Hungry?”
“A little.”
Elli took his hand. “Come. I’ll fix you something to eat, then you can go to bed.”
“Wecan go to bed.” Aldo grinned wickedly, and Elli laughed, pulling him along.
“Ambitious, given you’re half asleep now, but I’m in.”
She made him some soup, then took him to bed. Aldo lay on the bed as she undressed him, then complained when she got off the bed. “Where are you going?”
Elli grinned. “Just over here. Gonna do a little striptease for my man.”
Aldo smiled and nodded. “Then please continue. That dress is sexy as hell, by the way. You should always be in red.”
She looked over her shoulder at him as she unzipped the back of it. “You think?”
Aldo, grinning, his cock already hard, nodded. “Hell, yes. Bathed in scarlet. Always.”
“Kinky.” The dress slithered down her body to the floor and she was naked underneath, except for the delicate white-gold body chain he had given her. Grinning, she crawled on top of him and kissed him. “You just lie back and let me do all the work.”
Aldo chuckled. “Whatever you say, ma’am.”
Elli moved down his body and took his cock into her mouth, sweeping her lips over the wide crest, and sliding her tongue up and down him as she sucked gently at first. Then, as he grew harder and more aroused, she hollowed out her cheeks, her hand massaging his balls and fisting the root of him until he came, gripping her head as his seed spilled onto her tongue.
Afterward, panting for hair, he smiled up at her as she moved to kiss his mouth. “God, Elli, that was incredible. Thank you.”
Elli smiled as he rolled her onto her back. “There’s more of that to come, so to speak.”
