Page 32 of Dark Masquerade
Elli laughed, sliding her hand onto the growing bulge in his pants. “Well, well, well,hello.”
With a growl, he bore her off to the bedroom, Eli giggling as he tickled her while undressing her.
They made love slowly, kissing and enjoying the time together. This time, Elli actually felt something and was glad. Elli stroked the hair back from his forehead. “Your hair is getting so long,” she said, suddenly noticing how long and curly his previously short hair was. Why hadn’t she seen it before? She felt bad then; how self-involved she had been.
“You like it?”
She nodded. “I do.” She didn’t add that it reminded her of Indio’s unruly mess of hair. That would kill the mood in a minute.
***
After making love, Elli fell asleep, and when she woke, it was lighter outside the plane windows. Rubbing her eyes, she was suddenly aware of Aldo’s voice, angry and shouting in the main cabin. She pulled her dress back on and padded in to see what was wrong.
Aldo’s face was red and contorted with anger as he yelled into his phone. “What thefuck? Who got those records? Well, I want them in my office in Seattle tomorrow. I don’t fucking care if they’re in Sydney. Make it fucking happen. And find out who sold the story to the papers.”
He hadn’t seen her, and Elli watched him, with growing anxiety, beat his head with his hands, his face red and full of rage.
“Baby?” Her voice was small, and he looked up. For a second, the murderous rage in his eyes terrified her. But then his expression softened.
“I’m sorry, little one. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She went to him, and he kissed her. “Did you sleep okay?”
She nodded. “What is it, honey? What’s happened?”
Aldo drew in a lungful of air, obviously trying to keep his temper. “Someone sold a bullshit story about me in the papers. They’re saying my work in Uganda is a front for gun-running. Can you believe it? Why thehellwould I need to sell weapons? I’m already a billionaire, for the love of god.”
There was a sharp pang of adrenaline spiking through Elli. “Why on Earth would anyone say something so …random, like that?”
Aldo sighed, pulling her into his arms. “Don’t worry about it,cara mia.I’ve had bad press before.”
“Aldo, it’s not just bad press, it’s libelous. Have you spoken to your lawyers? What are the records you were talking about?”
Aldo looked at her sharply, and for a second, she saw real anger. She took a step back.
“Aldo …”
“You don’t ever question me again, Elli. Do you understand? Ever.”
Elli swallowed hard as he stepped toward her, his voice low, dangerous.You’re not safe.Indio’s words came back to her. “It’s fine, Aldo. Forget I said anything.”
But he didn’t back down. Rather, he advanced, his hands gripping her shoulders painfully. “I have been patient. Very patient with you, Elli, and your first thought is to condemn me.”
What the hell?“I did no such thing,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady, though his fingers were biting into her flesh so hard that she knew they would leave bruises. “I was trying to figure out our next move.”
“That’s my job to figure out.” His hand was under her skirt, pushing her legs apart. “You know what your job is.” He freed his cock from his pants, and then he was in her, fucking her against the wall, his arm across her throat, his eyes fixed on hers. Elli was scared, scared of this man she was seeing for the first time. What the hell had happened? He’d changed in a flash.
She went along with his love-making, although it was far fromlove, feeling trapped and frightened, and afterward, when he’d withdrawn and immediately sat back down to his paperwork, she went back to the bedroom and let hot tears stream down her cheeks.
She fell into an uneasy sleep, only waking to feel him slip an arm around her waist. Elli immediately stiffened, afraid. “Scuzi, ElliBella,” Aldo said softly. “Forgive me, my darling. I was riled up and angry. I would never hurt you.”
Still upset, Elli turned over to face him. “You treated me like a hole, Aldo. Just a hole to fuck.”
“I’m sorry.”
Elli was silent, studying his expression closely. He had all the appearance of contrition …but she didn’t believe he was sorry. She could see something else in his eyes …triumph. Nausea rose in her throat. She couldn’t speak, then, and just closed her eyes, wanting the pain to go away. She felt him kiss her, but she didn’t respond.
“ElliBella?”
“Don’t call me that, please.” It hurt too much to hear Indio’s name for her in this man’s mouth.
