Page 35 of His Beautiful Revenge
Four months later …
Giacomo trailed his lips down Norah’s spine as they lay in his bed, the early morning sun shining down on her café-au-lait skin. He had honestly never thought he was capable of being this wiped out by love, but this beautiful, sweet, smart, funny girl had invaded his every waking thought. These last few months had been deliriously happy. He had persuaded her to return to working with him, and she had risen to the challenge, growing in confidence and impressing his board. The word had gotten out too and Norah had found herself on the end of some very interesting offers.
Giacomo pressed his lips to the back of her neck as she slept. She had resisted the offers at first, wanting, he suspected, to prove to him that she was loyal, but he had encouraged her to take the meetings at least. They would both work long hours, then come home to each other, cook together, then talk before going to bed and making love late into the night. He sometimes wondered when they had time to sleep. Their weekends were sacrosanct, spent either with each other at home, lazing around and staying in bed late, or with Orlando, Ferma, and more often than not now, Zulika, who had become great friends with Orlando and his daughter.
Giacomo was grateful to Zulika for distracting Lando and Ferma from their dreadful grief and the frustration of not knowing who killed Carmel and why. The police simply had no leads and Giacomo had thrown his influence and money behind a private investigation, but so far had come up empty.
“Whatever you need to do to find the answers, do it.” he’d told the head of his team, fixing him with a look. The head of security, who had known Giacomo since he was a kid, nodded.
“Gotcha, boss. Anything goes.”
He was so lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed that Norah had awoken and was watching him, a small smile playing around her lips. “Hello, baby.”
He smiled down at her. “Buongiorno, il mio amore.”
She turned onto her back and stretched like a cat, and Giacomo admired her curves with relish. She grinned at him as he ran a hand down her belly. “What were you thinking about?”
“Lando …and how much Zulika has helped him and Ferma.”
Norah smiled. “I know, right? Still, I wish I could wave a magic wand and bring Carmel back. Zul told me that Ferma is being bullied at school for not having a mommy.”
Giacomo made a disgusted noise. “Is there anyone crueler than a kid?”
Norah laughed slightly. “Cruel people are cruel, no matter their age. If their parents taught them proper values …look at me, ranting like I know what the hell I’m talking about.”
“You don’t talk much about your family,” he said, pressing his lips against her shoulder. Norah shrugged, not fazed by his question. “We weren’t particularly close growing up. My mom brought me here when she divorced my father and we never saw him again. Mom died when I was seventeen. Zulika was the nearest thing to family. Now, of course, I have you, Lando, and Ferma, and my friends.Ourfriends.”
“Very true,Principessa.”He gazed down at her. “Did you ever consider Hargity as family?”
“Ha. No, not even when I thought I was in love with him. Ugh, the mere thought of him makes me retch. Still, he seems to have taken the hint after the last time he tried to weasel his way in.”
“What?”
“Oh.” Norah stopped and went red. “Yeah, I might have forgotten to mention that. He came to the store one evening, trying to pretend he was a reformed character and that he still loved me. That he wanted me back.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No …he tried to …”
Before she could finish, Giacomo growled and leaped out of the bed.
Alarmed, Norah sat up. “What are you doing?”
“I’m gonna find him and then I’m going to fucking kill, thefiglio di puttana.”He was halfway out of the door, wild with rage. Norah grabbed him and dragged him back into the room.
“Norah, no. Let me go.”
“Stop. Stop.”
She got his face in her hands and made him look at her. His eyes were mad.
“Stop. Let me finish. He tried tokissme, is all. I stopped him.”
Giacomo closed his eyes and sucked in a huge breath. After a few breaths, he looked at her, hurt written across his face. “He could have killed you.”
“But he didn’t.”
“But you decided not to tell me?”
