Page 69 of His Beautiful Revenge
Chuckling, he got up and came over to her, drifting a fingertip down her bare spine and making her shiver with pleasure. She leaned back into his touch for a second, then decided that was a bad idea as her dress hit the floor and he was carrying her back to bed.
They made love slowly and tenderly, savoring every moment. “We’re going to be so late,” she murmured, then gasped as he entered her, making long, rhythmic strokes as his cock drove deeper inside of her.
“They won’t mind …they’re probably doing exactly the same thing as us …”
Zulika laughed and wrapped her legs tighter around his waist. “I bet they are …”
They were an hour late to the restaurant and as soon as Norah saw them she started laughing. “Don’t worry …we only just got here too.”
The meal was exquisite and the four friends chatted amiably about the wedding. “So you’ll obviously let me fly you all over myself, right?” Giacomo looked at his friend, who laughed.
“On this occasion, yes, buddy. I’ll let you spend some exorbitant price on flying my family and me to Italy.”
“Good. No arguments,” said Giacomo in a tone that made Norah giggle.
“See, I let you be masterful one time and you think you can do itallthe time.”
Giacomo laughed and kissed her cheek, murmuring something into her ear that made her blush.
Norah looked radiant, Zulika thought to herself. Absolutely radiant. She was wearing a white cotton dress which glowed against her dusky skin and her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun at the nape of her neck.God, you two will have beautiful kids,she thought as she looked at Norah and Giacomo, their heads bent close together as they flirted with each other.You were made for each other.
They lingered over coffee, until finally, at just past eleven p.m., Giacomo glanced at his watch. “I hate to be the party-pooper, but I have a meeting at seven a.m.”
“Boo,” said Norah, but she stood up with him. As they all walked from the restaurant, Orlando put his arm around Zulika’s shoulders. Norah and Giacomo stood outside waiting for them.
Zulika never saw it coming. There was confusion, people on the street pushing past them, Giacomo’s raised voice, a man who was staring intently at Norah, and then Zulika heard it.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Her ears rang as she recognized them as gunshots.What the hell?Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Norah jerked backward and as she fell, Giacomo caught her and Zulika saw the blood.
No. No, please, this can’t be happening …There was a buzzing in her ears.
Giacomo cradled Norah in his arms, sobbing, his hand pressing down on the bullet wounds in her belly. Norah’s eyes were closed and she didn’t respond when Giacomo screamed her name. Zulika saw the shooter—the killer—disappear into the crowds. People were screaming and already she could hear sirens, but it was her best friend’s face she couldn’t take her eyes from.Norah.
Norah. Wake up.
Orlando, his face a mask of horror was crouched next to Giacomo and his stricken love, begging Norah to be okay. Zulika fell to her knees. Giacomo looked up at her. “I can’t wake her up.”
His voice was broken. Zulika felt useless. Numb. Paramedics were there then.That was fast.
“No pulse.”
No. No. Don’t you dare die, Norah. Not now …
“Let’s get to her to the E.R.”
In a taxi cab following the ambulance, Orlando’s arms tightened around her.
The emergency room chaos.Please let her be okay …
Hours of surgery. Hours.
The surgeon coming to see them. The sadness and regret in his eyes.
No. No. This isn’t real.
But itwasreal.
