Chapter 13

13

Zara

S everal hours later, Creed and I are relaxing in the Adirondack chairs on his deck facing the ocean with a glass of red wine in our hands, celebrating the day’s accomplishments.

Now, the sea holds our secrets.

The don had a boat ready and waiting at the dock for us when we got to his thankfully secluded beach property, so Izaiah is finally out of our hair for good. He’s literally swimming with the fishes, as they say. The thought puts a smile on my face and almost makes me giggle.

“What are you going to do about his car?” I look to Creed. His head is leaning back against the chair, his eyes closed. I’m not sure where he lost his suit jacket, but it’s gone now and the sleeves of his black dress shirt are rolled up his arms, the top buttons undone to reveal his muscular chest.

“I decided to leave it where he parked it,” he answers .

“Are you sure that was wise? Leaving it so close to my apartment? I don’t want to end up on a suspect list!”

“Since my text that he thought was from you instructed him to park half a block away from one of Aiden Sanna’s taxi companies, I thought it was best to leave it be instead of trying to move it and get caught on a surveillance camera or leave behind a trace of my DNA.”

“You think Emilio will blame Izaiah’s disappearance on Aiden Sanna because his car was found in Queens near his business, and they hate each other?”

“Yes. The two had an argument about Emilio’s drug dealers in Queens just the other day.”

“Smart of you to think of setting that up when you were furious and texting him.”

“Don’t forget, I was also watching you bathe.”

Taking a deep sip of wine from my glass, I mutter, “I’ve tried to forget how you invaded my privacy so brazenly.”

“Getting to watch you shower may have saved your life.” Creed grins. Lifting his head, he reaches over and takes my left hand in his. His thumb swipes the protruding diamond. “We can get you a different ring when we’re back in the city.”

“I’ll get used to this one. Eventually.”

“You can still keep this one. It’s worth over three hundred grand, you know, in case you decide to pawn it. I would hate for you to get swindled.”

“How did you know I was thinking about pawning it?” I ask, pulling my fingers free from his in surprise. Then, I instantly regret severing the innocent contact with him so soon when he looks away from me with a sigh of defeat.

“You’re not used to having a safety net. I get it. The first thing my mother pawned when she left my father was her diamond. We lived off the money from it for months while she looked for a job.”

“Oh. I’m sorry your parents split up. ”

“They loved each other, but she didn’t want me and my brother to grow up and take over the family business for him. She thought she was protecting us from the violence by giving him up to the feds and running.”

“But your father found you?” I hazard a guess.

He nods. “The charges didn’t stick, and he found us. My brother and I came back home with him.”

I don’t need to ask what happened to his mother to know that it must not have ended well for her. Ratting out the mafia is a death sentence. It’s why I never considered going to the police to report the Rovinas. They have men on the inside to protect them from not only charges but rats too.

And I can’t help but wonder if Creed is not so subtly giving me a warning about what will happen to me if I betray him in such a way.

To change the subject, I ask him, “How is your leg feeling?”

“It’s fine,” he says while straightening the long limb out in front of him. “The cuts were shallow.”

We also dumped Izaiah’s bloody knife, his car keys, and my old laptop into the ocean with him. Creed promised to buy me a new one once he trusts me.

“Are you hungry?” he asks, glancing over at me. “You must be starving by now. We could get something delivered.”

“I’m actually not hungry. The scent of garbage is still lingering in my nostrils.”

“Mine too. Our appetites will hopefully return tomorrow. For now, showers?” He stands up.

“Showers,” I agree as I get to my feet as well.

I follow him back through the wide-open French doors to the sitting room that has an ocean view. Guess he’s not concerned about the electric bill and is wealthy enough to let all the cool air escape .

“This place is beautiful. Do you come here often? I would live here if it were mine.”

“It is yours now,” Creed says when he stops and faces me. “You can come here whenever you want.”

“As long as you’re with me, right?”.

“For the time being. I hope I can trust you one day.”

“Me too,” I admit. “And it would be nice to have a phone again.”

“Why?” he asks, his words suddenly harsh. “Someone you need to call?”

“No. I just have photos of Oriana on my phone, along with some others.”

“I’ll think about it,” he says before he turns and walks off down the hall.

“I need something to wear!” I call after him.

“Help yourself to my closet.”

I’m guessing his closet won’t have any panties or bras. At least, I hope it doesn’t. Even though we’ve not even been married a full day, I don’t like the thought of my husband bringing some woman here so often that she has a whole wardrobe waiting for her.

Curious, I slip into the master bedroom just as the hot water turns on in the en suite bathroom. Going to the closet, I open the double doors and flip on the light. On the left are rows of various dark suits. On the right are more casual pants and button downs. Along the back wall are drawers below a wall safe.

I head for them, pulling the top drawer open expecting to find skimpy lingerie. Instead, there are socks. The next drawer is underwear. Men’s boxer briefs in various dark colors. And the third drawer is full of white cotton tees.

I grab one of those, since they’re the most comfortable thing in the closet to sleep in, then browse the hanging clothes on the way out. I’ve just stepped into the bedroom again when Creed strolls out of the bathroom completely freaking naked. Head to toe, there’s nothing covering his flesh but ink .

“Ah…I’m…I was just…Sorry! I’m sorry…” Why am I apologizing profusely for busting in on him, when he’s the one who is wandering around the room with his dick swinging this way and that way? Yes, it’s long enough that it swings around like a pendulum on its on volition. And he’s just standing there while I stare at it, at him, unable to remove my eyes from his massive, gorgeous body. Thankfully, the knife wound in his upper thigh looks to be healing.

“Yes, my blushing bride?”

“I was…need…a shirt.” I hold up the tee like an idiot, unable to speak in complete sentences.

Grinning, he says, “I was…need…a towel,” before he walks toward the hallway, giving me an unobstructed view of his bare backside and muscular ass.

I hear a closet open and close, then he returns with a blue towel in his hands and his pendulum in full swing again.

Something blue flies at my face, hitting me and falling to the floor before I can react. A second towel.

“For your shower and your drool,” Creed says with a smirk as he swaggers back to the bathroom.

Oh, he’s never going to let me live this moment down.

Without turning around, he calls out over the running water, “I guess we’re even now, for me watching you shower and having to jerk off in the city clerk’s bathroom.”

A laugh bursts from my lips as my brain eventually catches up to his comment.

I knew Creed disappeared into the restroom before the marriage ceremony, but I had no idea that he was in such a state from a few teasing strokes I gave him in the car.

I had only intended to have his hand make one taunting pass down his length. And then when I felt how long and thick he was, I couldn’t stop myself from doing it again and again before my common sense returned to me .

Oh, this is going to be a long night if Creed insists I sleep in his bed again but refuses to touch me.

Not that I think he’ll refuse tonight.

And having sex with Creed Ferraro, because it’s our wedding night and he’s most likely expecting it, won’t be the worst thing I’ve ever had to endure.

It could even be great.

Besides, the closer Creed and I get, the more likely it is that he’ll help me get Oriana back after he kills Emilio Rovina.