Chapter 26

MIA

I n the coming weeks, to his immense satisfaction, I moved in permanently with Lorenzo, where he kept a watchful eye on me.

I didn't mind, in the least, loving his tender care.

He ensured I settled in without drama.

Mauri and Sadie packed my apartment, and I directed the unpacking at Lorenzo's home.

In just days, it felt as if I'd always lived with him.

He set up a retractable desk on my designated side of our King bed with my laptop, complete with a built-in phone charger and iPad.

My love always had tissues, water, and endless delicious snacks within reach so I wouldn't have to keep climbing up and down the stairs.

He pampered me with fancy meals, crossword puzzles, and a never-ending supply of books, TV shows, and movies to binge-watch.

The man kept busy because he also tended to Mauri, who needed TLC after his run-in with Tony.

Thank heavens for Alessio.

Lorenzo's brother pitched in without question, extending his stay in Sydney to care for us all. After a few weeks, he declared he loved the city enough to contemplate relocating from his home in New York.

We fell back into being one big, happy family.

The dampener on our domestic bliss came when we discovered more about Tony's movements and how he'd slipped into the country just after Bianca died. Apparently, he'd attended her service and wake.

That's where Saint believed he mixed in with the guests and tagged Lorenzo and me.

He told us as much over a phone call one late afternoon, a day after my arm cast had been removed.

We were seated in Lorenzo's study, the curtains ruffling in the warm breeze, the sun dappling the floor and desk.

I sat on my man's lap, listening to the shocking revelation.

‘My crew retrieved Linda's computer from your apartment, Mia,' Saint rumbled, ‘and mined it for clues. They found photos.'

Lorenzo's laptop pinged as a dozen images popped up on our end.

They appeared to have been taken with a long-lens camera. They featured Lorenzo and me standing close to Bianca's terrace.

‘Tony and Linda assumed we were together then,' I breathed, shocked as Lorenzo flipped through them, showing me in my lilac dress, capturing the moment Lorenzo bent over me when he'd kissed my cheek.

The Sovereign man continued. ‘They went on to follow you and hacked your WiFi when you were still living in the Mountains. After intercepting your searches and ads for a shared apartment to rent in Sydney, they emailed you about the accommodation,' Saint informed Lorenzo and me.

‘So blissfully ignorant, I moved in with Linda, as both of them ingratiated themselves in my life, part of a nefarious plan to get to the Calibrese family through me,' I murmured, my voice catching with emotion.

Lorenzo tugged me closer, pressing his lips to my temple.

For several days after the revelation of how naive I'd been, I felt like a fool.

Until I rationalised that it wasn't my fault, I hadn't had any reason to suspect Linda and her cousin meant me any harm, so in time, I forgave myself.

However, although my physical wounds healed, the emotional scars remained. For a few nights, nightmares plagued me, jolting me awake, drenched in sweat and gasping for air.

My gorgeous man held me close each time, whispering soothing words and wiping away my tears till I fell asleep.

The days turned into weeks. Life settled into a comfortable routine as I continued to heal. I chose to take therapy to help me recover from the trauma as I started to put the pieces of my life back together.

The looming threat of Tony and Linda, now a distant memory, was supplanted by a newfound peace and sense of security.

Lorenzo's protective nature never faltered, and his care for me was evident in every action.

Lorenzo and I found solace in each other's presence, leaning on one another for support and understanding. Our passion blossomed into something more profound than we'd ever experienced.

I found strength in my resilience, my man's unwavering support, and the love that embraced me. The nightmares grew less frequent, replaced by peaceful nights wrapped in his arms.

Each day, I fell more in love with Lorenzo.

I adored his laugh, his soft, neat beard, how his long hair fell over his forehead when he fucked me and growled into my neck.

I cherished that we debated intellectual topics, from books to philosophy, food and travel, opposing each other on some and deliciously on the same wavelength on others.

His dark sense of humour and charisma were off the charts, as was his ability to mesmerise people's attention with his insightful conversational skills.

Fiery, passionate, possessive, and caring, he supported my dreams to grow my business. Queen's Clean was on its way to becoming a leading service with excellent reviews.

My clients especially loved my heartfelt thank you notes after every clean, written on my stunning stationery and lush paper and infused with my homemade perfume.

Lorenzo and his brothers parlayed their vast resources, combining them with their passion for food. They established an import venture focused on artisan pasta, cold-pressed olive oils, condiments, and gourmet sauces.

The siblings even planned for an extensive deli shop carrying small-format Italian beer, wines, and spirits. They wanted the resulting brand to become a source of everything Italian, a mecca for speciality imports, and an eclectic selection of international and locally sourced goods.

I preferred this fresh focus of their business with less heat on their backs.

‘I'll still keep some of my asset management client base,' Lorenzo told me, ' but I'll focus on the more acceptable commerce aspects, of course.'

In our downtime, we took long walks on Manly Beach with our new dog, Pluto, a cheeky golden cocker spaniel, loving the idyllic life we'd fought so hard for.

One morning, we drove into the city to the law offices of Jones & Jones.

Where Mr Reed Jones was tasked with reading Bianca's will.

To our utter surprise, she'd left her Blue Mountains property to both Lorenzo and me.

‘All seven acres and outbuildings are jointly in your names,' Mr Jones intoned.

The bequest shocked us, not so much because of its generosity but because she'd entwined us together before our love journey had even begun.

‘How did she know we'd be a couple?' I asked, swinging my head between the bespectacled lawyer and my man.

Lorenzo leaned back in his chair and shrugged, a lopsided smile on his face. ‘Perhaps she appreciated how well you took care of her, bella, and didn't want my brothers and I to miss out on your unique brand of loving.'

I melted at the sweetness in his words. ‘Stop!' I protested, beaming all the while.

We left Jones & Jones' offices.

A smile played on my face, still wondering how prescient Bianca had been.

In the lift, I rotated to my King and pulled him close as the elevator doors shut with a whisper. ‘You're a treasure, Lorenzo. You're a passionate man, too, with a beautiful soul. You need to know she left me a letter before she passed. In which she tasked me to take care of you.'

‘She what?' he rasped, in shock.

I nodded. ‘She did. I thought she was asking me to support your family with her funeral arrangements, but now I believe she meant more. Bianca wanted me safe and secure with you, knowing just how much of an OTT protective, loving alpha you are, believing I would eternally love you with grace.'

He didn't say a word, yet I tagged how his eyes gleamed, his lips curled up at the ends, and his hand tightened around my waist.

His gaze fell on me, raking me from top to toe of my bodacious limoncello sweater, linen trousers and heels, and he smirked.

The elevator door opened, and he pulled me tighter to his beautiful, navy-suited length. Then we swung out into the sunshine.

He slid on his sunglasses, looking every bit the ruthless, fearless King I adored.

At the car, he tilted my face, bent, gave me a feather-light kiss and jerked his chin at me.

We glided into his Maserati and purred away to our new life together.

LORENZO

For months we'd craved tranquillity, and now we had it, we nurtured it because, fuck, we deserved it.

Thanks to Bianca, we now had a weekend getaway property where my woman and I enjoyed a dreamy escape when needed.

It'd been a week of massive freakin' challenges, from closing out some of our key global business's bank funds and credit lines, settling vendor accounts, and terminating office leases and rental agreements as we wound down our footprint in Italy.

My new fiscal advisor, a Sydney-based money genius, Arsen Piscek, helped me ensure compliance with financial regulations while handling our foreign exchange matters.

However, at Blue Bliss, Bianca's elegant, cozy and luxurious home, now ours, I forgot it all, lost in the expansive views of the mountains.

Mia and I had woken this morning to the sight of mist-covered peaks and indulged in a cup of coffee on the private terrace.

Now, we were poolside, surrounded by lush greenery, overlooking the rugged escarpment and taking in the sweeping panorama of the mountain ranges.

We lay on a divan by the pool, our bodies intertwined, soaking in the sun's late afternoon rays.

Life was ecstasy.

I flexed a thigh over my woman's legs and breathed her in, her feminine and floral scent infused with amber, the essence of forever for me.

The same perfume that had laced her letter to me. The same epistle that had saved my proverbial ass twice, now framed and in place of honour next to our bed in our Sydney home.

Mia sat up, twisted and gave me ‘the look'.

I raised a brow as she lowered her head and smiled.

Heat sparked, and I jolted at the need in her eyes.

Damn, feeling desired was hot.

She rose, letting her robe fall in a river of silk to the ground.

Revealing her deep V bathing suit.

Her hips swung as she tracked to the edge of the water.

Fuck, her ass gave me an instant hard-on.

Even though I was a man given to silence, at this moment, I wanted to shout out to the world and declare my unyielding, unending love for her.

I sat up as she dipped a toe in to test the temperature, and then, with one more coy glance at me, she dived in.

She surfaced, her laughter echoing through the air, the siren's call. Resistance was futile.

I plunged in after her, the coolness enveloping me as I followed her, my body craving her touch.

The shock of the cold soon dissipated, scorched by the heat radiating between us.

I wiped the water from my face, eyes locked on her glistening beauty.

She beckoned me with a smile, and I swam closer. Mia glided in, her hair slicked back.

The sun beat down on us, casting a golden glow over the pool.

I reached out to grasp her, and she met me halfway, our hands clasping in a silent promise of love and craving. The world faded away, leaving just the two of us in this moment of raw connection.

With a sudden surge, Mia wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a searing kiss. The flavour of her lips was intoxicating, sending a rush of hunger coursing through my veins. We clung to each other like the only constants in our ever-changing reality.

Our passion ratcheted, and my aching cock longed for release.

‘Cara, I need you.'

‘Honey, I want you too,' she breathed.

‘Why the fuck do you bother with a swimsuit when we're alone?' I grumbled, eager to gain unrestricted access to her.

‘For the pleasure of seeing you take it off,' she whispered, husky and smoky with need.

With a curl of my mouth, I tugged apart the straps of her swimsuit and slid it off her shoulders. Past her stunning tits and hips and yanked it off.

It floated away as I shucked my swim shorts.

Reaching for her with the devil dancing in my soul, I hitched her up and positioned her above my throbbing shaft.

Her eyes widened in surprise, then filled with desire as she lowered herself onto me, her tight, silken wetness clasping me.

I groaned even as she gave a gasp of pleasure that was music to my ears.

We locked eyes because sex was always so sensual this way, my hands gripping her hips, guiding her as she rode me.

The water swirled around us, a sensual flow that only heightened the intensity of our passion.

My eyes raked her, cock twitching inside her as she moved, her waist undulating, her breasts bouncing with each thrust. Her nails dug into my shoulders, leaving marks I welcomed.

‘Te amo, bella,' I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

‘I love you too,' she breathed back, a gasp over the sound of our intensity and surging ripples.

Our bodies flowed in sync, a dance between two souls who had defied everything to be together.

I grabbed her hips, thrusting deeper and harder, the water splashing as our fervour reached new heights.

Her moans filled the air, her body shuddering beneath mine.

Her pussy rippled, her climax escalating, her muscles clenching around me as she began to cry out my name, my cock driving us both towards the edge.

‘Now, cara,' I commanded, my voice rough with need.

With a wild moan, she exploded, her walls pulsing in rhythm with my release.

We came together, our bodies shivering in the aftermath of our passion. I held her close, my heart pounding as I savoured this victory over darkness, love, and pure, unadulterated happiness.

We bobbed in the water as I cooled down, my face in the crook of her neck.

She stroked my hair, sending mini strobes of bliss through me.

After a few molten moments, I pulled back and gazed into her lilac eyes, their purity and warmth cutting through me with their intensity.

‘Bella,' I growled. ‘Loving you is easy for me, and I'm certain I will feel this way until the end of time.'

‘Baby, I breathe every single breath for you,' she whispered.

I stared at her, searching for the right words to share. ‘In that case, seeing as we're living out this life for each other, I think we should get married.'

Her eyes widened. ‘Really?'

‘For real, cara. We've grown, healed, and become better versions of ourselves because of one another. Our love has become our strength. You taught me that love isn't about power, control or domination. It's about recognising and appreciating the best in each other and being there for each other through thick and thin. Forever with you is my destiny. I want us, you and I, together forever.'

She cocked her head, and then she smiled. ‘I do,' she proclaimed.

I threw my head back and laughed at her moxie.

‘Where's the ring, Lorenzo?' she insisted, widening her eyes at me.

I lurched, still chuckling, still planted deep in her. ‘You're demanding and pushy, too, woman. Sei pazzo!'

With a laugh, I pulled away from her and swam to the pool's edge.

Easing out naked as the day I was born, I reached for a tidy box inside the robe I'd abandoned on the divan.

I strode back and eased into the water, stroking towards my woman with one hand in the air.

‘Is that what I think it is?' she teased.

‘Just one of the million reasons I love you, Mia Kassa Cameron,' I rasped.

Her face lit up, her eyes shimmering with anticipation.

I snapped open the velvet case to reveal a sparkling diamond ring in the sunlight.

‘Oh Dio, Lorenzo,' she gasped, tears welling in her eyes. ‘It's perfect. This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.'

I released the glistening band from its hold and slid it onto her finger, its essence and weight connecting us to an eternity yet to come.

‘A ring does not capture how much I adore you, bella,' I growled, ‘or that we were destined to be, but this just makes it official.'

‘Official?' she repeated, still in awe of her new jewellery. She lifted her hand into the air as light glittered through the exquisite facets. ‘This is so much more than official, Lorenzo. This is forever,' she whispered.

I pulled her close, limbs entwined. ‘This ring is a promise I will spend the rest of our lives, every moment, every breath, showing you how I love you.'

The sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the firmament in hues of orange and gold. We held each other tight as the water rippled around us.

The world faded away, leaving us two souls destined for the other until the end of time.