Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

A lexandra

Warm light was suddenly all around me, the comforting feeling washing through me creating a euphoric effect.

I tried to open my eyes, but they were heavy, every muscle in my body aching. At least I was awake enough to realize I was in a very soft bed with fluffy pillows and a wonderful comforter. Even the sheets were luxurious. Or maybe I was dreaming.

I’d had fitful dreams, mostly nightmares of seeing the man’s head rolling in my direction. His eyes had been open wide, terror in both.

I pounded my fist on the pillow, realizing my mouth was cotton dry. After prying open one eye then the other, I eased onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. There was a ceiling fan going at low speed, the beautiful ornate design and long fans mesmerizing. My mind finally processed I was in Italy. I was with my godfather. I’d been stripped of everything I knew or wanted.

Because I’d been stupid.

Sighing, I tried to prop myself up on my elbows, feeling as weak as a kitten. The room was huge, as large as the kitchen and combined living room at the condominium. It was also beautifully decorated without being… overbearing.

There was no dark wood, no wallpaper. The furniture was maple, beautiful in its simplicity and one wall painted a beautiful plum. That happened to be my favorite color. Along with red, although knowing blood had pooled on the bakery’s floor, red blood, I wasn’t certain I would call it my favorite hue any longer.

I could feel a light breeze from an open window and craned my neck to peer in its direction. It was coming from a set of French doors leading to a balcony. There were several sweet scents like orange and lemon. That couldn’t be right. Could it? I knew nothing about where my godfather lived. I’d looked up Palermo a long time ago and what I’d learned hadn’t seemed very fascinating.

However, I was intrigued now, only having seen a couple of pictures of his estate years before. I wasn’t even certain if this was the same one.

After a few seconds, I gathered the strength to pull my legs from under the covers, planting my feet on the floor. I’d be damned if there wasn’t water and a glass of orange juice sitting on my nightstand.

And both were cold.

Wow.

He’d watched out over me, or else he had a housekeeping staff. Maybe both.

I took a gulp then another of water first, finally lifting the orange juice glass. I could instantly tell it was freshly squeezed. How incredible. And the taste was better than anything I’d ever had in my life.

I was in the same clothes and felt dirty after the horrible night from before and the long day. As soon as I stood, exploring the room, I realized quickly that what few clothes I’d brought had been hung or put away in the dresser drawer, my other pair of shoes neatly placed alongside the pair I’d been wearing on the trip on the closet floor.

There was an equally exquisite bathroom, more opulent than I’d seen in any fancy hotels. Not that I’d been in a lot of them, but I had seen pictures.

Seeing a robe hanging on the back of the door and a basket full of toiletries and makeup floored me. Did the powerful man treat every guest this way? Before taking a long, hot shower, I was determined to view the grounds. I was positive they were magnificent.

As soon as I walked out onto the incredible balcony, it was all I could do not to squeal. The backyard, if you could call it that, was indescribably beautiful. Plus, I could see rolling hills with trees lining them for as far as the eye could see. Closer were fruit trees with low hanging fruit. I was shocked, delighted as well.

There was a pool and an outdoor kitchen, but I could barely make that out, the landscaping was so green and lush. The aroma of the various flowers, plants, and trees was breathtaking.

I stood where I was, trying to remember another time when I’d seen anything so beautiful. I’d kept my head down, studying and doing nothing else for so long I’d barely enjoyed Georgetown.

Other than the one street I used to adore.

Everything was now tainted, my world turned upside down. At least I didn’t feel as exhausted.

After a few more minutes, I decided it was time for a shower.

The towels were oversized and fluffy, the water warm and the view just as incredible from the bathroom. As I stepped into the huge shower, I did squeal. There were three showerheads inside. Three.

The granite was a little bit more foreboding, but extremely artistic. Everything was rippled with luxury and I hated to admit it, but I could get used to this lifestyle.

As I stood under the shower, images of the horrific murder were replaced with ones of the gorgeous man. I could only imagine what he looked like without the suit.

Maybe shorts and a polo.

Maybe nothing.

What I was thinking was entirely sinful, so much so that I just might burn in hell. I wasn’t really a practicing Catholic like my aunt, but I understood what sin looked like.

I tried to shove the images aside, but they became filthy, the man completely naked. In my mind, he had colorful ink on his arms and chest, each artistic piece created just for him.

I could almost see his long, muscular legs and his… thick, long cock.

Shit. This was getting out of hand.

He’d been my benefactor, never forgetting Christmas or my birthday. He’d sent a very lovely diamond necklace when I’d graduated high school, but he hadn’t attended my party.

I had to admit I didn’t know the man at all. Not really. He was a man on a piece of paper, a name signing checks and transferring money over the wire.

But thinking about him so inappropriately was terrible. Ridiculous.

I hurriedly finished my shower, fearful the hot water was creating the perfect breeding ground for my lurid thoughts.

After drying and wrapping the towel around me, I put on deodorant and returned to the bedroom to select something to wear. Not that anything was appropriate. Not for this environment.

And there he was in all his glory. Instead of wearing a suit, he was wearing dark gray trousers and a tight black tee shirt, doing nothing more than sitting in the fluffy chair near the bed. Dear God. I was in a damn towel, which I pulled tightly around me. I wasn’t a big girl, but I also wasn’t tiny, the towel unable to hide my long runner’s legs.

I jumped and he lifted a single eyebrow. “I wasn’t trying to startle you. I wanted to ensure you had everything you needed.” His voice was deeper than before, huskier, and maybe my imagination was working overtime, but it seemed to be dripping with lust.

Or maybe I’d cracked a little with the recent events. It wasn’t unheard of.

The one thing that I couldn’t stop thinking about was why I hadn’t grabbed the robe. He was studying me intently and I had the distinct feeling doing his best to keep his eyes on mine.

“This is beautiful,” I managed, my voice sounding awkward. I was still miffed at him for taking me away even though I knew he was doing everything in his power to protect me.

Like he’d sworn to do to my dying father.

“I’ll show you around later. Get dressed. I have breakfast waiting.”

“You cook?”

He laughed. “Barely and this time, I asked my chef to prepare a feast. I knew you’d be starving.”

I was, my stomach unable to stop grumbling. However, this was still awkward and we both seemed uncertain of what to say.

“How long will I be here?” The question popped out before I could yank it back in.

“I don’t have the answer to that question yet, Alexandra. It’s going to depend on what I learn and what the Greeks do at this point. I will not place your life back into danger. Do you understand?”

“So, I just live here at your house? Finish school here in Sicily?”

I could tell the question about living here troubled him. He rubbed his index finger back and forth across the seam of his mouth.

Which drew my attention to his lips. They were full, cherry red, and kissable. That forced me to look away.

“We’ll see. For now, just enjoy the time. I’ve already put in a call to the university administrator about your exams.”

He followed through. I was shocked he’d gone to the trouble. “Thank you.”

“I know that’s important to you and something will be worked out.”

Will.

He issued the single word as if no one would ever defy him under any circumstances.

“Where shall I meet you?” I asked, trying my best to break the tension between us. Too bad it couldn’t cut through the heavy jolts of electricity. I’d heard that existed, at least in romance novels, but learning it was true could possibly shatter everything I believed in about passion and love.

I’d certainly gone off a deep end at this point, but my mind was whirling with thoughts, fear still there just below the surface.

“You’ll catch a whiff of the bacon and sausage. Jasmine is an incredible chef.”

I wanted to ask how many people worked for him, but I certainly didn’t want to insult him. He owned a jet. He had burly men at his disposal. I’d seen more than one weapon. The man might just be as dangerous as this Greek he mentioned.

“Okay. I’ll change into something. I didn’t bring anything… formal. I just tossed clothes into my duffle bag.”

“After risking your life by heading to the condo where you lived with your roommate, Sherry. Which we’re going to talk about after breakfast. There are rules here as there are in any organization. They are required to be followed. That is something else we will discuss later. However, at this point you need time to decompress and accept you are safe.”

His tone was once again stern. He knew about Sherry. What else did he know?

I continued to tell myself my life had been completely disrupted. Of course I was grateful that he’d dropped everything, coming to my rescue. I was amazed he had and there was no way I could repay him adequately, but the twinge of anger and guilt, frustration and hatred of all things evil prevented me from thinking entirely rationally. That would change. I was a big girl. My father had been murdered inside a church, for God’s sake. I understood violence and bad people. It was just that I’d strived my entire life to live differently.

He was studying me, waiting for some nasty girl retort. I honestly had none. I’d yet to get my bearings, other than knowing I was in a place akin to heaven. “Understood.”

“Good. If you need anything, I’ll get it for you. Just be yourself. You’ll be able to enjoy the grounds and all they have to offer, but know there will be guards surrounding you.” He finally stood and at the sight of him, carved muscles highlighted by the tightness of his shirt, I had to suck in my breath.

This was going to be incredibly difficult.

I hugged the towel closer, a stupid and very fleeting thought of ‘accidentally’ letting it drop suddenly appearing in my mind. Was I nuts? I had to be out of it. I clutched the soft terry more tightly around me, praying he’d leave soon. There was nothing more vulnerable than being naked wearing a towel in front of a man you barely knew.

Did he honestly think I’d try to run away? I had no idea how we’d gotten here, other than fleeting views in the dark. I didn’t have a passport so there was nowhere I could go. I guess certain rules didn’t apply to a man like my godfather.

The sound of his boots thumping against the ornate tile floor made me jumpy for no other reason than another reminder I was far away from home. There was a fluffy oversized rug under the bed, but the rest of the floor was created in a Mediterranean design. I would guess the rest of the house was that way.

When he was gone, closing the door behind him, I took a deep breath before slumping against the dresser. This wasn’t just going to be difficult. Living here with him was going to be the most intrusive, powerless situation I’d ever been in in my life.

Great.

Realizing I’d been so crazed I’d brought crappy clothes with me that barely matched was also debilitating. Yes, it was a stupid thought, perhaps the worst I’d had since the incident. Now that was what I was calling it? I guess I needed to put it into some kind of perspective in my mind.

At least the khaki cargo shorts never seemed to wrinkle and the red tee shirt was clean and more of a Henley style with three buttons. It was decent. Nothing more. I owned—correction, had owned—two dresses. When you spent most of your time in school or in a lab, you certainly weren’t going to get dressed up. They’d not been a choice when I’d tossed things into the bag. Too bad. If my godfather was going to have me going anywhere formal, he would need to buy me some clothes.

As I walked downstairs, I realized how ridiculous I sounded. I was twenty-five years old, determined to create and maintain a life of my own. Yes, I’d been eternally grateful for the help he’d provided, including to my aunt, but I’d never planned on relying on his wealth and generosity for the rest of my life. That just wasn’t me.

Almost instantly as I reached the bottom floor, the scent of everything breakfast assaulted my senses. My mouth watered, my stomach grumbled, and my eyes even watered. I easily found the dining room, a beautiful location overlooking the grounds and a better view of the pool. It wasn’t as stuffy as I’d expected, but the table could seat ten if you were having a formal dinner party.

However, there were two place settings, one at the head of the table, and one overlooking the gorgeous outdoors. And there were mounds of food steaming underneath silver domes. There was a container of orange juice, another juice that I couldn’t distinguish, and coffee. God love the smell of coffee. I’d thrived on coffee for years. I thought I might have just died and gone to heaven.

“Please, sit,” Nico said as he did so himself. Somehow even in less formal clothes, he looked no less formidable. Not that it changed who he was. I had so many questions, not only about the Greek mafia but about him. Who was he really? What business was he in? I could guess and my aunt had speculated and not in a good way.

While she’d been grateful for his assistance, that didn’t mean her stout Catholic beliefs had abated. She’d condemned him like any other criminal, even blaming him and his affiliation with evil for the death of my father. I’d grown to tolerate her tirades over the years. There’d been no sense in arguing with her.

My cousin thought the entire situation was cool, benefitting from Nico’s generosity. It was funny how life was altered on a dime.

I sat down, nervous as a kitty cat. Suddenly, an employee appeared out of nowhere, removing the domes. There was enough food to feed ten people. My eyes were huge. I could eat everything, yet I tentatively selected a croissant, a few eggs, and one slice of bacon. Only then did I realize he was staring at me.

“When was the last time you had a decent meal?” he asked, steepling his hands over his empty plate.

“Medical students rarely eat a decent meal.” I nibbled on the croissant, eyeing the whipped butter. Did he eat like this all the time?

“Don’t placate me. Since the incident and other than chips and Cheetos, what have you eaten?”

“Nothing.” I didn’t need to think about it.

“As I told you, Alexandra, no pretenses here. You’re obviously hungry. I can hear your stomach growling from my seat. Eat. Please. That will make me feel better.”

I lifted my head, studying him. I almost burst into a wave of questions, but held off, instead, scooping up more eggs, the butter I’d relished, sausage, more bacon, and hashbrowns. I put cheese and chives on my scrambled eggs before going after the fruit. I poured a full glass of orange juice, gulping half before digging in. I was like a famished person who hadn’t eaten in weeks, not days.

His stare was evident, his amusement to follow, but he finally filled his plate. “Coffee?”

“Yes, pwease.” God, I had my mouth full. I must look like a barbarian.

He chuckled and poured us both coffee, pushing the cream in my direction.

I had a buttered croissant in my hand while I poured some cream, making slurping sounds when I took several sips. It was scalding hot, but oh-so good.

We both remained quiet while I chowed down. There was no other word for it. Meanwhile, he was elegant in his method of eating, taking his time while I was shoveling it in. It didn’t take long before my plate was finished and dear God, I burped.

I never did that. It wasn’t ladylike. I’d been taught that as a child.

After slapping my hand over my mouth and apologizing in a muffled voice, I dared look at him. He was far too handsome to watch me reduce myself to a Neanderthal.

He continued eating, saying nothing for a full two minutes. “I can tell you have questions.”

“I’m a curious girl.”

“Go for it.”

I could ask more about the Greeks or what he was going to do. Or just how much danger I was in, but I chose to go for the jugular. “Who are you?”

He seemed shocked by my question, almost choking on his sip of coffee. “Who am I? I think you know.”

“I know what little you and my aunt have told me.”

“Ah, your aunt doesn’t like me very much.”

“No, she doesn’t but I think that’s because you closed yourself off. You never said much about you and your life. She bought what the tabloids said over the years, that you were a very bad man taking after your father. I always shut her out and it irritated me that she took your money, but talked badly of you.”

“Your aunt always blamed me for what happened. I understood why.”

“It wasn’t fair.”

He cocked his head. “I assure you that Kim’s feelings were very fair. I don’t hold her feelings and attitude against her in the least. I’m extremely grateful she took such good care of you.”

There was a shockwave between us and we weren’t touching. I hated the awkward moments. But I had a feeling he was relishing them.

“I had no idea you lived in such a grandiose place or that you had dozens of people working for you.”

“I don’t brag, Alexandra. Not my style. Plus, this home has been in my family for almost three generations. My grandfather lived here before my mother and father. My mother still lives here. To answer your question, my family has been important in the world of business in Sicily for generations. Some of my wealth was handed down, inherited after my father’s death of a heart attack. Some I earned by launching our corporation into a different stratosphere.”

“Translation, you’re Cosa Nostra.”

I wasn’t certain if I’d pissed him off given his initial expression, but he eventually smiled. “Yes, I am. And yes, I am a powerful man.”

“And dangerous.”

He cocked his head, smirking instead of smiling. “And dangerous. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

“For now.”

“Ah, for now. Then let’s talk about a couple of things.” He pushed his plate away, which meant breakfast was over.

I sat back, trying to gauge what he was thinking. The stern look on his face didn’t inspire warm feelings.

“Answer me a question now, Alexandra. Why in God’s name did you go back to the condominium when you knew without a doubt the men who killed the senator knew you were there and had seen their vicious act?”

“A senator was killed?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“It’s possible his political platform on ridding the city of organized crime led to his demise. There are other options as well.”

Jesus. A senator. No wonder the monster was determined to hunt me down.

“Answer the question,” he told me.

I’d asked myself the same question a dozen times. I still had no really good answer. “Because I couldn’t get in touch with my roommate and I had to make certain she was okay. She helped me get away from the scene and I was fearful for her life.” That was at least factual.

“At the risk of your own life.”

“Maybe you don’t have a good friend, one who would potentially die for you if push came to shove, but that was my relationship with Sherry. We’ve been through a lot together and I couldn’t face my conscience if anything happened to her.”

Great. Now I felt conviction, which was highlighted in the defiant tone of my voice.

He said nothing at first, merely pulling his napkin from his lap and wiping his mouth before tossing it onto his plate. “In my world, I can’t afford to have those kinds of friends. That could lead to death, which I fear is the case for you. You were lucky. And stupid.”

I thought about what he was saying. “How sad for you. How lonely.” No one defied him. That was easy to tell by the quick flash of anger in his eyes.

“You are an adult, Alexandra, so I can’t remove privileges because of your egregious behavior. That wouldn’t work. However, you do need punishment for your careless actions.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“What does that mean?” Now I was becoming irritated.

He leaned closer, studying me even more intently than before. “That means there is only one form of punishment I believe will work.”

“And what is that?”

“A spanking.”