I lifted my head. “Wait, Alex was there at the theft?”
“Yes. Harley was supposed to kill Brian once the painting was taken. Trent found them too fast. Somewhere through all that, Alex decided to become me. He told Harley. In exchange for Harley’s help, Alex promised to give him Candy.”
My brows scrunched together. “He bartered his wife?”
“Yes. Alex found out Candy had cheated on him. He planned to kill her, but Harley stepped in. In exchange for Harley’s help, he got Alex Junior. They were going to disappear with the money from the trust.”
A headache loomed in the back of my head. “How did Alex get the partial dental identification?”
“He had his lower left teeth pulled and placed in Brian’s before he died. Before, he had a cast of them made for a bridge to replace them. As suspected, he killed Commander Taylor, the coroner and Brian. They were all being blackmailed to do Alex’s bidding and manipulated the reports to hide any inconsistencies. After I came back, Alex started cleaning up his mess. He decided to finish what he started. Alex sent the note to you in Italy and at the art gallery with the finger.”
“Why?”
“I finally had something worth losing. It was all a fucked up game to make me suffer. I know it seems like there should be more of an explanation. If there is, Alex is taking it to his grave.”
A shiver ran through me, which caused Gabe to pull me closer. I placed my head on his chest. Alex truly was a terrible being. Everything felt icky when it involved him.
“What happens now?”
“De Luca took Alex and Harley. He promised we would know they’d been dealt with permanently.”
There was so much to process and understand. He held me close and I knew he would never let me go.
It was over.
The game Chasity cultivated was finished.
It was late afternoon as I walked along the back of the property with Gabe. A stillness settled over the place and I felt contentment.
Events from the night before played over in my head. True to my word, I worked on healing from all the hate. It would take time, but with Gabe by my side, we would find our happy ending. The only outstanding issue was whether De Luca would keep his word and stay away. Though he knew we lacked incriminating evidence to turn him in, we still wanted to be watchful. The men stayed in place for now. Security would be needed for the foreseeable future.
I glanced to the barn. It was empty now when only a few hours ago, a man I despised had been there. How things changed. It was as if the incident had never occurred.
Had Alex loved his son? I believed he had. It had to be the only human piece left in him. Maybe I wanted to believe he loved him. At the core of all people there was good.
My thoughts might have been naïve, but it made the world a little less scary.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Alex. He’d lived with me for nearly six months yet he was a stranger. Last night, I saw all the hate spew from a battered and broken man. It’s a tragedy what your mother did to you boys.”
“It is.”
Thank goodness Gabe had been strong enough to survive.
We took a turn down the path I walked millions of times through the years. The trees created a magical feeling canopy.
The time had come for us to move on. Sun filtered through the trees, giving them a luminary feel. At the end of the path was the gazebo. Letting go of Gabe’s hand, I walked to the center where a fountain bubbled with water. This had been Dad and Mom’s special spot. The place he proposed to her.
“This is the place—” I turned to see Gabe on one knee. My hand went to my mouth as a jubilant laugh left me.
“Willow Loren Russo, I have spent my entire life looking for you. You are the sun that chases away my darkness. I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Will you do me the honor of not only being the mother of my children, but my wife?”
I threw my arms around him, knocking him off balance. Gabe braced me against falling and took the brunt of it. Another giggle left me.
“Is that a yes?” he asked.
Oh no, I had forgotten to answer. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Kissing him with all my might, I bound myself to him. Then, I remembered. “We can have sex! I can have sex now.”
“As my fiancée.”
My smile grew. “I like the sound of that.”
“Me, too. Would you like to see your ring?”
“Yes! I have a ring!” I nearly squealed with delight as he opened up the ring box. The sapphire diamond I thought was lost forever sparkled back at me. My throat tightened. Barely above a whisper, I asked, “Where did you find my mother’s ring?”
Delicately, Gabe took it from the box and slipped it on my left index finger. “I left something out about the day your dad told me about your tradition to come here to remember your mom.”
I gazed at the diamond with reverence.
“Before your dad told me the story, I’d asked for your hand in marriage.”
My eyes connected with his. “You did?”
“Yes. And he gave me the ring for safekeeping. It was his approval.”
“This is perfect. Thank you for giving me the world.”
He stood with me in his arms like I weighed nothing. “Now, on to your next surprise.”
Our car pulled up to the Whitmore Hotel. The bellman hurriedly got our luggage from the trunk and took it inside.
“Evening, Signorina Russo, Signor Thompson,” Tomas greeted us. His familiar face reminded me of my last trip when I’d been here with Carson.
“Hello, Tomas. How’s your daughter?”
“Very good, Signorina Russo. That is sweet of you to remember. I received the art supplies you sent her. Gratzi. She loves it and made you a card. I’ll bring it tomorrow.”
I gave him a brief hug. “I’m so glad. I can’t wait to see what your little artist made.”
“It’s wonderful to have you back.” With an outstretched hand, he welcomed us into the hotel. “We have everything arranged as you asked, Signor Thompson.”
I glanced at Gabe who gave nothing away.
“Gratzi, Tomas.”
The grandeur of the hotel remained the same. Low classical music filled the atmosphere. The white marble floors had distressed gray marks through them. In the center of the room, the giant crystal chandelier hung massively over a ginormous flower arrangement wider than I was tall. The fragrant flowers of white lilies and violets permeated the air—both symbolic flowers of Italy. Everywhere you looked, another treasure waited to be discovered like the sculptures in the corner of the room.
Smooth polished marble met my hands as we climbed the three stories of the grand staircase. As we rounded the corner, I felt the heat of Gabe’s stare and stopped. My stomach clinched with anticipation of things to come.
We were about to have each other… finally.
I wasn’t able to take my eyes off the way Gabe’s muscles moved. For so long I had worked on squelching the desires to make the need for him a little more bearable. But now, nothing stood in our way.
Money exchanged hands before Tomas left the room. In
a haze, I waved good-bye but nothing deterred me from the man I loved. We had survived against so many odds.
Click.
The lock moving into place heightened the sexual tension as heat radiated off my skin begging to be touched.
Gabe faced the other direction with his back to me, the anticipation building for when he took what was his. Me.
“Undress, sweetheart. When I turn around I want to see you.”
A little smile formed because of what I had on underneath my lavender sundress. Francesca packed some lingerie with a note that told me to use it wisely. Oh, I planned to.
The energy between us grew and I quietly slipped my sundress over my head.
Holding the fabric out to the side, I let it drop. Gabe turned with a deliberate control and his eyes heated with an intensity I remembered from the last time we made love. With measured steps he strolled to me. The heels of his shoes sounding against the marble.
The heat from his body met mine, creating an almost combustible inferno. My breathing sped up, but still he kept a millimeter of space between us. I itched to reach out and feel his body against mine, but I waited.
An agony to have him built slow and steady as he walked around me. The heat of his skin licked mine as my nipples puckered, waiting to be stroked and begging for attention. As he passed behind me, his fingertip touched the upper part of my shoulder, and with deliberate slowness he trailed it across my back. The minuscule touch became the worse kind of torture.
“You are fucking gorgeous and mine to have.”
“Yes.” My breathy reply gave him the answer he needed.
His fingertips skimmed the tops of my panties as he came around to my front. “Are you wet?”
“Very. I need you inside of me.”
“It’s taking every ounce of control to savor this.” His finger dipped below my panty line, causing my stomach to tingle.
I wanted Gabe to lose control, but the reward when he did would be that much greater. A needy whimper escaped as his hands reached the sides of my panties where they tied together. The sound of fabric swooshing filled the silence. The air kissed my now bare skin as my panties dropped to the floor.