Chapter 10
Isabella
OHMYGOD! Gio loves me! He actually just said those words to me after all these years. Words that I never thought I would ever hear him say. I’m still in shock by his admission. He also wants me regardless of what has happened to me. I must be dreaming this can’t be real; it just can’t be. His kiss is proof I’m not dreaming. The second his lips touched mine I felt the spark igniting the fire inside my body heating me up. The desire and lust in his kiss are all I need to know that he actually does love me, the real me, and want me forever, regardless.
He breaks the kiss, leaving both of us breathing erratically. He leans his forehead against mine looking into my eyes with love. I can feel him imprinting on my soul as we sit on the floor in the gym in a world all our own. A bubble has formed around us, and nothing can touch us. He’s the strength and love I need to heal. I can feel it in my heart, and it’s okay to need him.
I break the silence after a few minutes needing to know something. “How will this work? You know, you and me together,” I ask not knowing how we make a relationship work. I’ve never been in a relationship of any kind before and with my current situation hanging over us. I don’t know where we start.
“I imagine it will work like any relationship. We’ll just take things at your pace until you’re comfortable. We have a few things to discuss, mostly about the club, but other than that not much needs to change. You can stay with me if you want or you can stay with your sister and Jules. How does that sound?”
He’s looking at me with a great big smile on his face gauging my reaction causing me to smile back at him.
I yawn out of nowhere feeling exhausted as I say, “Okay, I want to stay with you if that’s fine. I feel safe with you, and right now I need that. I also don’t want Gigi to see or hear me if I have a bad dream. I’ll talk to her and Jules.”
His smile spreads ever wider to his eyes.
“Great, I love having you in my bed. Going to sleep and waking up with you in my arms is the best part of my day. Now, come on let’s get you back inside. We can talk later it’s been a long day, and I need a shower, and you need a nap before dinner,” he says helping me up off the floor taking my hand entwining our fingers leading me back to the clubhouse.
The clubhouse is not far from the gym which is good because I’m exhausted and feel weak all of a sudden. I’m defiantly in need of a nap before dinner. We enter the room, our room now. I was afraid it would be awkward, but it’s not. “Go lay down and relax while I take a shower, baby. When I’m done, I’ll grab us some grub. We can eat in bed and watch a movie,” he says guiding me to the bed. I nod feeling worn out from being stressed all day.
Sam came in this morning to give me a sedative at Gio’s request, and I declined. I can’t keep letting my emotions take me over. I have to talk things out and figure out a way to work through them. I realize I have a support system here, and Sam says that will help me process what’s happened to me.
Gio kisses my lips one last time before disappearing into the closet for clean clothes than into the bathroom. I remove my leggings, get comfortable placing my head on his comfy pillow and take the other one hugging it to my chest.
I hear the shower turn on and it’s like a lullaby, close my eyes, and I’m out into dream land.
I’m back in my childhood bedroom in my big comfy bed, the room is dark, and the house is eerily quiet. Panic sets in me and I’m not sure why I can’t breathe. Why am I back here?
Then my bedroom door flies open allowing the light for the hall to shine in. I see a built man enter before shutting it behind him. Fear instantly takes over my body. The man stands there for a minute, and I try to compose my breathing.
Then he lunges at me as I turn to my nightstand to retrieve my gun, but I don’t make it in time. His massive body falls on top of my back causing me to lose my breath. The next thing I feel is him tearing off my panties.
Then spreading my legs open forcefully. I don’t have the strength to stop what happens next.
My blood curling screams and cries are vibrating through my body. I scream for my daddy, the guards, anyone to help me. I scream for the man to stop hurting me. I scream over and over again begging and pleading with him to stop. He never stops, the pain is excruciating that I’m feeling.
I feel my body being shaken and someone calling my name from a distance. The person sounds far away, too far to hear or touch. I can hardly hear anything through my loud heartbeat pounding in my ears and screams. The voice begins to come in a little clearer, I recognize the man’s voice, but can’t place it. It does make me feel safe and loved. I want so badly to run into his arms.
“Princess! Bella, Bella! Wake up! Bella! Baby! Please, wake up!” I hear the panic in the man’s voice saying my name closer to my ear, but I can’t make out who it is. “Don’t touch me! Get off me you bastard! Please, stop!” I scream at the top of my lungs as tears run down my face. I slowly begin to snap out of my hazy, blinking my eyes open a few times through my tears taking me a few seconds to adjust to the light and my surroundings. Then I see Gio’s face clearly, and I stop screaming. He’s staring at me with haunted eyes, both of us are breathing heavily. He takes me in his arms pressing me to his chest on his lap, he’s wet under me. Oh God, he’s wet and naked.
“Baby, I’m here, I’ve got you,” he says with his hand caressing the side of my face, and I keep my eyes on his. I can feel his very hard and very thick manhood with something cold and possibly metal poking against my thigh. I must have had another nightmare while he was in the shower and he came running out to check on me. I calm my breathing to match his not moving my eyes from his either. I’m trying to ignore his massive warm hard manhood touching me. Is that a piercing? Oh, my God, I think he’s pierced down there.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper turning towards the window on the other side of the room, resting my head on his chest absorbing his warmth. “There’s nothing to be sorry about, baby. We should talk to Sam and see if she can prescribe something to help you sleep,” he says distressed. “I talk to her this morning when you sent her to me. I didn’t have her give me the sedative this time. Instead, she ordered an anti anxiety pill that will help me sleep too. It’ll be here tomorrow, and I can start them,” I take a deep breath. “She also said I should talk find to a professional... talking in general about what happened will help me. I told Jules, but I can’t keep reliving it. It’s too much to handle, and it hurts more every time.” I cry more closing my eyes leaning my face into his chest. “When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here to listen, baby,” he says, and I can tell he’s trying to control his anger. He doesn’t like me feeling this way, it hurts him to see me this way.
Ace abruptly opens the door to check on us, and I tense for a second then relax. Gio tells him it was just another nightmare. Ace asks if he can do anything, Gio tells him no he’s got me. I keep my face buried in his bare chest crying the whole time they talk. Ace is a good guy, and I can tell he really cares about Gio and me. We talked a lot today, and I really like him. I even spoke to Blaze a little getting to know them both. Gio mentioned they are really close to him, and I’ve seen it in both men’s eyes; they would do anything for Gio. The family-like connection they share as brothers is heartwarming. After a couple of minutes, he leaves us.
I lean my head up to Gio’s shoulder with my eyes still shut and mumble through my tears. “I miss them all so much it hurts. I wish Daddy were here to hold me and fix everything. But most of all I just wish I could have told them one last time how much I loved them.” He holds me, kissing my forehead and lets me get it all out.
After a few minutes, I calm myself down. I’m all too aware of his hard manhood against my leg. The shower is still running too. I lift my head from his shoulder to look at him and can see the lust in his eyes. Without a thought I kiss him hard, smashing my lips to his.
We share a perfect tender loving kiss. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to kissing him whenever I want. He tastes like mint, and I’m in heaven with his arms wrapped around my waist and his lips on mine. His lips are soft demanding. He deepens the kiss filling it with passion and desire. I feel his pierced cock throbbing against me, and I know this can’t go any further. I break the kiss after a minute.
“You should probably finish your shower and get dressed.” He nods and kisses me again on my lips softly. Then he places me back on the bed on my side facing the window away from him. I lay there thinking about what just happened and how I feel about it all.
His kisses spark a desire in me I’ve never felt before. I’ve dreamt of having his lips on mine, ever since our first kiss. That summer night by the lake, the last night I spoke to him before he left me, for years. My first kiss and only kiss until now. Most importantly our first kiss was perfect, and it seems just to keep getting better.
I wish my dad were here so I can talk to him. To tell him I finally have the man I’ve always wanted and love.
I know my parents weren’t the perfect role models, they loved each other, but dad always needs more. Mom stayed obliviously to his shenanigans and seemed happy and content. I know Italian men stray. It’s in their DNA or something, but Gio was always different in that aspect. He considered it disrespectful to women to not be committed and honor your marriage vows. Only weak men cheat he said once a long time ago.
I remember one night at my parents’ house on the last Christmas Eve dinner Gio spent with us. I was twelve at the time and caught Gio and Uncle Lorenzo fighting in dad’s office.
The door was cracked, and I stayed to the side listening to them. Gio was upset with Uncle Lorenzo because he overheard him talking to his Comara (Mistress) about going to see her later that night. Gio was fuming at his father for cheating on his mother.
Gio said, “I can’t believe you would disrespect mom this way. I just lost all respect for you dad.”
Then Gio asked him, “How could do this to mom? If you loved her the way you act like you do, why do you need someone else? Why isn’t she enough for you?”
Uncle Lorenzo replied after puffing out a breath.
“I do love your mother, very much. She will also come first to me, but this is the life we live. All men have a side piece, it’s just how things work. Gio, when you get older, you’ll understand, and you’ll have a piece on the side of your own. It’s the best of both worlds: You get a lady on your arm and a whore in your bed.”
With that comment, Gio punched his father in the face, and then he said, “I hate you, old man.”
After a breath, he continued, “I will never be like you and have this kind of life. I will be a better man, husband, and father than you and all the other men around here. Only weak people cheat, and I will never be weak or disrespect my woman like that. Ever!”
Then he left the room, and his father stunned and holding his sore jaw where Gio hit him.
Gio was seventeen at the time. The next day is when he enlisted in the Marines, wanting to leave us and this life behind. He didn’t want the life he grew up in for himself anymore. He wanted to be an honorable man. In my eyes he is, always has been and always will be.
Gio and I have homemade pepperoni pizza - my sister and Jules made - in bed while watching the Cubbies game. We decided to skip a movie tonight, being up all day worrying about him exhausted me. I make it to the fifth inning before passing out for the night.
We spend the next couple of days in his room relaxing. My new IPad arrived the other day, and I’ve been download apps and books like a crazy woman to keep me busy. Gio left me alone this morning to meet with the guys at Church. He informed me that Church is a club meeting with the officers and table members. While he’s at his meeting, I’m reading one of the books on loss I downloaded.
Today, I’m feeling better, and Gio said when he gets back he’ll take me out to show me around the grounds. We’re going to see the horses and walk around a little bit. Or we can ride on the golf cart if I get tired.
I’m in the middle of reading, and there’s a knock at the door startling me. Gio has been gone for over an hour and should be back soon - he wouldn’t knock, he took his key. It must be one of the guys looking for him. I hate being around the guys by myself and they all know not to bother me when I’m in the room alone. It can’t be Jules and Gigi, they went shopping with Dusty and Tiny. They asked me to join them, but I declined, not wanting to go out just yet.
I open the door a crack, and a young girl is standing there. She looks to be around my age with bleach blond hair past her shoulders and an inch of brown at the routes. She’s a little taller than me with dull blue eyes. Her eyes carry a haunted look behind them, I’m curious what she’s seen in her young life to cause that. Her skin is pale, and she looks worn out. I haven’t seen her before, not like I’ve been out of our room much.
“Can I help you?” I ask the mousy girl standing in the hallway. Who the hell is she and why is she here? Her dull blue eyes wonder behind me searching for something or someone.
“Where’s Beast?” she asks with the nastiest disposition that I’ve ever heard. Before I can answer her question, I want to know who she is and why she’s looking for Gio.
“Who are you and what do you what with Gio?” She gives me the ugliest face hissing at me. I’m becoming more and more agitated by the second with this girl. I don’t like her.
“I’m Chrissy. Where is Beast and who the hell is Gio?” Shit, I forgot they don’t call him by his real name here. Now, I’m really annoyed and want to smack this bitch.
“Chrissy, he’s not here. I’m his ol’lady, what do you want with him?” She gets red in the face, and her hand goes into a fist at her side right before she exploded at me.
“Ol’lady, I don’t fuckin’ think so, bitch. He’s mine. I’m supposed to be his ol’lady , not some whore. You’re just another pussy around here for the men’s pleasure. Go fuck one of the other brothers and leave Beast in my capable hands. I know how to handle his needs better than you. Better yet, you should just pack your shit and leave that would save us all the trouble of shipping your ass out.” I lose my shit throwing the door wide open, and it hits the wall in our room.
Hell, no is this bitch going to call me a whore and pussy. No one calls me fucking names like that and gets away with it, especially a fuckin’ whore.
I lunge at the bitch, launching her across the hallway pinning her against the wall. I punch her in the face hitting her left eye, with my left hand I grab her around the throat choking her. Both my legs are between hers keeping hers spread apart, so she can’t move to kick me. Now, I have the upper hand and can knee her there first. It’s not as effective on a woman as it is on a man, but it’ll work. My right-hand goes to her hair pulling her head back making her look me in my eyes when I speak to her ugly mug. She’s shaking with fear - she should fear me now. Her hands on my wrist, but I have more strength than her. She’s weak and scared of me.
“Bitch, you better stay away from my man. Beast, doesn’t want a skanky whore like you and that’s all you are around here. You’re a fuckin’ skanky ass whore. You will never be an ol’lady or a lady of any kind,” I yell in her face as I hear footsteps coming toward us from behind me. I don’t give a shit whose coming or who can hear me, this bitch pissed off the wrong girl off today. “These men only need you to be a whore in their beds when they need to get off. They want a lady, like me on their arm, not a used up hag like you. Men tend to want women that keep her legs and mouth closed around other men. They don’t want an ol’lady that has sucked off all his brothers. Stay the fuck away from Beast and me, if I see your ugly fucking whore face again, I will gut you like a fish and throw you away. Do you hear me, you fucking bitch ass whore!” I scream and feel arms wrap around my waist trying to yank me back. The man is strong, but my grip on the whores’ throat and hair are locked tight. His effects cause me to tug on her hair harder which causes her to wince loudly.
I throw my bare foot back nailing the man in the groin making connecting with his balls. My hand leaves her hair and flies back at bullet speed, hitting him in the center of the face busting his nose. He grabs hold of my wrist holding too tight, but I’m in fight mood towards anyone who gets in my way.
“Get your fucking hands off me, asshole. Now, before I tear you a new ass too!” I scream loud to the man behind me. He doesn’t let go, tightening his grip on my wrist.
Then I see Gio come barreling up the stairs towards us along with a few of his brothers. “Get your hands off my woman. Now, Throttle! What the fuck is going on here?” Gio yells taking me from Throttle.
He yanks me back, and I release my grip on the whore’s neck.
She is giving me dirty looks, and I lunge at her again. Gio pulls me back tightening his grip around my waist with my back firmly pressed up against his strong muscular chest.
“Someone better answer me right the fuck now!” Gio shouts again while a crowd gathers around us filling up the hallway. All the brothers have come out to find out what all the commotion is about.
“Your girl fight’s dirty, man. She gave it to Chrissy good before she turned her shit on me. Fuck, I think she broke my nose, and she fuckin’ nailed my balls. If she was a quarter of an inch higher, she would have nailed my cock. Where the fuck did she learn to fight like that?” Throttle asks glaring at me for getting the best of him. I’m sure his nose broken if the bleed covering his white shirt is any indication. And it looks a little crooked.
“Her brother’s and I taught her when she was younger,” Gio says smugly proud of me for holding my own with them. I can’t stand here and look at this whore anymore. I need this to be done.
“This whore thinks she should be your ol’lady,” I say and hear the guys behind me laughing loudly. “Bitch said I should go fuck your brothers and leave you in her capable hands. Then she told me I should just leave and save you the trouble of kicking my ass to the curb. Ho intenzione di ucciderla, Gio. Lasciami la cagna.” He holds me tighter to him as I look up at him and see he's smiling at me. He shakes his head telling me no, I’m not to touch her again, he’s got this. He turns to the whore stone-faced, she’s in Blaze’s arms against the wall now. Gio and I are in the middle of the hall about two feet in front of them.
“You will never be my ol’lady to any of the brother’s here,” he says laughing, and everyone joins him. “You’re a fuckin’ whore, just a hole for us to get off in. You’ve been passed around here too many fuckin’ times to be anything else.” Then points to me and says, “She’s ol’lady material, she’s my ol’lady , and you will show her the utmost respect if you see her. Don’t let me catch you comin’ near her again or you’ll be out on your ass. You got me, bitch.” Gio’s fuming and standing up for me. It’s kind of hot and does funny things in my belly, and my panties are wet.
“But, Beast, baby, we’re good together. You don’t need her, I’ll do anything you want, anything. I’ll take care of all your needs. Will she?” she says smugly.
And at that, I lunge at the bitch again with my hand in a fist. I want to kill this bitch. Gio grip tights around me as he drags me back a few steps.
“That right there is why you’ll always be just another fuckin’ whore. Get out of my face and don’t come back,” he yells as Blaze leads her down the hall to the stairs. She’s yelling something, but I don’t bother to listen, I turn in Gio’s arms and stare into his eyes.
“We good here, brother?” Throttle asks Gio with his hands in the air, palms facing him in a show of no harm. “Yeah, we’re good, brother. In the future, though, keep your fuckin’ paws off my girl.” Throttle nods and walks to the stairs. Gio carry’s me back into our room.
Once he shuts the door, he lets go of his hold on me. I take a couple of steps forward and turn around looking at him fuming that he wouldn’t let me handle her. I was holding my own with her until everyone showed up.
He has the biggest smile on his smug looking his face making me even madder at him. His arms and legs are crossed as he leans against the door.
Damn, he looks sexy as all hell and that feeling in my belly and between my legs is back with a vengeance. My body seems to have a mind of its own when it comes to him.
“What are you smiling about, asshole?” I ask him raising my eyebrow and trying to calm myself down. What could he possibly be so happy about?
“You, la mia Principessa, I’ve never seen you so possessive and jealous before. It’s cute and sexy as fuck on you.” He chuckles as I watch him. I’m not jealous of her or what they’ve done together. Am I, maybe I am a little. Not of her of what they’ve done and shared intimately. He’s apparently slept with her, probably many times. I know he had a past, but it still bothers me. I turn away from him not wanting him to see my face and how sad and upset I am. I can’t look in his eyes right now, it hurts too much to see his eyes.
“I know you have a past, Gio, I’m not that naïve. It’s just hard when that past rubs it in my face,” I say sounding so small to myself as I take a deep breath and compose myself. I still can’t look at him yet. “Gio, have you slept with her or anyone since I’ve been here. I know you have needs and we both know I obviously can’t fulfill…” I whisper, loud enough for him hear. A lump forms in my throat, and I try to swallow it down as I hold the tears back.
Then I feel his arms wrap around my waist and pull me to his chest. He leans into my ear with his hot breath.
“I do have a past, but none of them meant a damn thing to me,” he says honestly.
“You are the only girl that has touched my lips since I kissed you a decade ago and the only one in my heart, Bella.
“I haven’t been with anyone since the day I got the call from mom and Jules and heard your name for years. I don’t need any of them, I only want you forever. I’ll wait till you’re ready, however long it takes. I will wait. You have my heart and soul as dark as they may be. You are my other half. You’re it for me, baby, for the rest of my life.” He kisses me under my ear causing my body to shiver.
My heart flutters as I turn in his arms with a huge smile on my face from his declaration. All my anger and sadness dissipates as I melt into his touch. I raise up on my tippy toes and kiss him hard on the lips. God, I love him more than I will ever be able to express to him. I break the kiss with happy tears in my eyes for once. “I love you, Giovanni Sebastiano Valentino. You are all those things to me and more.” I pause needing him to know something significant. I place my hand on the right side of his face and the other over his heart. “I’m glad I’m the only girl your lips have touch since our first kiss. Gio, you’re the only boy I’ve ever kissed.”
“I love you too, Isabella Marie Castellani forever, Princess.” He kisses me on the lips sweetly before deepening it.
Standing here in the middle of our room in his arms with his lips on mine is the only place I want to be in the world. His arms are my safe place, home to me.
“Come on, Princess, let’s go take a walk and see the horses before I lose all my self-control. If we don’t get you out of this room soon, I’m going to need a few minutes in the bathroom alone. Fuck, my hand three times a day may not be enough with your sweet lips on mine,” he says taking me by surprise with his bluntness.
Then he takes my hand entwining our fingers leading me to the door. He stops before leaving the room, looks around the hallway seeing no one. We exit the room and head out back.
The rest of the day is excellent, just Gio and I until dinner. We take a romantic walk around the grounds. He shows me everything on the property, the garage where the guys work on their bikes and cars. He even showed me a beautiful part of the land by the lake that would be perfect to live by.
The horses are absolutely the best part around here. We stayed with them for a while brushing and feeding them. Sundance takes a liking to me, and Gio said he doesn’t like anyone. He nuzzled up to me the second I entered his stall. Gio stayed by the door the whole time observing our interaction. I brushed him and talked to him for a while. He’s my favorite too, and I can’t wait to ride him. Soon, Sam said I could ride in a couple of weeks.
We’re eating dinner with everyone in the dining hall. In the middle of dinner, Throttle tells everyone his story of what happened this morning. Not leaving a single part out for Jules and Gigi about how I acted in the hall outside our room with that whore. The girls get a kick out of the way I acted, and the guys are razzing me about it. Gio says I shocked him with the way I spoke to her. The pride he’s bestowing upon me as the guy’s joke with him is heartwarming.
This is definitely not my normal behavior, Gio, Jules, and Gigi know that. The guys, on the other hand, don’t know me well, yet.
I had to stick up for myself and my man to that whore. That bitch needed to be put her in her place. I have always received respect from the people around me and damn it, I demand it for myself. Respect is earned, and I will always show it, which means I will receive it.